Chapter 20

Aiden
‘Your Highness, I am half an hour out. Do you want me to bring you these files immediately or do you want me to wait until later to bring them?’
Aiden gazed down at his sleeping mate and tucked her hair behind her ear.
‘Bring it straight to me.’
‘Yes, sir. Can you check on Sasha and let her know I would like her to join me for breakfast?’
Mikhail surfaced and he growled. Sasha jerked awake on his chest and he tightened his arms around her, preventing her from rolling off of him onto the floor. He brushed a kiss over her forehead. She raised her head to look up at him. She smiled at him shyly.
“Good morning.” She paused. “My king.”
He stared down at her until she tried to pull away again.
“Good morning, my beautiful queen. How did you sleep?”
“More deeply than I ever have and you?”
He chuckled. “Gotta say I’m a little sore, but I’m amazing. I finally got to wake up to you in my arms.”
She snuggled into his chest. “Will it always be this easy to please you, sire?”
His hands ran down her back to cup her ass. He pulled her up his body a little, before letting her slide back down. He groaned when she grazed his morning erection.
“I might kill him today.”
She looked at him startled. “Who? And why?”
“Malcolm and because he is what stands in my way to have you.”
She kissed his jaw. “Is he back?”
“Almost. He asked me to tell you he wanted you to join him for breakfast.”
She let out a little growl. “I don’t want to join him for breakfast.”
He tilted her chin up to peck her lips. “I’ll tell you what. You come sit next to me at the head table and he can sit on your other side. I won’t let him get out of line.”
She nuzzled into him. “Do you promise?”
He cupped her ass again. “Oh most definitely. You are mine!” He stuck his hands down her pants to massage her cheeks. “But I want you to go change.”
“Into what?”
“Do you have a dress?”
“Yes. I have skirts, too.”
“Either or and I want you to take your belt off.”
She blushed. “Why is that?”
He kissed her deeply and handed her her key. “You will see. Now, go.”
She went to climb off, but he held her in place, sniffing her. “Take a quick shower and avoid everyone on your way to his room. You have my scent all over you. Give your clothes to Kalani. She can put it in with hers to be washed.”
“OK.”
She got up and left the room, before he heard her stop outside the door. She sighed and he knew her thoughts must have kicked up. She was such an overthinker, he had discovered. She cursed under her breath and entered the room again. He looked up at her from the couch.
“Are you okay?”
She slowly made her way back to him, twisting her shirt in her hands. She stood beside him, nervously.
“I wanted to tell you something.”
He forced his body to relax. “Yes, Sasha?”
“Do you remember when I told you I was afraid to fall for you?”
“Yes?”
She shifted again. “I came here with feelings for you already. I have dreamt of you for four years and I never imagined that this is what my dreams would turn into it. I had stopped believing that you were real. I always wanted to be with you, but everything is different now.”
He shifted, freezing when she showed signs of running.
“Why, Sasha?,” he murmured softly, hoping his calm demeanor would help her to relax.
“Because I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was told I had to come. I was going to send Tiffany, because of how she always treated Kalani. I am not a good person and I shouldn’t lead by your side.” She sighed. “In a different world.. In a different time.. Maybe we could have been together, but not in this timeline.”
“Sasha-”
She pressed her finger against his lips, silencing him.
“Aiden, you deserve a better queen.. A better mate than me. I wish I could let you go, but I am so drawn to you, that you are changing everything I know I need to do.” She straddled him. “You make me want to let go and throw myself into your arms. You make me want to be everything you think I am.. Everything you think I can be. I want to be good enough for you. I want to be good enough to be the clan’s queen, but I am not selfless enough to walk away and prevent what’s coming. Please, please, be strong enough to let me go. Send me away. Send me back home.” Tears filled her eyes and one escaped when she blinked. “End this. Don’t let me destroy what you have built here.”
He wiped her tear away. “What is going on, love?”
“Nothing,” she sniffled.
