PREQUEL: Royal Ancestors

“I…you’re asking me?” She whispered.

“Yes, my dear. Will you stay?” His eyes were pleading with the frail she-wolf before him.

“Y…yes.” She stammered. What choice did she really have?

Arlo’s face broke into an earth shattering grin at her reply and he released her face.

“Thank you, my dear. Are your chambers to you liking? I can have a more suitable room arranged for you, if you’d like?” He asked.

“No, your highness, the room is fine.” Beatrice said,

“Once you turn 18 and I confirm that you’re my mate, you’ll be moved to the royal wing of the castle.” He explained before pulling out the chair she was sitting in earlier, “Shall we have dinner?”

Beatrice sat down slowly, watching the king carefully with her scrutinizing eyes. He smiled at her before moving towards the head of the table and sitting down as well. There were several chairs between them for which Beatrice was grateful for. Arlo waved his hand and the room was filled with servants carrying trays of food.

“What would you like to drink, my dear?” Arlo asked, motioning towards the servant who was waiting with a glass.

“Water is fine.” Beatrice replied. She couldn’t remember the last time she had fresh, ice cold water.

“Here you go, ma’am.” The servant sat a glass of ice water in front of her.

That same servant filled a plate with everything available at the table and then sat it in front of her as well. Beatrice looked towards the king with her hands in her lap, waiting for him to eat first.

“I follow your lead, my dear. The Queen always eats first.” Arlo smiled.

Beatrice’s eyes went wide and she shook her head,

“My King….”

“I am simply Arlo to you, my dear.” He purred with a crooked grin.

“I’m sorry, sir, I don’t….” Beatrice stammered.

“It’s alright, my dear. I can be patient.” Arlo said before picking up his fork and taking the first bite of food.

Arlo and Beatrice ate in relative silence. It was quite awkward for Beatrice but Arlo was soaking in the feeling of being near his mate. The matebond wasn’t in full affect, but he knew that she was made for him.

“I have summoned Helena to help you from your gown. She’s waiting in your room and she says that you came with no other bags. Do you require clothing?” Arlo asked as he stood from his chair, helping Beatrice from hers.

She blushed an adorable red color, pressing her lips together and refusing to meet his gaze.

“I can make do with the gown I arrived in, sir.” She mumbled.

“Nonsense. Helena showed me what you arrived in and I had her dispose of it immediately. I will have new clothes sent to your room at once.” He smiled brilliantly down at her, offering her his elbow as he escorted her from the room.

“Th…thank you.”

“You need not thank me for anything, my dear.” Arlo said, placing his free hand over hers and squeezing it. She continued to blush, unsure of how to respond to his affections.

Arlo escorted Beatrice up the stairs and to her room.

“The other women will be sent back home tomorrow morning.” Arlo explained, releasing her arm and opening the door to her chambers.

Beatrice looked up at him in surprise, not sure what to say or how to react. She felt nothing towards the king, nothing but the need to submit to his powerful aura. She wasn’t sure what pull he felt towards her or what his wolf was saying, but he wasn’t her mate, she was sure of it.

“Good night, my dear.” He shot her a crooked smile that made her swoon before disappearing down the hallway.

“Hello, miss.” The maid, Helena, motioned Beatrice inside and shut the door, “I have a sleeping gown for you and the king will have more gowns sent up in the morning.” She explained, motioning towards the cream colored cotton dress laid out on the bed.

“Thank you, Helena.” Beatrice said before turning her back on the maid.

Helena undid the ties of her dress, carefully pulled off her slip, and removed the corset. Beatrice looked over her shoulder to see that the maid was studying her back.

“Perhaps you should see the infirmary about these wounds, miss.” Helena said in a soft voice.

“My friend cared for them, it’s alright.” Beatrice replied, reaching for the dressing gown on the bed.

She pulled it quickly over her body and turned to face Helena.

“Yes, miss, I’m sorry for overstepping.” Helena bowed her head before leaving the room.

Beatrice left out a heavy sigh and dropped down on the bed. Helena had started a roaring fire in the stone fireplace and for that Beatrice was grateful. She was cold to the bone, having not felt the warmth of an open flame in years. She pulled back the heavy quilt and curled up underneath it, sinking into the soft cloud-like mattress. This was surely Heaven.

