The trip back to the palace was a long one to Theodore, especially with one very upset Princess Tatiana. She wasn’t crying but she wasn’t happy either about having the shots called for her.
The driver, who waited for them at the airport, seemed happy to see Theodore with someone of his standing. He sported a jubilant smile. Theodore had to repress the urge to roll his eyes at that.
On the way from the airport to the palace, Theodore texted his brother, and urged him to get ready for the coronation ceremony.
He received a call a minute later.
“Yes, Liam?” He responded curtly even though there was a smile threatening to overrule his impassible facade.
“What do you mean I should get ready?” Liam demanded to know in a weary tone.
“Princess Tatiana is with me,” Theodore told him without beating around the bushes.
His brother let out a stunned “Oh” at that. He hung up before his brother felt the urge to ask some more questions.
“Why would you want your brother to become king in your stead? What’s your endgame?” The princess, who was sitting beside him, spoke at long last. “I have a hard time figuring out a reason.”
A smirk stretched his lips at that, and he told her, “I have my own selfish reasons.”
“Well, it is true that you have always been a selfish and despicable man,” the woman agreed with a nod.
“Why the immeasurable resentment, Tatiana? Is it because I was the one to end our sham of a mating?” He countered matter-of-factly.
“You basically forced your brother into the arranged mating instead of you,” she spat out.
“I did not, but he’s a pacifist,” he shrugged at her. “Your father wanted to go to war to avenge his sole daughter’s pride. And Liam wanted to avoid that.”
“Be that as it may be, I do not understand the sudden desire to make me queen,” she countered.
He merely grinned at her, and then said, “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Upon arriving at the palace, his sweet Emily, who had gotten better at sensing him, soon enough was flinging herself at Theodore. He caught her easily and was soon enough kissing her as if both their lives depended on it.
“Your highness,” one of the noble women who had followed her out spoke up, “a royal does not run in the corridors.”
“No harm done,” Theodore told her once he freed his mate’s lips.
“I missed you so much,” Sweet little Emily said in a whisper.
“The feeling is mutual, dorogaya,” he told her softly before pecking her lips one more time.
“And here I thought you were a man made of stone, ice, and malice,” the werewolf princess observed sarcastically.
Emily, who had only just noticed the woman, asked, eyes narrowed, “Is this the princess?”
He nodded at her.
“Kindly, princess, do not speak ill of my mate. I don’t take such offense lightly,” Emily then told her.
“Your mate?” Th princess echoed in disbelief.
And then, it dawned on her. “You found your mate, Theodore? Congratulations are in order then,” she said coldly. “But I am confused. Why would you want to abdicate the throne if you have found your mate?”
Emily blushed slightly at that.
“You have a coronation ceremony to get ready for,” was his sole answer.
“Jade,” he then called for the noble woman’s attention. “Kindly escort the princess to Liam’s bed chambers.”
And with that, he and Emily went inside at a leisurely pace whereas the princess grunted a reply, “You have yet to answer me, prince Theodore.”
“My mate has no wish for the crown,” he threw over his shoulder, and left her gasping in shock, eyes wide in surprise.
** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Emily and Theodore were about to get some quality time together, an hour or so before the coronation ceremony was to begin, when there was an angry scream outside their bed chamber, followed by the slam of the door.
Theodore wasn’t even alarmed, Emily noticed. He just threw his shirt over her. He must have sensed the approaching tornado of a princess.
“How dare you, Theodore King?” She bellowed at him.
He kept mum and observed her with mild amusement while Emily tried to appease the princess by saying, “What is wrong, princess? Whatever it is, we can come to an understanding.”
“An understanding?” The woman echoed angrily. “You must be kidding me,” she scoffed. “You threatened to expose my supposedly deceitful ways, when in fact the man I slept with four years ago is none other than your brother!”
“Yes, but you didn’t know that, did you?” Theodore countered calmly. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here, ready to commit murder.”
“How can you trick me so?” The princess went on in much the same tone.
“Look, little girl,” he began, looking at her levelly, “I did what I had to do. Period.”
“Oh, we got it. This girl has you wrapped around her little finger,” she spat at him.
“Well, she is my mate,” he shrugged, a smile on his face.
Liam, who had just arrived, looking almost tired, suggested, “Tatiana, let’s get the ceremony over with first, and then fight later.”
“Always the pacifist, I see,” Tatiana scoffed as she turned to glare at him.
Emily wanted to speak up and tell her not to take it out on Liam when Theodore was the one at fault, but her mate beat her to the punch.
“It should be alright though,” he said with a sly grin, “You two are after all fated mates.”
The princess froze even as Emily gasped in shock at the revelation.
“I despise your kind,” she said over her shoulder and then left the bed chambers.
Liam heaved a sigh, “I think she hates me.”
“There is a thin line between hate and love,” Theodore told him with a wink. “Now, off you go. Let us get ready.”
Liam eyed them suspiciously. “You better not be late to the coronation ceremony.”
Emily blushed and Theodore chuckled.
When he closed the door after him, Emily turned to her mate and asked, “How come they are fated mates? I thought it was an arranged mating?”
“It is an arranged mating, dorogaya,” he confirmed. “But by some twist of fate, they are also fated mates. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“She didn’t seem too pleased with your negotiation ways,” Emily then accused him.
“I’ll have to admit that I didn’t leave her and her dad much choice,” he conceded.
“Well, this bed is off limits to you until you apologize to her, and make it all better for your brother,” she told him resolutely.
His face paled at once. “Dorogaya…”
“Liam shouldn’t take the burn of your actions, lover,” she told him decisively. “Am I clear?”
“Yes, madam,” he nodded, a tight smile plastered on his face.