XAVIER
I stopped the car and stepped out into the driveway, a mixture of excitement and nervousness overtaking me. It's been a while since I have visited My mother, the Queen mother and she's been bugging me about it. My responsibilities and duties as a Lycan king have taken me away but now I was here, I felt a rush of anxiety.
I paused for a moment before knocking at the huge door that led to the house. I knew they would be expecting me because I had called my mother and told her that I was coming.
When Mr. Jonathan, the housekeeper opened the door, the atoma of the cook's food reached me and I smiled. This was definitely the doing of my mother, who loved homemade meals like he does. She must have instructed the cook to prepare something delicious for me.
"Welcome, my Lord." He bowed.
"Mr. Jonathan, I have told you to stop bowing that low, because of your waist." I smiled and patted his back. He had worked for my father back in the days and was as loyal as now. He has worked in the Palace for years now and he is still as diligent even though old age was telling on him, recently.
"Yes, My Lord! How have you been?"
"I'm fine, thank you, John. Where's my mother?"
"She's waiting in the sitting room for you." He responded to me, with smiles on his face. I nodded and went towards what I knew to be the sitting room. When I entered, her warm smile welcomed me and she looked exactly like what I remember, only that her hair was now turned silver and her eyes filled with the strength and courage which helped her go through the tough days especially when the Alpha died.
"Welcome home, son." Her voice filled with joy and love. She was dressed in a simple sundress that made her look unique. It was the dress I had gotten for her during her last birthday and she loved the dress. The scent of her perfume brought back memories from my childhood.
"How are you doing, mum?" I asked, holding her shoulder. She looked well to me even though she looked a little bit slimmer than the last time I saw her. "Are you still seeing Doctor Ethan?"
"Don't be silly." She responded. "I'm doing well, as you can see. The only problem I have is that my son doesn't like to visit me." She snapped at me, her voice filled with a tiny bit of reprimind.
"Don't be like that, Mum. You know I would always come visit you but duty calls every time." I chuckled, knowing she would accept that as an excuse.
"You need to see how this place has changed over just few months." Queen mother, Aurora answered. She took his hands as they strolled through the apartment. She lived in a smaller apartment which was gotten for her by father before he died.
She says that it reminds her of when they were young and in love and insisted on staying here even after I tried persuading her.
"What's the news I hear about you and Jessie? Why is the engagement being delayed?" She turned to me sharply after showing me some new paintings which she had gotten. She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at me.
"Mum, come on. We can have this talk at the sitting room." I said to her, frowning.
"I don't want the maids to hear and after all, we are comfortable here so be quick and tell me what I want to hear." She searched my eyes for answers. "Go on."
All my life, my mother has lived her life trying to make me the king of this territory. I was the first child and so was the heir but when she also saw that Elijah had no interest for the throne, she poured all her energy on me. I guess that was how she established a strong relationship with Alpha Herrick, Jessie father which greatly benefitted our park - getting me betrothed to his daughter.
Now, how could I tell her that I never loved Jessie and that I might have found a woman I really loved and would get married to, if giving the opportunity?
"But Mum, everyone thinks I and Jessie are together already, what's the need for an engagement party?"
"The need, my son is to show the pathetic poor people that we have the money and finally present her to the elders as your wife. Those pathetic fools are doing everything within their power for your downfall and I wouldn't let them." She smiled at me.
Sometimes, I'm afraid of my own mum because she could be unpredictable most times and she didn't care what anyone thought about her." "Make the engagement party work, I need results by next week. Okay?" She turned away, paused, then turned to me again. "And what's that word you said? Think? I don't just want people to think you're with her, I want them to know."
I felt week as her words washed over me. Why didn't anyone care about how I felt about the whole engagement and wedding plans? What about my feelings? I hissed, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I was a King and shouldn't be shedding tears so I turned and headed back to the sutting room.
"Mum, I'm hungry, can the food be served." I announced.
She joined me at the table while the maids dished out the food. Soon, my stomach was filled with the aroma of steamed soup with fresh mushroom and herbs. I literally couldn't contain my excitement as I remembered eating this food with Elijah.
"I know you love this.. so I asked the cook to make it." She smiled.
"Elijah loves this too. I remembered when you made this for us when we were still in school and Elijah.."
"Could we not talk about that lousy brother of yours?" She asked, stopping me on my tracks, then she resumed earing again. "Eat your food." She urged me. "Oh right, we need a ring as well…"
I lost my appetite.