ROYAL CASTLE
Prince Ares woke up with a migraine. That dream again, he thought. Who is she? Those eyes... He had never seen such eyes before except in the dream he keeps having. Same dream since he was a child.
But recently, he had a strong feeling of sadness emitting from the girl.
Why was she sadder than before? Why can't he remember her face after waking up? He remembers those eyes and her skin…those eyes are scary but so mesmerizing and the skin is so alluring. Only the goddess of beauty can have those traits. Is she a goddess?
Suddenly the headache started again. He got out of his bed to drink a cup of water. He doesn't have the time to ponder on dream.
The next day was the mating ceremony. His father insists he must take a mate so as to secure the throne. A throne he would rather give to his brother willingly.
But, his brother has been acting weirdly for sometime now. Ever since their sister died.
Prince Ares knew his brother still blames him. The worst part is that he doesn't even want to listen to his explanation on what happened that day.
He just wishes he could settle his differences with his brother so he can focus on his personal life. He needs to find that girl that keeps appearing in his dream.
He will try and see the old priest. He believes there's a connection between him and that girl.
For now, he will need to put aside his curiosity about the dream. He still needs to choose a mate he doesn't love just to secure his father's throne.
What if he doesn't love any of those girls? Must he choose anyone just to secure a throne and live a loveless life?
Arrrgh!!! The headache attacked him again as he held his head groaning. He tried to relieve the pain by pouring water on his head. After a few minutes, the ache lessened.
Prince Ares went back to his bed and lay down trying to fall asleep. He knew he was going to have a restless night again as his thoughts wandered again to his family.
He had family and friends but what he lacked was love. His father, Alpha Demetri had lived his life in fear of being overthrown.
His father also wants to rule the whole mortal world. Quite ambitious, right? Yeah but Prince Ares wasn't interested in sharing his ambitions. He would have preferred if his brother, Prince Jason would take over from his father.
Alpha Demetri only believes in securing the throne and the rulership of the werewolves community. So, he was scared of betrayal.
The only person he trusted was his Beta. He has that notion that all the Elders are after his life and now also the life of Prince Ares.
He fears to be overthrown.
************
Amidst his deep thoughts, Prince Ares fell asleep again. In his sleep, he saw the girl with the scary eyes again. This time she sat down on the edge of the bed with a sad face.
"Don't drink the ceremonial wine that would be given to you from the gourd with the drawing of a rose flower" The gentle voice said in a whisper.
"Who are you?" He managed to blurt out. He tried peeping at the girl's face but it was blurry except for the bluish molten lava eyes.
The eyes were like fiery hazel eyes. It was rare and…surprisingly alluring to him.
"You will know very soon. Just don't drink that wine", she said as she disappeared.
"Wait...", He wanted to talk to her more but as usual she was gone again.
Prince Ares woke up with sweats all over him. The dream felt so real. Was she really here? Or was it one of his dreams again?
The rays of light shone brightly into his room. It was dawn already and it seemed to be late in the morning because the sun was very high already. How long did he sleep?
Prince Ares growled loudly as he was too tired to get up from his bed. It was already the day of the ceremony.
The Maiden dance on the day of the mating ceremony would soon be held and he remembered clearly that he must drink the ceremonial wine to accept the girl he had chosen. But the bluish molten lava eye girl clearly told him not to drink the ceremonial wine.
What would he do? He must choose a girl before the end of the ceremony, if not his father would be humiliated. He had already been given a deadline to settle down so as to secure the throne.
But the dream felt so real. Is someone plotting against him? What was in the ceremonial wine? He pondered quietly as he got up to get dressed for the dance of the maiden.
The door of his room suddenly burst open as a slender yet energetic girl walked in with a wild grin.
"What the heck! Frieda, why don't you behave like a lady for once? How can you burst into someone's room like that? What if I was naked?" Prince Ares scolded her harshly as he threw daggers at her.
"What if you were naked? I will just close my eyes or keep staring at you till you cover yourself. But I know you don't sleep naked. Besides, it's past 12 noon, you ought to be up and ready to choose your mate" She threw back at him with a wide but cunning smile.
"Bride you say? Aren't you a maiden? Shouldn't you be competing?", He asked with raised brows.
"Point of correction, I am not a maiden but your personal warrior… your Delta and would be Beta. And...am not interested in you or any other man. I just want to be the strongest female warlord in the world", Frieda replied with sparkles in her eyes.
