LOVE AND FAMILY TIES

ALEXANDER

“Remind me why I agreed to meet this girl?” I ask Damian, my best friend.

“Because it’s been 225 years since you were single, your parents want to enjoy life and leave the throne to you but you can’t get there without a queen by your side.” He replies.

I sigh. “Thank you for that summary, my dear friend, I didn’t ask for much.” I roll my eyes.

His answer sums up my life all too well. I am Lycan Crown Prince Alexander Dimitrov, I was born 224 years ago, contrary to what Damian just said. My 225th birthday is only four months away and I had a deal with my parents. If on my 225th birthday I had not found my erasthai, I had to comply with their choice and unite with the person they had chosen for me. I always hoped to find my erasthai, especially as my close friends found them one after the other, despite the fact that it is quite rare for lycans to find them. Unfortunately, after travelling the world, I still haven’t found it.

You can’t imagine how frustrating it can be to witness the happiness of others when you haven’t found it yourself. I mean, I’m a prince, rather good looking (in all objectivity), I’m rich, I’m surrounded by loyal friends and I enjoy my “job” as a prince. To sum up, there is only one thing missing: love, my erasthai, what humans call soul mate, a woman with whom I would spend the rest of my life, with whom I could build my own family and rule over all werewolves and lycans.

And I have just spent the most boring evening of my life with Elizabeth, a 150 year old lycan, who is a girl from a good family and who, according to my parents, would make a perfect queen. Perfect, you bet, she has no conversation, the only things she’s interested in are parties, fashion and herself. She’s very beautiful, I wouldn’t take that away from her, so I would gladly put her in my bed but for one night and not for life.

“Was it that bad?” asked Damian, who sat on a chair in my room.

“She’s hot and that’s it. In all honesty I didn’t think she was very clever.”

“At the same time your standard regarding intelligence is pretty high, if you ask me. You think most of the royal advisors are ignorant.” He said, stifling a laugh.

“No not all, James is very good and so are you.” I answer him honestly.

“We are your two best friends. You’re the one who got us into the council so I don’t think you’re being very objective.”

“The reason I submitted your names to the council is because of your intelligence, not just our friendship.”

“I don’t doubt that for a moment.” He sighs. “Look... I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but if you don’t find your erasthai in the next four months, Elizabeth will be your best bet. Her father is very influential so it’s best to have her on your side.”

I run my hand over my frustrated face. “I know.” I sigh loudly. “Why couldn’t it be as simple as it was for you and James. I mean, you went to visit a pack and bam you meet your two erasthais, who happen to be two best friends, at the same time. Seriously?! These things only happen in novels or movies.”

He chuckles. “And yet Melissa and Leila are real and we got lucky. I honestly don’t know what else to say.” He gets up and heads for the door. “We have to get up early tomorrow, we’re leaving for California to settle a turf dispute. The girls are coming with us, they’re going to take the opportunity to see their families and friends. So take the opportunity to let off some steam. Okay?”

I simply nod in response.

Great, I’m going to be the fifth wheel on this trip. On the one hand he’s not wrong, a change of scenery will do me good.

I feel like I’m going crazy, but at the same time I can’t get over it. I’m not ready to give up but part of me thinks that if I had an erasthai I would have found it by now, I mean I’ve been in every pack over the years.

Stop getting your hopes up Alex and go take a shower instead.