3. A surfacing feeling

Rori.

I dodged my mother's best friend Danny who was talking to some Palace gaurds as I slipped by. I sighed as I made it to my bedroom and leaned against my door. I let out the breath I was holding before I froze my mother's scent hit my nose.

"Hello Rori." She said as I looked up to see her sitting on my bed watching me closely.

"Mom." I smiled.

"Where were you?" She asked softly. "You know you can go out Rori but I also only have one rule here and that's you need two warriors with you. I try hard to give you a normal life but there are conditions for your safety because I cannot change the fact that as a Princess risk hangs over you." she continued as she gathered me in her arms in a hug.

I sighed I knew she was as fair as she could be given our unique situation but my mom had an odd definition of freedom.

"Mom I didn't go far. I was just with Ben." I added hoping being with Ben would make her worry less.

"I know I can smell him all over you." she muttered as she stroked my hair before pulling back to look at me raising an eye. "Are you two?" She began suggestively.

"Its his jumper I got cold. We just went for ice cream" I cut her off rolling my eyes.

"Okay but is there something I should know?" She asked pushing the matter. I had a good relationship with my mother she was surprisingly easy going for the Queen. She knew Ben's sudden distance from our close friendship had devesated me. "Rori?" she asked a smirk on her face.

"there may have been a kiss." I blushed deciding being truthful with my mother was the key to alot of my freedom.

"A good kiss?" She smiled not looking too surprised.

"An amazing kiss?" I relented as she hugged me again.

"Charlie?" My father called.

"say nothing to your father, leave him to me. Alpha's are impossible when it comes to mates and daughters" she hissed kissing my fore head as she ran out of my room laughing. I sighed why did I feel like she was off to tell her friend Ben's mother Ivy and possibly to tease my father.

I smiled as I took off Ben's hoodie and went to the bathroom to shower and warm up taking off my damp underwear set. The next morning I woke up to find myself huddled with Ben's jumper his scent was so soothing to me. He smelt of maple syrup, marshmallow and a masculine musky pine that was new but blended the scents together in a delicious mix. I lay there savouring it for a few minutes.

"Princess Rori." Ms Potter my Nanny called in her chirpy voice as she opened my curtains. "Good morning." She smiled as she watched me sit up.

"I am up thank you Ms Potter." I smiled as she left to tend to my siblings. I dressed in the academy blazer, pleated skirt, blouse and neck tie. I pulled on my white knee high socks and black Mary Jane shoes. I took extra care to curl my hair and left it fall down in red waves held in place with a black Alice headband. I had my mother's red hair and fair skin but instead of her green eyes I had my father's deep blue eyes. I put on light blush and the cherry lip gloss I liked.

My phone beeped with a text message

Ben: How did you sleep Princess?

Me: well and you?

Ben: great. Want to grab a coffee before class starts?

Me: Sure I'm ready.

Ben: great I am outside.

I smiled as I sent Eoin a text asking him to meet Sage for me and to walk with her and Ash this morning without me. Grabbing my back pack I left and waving goodbye to Ms Potter I left the Palace. My parents were already up for the day no doubt in their offices, working out or in the Palace pack breakfast room so I was glad I didn't have to explain my very early departure to school. I bounced down the Palace steps and spotted Ben who was leaning against his black convertible with a smile on his face. He wore the school white button down shirt but it was open at the neck and his tie was loosely tied, the shirts sleeves were rolled up the his elbow and his blazer were slung over the back of his car seat. He seemed genuinely happy to see me and I felt some surge of joy inside me that wasn't purely my emotion, it made me pause slightly I instantly knew my wolf was close to waking.

"Morning Princess." He greeted me happily as he took my backpack and placed it next to his on the back seat. He held the door open and I jumped in. As we drove off I spotted my father watching us from the Palace lawn clearly just back from an early morning jog a look of interest on his face.

We sat in the village coffee shop as I sipped my coffee and nibbled on the chocolate croissant Ben had brought me. My phone beeped again and I glanced at it.