"Warlord? Haaa! Dream on... You are just lucky I begged your father to allow you to train for a few years. So don't even think about taking it further. Your brother can be my Beta, don't you think so? " Prince Ares responded with a grin.
"Do you know I hate you?" Frieda glared at him.
"Really? You are welcome. Now get out of my room. I need to dress up to find my so-called mate", he told her.
"Fine. Am waiting by the courtyard to escort you to the village square", Frieda said as she walked out.
Prince Ares walked towards the dressing room where his servants were waiting to get him dressed.
His mind ran back to the dream. It looked so real and the girl…she's so beautiful. Those eyes…he could drown in it forever.
She seems like someone he knew but he can't seem to remember where or when. The feelings he gets from the girl in his dream always makes his heart pound.
But today was different. Her aura was different and a bit…sad. Why was she looking sad? What did she want to tell him?
He just hopes nothing goes wrong tomorrow. After putting on his hunting clothes, he called out to Frieda.
"Frieda, I need to go for a walk to calm my mind. Don't you dare linger around me!" Prince Ares said, looking at Frieda who was shaking her head nonstop.
"That's not going to happen, your highness. I can't leave you alone. Tomorrow is the mating ceremony and your father would have my neck if something happens to you" Frieda said.
Prince Ares didn't say anything as he walked out of the palace with Freida trailing behind him.
He needs a run in the forest.
*****
Running through the woods, Prince Ares' mind was in a mess. He was wondering about the dream again. Why would the girl tell him not to drink the wine? Was there a plot against him?
He got to his favourite spot in the woods. It was a bushy area filled with lilies and roses budding all over the place. It brings out a scenting fragrance that calms his mind. Changing into his human form with his clothes on, he lay on the bed of elephant grasses shutting his eyes.
The image of the girl's unique scent wafted into his mind and his wolf stirred up. His wolf, Sky, howled in his head. He knew it wanted to tell him something.
"What is it, Sky?" He asked, still running.
"You have to listen to her, Ares. What if there was something meant to harm you in that drink?" Sky said.
"You are not telling me to believe someone who only appears in my dreams, are you? Sky, you know that's ridiculous" I told him.
"How ridiculous is it? She had been coming into your dreams for so long… "
"If she wants me to believe her, then she has to appear before me… not in my dreams. Coming to my dreams make me feel she is just an apparition or a figment of my imagination "
"Have you ever thought she might have her reasons for not appearing physically to you all these years?"
" If she can appear in my dreams, then she can appear to me for real or else, I would continue to treat her as an imagination" Prince Ares said, not wanting to discuss her anymore.
"Ares, I don't know… but whenever that girl comes around I always have a connection with her" Sky said.
"Same thing here too, Sky. But we can't have connections with imaginary beings, can we? We need to have a real mate or else father is going all out with his threat. He would personally pick a wife for me if I don't pick my choice" Prince Ares said.
"What if… I mean…What if she is not an imagination? What if she is out there… or even in this pack? Did you forget that child? The baby… "
"Didn't father say it was just a rumor? He said there was nothing like that and it was just my imagination that day" Prince Ares said.
"But… "
"Sky, I came here to rest not to argue with you. Can you please give me some peace? "
Sky, who was disappointed, shuts himself out. Prince Ares just took a deep breath and shut out every thought from his head.
He needed some quiet.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to get it as someone coughed behind him. He had already picked up the scent and knew exactly who it was.
"I told you not to tag along, Frieda" Prince Ares said, without opening his eyes.
"I am sorry but I have to obey his majesty's order or else I might be punished" Frieda said.
"Who would want to punish you? You are my delta and your priority should lie with me!" Prince Ares said, getting frustrated.
" Yes. That's why I am obeying the Alpha's order by following you. I have to keep you from danger. You know the rogues are getting bolder by the day. We don't want any lapses during the ceremony, " Frieda replied.
" Then keep yourself invisible! I can't think of anything knowing that you are watching me! "
" I only came out because we need to go back to the palace. I just received a message that the Alpha needs your presence "
" Haa! Typical of my father! Did he think I was going to run away like my brother?" Prince Ares asked, chuckling.
Tearing of skin and breaking of bones were heard in the silence of the little flower haven as Prince Ares changed back to his wolf form.
The gigantic white wolf with golden iris, lunged forward. Frieda also changed into her grey wolf as she ran together with prince Ares back to the pack.
When they got to the pack, Frieda led Prince Ares to his father before she turned to leave. There was something she needed to do.