The Prince's Mate

Chapter 40

"You bitch." Willow laughed when I opened the front door the next day.

"Well hello to you too." I said jokingly when she hugged me.

But she leapt away from me as if I had burned her, looking around nervously, "Your body guard isn't here to tackle me to the ground is he?"

"Donovan? No, he's back at the palace." I said, pulling her in for another squeeze.

"Shame, he was pretty cute." She pouted, but then she shoved my shoulder, "And screw you for not telling me you were home. I had to hear from our manager who saw you talking with the alpha." She jabbed a little finger into my shoulder while glaring playfully.

"Sorry, I was honestly going to spend the first few days home with my family, but then everyone left and I got bored and then came mister big alpha, telling me how he needs more funding." I sighed. "If I was going to see anyone other than my family from this pack it would be you and you know that."

"Well now I'm here so tell me everything." she said, pushing past me and walking into my house.

We ended up sitting on the floor of my bedroom with a bag of popcorn that we passed back and forth between us. Willow talked about how the shop was so boring and how nothing ever changed and, even though she didn't stop talking for a very long time it seemed that nothing in her life had changed. She still ranted on about the same attractive guy in our pack, she still worked the same shifts at the store, still hated all of the customers and still hadn't found her mate. Despite the fact that I was being selfish, I was happy that at least someone was the same and someone wasn't making me feel like I was from another planet. Well, until she started asking me questions about my life as a royal.

"Now, don't get crazy on me, but you're so lucky, your mate is so hot." Willow gushed, lying flat on the floor with her hands above her head.

"Oh?"

"God yes, and when he was wearing that uniform during The Reveal, I swear I've never been so jealous of you in my life. Like how can you even stand to be away from that? And the good he's doing, that's amazing."

"Hmmm." I mused, not listening at all.

"And how on Earth did you get your hair like that for The Reveal?"

"I had stylists do it. Well, it's not like I had a big choice in the matter. I mean, The Reveal probably looks all lovely on TV, but shit, it was a lot of hard work." I complained, shoving a handful of popcorn in my mouth, "Like I had a hundred women explaining the history of forks to me. I would've stabbed both of my eyes out if it just made them shut up." I sighed.

"But you looked so beautiful, that must've made you feel amazing. And that dress, totally different from the plaid shirts and hoodies your always wore. You looked sexy for the first time in your life." She teased. "I would learn the history of all cutleries if it meant I had people who wanted to do my hair and stick me in a stunning dress. You honestly have no idea how lucky you are." She sighed dreamily.

We continued to talk lazily about my new life, and I made sure to keep out the details pertaining to the fact that my new life as queen was already becoming my old life. And with Willow, I didn't miss the royal life so much. She made me feel like I should, like a kid my age that was just trying to figure life out like she was. I didn't have to make decisions, I didn't have to think about who my actions would affect and why. I just had to worry about myself and how I was going to make it until tomorrow.

Willow left once my dad came home from work and though we smiled and hugged good bye I knew the second I closed the door that the mood was different in the house.

"Where's Cass?" I asked.

My dad just gestured to the couch, "She's at dance. Come sit."

"She does dance now?" I blurted, obeying his order anyway.

"Yes, she does hip hop now, likes it a lot actually." He said flatly, "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Well, what is it then?" my stomach knotted itself in nerves. I might've been a queen, but he was still my father and right now, he was the only reason I had a roof over my head.

"I want to talk about you and what you are going to do now." he held up a hand to silence me when I started talking, "I don't need to know what happened between you and the prince. I just need to know what you intend to do with your life. You are miserable here, I see that. I don't know if you were more miserable there, but if you weren't even a little bit happy then I don't care. I want you to be happy, Brook. And lying around the house isn't making you happy and you've only been home for two days." my dad pointed out.

I sighed, "You aren't going to like this." I warned.

"I already dealt with the fact that the prince of werewolves was awful to my daughter. I don't think much more can upset me." he challenged back.

"I want to go to college."

My dad laughed, "That was supposed to be upsetting? Oh no, my daughter wants an education." He taunted, looking relieved.

"No, Dad, I want don't want to move to another pack and go to their college." I swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze now, "I want to go to human college. I want to go live in a human city."

"What are you talking about?"

"And I want to take Cass with me."

"She'll turn into a human! And so will you!"

"I know, but please, listen. You are a good man, you loved mom more than anything and you didn't show her love with discipline. I thought I would find a good mate, one who would love me right and respect my choices and listen to me when I needed him to. And Bennett was far better than many men will ever be."

"Cassy could find a good mate. Maybe he will be more modern, more open minded." My dad argued.

"Maybe." I agreed. "But what if he's not. and we both know it's much more like for him to be controlling an abusive than it is for him to be kind and gentle. By the time we figure out if he mate is good or bad, it will be too late. He will own her and be able to do whatever he wants with her. Every time we see her she might be battered and bruised or suffering from severe anxiety because of what he does to her."

"Alright, alright." My dad whispered, shaking his head sadly, "Take her with you then, if you really think it's for the best."