Chapter 1 I Can't Wait

• EXCERPT
• "I am not Sophie. Listen to me. I am not Sophie. I am Nine. Nine, you hear me!" She screamed but it did not seem like he was hearing.
• He grabbed her and pulled her to himself and she pounded on his arms, on his shoulders but it felt like she was hitting stone.
• He held her waist and ripped her skirt with one forceful tug. She scratched at his face but the more she scratched, the quicker it healed.
• He pulled her to himself , his eyes half open, like he was there but not there. She tried to kick away but his grip was iron and she felt his hand snake across her thighs.
• Her breath caught in her throat and she tried to pry his hands away but he moved it aside like he was batting a fly then he pressed her onto the bed with his free hand and with the other, unzipped his trousers, pinning her to the bed with his weight.
• Terror paralyzed her. Her eyes were wide as she stared unseeing at the ceiling, her voice hoarse from screaming then she felt the pain as he shoved into her. His cock was big, she was not aroused and she had never done this before. She felt a searing pain as he pushed deep into her and she heard him growl deep in his throat. There was nothing else to do, nothing that she could do than to lay down helplessly as he started thrusting into her.
• His thrusts came deep and hard and he soon lifted her, her legs splayed out in the air as he thrusted her from beneath. She felt his hands squeezing her breasts hard, his tongue in her neck and his cock in her, filling her up so much that she felt she would burst.
• The tears streamed down her eyes as his thrusts increased in urgency and need. He nibbled at her neck lightly then, with one final, deep thrust, came inside her, filling her up with his seed then she heard him mutter the name, Sophie.
• 3 DAYS EARLIER
• "Guess who finally decided to show up?"
• Lior decided not to give an answer. His eyes stayed on the tiny kitten in his hand. It was so little, and yet, someone had dared to hurt it. He could scarcely understand why anyone would want to hurt something so pure, and innocent.
• "Hey," The voice of one of his best friends, Ora, made him look up. She stood in front of him now, a gentle smile on her face with her hands out. "Let me see what's wrong."
• "Ora, I can't find Lior, have you—" The voice of his second best friend, Kenji, was cut short as he appeared in the palace veterinary clinic, spotting the male that still held the little thing in his hand protectively. "By the Moon Goddess, Lior, I have been searching everywhere for you."
• "Could you make sure she's okay?" Lior's voice, to anyone who heard it sounded as soft as the wind. Some even had to strain to hear him well, not that the Royals had any problem with it. Their hearings were top notch. Only the commoners did.
• Ora gave him a chuckle. "Of course, it's my job." This time, his hold on the cat lessened, allowing her to take it away from him. "And you, dear friend, need to take a shower."
• "I will,"
• Kenji now stood beside Ora now, a tired look on his face. "Another stray, Lior? We can barely find a place for the others already here."
• "We wouldn't unless you stop treating them like yours," Ora rolled her eyes. "He knows how animals are but he doesn't listen. How's the cat supposed to want someone else when he keeps feeding and cuddling them?"
• Kenji let out a small cough, hands behind his back now. "Men don't cuddle."
• "I like cuddles," Lior said.
• Kenji only snorted. "I said men."
• Ora laughed out now. "Okay, I need to go find somewhere to keep the little kitty. Can you guys hold out without me?"
• "I'm sure Lior can but I can't," Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We'd be here waiting."
• As the lady walked away, Lior looked at his friend again. He was a red head with stormy dark blue eyes that made people think he was unapproachable, considering he was not just any Noble but the son of the General and next in line but the day he had seen Kenji cry over the death of a pet of his, he had known that he was softer than most people thought. "I'm sure you know my job is to make sure I'm around you, 24/7. Or your Mother would have my behind."
• "I like my space," Lior answered, which was true. He had spent most of his life alone, watching his elder brother being surrounded by people who wanted to be friends with the Future King of Raester. No one cared about the second prince who barely spoke and liked to go missing from time to time.
• "We all know that, but today is different." Kenji said, trying to keep his voice even. "You remember that once every month, your family has dinner with an Elder and today is one of this days. This family being one I'm sure you would not want to miss."
• The next second, Lior turned to his friend with an intensity in his eyes that wasn't there before. "Sophie?"
