Royal shuffle: Vampire’s mate

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“Why did you let me go?” I asked my mothers as I sat on the same field with them just as I did the last time.

They both looked at each other and smiled.

“I didn’t let you go, child…it was either that or let them kill you…” She answered solemnly.

“I’m a royal…”

She nodded. “That’s why you have a mate, my child.”

I smiled sadly. “Yeah…”

It was the one thing I was happy for in the midst of all these. I closed my eyes, and rested my head in the laps of my birth mother, my legs in the laps of my adopted mother. I sighed as they began to massage my feet and my hair.

“I need you to tell me everything…” I said.

Her hands faltered in my hair, and I heard her sharp intake of breath. “I and Jacob met at a river, and you could say that it was love at first sight. I didn’t know who he was at the time, he thought it was cute to not tell me.” She chuckled slightly, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“We eventually got married. Small wedding. No press. Only family. And that was when the problems began…”

I could hear the bitterness, anger and sorrow in her voice. I gently got into a sitting position, and waited for her to continue.

“What happened?” I urged her on.

“Attempts on your father’s life…several on mine. They succeeded in killing your father. HE succeeded. His own brother…and then he came after me. I was pregnant at the time, and I knew that you weren’t safe. He wanted that throne, and he would have done whatever to get it. So I snuck out of the palace before I began to show, and hid till I gave birth,” She paused, and took a deep breath, her lips quivering as she let the air out. “Annalise here, was my lady’s maid at the time…and she was with me in the Labour room. It wasn’t a smooth Labour, and it was clear that I wasn’t going to survive. So, she promised to take care of you like her own. To protect you.”

“And she did…” I answered, smiling.

“Now is the time to take back what rightfully belongs to you. His reign has gone on long enough. It’s your turn.”

“How?!”

“You have to challenge him to a duel,” she answered.

“What?!!”

She nodded her head slowly.

“I’m not a fighter. I can’t even fight. I can’t even shift.”

“Yes, you can. You’re a royal. You have a mate, and you can surely shift,” she said.

“I’ve never shifted for once in my whole life!!!”

I was getting hysterical.

“That’s immaterial. Your wolf will come to you when you need her the most. You have to challenge him and kill him.”

“There has to be another way!!!” I countered, not entirely on board with the plan.

She shook her head. “There’s no other way. Now, go.”

I gasped and woke up with a start. It was all a dream. I could feel the goosebumps on my skin, and the beads of sweat that gathered on my head and were beginning to roll down. I could feel my sweat on my pillow where it had accumulated quite a lot. Leo grabbed my hand in the dark and began to rub comforting circles on it.

“What’s wrong? Another dream?” Leo asked.

I nodded and moved closer to him, allowing him to pull my into him, sweat and all.

“Was it your mother?” He asked again.

I nodded. “She told me everything.”

He didn’t question me this time. She was definitely speaking to me. There wasn’t any doubt about that.

“What did she say?” Leo asked.

I took a deep breath and narrated everything to him, word for word. He was calm and receptive of the narration until we got to the part what she said I would have to fight a duel.

“That is not happening,” He said through his teeth, his hold on my hand tightening.

“But Leo…”

“No. Please, don’t tell me you were considering this absurdity?”

“I…umm…”

“Andrea…” He groaned, and say up on the bed.

I immediately followed suit. “I have to do this…”

“No. You do not. You want to fight that bastard? He’s an alpha. He’s a royal alpha…”

“I am royal too. That would explain why I have a mate.”

“Your mother told you this in your dream again?”

“Yes. I just need to train. And you can teach me better than anyone how to fight him…and win…”

“He has a wolf. He is way too strong for you.”

“I have to do this.”

Leo got out of the bed, and left the room. My heart fell as I watched him leave. I didn’t think it was going to be easy, and I understood how this was a rollercoaster for him. It was as though when everything was going well, something always came up to spoil the small peace we have. I signed, and laid back on the bed, closing my eyes. Even though sleep refused to come.

The days that followed were filled with mini fights and cold wars. Leo was adamant that I not challenge him, while I was insistent that I did. I needed to do this. I decided that I needed to start training, but no one would go against the crown Prince and agree to train me, not even his brother. So I resorted to training myself. I dedicated myself to running miles everyday, and lifting weights, and the best part was that all I needed was in the palace. I didn’t need to leave.. Although something in the back of my mind that doing all that and punching unmoving bags wasn’t going to help me defeat that man. But I would be damned if I didn’t try.

I sat on the floor breathing heavily, and looking at myself in the mirror, watching as sweat poured down from me and drenched my clothes. The door opened and Leo stepping in, I turned around still sitting and gave him a stare. I didn’t need that fight today.

“You really want to do this…”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Leo…”

“Fine. Fight him. But I train you. And you do what I say, and follow my every instruction.”

I sat there looking at him dumbfounded, too stunned to speak. “Are you sure?” He nodded. I got off the floor and ran into his arms, slamming my sweaty body on his. I kissed him full on the lips, and sighed.

“Thank you.”

He nodded. “Just so we’re clear, I still don’t like this.”

I smiled, and nodded.

“You should get some rest, we’ll begin tomorrow.