The Prince’s Unwilling mate

206 Ayla

“Giveone good reason, why I should listen to you, Hannah!” I

manage to snarl.

It was hopefully hiding the fact that seeing her this unexpectedly scared me. That it broughtback to so many unpleasant memories.

“Because you’re a good person. A better person than I am, and always have been. Honestly, it was one of the reasons I hated you so much. Deep down I knew you would make a better Luna to the pack. If it wouldn’t have been with David I would have respected you as my Luna. You know I did reach out to him, the second I got out” She sighs.

I feel the others stiffen at the mention that she contacted David. They were probably upset, and rightfully so. She should not have been trying to contact her old pack as a rogue. Looking at her dressed in the uniform of the baby store we were in now. Her stomach showing now. So whatever was said between them David did not cout to get her. The girl he treated like a chosen mate for so long.

Hannah for sreason had formed the slove for David, her chosen mate. As most wolves would only feel for their fated mate. If it had beenwho was made a rogue I would have reached out to Griffin too. Regardless of what he had done. Missing him would have been bad enough, but now that I am carrying his pup. It would have been even more unbearable.

But where Griffin would have moved heaven and earth to get back to me. With how I know David, the wistful sigh when Hannah toldshe

tried to contact him, And the fact that even though she did she was still working here in a human store. It all pointed to the fact he just left her behind. Her and his pup.

“What happened, when you did?” I asked careful to keep the emotion out of my voice.

“You know what, you know how he is. I do too, I just didn’t want to believe it. He doesn’t loveAyla never done. I loved him, I really did and all I did was because I wanted him to loveback.” She started sobbing now.

The others still looked like they wanted to kill her right in the moment. The tension was palpable. I heard Grandma snarl, trying to control her wolf. Of course, all of this attracted the unwanted attention of the store manager. Who crushing over to see if Hannah was causing a disturbance.

“Sorry mam, is Hannah disturbing y’all?” She smiled at us with the Southern accent I had a lot since I moved to the Silver Moon pack.

“No, she is not, she is an old friend of mine. It was good catching up but you know those hormones. I promise I won’t keep her from doing her job too long?” I smiled at the manager.

Who just nodded, wished us a good day, and walked back deeper into the store.

“Thank you, Princess Ayla. All I wanted to tell you was that this is my job. I am not here to cause you any trouble when you are shopping for your sister” She nodded at Kate. Which made sense, Kate was six months pregnant and it was obvious she was. For a moment I was

conflicted Hannah would seegetting in and out of the dressing room. Seebuy maternity clothes. But it was the only baby store close enough to make my bridal appointment too. What if telling Hannah the truth she would find out before the hour was over showed her I was not here to cause her trouble either?

“Well it is for me, since we told your manager we are old friends, it makes more sense you are the one helpingout. You know full well what will happen if you decide to try anything” I told her flashing her Willow’s eyes.

Even as a rogue, she felt the natural aura of power I had as a princess, a future Luna and Queen. On impulse, as if it was nothing than muscle memory she bared her neck to me.

I did not have to see the other’s to be sure that they all had found a way to warn her too. It was her against six she–wolves if she tried anything. To her credit, she nodded and put on a smile albeit fake. And didn’t comment on the fact that my family and friends were looking at her with so much hate and disdain.

“Well congratulations Princess, it makes sense. You found a real one, a good one.” She sighed again.

For a second my jealousy flared up. The sjealousy I hate when Griff displays it. It felt like her mentioning I found a better mate meant she was into him. Like she tried to makebelieve a few times before. But when I looked more carefully all she seemed to be was broken.

***

I had found four maternity jeans, Hannah having lived in the spack

withfor so long, knew the clothes I liked. It was a weird experience like we had at one point actually been friends. It madewonder what would have happened if she had been David’s fated mate from the start. If his parents never forced him to befriendto keep my parents in check. Would we have been friends, would I sent her an invite to the castle so she could be present for my wedding with Griffin? Would she and David greetwith warm hugs showingtheir newborn pup?

Despite it all I had a pleasant tgetting my maternity clothes. I paid for most with my credit card. Mom had picked out sbaby clothes and a very elegant dress, and I had seen to pay with Dad’s credit card. It was an expensive dress, it was beautiful but I had put it back because it was one I would only wear to royal events. Or events at other packs where I would be going as the future Luna. I told myself I could not be sure I would require a dress like that during this pregnancy.

Both Mom and Grandma disagreed withsaying that as the Princess and the future Luna of the Silver Moon pack there was no way I would not be attending a fancy event during these nine months. Deep down I knew they were right, but I have always found it difficult to buy myself a lot of things at once.

Jessa had boughta pack of onesies with wolves on it. And a matching plushie, because you wouldn’t often find baby stuff with wolves on it. Kate and I got each other the snecklace it had a little ball on it with a bell in it. It was said that the pup would hear it when you wore it while they were still in the womb. And the sound would comfort them when they would hear it after they have been born. Of course we also just liked the idea of wearing matching necklaces during our pregnancy.

Krystel gotscreams and ointments to rub on my stomach to

avoid stretch marks. Joking that I needed to put Griffin to work to massage those in every night. Giving us another excuse to always be barely in tfor appointments. Grandma gota baby blanket and askedto hold off on buying a crib so I would. We were about to leave, loading all our stuff in the car when Grandma rushed back inside to speak to Hannah.