The Princess And The Alpha *Excerpt Only*

Tea Talks

"This can't be happening." I whispered, grabbing the sides of my head with both hands. I was sitting in the alpha's home- which was quite impressively designed and decorated- the rest of the guards gone since the alpha had ordered them away when he had realized I was his mate. I, the princess, was mated to the very man my parents loathed and feared with all of their might. I suddenly wished very strongly that this was not true and that this rogue alpha was going to turn around and kill me. At least that way I wouldn't have to tell my parents what happened, who I was bound to be with for the rest of my life and I wouldn't have to face thousands upon thousands of werewolves who hated me because of the man I would come to love.

My mate was in the kitchen, he had been making me tea to calm me down, but now, as the water boiled, he just watched me intently. I took a brief moment to look him over too, scanning him quickly. He was the opposite of what I had anticipated. Most rogues were skinny, weak, and short from malnourishment with dull hair that fell out in clumps and rotted teeth. My mate looked more like a normal alpha than anything though. He was tall, well over six feet and reasonably muscular for his size. He had dark auburn hair and sharp blue eyes. The only sign that showed me he wasn't a normal alpha was the fact that he wasn't super clean cut. His eyes were a little more wild, his hair messy, and his stance more offensive than stable. He looked calm and content, but I was still able to notice a hint of unpredictability in him. Plus, I didn't know any alpha's who had tattoos, but one of his arms was covered in them which intrigued me and frightened me at the same time.

"Again, I'm sorry for the way my guards treated you." My mate whispered, finally looking away from me as the kettle squealed.

I absently wondered if he liked what he saw when he was inspecting me so intently. I wasn't the prettiest thing, though I wasn't exactly ugly either. My long brown hair and my wide green eyes helped me look quite cute, naive and childish too, but other than that I was quite unremarkable. I was average weight with a normal sized bust, fairly large hips, pale lips, and a slightly upturned nose. I was damn near the definition of average while he was anything but.

I just shrugged my shoulders, not trusting my mouth to say the right thing when my brain remembered that he had spoken to me. I was terribly upset right now; I hadn't even considered that I would actually be mated to an alpha, even less the one who led rogues. Hell, I had even started to believe my parents theory that I wouldn't find my mate. And now I was here and my mate was hated by every werewolf pack in the world.

But he didn't seem all that bad so far. He didn't look sadistic or seem to have cruel intentions. His pack looked incredibly normal and healthy, like he was taking good care of them, and his whole pack was very obedient under his command. Had I not smelt the rogue on his pack member I would've never known that he was the man that every feared and loathed. And I hadn't known he was a rogue I'd probably be throwing myself into his arms, kissing him endlessly and being so thankful that my parents had been wrong.

"Are you going to say anything or are you just going keep quiet?" my mate asked, walking over with a cup full of steaming tea. "We haven't even known each other for an hour and you're already giving me the silent treatment." He teased, but when I didn't respond his beautiful smile fell. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"

I shook my head and took the warm cup from his hands. I tried not to let the pleasurable sensation of our touch affect me too much. Instead, I pretended to focus on the mug, reading the pun on the side of it. I needed to think out what I was going to do, how I was going to tell my parents, and what my plan of action would be after they inevitably had a melt down and demanded I leave him. I wondered if the werewolf community would want me as their queen if I was mated to someone they deemed an atrocity and if my parents didn't think he was a suitable king they could give the crown to someone else.

My mate sat down on the couch beside me, letting out a little defeated sigh. "I knew this was going to happen." He breathed, rubbing the back of his neck.

I took a sip of my tea, trying to let his words go, but I was too curious for my own good. "You knew what was going to happen?" I prompted. My voice came out shaky and weak. I nearly groaned at the sound, so much for portraying a strong, bad ass princess. But I suppose it was already quite clear that I was about as harmless as a bunny.

"I knew that my mate would hate me. I mean, every werewolf does, why would my mate be any different?" he murmured, not looking at me.

My heart broke slightly at his words and I had to remind myself that it was just the mate bond that was making me feel sorry for him. He was a rogue, worse, a leader of rogues, the very animals that destroyed packs and ruined lives. I wasn't sure if my mate was blood thirsty, if his pack had been involved in any attacks but I did know that he had caused my father unimaginable amounts of stress and problems. He promoted disorganization and terror throughout the werewolf community.

"I want to go home." I said, trying to sound as firm as I could. I decided I wouldn't tell my parents about the encounter, but I needed time to think and I needed to find Poison before he hurt himself.

My mate stiffened at my words and there was a heavy silence between us for a long time. I held my breath, wondering if I had pushed this unpredictable man too far. Finally, after what felt like forever, he stood up, his back turned to me.

"You're not going home." He said, his voice firm and cold. "I just found you, I can't give you up already."

"But my parents, they're the king and queen, they'll come after me, you can't keep me here." I sputtered, stunned and panicked. The tea cup began to shake in my trembling hands. "They'll kill you."

"I suppose they will try, but I'm not terribly worried about it." He said smoothly, not a quiver in his voice. "They really wouldn't want to kill their daughters mate."

My heart clenched now and I was almost physically ill with the idea of anything bad happening to this man I had just met, even though I had brought it up. I set the tea cup down on the coffee table and leaned forward, resting my head in my hands to ease away the nausea. I knew that I needed to get home, but I also knew that I couldn't tell my parents what happened. I needed to figure out for myself what I was going to do and I couldn't have anyone else's opinion in the matter. And Poison, the poor beast was probably terrified, roaming around in the dark with wolves everywhere, no rider to guide him.

"My horse, can I at least go find my horse?" I asked shakily, on the verge of panicked tears.

My mate turned around at this, a tight smile on his lips, "No need, one of my men is riding him right now. By the time your royal guards catch that horse's sent again they'll be ten kilometers west of us, closer to that massive pack. No one will suspect you're here. It'll be months before your parents figure it out."

**What do you guys think about her mate so far?**