Lycan Prince Matteo

Matteo

“Freya is joining,” he declared, leaving me in shock. How on earth would she manage to fight without her wolf? I scrutinized Calvin, seeking confirmation of the truth. The gravity of his expression assured me that he wasn’t joking. Who was I kidding? Calvin rarely ever joked.

“I don’t think you’ll be heading to the site now; instead, you’ll be going to school,” he informed me, and I nodded. I needed to ensure her safety. I declared that those who had signed up and registered were not allowed to back out, emphasizing the commitment to prevent any casual decisions on Freya’s part, especially regarding Clay and Alec.

We hurried into school, and I was grateful that I had asked Calvin to stay hidden. If not, I couldn’t fathom what I would do upon discovering her amidst the fight the next day. Though uncertain if she was truly my mate, my instincts insisted, and I wanted to believe it. Surprisingly, my Lycan seemed okay with this revelation, not snarling at me in my mind as it typically would when I entertained such thoughts.

Normally, it would growl, deterring me from contemplating certain choices, like when I considered taking a chosen mate to align with the royal adviser’s desires. He insisted that my reign would surpass the current king’s if I chose a mate before my coronation.

“My Lycan warned and threatened me, expressing that he would rather face death than form any connection with female Lycans other than our mate.

Upon my arrival, everyone was gathered, listening to Beta Jackson. Despite searching for Freya, her small stature made it challenging to locate her without her distinctive scent. Eventually spotting Clay and Alec, both imposing figures, I sensed Freya’s presence. As expected, she was with them, shielded by other she-wolves.

Keeping her head down, Freya’s gaze was fixed on the prospective alpha and another she-wolf. To be more explicit, she glared at them, and I had a hunch about the reasons behind it. These two had a reputation for bullying, though it seemed to have diminished somewhat since our arrival.

The beta handed me the microphone for a brief speech, and I seized the opportunity to grant Freya a chance to step back from the impending confrontation. I urged everyone to approach the situation seriously and, concurrently, to confirm whether she truly was my mate or not. The reasoning behind this idea eludes me, but my instincts guide me to pursue it.”

The opening ceremony was set to conclude with a brisk run, and I was initially slated to lead it. However, a change of heart prompted me to approach Daniel and share my decision with him. He reassured me, saying, “Don’t worry; I’ll still be here, just hanging back to ensure everyone’s participation,” I informed him.

“Okay, Your Highness,” he replied, and I began searching for Freya. She was still with those two, and a sense of unease crept over me. I didn’t want her around them, so I opted to run in my human form. Judging by their preparations, I assumed she would do the same.

“Why aren’t you getting ready to run?” I questioned as I approached them. They were startled, except for Freya, and I wondered why. It could only be because she could smell me. However, if both Clay and Alec didn’t notice me, she shouldn’t have either. So, why?

“Your Highness, we’re about to shift now,” Clay explained, glancing at Alec and then at Freya.

“We’ll shift over there,” he indicated a tree not far from us, and she nodded, smiling.

“Freya,” I called her, noticing her tense up again. She turned to face me, but her head remained down. “Look at me,” I requested, causing her to stiffen even more. “I won’t harm you; I just want to see your face. It’s not my intention for the pack to fear me when they haven’t done anything wrong,” I added.

“Well, I don’t think it’s right to look at you, Your Highness. It would be disrespectful if I did that,” she replied. I was about to respond when Eunice arrived.

“You’re here, Matteo. I’ve been looking for you,” she said, wrapping her hands around my arms and then glancing at Freya. I gently removed her hands and corrected her, saying, “Prince Matteo.” She looked at me, still smiling.

“What?” she inquired.

“I mentioned that you must refer to me as Prince Matteo.” Her eyes widened momentarily in surprise, but she quickly regained composure and responded,

“I called you Matteo when you were intimate with me.” My Lycan instinctively bristled at her comment, and I found myself wanting to express my frustration physically. I glanced at Freya and observed her clenching and unclenching her fists. She took a deep breath, and I even noticed a slight flinch.

“Calvin,”

“Your Highness?” “Escort her away.”

“Why are you even here? Did you wait for Matteo to instruct someone to remove you?” she questioned Freya, and it seemed like she was struggling to control her anger.

“Eunice, let’s go,” Calvin instructed, earning an angry glare from her. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

“His Highness ordered me to remove you,” Calvin replied.

She shouted, “He’s referring to that worthless woman!” for everyone to hear. I turned to Freya, realizing she might not be able to contain herself any longer. She started to lift her head, but Clay intervened. I hoped to catch a glimpse of her face, but Alec joined in, and both of them escorted her away after bowing to me.

I was seething with anger at the spectacle: “Shut up, Eunice!” I growled, “You will be 8., returning to the palace immediately.” I declared, further fueling her anger.

“No way! I’m not leaving you here surrounded by all these she-wolves!” she yelled. Feeling disrespected, I seized her by the neck, contemplating taking her life.

“Your Highness, allow me to escort her away now,” Calvin requested. I looked at Eunice, who had lowered her head in submission.

“Ensure that I don’t see her face here again,” I commanded, scanning everyone present.NôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

“I deeply regret that one of us caused a disturbance and disrespected our event. Please proceed with the ceremony.” I addressed the gathering and searched for Freya once more. I needed to lock eyes with her; it was a Lycan tradition to connect with one’s mate through their gaze before discovering their scents. It was believed that through our eyes, we could witness the bonding of our souls. I supposed I would have to wait for another opportunity. The tournament spanned a week, providing ample time to encounter her and share that meaningful gaze.