Chapter 1- Not her coat.
Opal POV
I look in the mirror and straighten my dress, it's a dusty pink with a white ribbon on the collar. The dress barely covers my knees and is the definition of innocence which is fitting, because that's what I am, innocent. I have never been in a relationship let alone had my first kiss. Though that never bothered me, I'm not the most attractive girl out there, I'm short about 5'5, and pretty big, well I guess curvy would be the right word. But I don't even think curvy suits me, I don't have large boobs and my waist doesn't have much definition, although I have been told I have a nice ass. I do like my light freckles and naturally rosy lips and cheeks. my button nose and big brown eyes aren't too bad either as well as my wavey raven hair.
although I don't stand out in a group of hot girls and am picked on for how I look. I am content with the relationships I have been able to build over the years, especially with my friend Mia. As if on queue she barges into the room rushing me to get going “Come on come on!!, we're gonna be late for the party! It's not every day we get to go to the castle.”
Mia was a total bombshell she was tall and could be a supermodel, she had ivory skin with silky blonde hair she was basically perfect. “I don't care if we're late, I don't even want to go,” I said annoyed. The prince soon to be king has a big party every month, the people of the kingdom are chosen at random to go to the castle, it's required no excuses at all. It was for the prince to meet the people that he was soon to rule and to find his mate.
The royal family were lycans and half of the people in the kingdom werewolves the other half were humans. lycans and werewolves although similar were very different in power and senses. lycans were everything a werewolf was except their senses were heightened, as well as their possessiveness and need for a mate. Mia was a wolf, and me? I'm just a human. Opal a regular human.
We get in the car and head to the castle. I have seen the castle a few times since I was little, for the prince's coronation and any other special events everyone in the kingdom was invited to. But it was still mesmerizing the castle was old yet so beautiful, it had hanging vines over it and the front was like a fairytale there were ponds a garden and so many flowers. I love the flowers, they have practically every flower to exist.
We showed our tickets and were put down on the list to prove we showed up. The party was being hosted outside which was a surprise, it was a bit chilly out and Mia was freezing. She got cold easily I took off my white fur coat and wrapped it around her. “You can't give me your coat you'll freeze to death!” she said “You are overreacting I'm fine I have more body fat than you so it's like my own little coat” I gave her a big smile to reassure her. she glared at the comment showing her disapproval of me putting myself down but she says nothing more.
Mia goes to talk to a group of guys and I wander off, I don't care much for crowds and I want her to enjoy herself. I sent her a quick text to tell her I went out to explore. I came across a river where an old lady sat on a bench i walked over to her and asked if I could sit with her, and she nodded. “What’s your name?” she asks with the sweetest voice. “Opal, and you?”, “Opal what a lovely name, my name is Miriam” she smiles.
Me and the women talked for about half an hour, about life where we were from, and our interests. “If only my grandson was as sweet as you my sweet opal, he's very stubborn but a good boy” I laugh “I'm sure he is sweet deep down, maybe very deep down” she giggles and takes off a bracelet she had on. “I want to give you this, thank you for talking with me” the bracelet was beautiful and looked expensive, it was silver with an opal gem in the middle ‘How fitting’ I thought to myself.
“I can't take that from you, mam, you keep it” she insists and puts it around my wrist as if it was a done deal. In appreciation, I take off one of my hair clips, it's simple and definitely not worth as much as her bracelet but it was something. I put it in her hair and she becomes surprised I say “You look beautiful” She laughs and we talk more.
While we talked we exchanged contact information. From the sounds of it, she seemed like she didn't have many people to talk to. Her grandson was always busy as well as her children, and her husband passed a long time ago. Given the situation, and the fact I don't have many people to talk to either, I offered her to talk to me anytime she needed and she gladly accepted.