Anthony: pick you up at eight tonight for the party?

I began to panic and Ben was looking at me closely I swallowed and slowly spoke.

"Its Anthony we were going to the party tonight." I said. Ben visably stiffened but appeared to be composing himself calmly.

"Okay." he said his face blank. "Are you still going with him?" he asked.

"No." a voice in my head said.

"No." I said aloud confused looking around to see who spoke.

"What?" Ben seemed shocked at my response as he to looked around strangely.

"Oh my god I just heard a voice in my head." I said excitedly as realisation washed over me.

"Your wolf maybe?" he asked.

"Maybe. She is not there now." I sighed as I took another sip of coffee.

"So are you going with Anthony to this party?" Ben asked softly.

"I said I would when he asked me." I said slightly worried. "You know Ben I really don't know what is going on here but I am just friends with Anthony." I added. "Why don't you come with us all." I suggested.

"I don't think I should Rori." Ben began but something in me made me really want him to come.

"Please." I asked softly looking up at him through my eyelashes. Ben paused his facial features softening as he reached out and placed his hand on mine.

"Okay." he sighed. "I'll go if you want me to." when he said it I thought I felt tingles in where our fingers met but as soon as I thought it they were gone.

"Thank you cuddly Bear." I whispered and he smiled.

"So when did Anthony ask you?" he smirked sipping his coffee. I looked at him trying to read his facial expression.

"yesterday in the gym." I sighed not wanting to lie to Ben anymore.

"That slippery little smug ...." he murmured. He looked up suddenly. "Ah the day you stripped for him?" he asked suddenly. I paused and sighed inwardly regretting my teasing of Ben.

"You know I didn't strip for him right?" I whispered and he looked at me before nodding

"I know you were just getting to me Rori." he whispered back.

"I'm sorry." I smiled. "I will make it up to you." I added and I saw him visably become slightly uncomfortable, the wreckless side of me decided to push him. "How about a game of strip horse or strip twenty-one?" I smirked referring to the basketball practice games we use to play.

"Rori." he growled slightly his Bear flashing in his eyes.

"Bet Kane would play with me." I breathed out so only his shifter hearing could hear me. I knew deep down I was now playing with fire but something inside was making me do it. His scent washed over me again and I breathed in the maple, marshmallow and woodsy pine musk and my heart quickened. My eyes met Ben's and a strange feeling washed over me as he took my hand and led me from the coffee shop.

"Rori you have to stop your arousal is too much." he groaned as he pulled me into the side alley out of the prying eyes of passing villagers and worse potential picture takers.

"I can't Ben something is taking over my thoughts." I replied. Realisation flashed in Ben's eyes

"Its your wolf don't fight her what does she want?" he asked softly. "What does she feel or need?" he added.

"You." I muttered as I felt her want and desire for Ben "she wants you." my voice sounded like a growl as it left me. I grabbed Ben and my lips found his like before he froze first as I kissed him with all I had and he responded. I poured the anger and hurt I felt over the past year into the emotion of the kiss, the love and care I had for Ben throughout our youth it all flooded the kiss. I felt a searing pain in my head and pulled away from him.

"Sorry." I mumbled pushing him back gently. "I don't know what is wrong with me. We should go. I have an English exam first thing." I added fixing my clothes and straightening my hair.

"Sure." Ben said as he followed me to his car. We drove in silence and once there I jumped out mumbling my thanks and running inside before he could say anymore I had left Ben standing a little confused in the parking lot.

Thankfully I was able to complete the English exam even in my distracted state and once over I convinced Amira and Morgan to skip international language class and we met in our scheduled clearing in the academy forest. I sat on a log holding the tray of smoothies and lemon cake I had asked a warrior to get me from the village waiting for the girls to show. Sometimes being a Princess had its perks and having the odd young warrior go on a snack run was one of them. Whilst Sage was my best friend she was also only sixteen and some conversations required a more mature opinion. Morgan was well schooled in relationships and tended to bounce from boyfriend to boyfriend at already eighteen she was still looking for her mate. Amira was like me a Princess so her love life was more managed and she made careful decisions like I did, being with a warrior gaurd at all times including dates didn't breath a very romantic environment.