“Talk to me, baby.”
She leaned down to kiss him softly, before getting off of him. She stopped at the door and her head dropped. “I don't want to be the reason you die,” she whispered, miserably.
He sat up. “What do you mean, Sasha?”
She darted out of the room and he heard her sobs all the way down to the end of the hallway.
‘What the fuck did she mean by that?,’ he asked Mikhail.
‘I don’t know. Kalani said she saw our death and thought she was the reason. We need to get her to tell us what we already know so we can ask her how she thinks we die.’
‘We have to get her to trust us first.’
‘Make it fast. I need her to agree to be our queen already. She is on the cusp of running. Make her stay or I will wage war to keep her. I will not give a damn who gets in our way,’ Mikhail threatened.
Aiden dragged his eyes away from the door. ‘I would not even fight you.’
‘Can I come in, your highness?’
Aiden jumped up to rush to the door. He pulled it open and Malcolm stood there carrying two boxes of files. Aiden took them from him and shut the door in his face. He set the boxes down by his desk and began to shift through the folders in them. He found the three files he was looking for and set the rest aside. He opened Sasha’s file.
‘Sasha Paige Soma.
Age:19 Birthdate: April 1rst, 2004 Height: 5’4 Weight: 132 lbs Eye Color: Green Species: Witch/ Possible Shifter (Known, Unlisted) Power: Unknown Biological Mother: Anastasia Priscila Lyndmore Soma Biological Father: Known, Unlisted Siblings: Tiffany Renee Soma, Kalani Rae Soma, Brother Known, Unlisted Other Family: Father’s side known, Unlisted Mother’s Side: None Mother’s Species: Witch Father’s Species: Known, Unlisted Sibling’s Species: Sister: Tiffany Soma- Shifter (Werewolf) Brother: Known, Unlisted Sister: Kalani Soma Witch/ possible shifter (Known, Unlisted) Education: High School Graduate Last School Attended: Lotus Blossom High School Honors: Valedictorian GPA: 4.4 Extra Curriculum: Debate Team Captain, Marching Band, Cheerleading Captain, Volleyball, Soccer, Yearbook Committee, Science Club and National Honor Society. College Credits: 24 Alias’: Aja, Sash, Ash, Asia, Asha, Sas, Petal, Pearl, Peg, Ag Friends: Kalani Soma, Raven Montgomery, Sherri Coda and Melissa Romanoff. Enemies: Tiffany Soma Surgeries: None Health Issues: None Virgin: Yes Boyfriend: Ethan Cummings Sexually Activity: Minor Fondling, No penetration of mouth, vagina or anus Vaccinated: Fully Other medical Information: None.’
He sat back and began to slowly turn through the pictures and doctor reports.
‘Aiden, where the hell are you? Your mate is being harassed by Beta Malcolm.’
“Shit!”
He stood up and sprinted to the dining hall. He skidded to a halt outside the door, before throwing it open and strolling inside. He stopped when he saw Malcolm trying to feed Sasha who was leaning away from him. He let out a loud growl.
“What do you think you are doing?”
“Your Highness, she is being difficult. I am just trying to show her some attention.”
He marched over to them and pulled Sasha to her feet beside him. “Do you want him to feed you?”
She lowered her head and the tears in her eyes made Mikhail pace agitatedly inside of Aiden’s head.
“No, Your Majesty,” she whispered.
He walked away from the breeders table, towing her behind him, up to the head table. He pulled out a chair to the right of the throne and gently pushed her into it. Malcolm approached the table angrily. He sat beside her and glared at the king who raised an eyebrow at him.
“Something on your mind, Malcolm?”
“No, Your Majesty,” he muttered, agitatedly.
“Good.” His eyes glazed over for a moment before he turned to Sasha. “Would you like some eggs, bacon and pancakes?”
She nodded and her hair fell around her face. “That sounds good, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
“Aiden.”
Her shoulders slumped more. “Aiden,” she whispered.