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I don’t know why he’s in such a good mood. He hasn’t found his mate yet either. Neither has Romer for that matter. I’ve heard that Noah, the King of the Dahlia Kingdom to the west of me hasn’t found his mate either.
Maybe the Kings of the four kingdoms are all cursed.
My wolf paws at me, and I clear my throat, straightening in my seat. Maybe Ryker is right. When did I become so pessimistic?
“I bet you fall in love so hard tonight that you trip over your own feet. You’ll probably sink to your knees and beg her to be your Queen as soon as you see her,” Ryker teases me, wagging his eyebrows.
“A King never kneels,” I grunt under my breath. That was my dad’s old mantra, and apparently, it’s programmed deep. A lot of things about my father still haunt me.
But there's no time to fall into that hole right now. One disaster at a time.
Ryker and Romer get distracted by a tray of food passing by. I can tell by the food being brought out that it's almost time to start, and I straighten from my position against the wall, rolling my shoulders out.
“Showtime,” Ryker says, clapping me on my back. I grimace, making him smirk at me. The asshole.
We turn and head over to where four thrones have been set up. One for each of us, and one for my mate. I’m sure it will still be empty by the end of the night.
I take my seat and try to paste an appropriate look on my face as my Beta, Mark, looks to me for approval to open the doors. I let out a sigh just loud enough for my friends to hear, then nod. Mark turns, signaling to the two men at the door to pull them open.
My wolf claws at me as the first guests trickle in. Everyone is dressed up in their nicest clothes, and I watch as their eyes dart around the opulent room. Take a good look, you won’t be seeing this place again.
My wolf is on high alert, pacing inside of me as we scan every new guest that comes in. Not her. Not her. Not her.
My heart sinks a little further as each woman enters the room, none of them sparking that mating pull. I’ve told myself time and time again this last week that I won’t get my hopes up. I won’t allow myself to think about the possibility of being married this time next year and never having to endure another evening like this.
And yet…
My heart isn’t as numb as I’d like it to be.
There’s a gentle breeze blowing in from outside. My wolf and I sniff the air, hoping to catch the scent of our mate. No such luck.
I glance over at Romer and Ryker, hoping for a distraction. They’re busy whispering to each other and glancing at the food. I roll my eyes. Those two are always starving.
The room is bustling with an anxious energy, everyone waiting to be picked. Waiting to be my Queen.
When my guards at the door rope off the entrance, I know almost everyone must be here. Everyone except my mate.
My wolf whines inside of me, the sound almost deafening. It echoes throughout my body, ricocheting around in my ribcage before sinking into my heart. I feel the weight of his sadness. I know he feels mine, too.
Nevertheless, I grit my teeth, pushing him back while trying to comfort him at the same time.
I know, buddy. I wish we could find her, too, I admit.
He curls up inside of my chest and I take a deep breath, steeling myself for another disappointing and boring night.
TWO
Salem
I run my fingers through my tangled red hair, hoping to wrestle it into submission. Gathering it up in one hand, I twist the locks and fling them over one shoulder before taking a steadying breath.
This place is gargantuan. Of course, it is. It's a freaking castle.
Still, I’ve seen a few castles during my backpacking trip through Europe, and this one is by far the grandest. The stone structure looms over the hills and valleys spread before it, the many towers and spires casting shadows in the setting sun.
It must be luck or maybe it was fate that brought me to this corner of the world at the same time the castle of the Laurel Kingdom is open. It only happens once a year, according to a local at the bakery yesterday.
I’ve been backpacking through Europe and finally made it to Scotland, then ventured a little further to this small town that just so happens to be one of the last honest-to-god kingdoms around. How could I pass up that opportunity?
