My Mate

"Your Highness... Your Highness..."

Azriel was brought out of his trance. Ever since he laid eyes on Dahlia, she had been all he could think of. Even during an important council meeting, his mind was lingering around the thoughts of her.

"Yes," Azriel cleared his throat, seemingly more aware of his surroundings, "Continue the discussion."

He tried his best to stay focused but his efforts were in vain, even the councilmen present were aware of his mental absence.

"If that's all, the meeting is adjourned. I'll see you all next week."

The men in the room were stunned by Azriel's dismissal barely half an hour after the meeting started but he was their alpha and questioning him was not an option.

With confusion plastered on all their faces, they left the room leaving only Azriel and his right-hand man, Lyonne, behind.

"Forgive my intrusion but you seem a little distant today." Lyonne voiced out his thoughts once they were alone.

"Is it that obvious." Azriel sighed.

"It is." Lyonne was confused to see Azriel looking distraught. It was one of the few times he ever saw Azriel's unbreakable image form cracks and naturally, he thought something was gravely wrong.

"I met someone last night." 

"Someone? Who?" Lyonne asked, unable to grasp the content of what was running through Azriel's mind. "Weren't you at the stable? Isn't it usually empty at night time?"

"Usually it is, but I encountered a rather brave girl who was willing to head in there without permission," Azriel spoke as the image of him meeting Dahlia replayed in his mind.

"And may I know why such a trivial matter is affecting your ability to perform your duties as King?" Lyonne was blunt with his words and unafraid to speak his mind even before someone as fearful as Azriel.

"I think... I think she's my mate." Azriel stuttered.

"What?!" Lyonne roughly stood from his seat in shock, causing it to stumble backward. "Are you sure of what you're saying? Were you drunk last night or maybe just infatuated by her looks-"

"I'm not that lady-hungry to mistake just any woman as my mate." Azriel glared at Lyonne who was already regretting the words that escaped his lips.

"Then... What happened?" Lyonne asked after regaining his composure.

"When I went into the stables, one of the servants had snuck in and was grooming Storm-"

"Storm let anyone but you touch him?!" Lyonne flared up again.

"Can you stop interrupting me!" Azriel snapped at him, frustrated for having to take pauses in between his storytelling.

"My apologies."

Feeling calmer, Azriel resumed, "I was also shocked that Storm let her touch him but that's not the main point. When my eyes met hers there was this pull I felt instantly, like I was being sucked into her. My mind was hazy after meeting her and I found myself doing things that I wouldn't normally do, like asking her to go on a ride with me and-"

"You asked her to go on a ride with you!" Lyonne asked but immediately clasped his mouth shut after hearing the annoyed growl from Azriel.

"One more word from you and I'll slice your tongue and make you swallow it." Azriel snapped, not appreciating the religious interruption.

Lyonne gulped at Azriel's threats before speaking up, "I won't interrupt anymore but how does one look at her make you so sure that she's your mate?"

"It wasn't just her eyes, it was her sweet jasmine scent that clouded my mind and tormented my nostrils, the sound of her melodic voice, the pull I felt toward her the mere second I stepped into that stable, and..." Azriel paused momentarily before resuming his sentence, "And the fact that my wolf has been restless ever since I met her. I couldn't sleep a wink last night and even now she's all I can think of." He confessed.

"This... Is a lot to take in. I didn't expect you to meet your mate in such a way but the timing couldn't be more perfect." Lyonne said feeling refreshed knowing the kingdom would finally have a queen.

"I won't take advantage of her like that." Azriel declared.

"It's not taking advantage if she's your mate. Azriel, the people are demanding for a queen and an heir, you're lucky to have found your mate before being forced to get wedded to someone else."

"I'm the king and no one can force me to do what I don't want." 

"Exactly. If they can't force you to marry anyone, then you have to marry your mate which thank the gods you just found before things got worse."

"I met her barely a day ago and you want me to get married to her without being sure if she feels the same? I can't force my mate to do such a thing."

The room fell silent as Lyonne realized the gravity of their situation. In as much as they were mates, while the mate bond instantly pulled in the men, the women don't feel the mate bond until after and even then, they have the right to denounce their mates if they feel nothing for them, and there was a possibility Dahlia could do so.

"If that's the case, you have to woo her and make her feel the bond as soon as possible because the people are getting frustrated without a queen... besides you need someone to tone down that temper of yours and who else is best first for the job except your mate?" Lyonne smirked as he said the last bit.

"My temper is just fine." Azriel angrily threw an apple at a now laughing Lyonne whose point was just proven.

"What station does she work at?" 

"The regular stable."

"Hmm," Lyonne scratched his chin, deep in thought, "Why don't you get her to start working at the royal stable? It works both ways since Storm seems to like her and that way you can get to see her a bit more."

"She's my mate, I don't want her working as a slave anymore." Azriel furrowed his brows at the thought of his mate doing hard labor when she should be worshipped to the ends of the earth, especially by him.

"I get that lover boy but she'll feel overwhelmed if you suddenly pull her to your side and tell her she's your mate. You're the one who said you don't want to take advantage of her so we have to take it extra slow so we don't end up pushing her away. We'll go higher from the stables until she's indefinitely by your side."

"That's a good reasoning you have there," Azriel stated, pleased and calmed down by Lyonne's words, "If only you used your brain more like this." 

Lyonne rolled his eyes at Azriel's comment, "If only you paid me more for my job." He jokingly countered.

"Make sure she's transferred to work at my stables and ensure her workload isn't much and she's comfortable then I'll consider increasing your pay."

"Roger that, Your Highness." Lyonne gave Azriel a teasing and mischievous smile before dashing out of the room.

"My mate, huh." Azriel momentarily smiled as he thought of Dahlia, "Only a few hours in and I'm already at her mercy."