"This had better be good Princess because I am not on the best of terms with my father for skipping classes." Morgan announced as she crashed through a bush into the clearing.

"Then go back I can work this out with Amira." I shrugged.

"Yeah right." she snorted taking a strawberry smoothie and sitting on the tree stump beside me. Amira arrived then picking leaves from her hair and sighing.

"This better be good as a mermaid you know I hate trudging through the woods. It's so dirty." she sighed brushing dust off her shoes. I rolled my eyes and held out her peach smoothie which she took and joined me on the log. I took a sip from the mango one I had and thought about how and what to tell them.

"I've been kissing someone?" I sighed as Amira stopped and looked at me and Morgan nearly spit out her mouthful of lemon cake.

"Oh my god." She gasped. "So you finally got to kiss Anthony." Morgan smirked. "Sir Anthony is so perfect for you. So handsome and charming. So English." she gushed. "How did you get past your brother and the crypt keeper?" She asked. I swallowed another mouthful

"I didn't." I sighed. They both looked at me completely confused. "Its Ben."

"Where?" Amira asked looking for him in the clearing.

"No, it's Ben I have been kissing" I groaned.

Both girls looked like the air had been sucked out of their lungs.

"Shut the fuck up!" Morgan recovered first. "Man mountain academy bad boy Ben?"

"Yeah." I ran a hand over my face.

"Well well the perfect Princess and the bad boy." she laughed.

"Bet he kisses like he means it." Amira giggled.

I looked at Amira in slight shock but also slight jealousy bubbling up.

"What does that mean?" I asked

"Oh yeah I bet Ben is a guy that just grabs you and kisses you so dirty no good boys here." Morgan joined in.

"Hey." I growled and both girls smirked.

"Welcome to the party Princess it seems your wolf is near." Morgan said. "We always knew you two would get it on. For god sake the sexual tension between you two is ancient." she laughed.

"Ben gets so pissed off when you stand next to another male the whole academy has bets going that you two are mates" she continued.

I was shocked

"You're kidding me right?" I snapped.

"Nope." Amira replied at least she looked a little ashamed.

"But I liked Anthony." I argued.

"No you liked Anthony because it gave you and Ben something to fight about." Morgan replied and I sat back and thought about what she was saying.

"Well this morning when I was with Ben before school my wolf was there and it was like she wanted him, has that ever happened you?" I asked Morgan. She slowly shook her head

"No I mean if anything my wolf gets pissy that I wouldn't wait for my mate. she usually sulks when I kiss other guys." she said.

"When I am near Ben I have felt my wolf twice now and never at any other time. Its weird."

Amira looked thoughtful

"Maybe Ben is your mate Rori. I learnt the wolves that are fated are stronger with the mates nearby. Maybe your wolf is stronger next to Ben's Bear." she smiled. "Your aunt Daphne might no what is happening." she added as I nodded.

"You didn't want a mate though so what are you going to do now?" Morgan asked.

"I know." I sighed "but if Ben is my mate then something tells me I do want him. How could I not want Ben he has been with me my whole life." I said softly as they both nodded.

"How does it feel when he kisses you?" Amira whispered shyly.

"Amazing. Like no one else exists but him and me." I giggled.

"We need details." Morgan giggled. "When and where?" She demanded.

"Last night we got ice cream and drove to the watering hole and well we ended up swimming and we kissed." I shrugged.

"Skinny dipping? I bet he has a huge......" Morgan began but Amira shut her off.

"Morgan." she cried as I blushed and covered my face.

"Well Princess was it huge?" she pushed.

"I didn't see it...." I smirked as Morgans face fell "but it felt huge." I added as we descended into giggles.