Ch. 7：Different

Jason turned to me and asked “Do you know him?”
“No. I don't think I do. ”I replied, shaking my head at Jason. I turned to the stranger “I'm sorry, who are you?”
His next words shock me “It's quite alright you don't recognize me your highness. You were a baby when we got separated”
“Baby? H-highness?!” I said in panic. Jason quickly moves to my side and rub my back soothingly “breathe beautiful” he whispered
I'm too far gone in my panic to focus on what he just called me.
“I'm sorry for laying it all on you like that. Perhaps when you are ready. I can come find you or you can ask Alpha to send for me” Josh said bowing. To me.
I figured the beads must have some important qualities and good origin story, but Royalty!. That wasn't never part of the equation.
“Sure, Josh. I'll send for you when she's ready.” Jason said calmly. If this was a shock to him, he hid it well. “Do you want to sit down?” He said leading me to a chair
I'm still in shock as I sit. “Let me get you something to drink,” he said.
I think of everything I know about myself and the bracelet. All of the information I gathered from my adoptive parents did not give a hint to royalty. No one has ever spoken of the late king and queen. I barely even know their names.
I get sucked into a memory of me listening in on one of my parents conversations
“She's strange, Leila” Dad said to Mum in hushed voice
“She's just different.” Mum paused “Perhaps, it's a trait of the pack she's from.” she finished
“She could bring us trouble in the future. The seer said he couldn't see into her past and that bead of hers. That never happens. I don't trust the unknown.”
“Why are you saying all this now?” Mum asked
“The first time we got her, you tried taking off her bracelet to bathe her and you got hurt. Then we took her to the seer, who said nonsense about only her true mate taking them off for her.” Dad said. “What if the bracelet of hers is there to repress her abilities?”
“What abilities, Elijah? We are werewolves. There's no other ability we can possibly possess” Mum said infuriated
“Exactly!, abilities we know nothing about. I can't let anything happen to you.” Dad said with concern in his voice “anyway we already have her. There's nothing we can do” he sighed
“There is something we can do.” Mum said
“And what's that?”
“Treat her like our own and hope that we never have to choose.”
“Okay.” Dad sighed “I'm sorry I yelled at you”
“Shh it's okay. you are just looking out for us and that's okay”
I get pulled out from my memory from the frantic shouting.
“ARES!!” Jason called. Panic written all over his face
“I'm here. What's wrong?” I ask looking around for the sign of danger
“I've been calling you for five minutes now. You zoned out. You scared me” he said. I hear the fast beating of his heart.
“I'm sorry. I was just thinking.” I have no idea when I move my hand to caress his face, unaware of the attention on us.
I hesitate and start to put my hands down when he holds them up to his cheeks. The Sparks I feel are a reminder of who we are to each other. He placed a tiny kiss on my pulse before letting me go.
“This has taken a toll on you. Let's get you inside” he said, leading me in with his hands at my back. I don't fight him at his touch.
He led me back to his room “are you hungry? Do you want a drink?”
“I'm fine, Jason.” I said
“Say that again” he whispered
“Say what?” I asked in confusion
“My name. This is the first time you are saying it out loud” he smiled with hearts in his eyes
“Oh” I think back and realize what he said was true. I haven't said his name out loud before. The intimacy of saying your mates name is something special that only happens when you have both accepted each other or when you reject each other.
I must have subconsciously avoided saying it. I've said it enough times in my head, but never out loud.
“That's okay. You'll warm up to me eventually. You should rest up” he said, leading me to the bed and helping take off my shoes.
He saw the look on my face and immediately clarified my thought “you can sleep here. I will sleep somewhere else. I'll just be two doors away from you if you need me.”
“Oh okay” I replied. I'm not about to refuse being engulfed in my mate's scent for some unfamiliar room because of my pride. “Please do you know where my bag is? I was with it in the forest, but I haven't seen it since.”
“I found it. It's in my study. I can bring it up to you now if you'd like” he said.
“There's no need to trouble you. I can pick it up tomorrow.” I replied
“Okay. Good night Ares.” He said and leaned down to kiss my forehead
“Good night” I whisper, stunned by his actions.
He turns off the lights as he walks out.
I get lulled into sleep by his scent. My nightmares wake me up in the middle of the night.
The gown I wore was soaked through with sweat. I felt terrified, but had no recollection of the dream whatsoever.
I shower and slip into one of his shirts to sleep back. I fell asleep quickly and finally had a dreamless sleep.
By the time I woke up the next morning, I felt refreshed and relaxed. I make my way downstairs for a glass of water to clear my parched throat.
The sound of giggling and deep laughter filtered into my ear. I turn to find disaster and the perpetrators at the scene of the crime.