Janet's POV
After Daisy chased us out of her room, Tyler invited me to play chess with him. To be sincere, I have never played it before, but he promised to teach me how to play it. He also told me that whoever knew how to play the game perfectly could easily rule a kingdom, and it was necessary for me to learn how to play it since I would soon become the Luna of the Moonstone Pack.
But lol, who learns how to rule a kingdom just by playing a game?" I questioned myself inwardly while following.
"Why are you smiling all to yourself?" Tyler asked me once he turned his gaze toward me.
"Nothing," I replied brusquely, and immediately he shook his head in disbelief.
When we got to the court chamber, he brought out the chess game and arranged it on the board, and afterwards he started teaching me how to play it.
As he was teaching me how to play it, I kept on nodding positively, even though I knew deep down that I wasn't understanding anything.
At a certain stage, he stopped and looked at me before shaking his head in disbelief.
"What? Is there anything on my face?" I asked him with an inquisitive look.
"Of course, your face is still beautiful and charming, like the first day I met you beside that motel," he said to me, and immediately I started blushing hard.
"If there isn't anything on my face, then why did you smile after looking at my face?" I asked him with an inquisitive look.
"Because you have been nodding since then as if you are understanding what I'm saying, but I know that you aren't understanding anything, he said to me with a warm smile, and immediately I smiled back at him.
"Maybe you are right, but trust me, soon I will learn how to play it," I said to him with a firm tone.
"That's the spirit; I love it," he said to me with a warm smile.
"By the way, Janet, there is something I want to discuss with you," he said to me while peering into my eyeballs with his charming blue eyeballs.
"Ok, go on, I'm all ears," I said to him while wondering what important thing he wanted to discuss with me.
"I want to mark you as my mate," he announced to me with his gaze still fixed on me.
"What! I exclaimed in surprise without even realizing it.
"I want to mark you!"
"I want to mark you!"
His statement kept on ringing in my ear as we kept on staring silently at each other.
From his facial expression, I could clearly see the disappointment written all over his face. This wasn't the reaction he was expecting from me; certainly, he was expecting me to jump in joy and accept his proposal.
But how could I accept his proposal when I know deep down that Tony will be attacking his pack anytime soon, and if care isn't taken, many innocent people might lose their lives?
How can I look at the faces of his park members on coronation day knowing that their lives are at risk all because of me?
As these thoughts were running through my mind, he held my hand and immediately jerked back to reality.
"Are you okay?" He asked me with a worried tone.
"Yes, I'm okay," I replied brusquely while avoiding his gaze.
"Look, Tyler, I'm..."
"Janet, it's okay," he interrupted me immediately.
"I should be the one apologizing; I should have waited a little bit longer," he said to me before faking a smile at me.
Inside, I could feel Tricksy whimpering in pain. If it were possible for her, she would have taken over me and accepted the proposal without thinking twice, but happily, she too understands the reason behind the decision that I took.
"Please, Tyler, it's not as if I don't want you to mark me; right from the day you brought me to the hospital, I have always wanted to be your mate."
"Then why are you hesitating?" He chipped in immediately while peering into my eyeballs.
"I'm not yet ready," I said to him while avoiding his gaze.
"But what is preventing you from being ready?" He asked me with a confused tone, but I remained silent while avoiding his gaze.
When he realized that I wasn't going to answer him, he heaved a sigh before standing up, and immediately he started walking towards the exit door. Without hesitating, I ran behind him and hugged him from behind, and immediately he heaved a sigh.
"Please, darling, don't be angry with me, I said to him while hugging him from behind.
"Come on, Janet, I can't be angry at you, but sometimes your actions show that you don't trust that I can protect you," he said to me with a dejected tone.
"Come on, babe, you know that it's not true. I owe my life to you, and that's why I accepted to be your mate, but please just give me more time."
"Babe, he interrupted me while facing me.
"I understand, and I will wait until you are ready," he said to me with a calm tone.
"Really?" I asked him excitedly.
"Yes, babe, I know you have many things going through your mind, and I won't add to them, but instead I will support you to overcome them," he said to me while caressing my hair.
"Thanks a lot, babe; you don't know how much I love you," I said to him with a romantic tone.
"Can I guess?" He asked me while lowering his wet pink lips toward mine.
As he was about to kiss me, a guard ran into the court chamber while panting heavily.
"Greetings, your highness," he greeted Tyler while panting heavily.
"Yes, greetings, Kim. What happened? What is pursuing you? Tyler asked him with an inquisitive look.
"We were attacked by some rogues at the border," he said to Tyler while catching his breath.
"What? What about Leroy?" Tyler asked him immediately.
"He's at the hospital, my highness; he was shot with a poisoned arrow," the guard said to Tyler while catching his breath.
"What!" I exclaimed in surprise.