The Prince’s Unwilling mate by Mutya

“Ayla, honey can you come sit down with us, we want to talk with you” Dad called out for me. Hopefully,

they finally decided I could go and live with dad’s parents at the White Oak pack. I had been begging

them to let me go for a year after all. I started asking them the day after David rejected me for being the

runt of the pack.

I remember smelling him, recognizing him as my mate I was beyond happy. Grandma’s words ringing

in my mind. “The Moon Goddes does not make mistakes in who she pairs together”

David was right I had been the runt of the pack. Dad’s great

grandmother was a rare human mate. Grandma was a werewolf as is my dad his brothers and sister.

She was mated to my Grandpa Alpha Quinn and a very powerful werewolf. Dad is big even for a wolf

everyone else in my family is either big or average–sized for a wolf. Then there is me 5 ft 3, after

shifting I could pass for a regular wolf. I always knew that some pack members whispered behind my

back. But I got lucky, Mom was the only pack doctor and after refusing to be Uncle Cedric’s Beta to

move in with the Bloodtail pack, Dad became the pack’s lead warrior. They were well–respected. And

the Alpha’s son and future Alpha was one of my best friends.

It at least stopped the other packmembers from gossiping too much. So when I found out the morning

of his eighteenth Birthday he indeed was my mate. Like I had been hoping for most of my life, and even

more when I didn’t find my mate when I turned eighteen, nine months before he did. I was over the

moon, I remember Sarah my wolf going crazy when we sensed David walking up to us. And when he

spoke the thirteen words no wolf ever wants to hear I felt my heart shatter as Sarah closed herself off

from me.

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“I David Birch, reject you Ayla Hemmig as my mate and future Luna”

Rejecting me in the pack kitchen, so that everyone could hear. To make matters worse he felt the need

to explain why he would reject his best friend. “You’re a sweet girl Ayla you would make an Omega very

happy. But how could the runt of the pack ever be the Luna we need”

Soon after he started avoiding me, being short with me like it was my fault that his mate was the runt of

the pack as he put it. Of course, this caused the other members of my pack to bully me. They

respected my family too much to get physical but their words hurt too. That is why I wanted to live with

my grandparents. Their pack was different, they would all accept me. As a small unmated wolf,

because I was sure I would never want a chosen mate. Second–chance mates are for those who lost

their mate. Not wolves that got rejected like me.

Deep in thought, I made my way to the kitchen to join my parents at the kitchen table. Mom looked sad

and Dad looked conflicted, he held a letter in his hand. Instantly I recognized the royal seal. So the

rumors were true Crown Prince Griffin would pick a chosen mate. On his first Birthday, he got the mark

showing his fated mate died before they met. In four years he was supposed to rule the land and all the

werewolf packs taking over from his father and mother. He needed a Queen by his side to do so.

Rumors had been spreading he was inviting all unmated She–wolves ages eighteen to thirty to come to

a ball, where he would choose his chosen mate.

“The rumors are true, Prince Griffin is inviting all the unmated she- wolves between eighteen and thirty

to come to the ball. We know you want to live with Grandpa Quinn and Grandma Emmy Sweetheart”

Dad started confirming what I was thinking as soon as I saw the letter.

“If you go to the ball we will grant you permission and we will convince Alpha Phill*pe to let you move in

with the White Oak pack”

This was the best news ever, if I was not suitable as a Luna even as a

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fated mate. There was no way the Crown Prince would select me as his chosen Queen. The royal

family lived closer to the White Oak Pack, so I might as well pack all of my belongings. Maybe I could

convince Mom and Dad I could stay at the White Oaks a few days before. After all, it was only a few

hours by airplane to get to SilverCreek where the Royals lived. I never been there before and I was

excited to go. I would be able to taste some new foods, and maybe even get some new recipes.

“You’re not saying anything, honey, do you agree?” Mom’s voice pulled me back to the here and now.

“Sorry Mom, I was daydreaming I just got a little excited, of course, I agree I cannot wait to see

SilverCreek” I honestly told her. My parents‘ wide smiles hurt me a little. They were excited and happy I

seemed so open to giving this a chance. But all I could think of was going over to Jessa so I could tell

her. She was twenty like me and unmated too. My sister Kate named after our human great–great

grandmother was nineteen and unmated. We would probably go together the three of us.

Before I even asked Dad chuckled telling me I could go and visit Jessa. Jessa and her two parents

were the only packmembers who never treated me differently aside from my family of course. I would

miss them when I moved, but they could always come over and see me.

***

I rushed over to Jessa’s house and was welcomed by one of her fathers. “Got the letter too I see?” He

said with a kind smile. Unlike me Jessa hoped to be picked by Crown Prince Griffin. Even when I

pointed out that I doubted the future Queen of all the werewolves got to get away with her country–rock

aesthetic.

“Your fated mate is supposed to love you just as you are” She

shrugged, and like clockwork, her face twisted with guilt and horror the second she realized what she

said.

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It was another thing I hated. Ever since getting rejected the few friends I still had and my family

members danced around the subject of fated mates. I can’t blame them, there is no pain greater than

your mate rejecting you. It was worse since David and I had a connection, we were best friends until

the moment he rejected me. It took me days before I could get Sarah to talk to me again. And it took

another week before I felt strong enough to get out of the house and face pack live again. My parents,

my uncles and aunts, my grandparents. They all found their fated mate. I grew up surrounded by loving

mated couples. My entire life I dreamed what it would mean to finally find my fated mate. To feel the

love all the happy couples around me had. I longed to have someone make me as happy as Dad made

Mom. I loved to have cute little things like how Granddad always made sure Grandma had a tin full of

freshly baked red velvet cookies because that is what he served her on the first date. I still was happy

for the mated couples around me. But I lost my belief in mates and romance, I knew now you either get

lucky or you don’t. And I didn’t need others to shelter me like I was still the fragile thing I was after

getting rejected. Jessa mumbled an apology. But I wanted to change the subject, so I ignored Jessa’s

rushed apology.

“So are your fathers going to take you, I doubt my parents can travel with us. Would they mind if we

traveled together” I asked her about traveling instead.

“Sweety your parents, James, and I already discussed it. Of course, we are not letting 2 young she

wolves travel alone. We will go together the four of us. And yes we will stop at the White Oak pack”

Jessa’s father Theo smiled at us. At first, I was so excited about seeing my grandparents and going to

SilverCreek with my best friend and her fathers I missed that Theo said 2 girls.

“Wait, Mister Silver, you said 2 unmated she–wolves, do you not mean 3? Isn’t Kate traveling with us

too” I had not seen Kate in the last 2 days, which was unusual but if something happened to her Mom

and

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Dad would have surely told me. All the faces around me fell, and I knew something happened to my

dear sister.

“Oh sweety, has nob*dy told you why Kate hasn’t been home,” Theo Silver said avoiding making eye

contact.