"Please, Mother, don't let them take me," Althea pleaded with tears in her eyes as she watched servants carry her trunks to the carriage outside.
"It's the king's orders, my dear," Duchess Eleanor said, failing to maintain a calm composure as she dabbed the tears from her eyes with the handkerchief in her hand.
"But…" Althea fumbled on her words.
Duke Arthur stood by the side, his expression stoic, in contrast to the turmoil he felt within. His only child was being shipped off to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He felt ashamed for not being able to comfort her.
The servants had finished loading the carriage with Althea's belongings, and Gideon walked in. He politely bowed to Althea's parents before saying, "The journey is a far one; we need to leave now."
Althea looked at her parents one last time for help, and only then did the reality sink in. Her parents, one of the most powerful families in Ravenshore, were helpless in this situation.
"Mum!" Althea called out and ran into her mum's embrace. Althea pulled away from her mother and hugged her father next. Duchess Eleanor joined them, and they shared a family hug.
"Eliza," Althea didn't forget her maid. She spread out her hands for a hug, and Eliza ran into it.
"My lady," Eliza bawled. Behind Eliza was Mrs. Helen, who tried not to cry but ended up doing so when Althea came close.
"Wear this at all times, my lady; it will keep you safe," Eliza said, slipping a strange woven rope bracelet onto Althea's wrist.
"Can Eliza come with me at least?" Althea asked Gideon, who tried to make himself invisible in this sad moment that his alpha created.
"I'm afraid not," Gideon replied.
Duke Arthur and Duchess Eleanor, together with Eliza and Mrs. Helen, escorted Althea to the waiting carriage.
"Take care of yourself, my child," Duchess Eleanor cupped Althea's face. "Send letters as much as you can too. I'll write to you every day."
"Yes, mum."
Gideon opened the carriage door, hinting that there was no time for any more goodbyes. Althea slowly and reluctantly entered the carriage, and next to her was Nathaniel. Gideon followed the carriage behind them.
" You took your sweet little time," Nathaniel said, flipping through the pages of the book Gideon had left behind. He was not a book lover.
Althea ignored him and looked out the carriage window, trying to imprint the faces of her loved ones in her memory one last time.
As the carriage started moving, the sight of her parents, Eliza, and Mrs. Helen waving goodbye slowly became a blur.
"The journey before us is a long one; it would be wise to get some sleep," Nathaniel spoke up again but was met with no response. Silence settled in the carriage.
Althea desolately looked out the window, fighting hard to hold back the tears that had welled up in her eyes. She didn't want to give Nathaniel the satisfaction of seeing her in sorrow.
Nathaniel, on the other hand, was lost in his thoughts. Was there ever a scenario in history where an Alpha had two mates? He couldn't wrap his head around it. And the only answer to his question had completely disappeared.
'Zak?' Nathaniel called out to his wolf in his mind but was met with silence. As always.
Zak came and went as he pleased. The past few days spent in Ravenshore, he had been more present, urging Nathaniel to claim their mate. Now that their mate was safe with them, he had disappeared, leaving Nathaniel with more questions but no answers.
"I see you do not want to sleep; perhaps a book to pass the time?" Nathaniel held out the book he was reading to Althea. Despite his usual cold demeanor, there was a subtle fondness as he watched her, but she did not spare him a glance.
Althea could feel her eyelids getting heavy, but she forced them to stay open. Who knows what this monster would do to her if she let her guard down and fell asleep.
Amidst her internal struggle, she felt something sneak behind her and grab her waist, and before she could react, she found herself on Nathaniel's lap. Her eyes widened at the intimacy, and she struggled to set herself free. She soon realized this man wasn't letting her go, so she saved her strength and glared at him instead.
"Ignoring me would do you no good; you're stuck with me forever, Althea," Nathaniel smirked in satisfaction at the position they were in.
Ever since the journey, the mate bond had been sending sparks and tingling sensations down his spine. Her comforting smell, the scent of a vast garden of tulips, was a treat to his nose, and all he wanted was to hold her close, bury his head in the nape of her neck, inhale her scent all night long, and maybe more…
Instinctively, he drew closer and closer to her neck, breathing down on the spot where his mark would lay. His fangs grew longer and longer, aching to dig themselves into the pale skin of her neck, but he held back and instead placed a light kiss on the spot.
Althea stiffened when she felt the warm lips of Nathaniel press lightly against her neck. Was he going to eat her? There were rumors of werewolves hunting humans for meals back in the day.
Althea's heart pounded against her ribcage, each beat echoing loudly in her ears. She slowly turned her head and looked at him. "What do you want from me?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You," Nathaniel said, his head still buried deep in her neck.
Althea gave up. She was too weak to struggle against this strong alpha.
During the course of the journey, Nathaniel fell asleep. He had never felt this much peace next to a woman, not even his first mate. Hilda never brought him peace; she made his wolf restless. In fact, Zak hated her for reasons best known to him.
Althea had long been fighting sleep, and she felt her resolve slowly weaken and give in to the darkness. Her head fell only to rise up again due to the current position she was in with the alpha.
Her little movements stirred Nathaniel awake, and he adjusted their position a little bit, placing her head on his shoulder. Her breath fanning against his neck sent tingles down his spine. He knew that by the time he got home, a cold shower would be the first thing he'd need.
They finally reached the White Mountains Pack. Althea was still fast asleep. Nathaniel didn't want to wake her up, so he stayed put in the carriage.
Gideon wondered why they weren't coming down and ignorantly went to check up on them. "Why aren't you—" he paused and quickly closed the carriage doors at the sight before him.
The force with which he closed the door startled Althea awake, and for a moment, she wondered where she was before her memories opened like a book and flashed between the pages of the last few days.
She jolted away from Nathaniel, embarrassed that she had fallen asleep on the lap of her enemy. As much as she hated to admit it, she had slept peacefully.
She glared at Nathaniel. "You should have woken me up."
"Don't worry; you looked pretty even in your sleep." Nathaniel grinned smugly at her futile attempt to play it cool.
Althea's cheeks heated up at Nathaniel's comment, and she clumsily rushed out of the carriage in embarrassment.
Althea waited near the carriage for Nathaniel, pretending as if she hadn't been waiting for him. The environment was very unfamiliar, and she wanted to stick with someone she was at least familiar with, even if it was her enemy.
Althea saw an elegant, pretty lady walking towards them with the most docile and sweetest smile. She noticed that the smile was directed only to one person: Nathaniel. Were they siblings?
Althea's thoughts were dispelled when the elegant lady placed a kiss on Nathaniel's lips. "Who is she, Nath?"
Nathaniel pursed his lips when he saw Hilda walk towards them. He knew this moment would come, but now that it was here, he didn't know how to handle it. What he did not expect was the kiss Hilda had placed on his lips.
He gently moved her away from him and passed a quick glance at Althea.
"Althea," he called out to confused Althea, "this is Hilda."
"Hilda, this is Althea, my mate."