• Kenji couldn't help the grin that came to his face. "The one and only,"
• "Oh, dear, I could practically feel Lior beaming from the door," Ora had returned now and she stood beside Kenji who wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer to him. "Are we talking about a certain Whitaker, perhaps? "
• Sophia Whittaker, the only thing that could cause emotions to fly through his face as easily as breathing. When Lior had been very little, making friends had proved to be hard for him. He wasn't as outgoing as his brother and he didn't 't exactly have the Crown Prince title backing up so he could never easily make friends, but there had been one time his Mother, the Queen, had forced him into trying with a boy from a Noble family which had started disastrously.
• Lior stood while Ethan told him all about how his Family liked to shoot down animals for sport, and for a boy like him that loved them to a fault, he had been completely horrified and told him. This led to Lior being called 'weak' and it had hurt, but someone had stood up for him.
• Sophie.
• She told Ethan that he was weak for wanting to hurt harmless things that couldn't defend themselves and then turned to Lior and promised to be his friend forever.
• They had only been so little then but Lior knew, right there and then, that she was destined to be with him. That he would love and cherish every single second they spent together, and he had been doing it for so long with zero regrets. "Stop talking about her,"
• Ora turned to Kenji. "I don't think I mentioned a name, did I? Lior must be feeling a little guilty about something."
• "Guilty about loving someone and never having the courage to tell the person how they felt? Ora, you have incredible perception."
• "I think I also percept a certain virgin male who's not even had a real kiss because he's too busy practicing with his pillows for this same someone."
• "His poor hands, Ora. His poor hands,",
• Lior felt his cheeks heat up as he stared at both of them. "S-Stop it. It's not like I don't want to tell her. I just think it's nice that we're friends—"
• They both burst out laughing.
• Lior felt his face redden more. "What's funny?"
• "You want to be just friends?" Kenji asked, a mischievous look in his eyes. "While she has another Mate?"
• Lior found himself snapping before he could stop himself. "I'm her Mate."
• "We don't know that yet," Ora quickly added. "Not that it's not a good idea, Lior, don't look at me like that, but we'd find out tomorrow, won't we? Besides, even if she isn't —"
• "She is,"
• He had tried, once, to imagine how life would be if Sophie didn't end up being his Mate. It didn't feel real. He couldn't even imagine it. He had lived his whole life worshipping her that there was no place for anyone else. The Moon Goddess knew that. She knew he loved her with all of his being.
• "I'm sorry,"Lior let out a small sigh. "I didn't mean to—"
• "It's alright." Ora understood. Anyone who knew Lior could tell he was madly in love with the Whittaker, and though she did not feel completely trusting of her, even though everyone seemed to love the female, she would see her as family. "I understand."
• "Yes, ignore her, you know how women are competitive with their fellow gender and all of that. Ora's just jealous she can't come close to Sophie in certain aspects." As Kenji felt the glare coming from his Mate, he quickly added, "Not that I find such things attractive. My type of women are the ones that care for animals, like my Wolf, for example."
• "Nice try, no cuddling for you."
• "But—""
• Ora turned to Lior, a smile on her face. "I think you should be on your way now,Lior. The dinner has already begun."
• He never told them, but there were times when he felt lost when he was around them. Once upon a time, they did everything together, but ever since they found out they were Mates, they had secret jokes and eye signs that Lior could never understand. Still, whenever he had that feeling, he imagined having the same thing with Sophie and he would feel happy again. "Alright. See you tomorrow?"
• "You bet on it,"
• When Lior got to the Palace, he freshened up and changed into his princely attire before heading down to the dinner table. Already, they had begun eating, King Leonard Byron seated at the head with his wife, Queen Elizabeth Byron at his left, and Elder John Whittaker at his right. Not saying a word, Lior slipped into the seat beside his brother, Lucas, who gave him a subtle nod and continued in the conversation they were having.
• No one else noticed him.
• Not that he cared. He was already used to being ignored. Instead, his eyes went to the girl in front of him. Sophie sat beside her mother. As always, she shone radiantly, her blonde hair glowing under the chandelier lights with her blue eyes glowing. God, she was so beautiful.
• "Oh, Prince Lior, I didn't see you come in," John said.
• Lior turned to him. "My apologies for being late,"
• "It is alright," The man said, "A man's allowed some moments of freedom before he finds his Mate, right? Tomorrow, you'd be twenty three and the Moon Goddess shall show you yours, how do you feel?"
• Anxious, but Lior didn't say it. Instead, he just looked at Sophie and said softly, under his breath. "I can't wait."