The Prince’s Unwilling mate

078 Ayla

I could sense Griff walking up to me before I could see him. Suddenly I felt myself getting nervous, what if he didn’t like the fact that I sprung this on him? What if he thought it would be soon to move in together next weekend? After all, I had been the one who said we needed six months to do anything. Was it even fair to want more now? But as soon as I saw his smiling face I knew enough. The fact that he was here meant he got my letter so the huge smile on his face must mean he loved the surprise. It did help but I still was a bit nervous about what he would think about me moving in with him. Especially since I had taken all the steps to do so.

Meaning that if he would say no, I would have to start all over in the White Oak pack until he was ready. Like always I had no reason to worry about this amazing man. He spun me around like I was the main character from one of my romance books, before walking to the clearing where the BBQ would take place.

I had seen the staff build the stage, and place the decorations, still seeing it all together. Packmembers milling about I felt a sense of pride from what I accomplished. Sure Isabella and I had done it together and I wasn‘ t ready to undertake something like this on my own. But was just as much my effort as it had been hers. What I took pride in the most was the mixture of amazement and pride on Griff’s face as he guided me toward the makeshift podium. Just before we stepped up he bit his lower lip and nodded to myself. Something he always does when he is determined. Knowing him he was telling himself to deliver a good

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speech.

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“Members of the Silver Moon pack and my esteemed guests, what I am about to do now is going to be a little bit different than how this usually goes. But that’s fitting because everything about us is different than how it usually goes.” Griffin started his speech, and immediately all eyes were on him, were on us.

Even I was wondering how this was going to go.

“You all know that I was just a pup when the mark that my fated mate died before I got to know them appeared on my chest. Growing up I was sad I could not find the same love my grandparents and parents had. Until the day I learned about second chance mates, from that day on out I would pray to the MoonGoddess every day that I would find my second chance mate.” He continued and most of the pack murmured or nodded. I knew he was devout to the MoonGoddess but I never knew just how much he prayed.

“Dreaming of the moment I would lock eyes with my mate from across. the room, we would run towards each other and live happily ever after. But the moment I made eye contact with this gorgeous she–wolf next to me she ran away from me and not towards me.” Some packmembers laughed as Griffin reminisced about our first meeting others scowled.

“I know most of you had some apprehensions about Ayla being my mate, and your future queen. Telling me I should just go with a chosen mate instead. But it is easy to judge without knowing who you are judging.

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You see my beautiful mate’s first mate did not die, he just made sure he broke her heart, broke her kind and fierce spirit. And she accepted it all to keep the pack that abused her from having to go to war. When I prayed to the MoonGoddess Selene I told her I would do everything I needed to do to show my second chance mate that I would make her happy.

So she blessed me with a perfect mate who just needed her heart mended, from the bottom of my heart Ayla I am elated you gave me the chance to mend it and make me the luckiest wolf on earth. To all of you, I would like you to officially welcome Ayla Hemmings from the White Oak pack as my mate, your future Luna, and the future Queen” Griff’s speech nearly had me in tears but I never expected the rest of the pack to burst into applause.

***

The rest of the night I spent dancing with Griff, being congratulated by pack members. Most of them didn’t know about my story. What Griffin told them was the least he could tell them but still made them understand what had happened to me. Now most of them seemed to be deadset on letting me know they truly welcomed me into the pack. I was still connected to the White Oak pack my parents would travel along with me to severe the packbound next week. Still, I could feel the first sparks of the pack bond between me and the Silver Moon pack and it made me even more excited about the future than I already was.

This night had been wonderful up until the moment two of the pack members walked up to us. From the look on their faces, I could tell they

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were not about to offer me their well wishes and congratulate us. Both she–wolves were around our age, eyes trained on Griffin, in a way that would have made me insecure weeks ago. Now all it did was make me jealous, the same possessive jealousness I hated in Griff. But now I myself had a hard time ignoring my urges to at the very least snap at them.

Griffin either noticed their stares giving away they were up to no good or my anxiousness. Or maybe even both. Whatever it was he wrapped an arm around my waist pulling me closer to his muscular body. His overwhelming scent calmed me down enough to wait and listen to what these two had to say. Not that they addressed me, as far as they were concerned I was nothing but thin air.

“Prince Griffin, we know you just as your parents have always valued the opinion of the rest of the pack” The ginger was the first to speak up

Griffin gave her a tight nod never letting go of me. Everyone knew what they were going to tell him. We needed to wait and give our packmembers the chance to express themselves though. So I understood Griffin couldn’t just come out and tell them he wasn’t interested in their opinions on this matter. I don’t know if the girl was just stupid, or brave but Griffin’s tight nod, changed eye color, and tense body did nothing to deter her from telling him her opinion.

“And I believe as our Crown Prince you deserve someone who is all in right from the start. She should have forgotten all about her first mate the second she laid eyes on you” She was not practically purring.

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078 Ayla Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

She was an unmated wolf and her intentions were crystal clear, so much so that I could not hold back anymore.

“Let me guess Gingersnaps, you would be the one MY mate deserves. You are going to be the Queen. A vapid little girl like you will ruin everything MY family–in–law has built for our kind. You want to be his chosen mate but are either unable to read his body language or just unwilling to take his discomfort into account.” I struggled to keep my tone even, I just wanted to claw her eyes out.

“Everything my Queen just told you is the truth Cynthia, not to mention you bear any empathy towards another wolf who has gone through hell and back. On top of seemingly being devoid of any loyalty. You are a good pack member and I would love for you to stay one and not try and overstep, that goes for both of you” He told the she–wolves glancing at both of them with the most disdain I had ever seen from him apart from the time he saw David.

The she–wolves turned on their heels to walk back to their table, cheeks flushed red and clearly embarrassed. Griffin turned to me wrapping his arms around me like he wanted to comfort me. And I did not like feeling like I was about to lose control. But he did nothing wrong and if anything the way he defended me made me realize something he should not have to apologize for. But for now, I just hug him back, I will tell him what I realized later, tonight when we are together and the party is

over.