Our long talk was interrupted by the ring of my cellphone, it was Mia, I excused myself and took the call. “Hello? Mia?’” “Hey, where are you? I need you to come here, like, now!” she was panicked and I could tell she was worried so I didn't question further. “I'm sorry, my friend needs me, please contact me and we can get coffee one day” She only nodded like at the beginning of the conversation, the nod was like she was telling me not to worry and that she would contact me but I must hurry over to my friend. And so I did I ran over back to the party.
Ben POV
I hated these parties, and I was beginning to lose hope of ever finding my mate. My missing piece, for lycans a mate meant everything and we would stop at nothing till we found them. We become obsessive and won't let anything stand in the way of us and our mates. It was time for me to go out and meet the guests my best friend Drew was already out there, all alone.
I got up from my chair and made my presence known, everyone noticed and bowed in respect. I hated it when people bowed. I went to find Drew and was stopped many times along the way. Being stopped by many women flirting with me was infuriating. They were pretty don't get me wrong but they weren't my mate, I wanted my mate. My wolf grew restless at the thought of never finding my mate and I had to calm him down.
My wolf was headstrong and persistent, never letting a day pass without reminding me we were still without a mate. I'm 22 now and still haven't found my mate despite looking for 4 years. My wolf and admittedly I yearned for our mate. I want to claim her, protect her, love her.
As I am in sight of Drew I smell something… 'MATE!’ my wolf growled within me. The scent was strawberry and chocolate the most intoxicating thing I have ever smelt. My wolf nearly took over, and I went looking for my mate. Sniffing the air and navigating through the crowd, as well as ignoring everyone trying to greet me.
I come across a girl with a white fur coat and a sleek red dress. ‘She smells like our mate! But she's not her, where is our mate!?’ my wolf was right she smelt like our mate but it wasn't her I could tell. I mind-linked my guards and had them take her to a private room in the castle where I eventually met with her. Her coat was already off and a soldier handed it to me ‘Mate!’ my wolf growled this belonged to my mate she was so close but where was she?!
I began to grow restless, my wolf was not helping as he whined at a constant. I started to get mad I couldn't stand another moment without her without my mate. “Whose coat is this?!” I yelled. The girl was frightened “Prince Ben- I, I” I felt bad for scaring the girl, but my need to find my mate overpowered any ounce of humanity I had left within me.
I'm sure I have a lethal look in my eyes “Answer the question now!” I was getting more frustrated by the second. “It's my friend's coat, opal its opals coat….” opal? The name calmed me I was one step closer to finding her but I was still not satisfied. No not till I find her, the woman who belonged to me and only me!
“Where is she I growled”, “I-I don't know she wondered off I-I can call her and-” I didn't even let her finish her sentence before I stared her down and gave her a look that said ‘call her’. Me and my wolf grew more and more restless by the moment, as she was on the phone with her friend. I had to calm myself just because these events have led me to now does not mean that the girl is my mate. My wolf whined at the thought, so I just focused on finding the girl.
The phone's ringing ceased and before she could answer I snatched the phone from her and spoke to the woman on the other side of the line myself. I heard a girl with the sweetest voice I have ever heard “Hello? Mia? I'm near the entrance of the castle where are you?” I grew impatient I needed to see her, I needed to hold her close to me and take in her scent.
“ where are you?! come here now! The guards will guide you to where you need to go, talk to one of them and tell them your name. Hurry!!” before she could say anything I hung up, I couldn't take it I needed her, NOW.
Opal POV
I ran up near the entrance of the castle I had no idea where Mia was so I called her. “Hello? Mia? I near the entrance of the castle. Where are you?” I said out of breath. And then I hear a man's angry voice from the other line. “ where are you?! come here now! The guards will guide you to where you need to go, talk to one of them and tell them your name. Hurry!!” I could barely respond before the man hung up.
The loud voice that yelled for me to go to a guard and have them lead me to where I needed to go, had shaken me to my core. I was in such a panic to find out if Mia was ok i just did as I was told. I went up to a guard and gave him my name as instructed he led me into the castle ‘I was in the freaking castle!’ I looked around it was mesmerizing but I didn't have time to look around I needed to find Mia.
