Isabella kept her head ducked. She wrapped her hand around herself and stood rigid. She could feel the dominating aura that was no wonder emitted by the king. Different scenarios flashed in front of her eyes. Every one of them was caused by the fear of losing her mate.
While Isabella's tears were threatening to fall, Alexander was pissed at his friend. He was glaring at his friend who was imposing as the king. He didn't want Isabella to know about him being the king. He doesn't mind her knowing but he wants it to be done on his condition.
He hides Isabella behind him to save her from the prying eyes of his friend. But, his friend noticed that someone was behind him. He wanted to see the face of the possible beauty that has captured his friend's heart.
After all, he was known to be heartless and someone who only cared about his kingdom. But now he was keen on knowing the reason behind his friend to switch places in the middle of an important gathering of royals and nobles.
But before he could take a second step towards his friend, Alexander spoke up.
"'Your Majesty', Everything is going according to plan I 'presume'?"
Alexander didn't try to hide his distaste. If it wasn't for Isabella, he might have snarled and talked the way he wanted. But he was still doing the facade of a guard in front of Isabella. He had to show respect or else she may be angry.
While spending time with her he knows her enough to know about the depth of respect and loyalty she has for the king. Besides, for her, he was still a guard. A close one, but a guard. He, can not disrespect.
"Of course my dear friend. I believe you are enjoying your time too. Eh?"
Once again his friend tried to have a look at Isabella. His friend was eager to see his possible future queen but Alexander was not having any of his tactics.
"'My lord.' I am 'available' if I am required."
"Oh no. Not at all. I just came here to tell you that the other 'royals' and 'nobles' are waiting to meet 'me'. Princess Clair is waiting to meet 'me' who 'I' have to assist. Nothing else my dear friend."
His friend has imposed as him many times but he still acts as if he was a newbie. His friend just made him seem like someone who whines like a baby and complains about his tasks. Someone completely unknown to the world. It wasn't how he expected the impression of the king to be.
He stared at his back until he lost him from his point of vision and then he turned his head towards Isabella.
He slowly placed his first finger and thumb under her chin and made her lookup. He expected to see blue electric eyes but didn't expect to see tears glistening in her eyes. He didn't expect to see tears in his eyes who are threatening to be poured out. His inside churned and he felt bad, heartbroken at the sight.
"Isa-"
His words died in the middle when the tears suddenly started flowing. For the first time, he didn't know what to do.
He was thinking of ways to take her to his chamber and claim her as his before everything went down. He wanted to lock her in a room, to never be seen by anyone other than him. He wanted to keep her safe till his last breath. But seems like today was not the right time as she was crying again and again for some reason.
"Isabella?"
He started taking heavy breaths and darted his eyes around. He started thinking about what he did wrong. He has never consoled anyone, he never wanted to. But seeing Isabella made him want to try.
Her petite body shaking with each sob she took. Tears flowing from her eyes. Every tear seems to be stabbed in his heart. For the first time, he didn't know how to do something. If it would have been some other person, he would have left her/him. But this is not someone, this was his Isabella.
"I-I thought he would p-punish us. I-I was scared for y-you. I-I don't want you to l-leave me. P-please. "
A small smile appeared on Alexander's face. His Isabella was worried for him. She too doesn't want him to leave just as he didn't want to leave. He slowly took her face between his hands and tilt her head to make her look into his eyes.
Alexander liked the worry on her face. Although he didn't like to see tears in her eyes, he wants to see her only smiling but yet he wants her to worry about him. He couldn't keep a little, decent, small smile from making its appearance on his lips.
Out of instinct, he slowly patted his thumbs right below her eyes and slowly wiped her tears.
"Oh my dear Isabella, my sweet, naive, dear Isabella. King was just informing me. I am not leaving you. Stop crying."
"Y-you give me your words? You will never leave me? I do not wanna be alone."
"Yes. Now, give me your smile. Your cute pretty smile."
And she gives.
Alexander once again slowly wraps his one arm around her waist. Placed one of her hands securely in his other hand. He slowly started guiding her up the stairs back towards the loan.
He didn't want this moment to end. She beside him, side-by-side. He wants the world to know that she belongs to him. He needs to make his move quick. He knew that her beauty could attract a lot of suitors which he didn't want around her. After seeing that sight, his mind won't be at peace and will constantly prick him about her. He couldn't wait anymore.
He needs to claim her, and now he couldn't wait anymore for her to stand beside her. Her words, her knowledge of being a ruler, her care for him. These all support his decision of making her his queen and making her stand beside him.
"Look, there is Peter."
Alexander doesn't want anyone to be with her. Be it her friend Peter or the guard Sam. But he was out of choice. He knows that he had to let her go, for now.
"Isabella. Go. I will see you later."
He didn't wait for a reply and went away. And, Isabella watched his retreating back until he got lost in the crowd.
She couldn't stop the giddy feeling in her heart. She turned around to look for Peter but he was nowhere to be found. She went back to her room on her own.
Alexander didn't want to leave Isabella alone. He was willing to escort her to her room. But the royal work demanded his presence making him bound to come back.
"What was so important Ethan?"
"Princess Clair was asking your presence."
Princess Clair, like other royals and nobles, only likes to talk about the wealth she has or the latest expensive thing she bought. If she would like to talk about some royal work then she will talk about how they whipped someone severely. He didn't like her, and he probably never would.
Isabella was feeling happy and content. She has waited for a long period of time for her mate.
Her mother always told her how her mate would care for her and provide for her. Her father told her they will be super possessive over her. They will make sure she is safe. As your mate, their first priority will be to keep you safe, happy, and healthy. They will be your other half.
Whenever she will see her father and mother, sitting together just watching everyone. The way he would look at her as if she was the most beautiful one. The way her brothers would run with their mates. Or the way they would get shy whenever they would look at each other.
They thought they were keeping their affection away from their sister. They thought she wouldn't know it, but she did. These things made her more excited to find her mate. Until one day her father crashed her dreams by informing her what his mother once told him.
"Listen Isabella. What I am going to inform you next, may be hard for you, because you want to find your mate. But you need to know... your kind, don't find mates like us. From what I know, they have a huge ceremony. In that ceremony, you get, something like, 'marry' to someone. That one will be your chosen mate. After that day you both will be forced to become mates... I am sorry my dear, but that one, may or may not be your real mate. But the thing is, you can not leave him after that day even if you find your mate someday. I am sorry."
She cried that day. She hugged her mother and cried for the mate who she may not be able to find ever. Who she may not be able to spend her life with like the rest of her family. Her family, however, motivated her. Her mother that day growled at her father to tell her about all that.
It was a funny sight. A big-bad-Alpha cowering.
That night her mother told her that if she will be a good girl, and she will treat everyone fairly, then maybe the moon goddess will help her in spending the rest of her life with her mate.
At first, she was skeptical, but then her father and brothers came close to her and started cheering her. She was now laughing and her whole family fell more in love with her. They always told her.
"If your kind gives you trouble, come to us. We are your family, and family stays together."
She was happy but also worried that maybe she will get 'marry' to someone else. She doesn't want anyone else. She just wanted her Xander. Now she wants him more than ever. She wanted to hug him as she did with her family, and to tell her that everything will be alright, just like her family.
With a last glance to the moon, she fell asleep while Alexander kept tossing in his bed. He wanted to hold her in his arms once again. Now that he knows how was it, he wants to have such a moment again.
With thoughts of each other filling their minds they fell asleep.