A scream wanted to reap out my throat as I read Emma's thoughts, but I didn't let it as that would be weird. Besides, it's too late already.
"So, are you the mate brought for my Alpha Raymond?" Emma asked as she stared at Lila.
Lila didn't reply and continued sipping her soup. She seemed unbothered by everything that was going on.
Raymond signaled Emma to stop, but she didn't get his point. "Well, I'm his Luna, and there's no way I'm letting you take Raymond from me. Besides, why are you wearing that silly veil?" Emma had gone too far this time.
"Silence!" his father barked.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," Emma apologized, her head downcast.
"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Armstrong's eyes blazed with rage as he crumpled the fork in his hand.
"Hell..." Emma said and stopped mid-sentence. "Your Majesty, there's no way I'm going to apologize to the lady who wants to steal Raymond from me. I have suffered too many heartbreaks, and I wouldn't suffer another. Excuse me, everyone. I have lost my appetite." Emma drew her chair out and walked out of the dining room.
Everyone was starstruck by her behavior—Raymond's dad especially. "I'm sorry, everyone. She's not accustomed to our traditions and all. Please pardon her behavior." Raymond pleaded, as he trailed behind Emma to her chamber.
"Why the hell did you do that, Emma?"
Emma turned to him, her eyes filled with tears. "Yes, go on, blame me, like how everyone does. It's nothing new to me," she said and sat down on the bed.
Raymond exhaled slowly. "I'm not trying to blame you, Emma. Besides, that wasn't the right place, time, or question to ask." He tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Raymond, will you let that lady take you away from me?"
Seriously, he was confused about the reply to give Emma, but he had to say something anyway. "No, Emma, I wouldn't. Besides, you are my Luna, and she's just some random girl."
"Exactly my point," Emma retorted.
"Don't think about it. Get some rest. I will request the maids to get some food for you."
"No, Raymond, I'm not hungry," she said as she took off her shoes and wrapped herself in the duvet.
"Aren't you going to get a change of clothes at least?"
"No, I'm fine. Will you like to join me?" Emma teased.
"No, Emma, I will pass," Raymond smiled.
***
He watched as Emma drifted to sleep. Raymond knew he had a lot of explaining to do, and Emma had made a bad first impression.
He had also noticed his Mother's unusually silence at the dining table.
Raymond left quickly out of Emma's room and sighted Mira, one of the palace's trusted maids. She was one of the two ladies he had ordered to get Emma dressed earlier.
"Greetings, Alpha."
"Good day, Mira... I want you to be Emma's personal maid, okay?"
She looked lost. Clearly, she didn't know who Emma was.
"My Luna, Mira."
"Alright, Alpha. Thank you for considering me worthy to be your Luna's chief maid."
"Make it worth it," Raymond said and left her. As he walked past, he muttered, "She's asleep now. Stay close. She might need you when she wakes up."
Moments later he sighted Derick coming his way. "Hello, Derick."
"Greetings, Alpha Raymond. You're needed in the upper chambers," Derick told him.
He knew it was because of everything that had happened today. He sighed as he went along with Derick. Well, they had to talk about it sooner or later.
Raymond pushed the upper chamber doors open with his thoughts, as he loved doing—saving the guards some stress. The council of elders' faces looked like they were in mourning, and his father's face... something he couldn't fathom. The last time he saw his father's face that way was when he returned from battle and his older brother dead.
"Greetings, Your Highness. Greetings, council of elders," he bowed as he took his seat.
"Alpha Raymond, I guess you know why this meeting is being held?" his father asked.
"Yes, Father... sorry, yes, Your Highness. But I would like you all to ask your questions. I pray I have answers to them."
"Good," Armstrong added. "Now, who is she, and how is she your Luna?"
Raymond stood to answer the King's questions. "Your Highness, my elders, her name is Emma Anderson, as she earlier said. She is my mate and Luna-to-be."
"Nonsense!" Elder Xender snapped. "That's impossible! That girl cannot be your mate, let alone your Luna."
Raymond stared at Elder Xender, who was at the top of the list of elders he wanted to crush, but he couldn't—not yet.
"Enough, Elder Xender," Armstrong called out with great force that coerced his bright brown hair to let loose of the ponytail it was styled in to cascade over his shoulders. "Continue, Alpha Raymond."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Raymond bowed. "There's really nothing more for me to say, and I would like to apologize once again on behalf of my Luna to everyone."
"Point of correction, Alpha Raymond. She's your mate," one of the elders bellowed. "And until you are mated to her, you can't call her Luna."
"Your Majesty," Elder Cupa turned to face the king. "What will we do with the mate you brought for your son, Alpha Raymond?"
"Yes, that's true," all the elders nodded.
"Your Highness, besides, we can't risk an outsider being Luna of this palace." another elder added.
"Never!" Xender cut in.
Raymond turned to his father in the midst of the ongoing commotion.The king hit the side of his armchair and the chamber hall went silent.
"Alpha Raymond," Armstrong called out.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Where did you find her from?"
"Which pack?" he added.
"I...I...I found her on Earth, Your Highness."
"Hun!..." Their eyes widened at him.
"What have you done, Alpha?" the eldest elder, elder Shu, exclaimed. Normally, he wouldn't talk at meetings—he would just observe everything and keep quiet.
"It is an abomination for humans to come to this place. Why are you calling the curse of our enemies upon us?"
Well, if its a curse. It will surely come to pass one way or another, Raymond thought to himself.
"We don't get to choose what pack, form, or shape we want our mates to be born in, do we?" Raymond's question hung in the air, with everyone staring blankly at him.
"This meeting is adjourned for tomorrow," his father said, and all the elders murmured as they left the upper chambers.
Raymond was about to leave as well when Armstrong stopped him. Unfortunately for him, the door shut, and it was just him and his Father left in the chamber.
"Your Majesty," Raymond bowed.
"Hey, son," Armstrong said, indicating he could drop his respect tone.
"Hello, Father," the silver-haired prince smiled as he struted toward him.
"I see you have found yourself a mate, right?"
Raymond didn't know if his father was asking in a cool way or a hard way, because Armstrong was really good at masking his emotions.
"Yes."
"Hmm, that's cool."
"So, what do you want me to do with the other mate I brought for you?"
He was about to say something when the King cut in again.
"And don't think I will return her to her parents."
Raymond sighed. "Actually, I never asked you and Mum to go mate-hunting for me. Now, do with her as you please," he felt like saying aloud, but he refrained himself.
Besides, he felt a certain pull towards her. She was a mystery he wanted to uncover.
"Mate," he heard almost immediately.
He looked around, but it was just him and the King, his father.
"Mate," he heard again.
His father looked at him.
"Is anything the matter, son?"