“Hello, my child.” A stunning woman with golden blonde hair stole across the clouds that hovered in the blue sky.

“H…hello.” Beatrice stammered, gasping as she took a shaky step.

She expected her feet to fall through the fluffy white clouds, but it didn’t. Instead, she walked across it like the surface was solid.

“Do not be alarmed, you are safe here.” The woman assured Beatrice.

“Who are you? Wh…where am I?” Beatrice wondered, looking around.

There was nothing but blue skies and white clouds all around them, under them, and below them.

“I am Selene, the Moon Goddess.” The woman answered plainly.

“The…M…Moon….” Beatrice couldn’t believe her ears. First the king of the werewolves and now the all mother?

“It’s alright, my child, I am here to help. I am here to explain to you what you do not yet know.”

“Uhm…what?” Beatrice blurted out unintelligently.

“You are not yet 18, but in two weeks you will be and on that day you will recognize what Arlo and his wolf already have. They are your mates.” Selene explained elegantly.

“I am….mated….to the werewolf king?” Beatrice squeaked.

“Yes, my child, you are the queen of the werewolves.” Selene smiled.

“I don’t think that I am worthy, my lady.” Beatrice said, bowing her head.

“You are the most worthy of my children. You have been through so much and you never lost hope in finding your mate. You never lost hope in being saved. I need you, Beatrice, the whole of the werewolf species needs you.” Selene said in a very serious voice.

“My parents were wolfless and I thought that I would be, too.” Beatrice said,

“Yes, you will not have a wolf. That is only an asset to your cause. You must prove to the people that a queen is a matter of heart, not a matter of raw power.” Selen said,

“The king deserves someone better than me, small, pathetic, and wolfless.” Beatrice frowned sadly.

“No, my child,” Selene smiled and placed her hand on Beatrice’s arm, “You and the king deserve each other, you two need each other.”

“How can anyone need me?” Beatrice whimpered.

“You are the future of the realm, of the royal bloodline, Beatrice. I am so sorry for all that you have endured and all that you will endure. I am sworn to not intervene beyond a reasonable measure, so I cannot reveal too much, but I can promise you that the end will be worth all of the trauma and despair.” Selene said, placing a soft kiss on Beatrice’s cheek.

Beatrice gasped and sat up, her hand fluttering to her cheek where Selene’s kiss lingered like the soft wings of a butterfly.

She rolled to the side and looked out the window, noticing how the sun was just beginning to break through the clouds. She threw back the cover and walked up to the fireplace which was nearly out. She found some wood in the woodbox built into the stone mantel and placed a few more logs in the hearth. She pulled the quilt from the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders before sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded on the door to her bedroom and she jumped. She looked towards the door but before she could stand or call out, it slowly creaked open and the king’s head poked in.

“Sire!” Beatrice squealed, trying to scurry to her feet.

“No, please, don’t get up.” Arlo hurried into the room, motioning for her to stay seated, “Are you okay?” He asked, looking at Beatrice on the ground.

“I am fine, I was just getting warm.” Beatrice replied, feeling like an ant as the king hovered above her.

He smirked and did something completely unexpected. He sat down on the ground beside Beatrice.

“I felt like something was wrong with you.” He said in a quiet voice.

“Well, I was startled away by a dream. I’m sorry if I disturbed you.” Beatrice confessed, wondering if she had called out in the middle of the night and who else she had woken up.

“My dear, you’re never a bother. What did you dream about that worried you so?” Arlo’s eyes pulled together in concern.

Beatrice took a deep breath before telling Arlo about her dream. She knew precisely how crazy it made her sound and she was sure that the king would see her as such and throw her out. Instead, he looked at her with admiration and pride.

“You truly are a gift from the Moon Goddess herself. I’m certainly a lucky man and the realm lucky indeed to have you as its Queen. You must see now that I was right, we’re mates.” Arlo said, leaning back on his hands and looking sideways at Beatrice.

“I will not get a wolf when I turn 18, your grace. I am wolfless and weak.” Beatrice said,

“You are wolfless, but you are not weak.” Arlo replied seriously, sitting up and caressing Beatrice’s cheek with the back of his hand.

“I do not feel the bond.” She whispers.

“Not yet, my dear, but you will.” He speaks with confidence.

“I am scared.” Her voice continues to get quieter.

“I will heal you.” He promises.