Warning: I am introducing a white wolf. This white wolf is only white because of its fur, it DOES NOT HAVE SPECIAL POWERS. It is white because it's a way of indicating someone comes from a royal family or is destined to be with someone who is.

Enjoy (:

Chapter 10 – Emmaline

There were now two growling wolves in the bedroom, a white one and a blonde one. Emma hoped her sister wouldn't wake up. The sight must freak her out after everything she'd been through.

The alpha tried to make Emma circle him, but she knew what the white wolf was trying to do and she didn't move an inch away from her sister. She wasn't going to switch places with that male.

"Alpha please," she heard someone plead in her favour. The voice sent a shiver down her spine and she purred involuntarily. "Can't we speak like civil adults first?" Emma snorted, yeah right was that going to happen.

The alpha seemed to agree with her as he growled dangerously right after Emma's mate had uttered the 'outrageous' words. In response Emma's mate dropped his head and exposed his neck when he was met with the furious gaze of his alpha.

That small gesture made Emma see red, no matter his rank, the alpha couldn't go around and treat her mate like that. Her mate was only trying to be nice, no need to reprimand him for that.

And so, without thinking, Emma pounced on the alpha and started a fight with him.

As she was fighting the alpha, Emma was aware that he was strong and fast and bigger than her. But she could beat him with experience it seemed. One of the reasons for that was that the alpha fought fair. Most of her previous opponents hadn't. As soon as the others had realised they were about to be beaten by a girl, all fair-play had gone with the wind, right out the window.

Before long Emma had the alpha pinned under her. She had the upper hand, but of course he wasn't about to go down anytime soon. He wasn't an alpha for no reason. The alpha bit her on her front paw, the same one that had been stitched up by Fiona earlier that day. Emma yelped from the pain his canines were inflicting on her, but didn't release him from his position under her. If anything, she put more pressure on his chest and made a move to go for his neck.

The alpha bit down harder on her paw, but Emma was resilient. She whimpered, but was not giving in. She was about to bite the alpha's neck until she was bitten in the neck herself. By none other than her mate.

Though he tried not to hurt her, Emma whined softly and whimpered. He wasn't physically hurting her, but she couldn't say the same for mentally.

He was choosing his alpha over her. Weren't mates supposed to be the most important? Emma knew, though, that she was being a bit of a hypocrite. After all, if it would come down to it she would choose her sister over everything. That was what she was born for, why she existed in the first place. Everything else came in second or maybe even third.

But Emma also realised her mate was a born pack wolf. And she wasn't, not at all. Shit, she had even gained some rogue-traits over the years – Like the inability to completely submit to someone, to put all her trust into one being.

Emma scolded herself for letting her mate's choice get to her. She hadn't even looked the guy in the eye yet. They hadn't exchanged even one word.

She struggled in her mate's grip, not backing down and not losing her fight. After a little while she managed to kick him off and just as she was ready to pounce on him, did he shift back and caught her in his arms while her teeth pierced the skin of his forearm, deep. He hissed through his teeth as reaction, but did not release her.

During the fight with her mate, Emma desperately tried to keep protecting her sister from the alpha who was advancing Aryana who was – surprisingly – sleeping through everything. It was Emma's job as Royal guardian to protect Aryana at all costs. To make sure the future queen was able to fulfil her part of the legend.

Eventually alpha Samuel ran in and grabbed her by the scruff. He was the only one allowed to treat her like that. His authority was the only one Emma recognised and acknowledged. He was her father after all.

Alpha Samuel threw his daughter to the other side of the room, the walls trembled violently as Emma hit them with her weight. Emma's mate's eyes widened with terror, but he visibly relaxed when Emma stood up and shook out her fur. She had remained unscathed.

Emma raised her head to meet her father's pointed glare head on. Apparently these were important guests. Important and extremely rude guests, Emma corrected in her head. Who would just knock a girl out of a chair because she hadn't answered a simple question? That was incredibly rude and if he wasn't an alpha and currently fighting her, Emma would have given him a lecture on manners. Just like her mother had always lectured her.

Well, these important and rude guests were a threat to Aryana in Emma's book. It was the alpha who had become violent first. Granted Emma had started the real fight when her mate was scolded, but still.

Alpha Samuel held Emma's gaze until he was sure she understood him. Then he turned back to the alpha and Emma's mate. Both of which looked flabbergasted he just turned his back on a 'rabid' wolf before said wolf had submitted itself to his authority. That wasn't how werewolves usually handled the situation.

"My apologies king Geoffrey," alpha Samuel apologized before glancing Emma's way. Emma rolled her eyes. Okay, so she just attacked the king, big deal. He had started it! "Please excuse my daughter's rude behaviour." Alpha Samuel bowed his head slightly and it took all of Emma's effort to not blatantly snort at her father's words. The king should be the one to apologise!

The white wolf narrowed his eyes on Emma. Yeah, Emma thought, he wasn't going to forgive her anytime soon.

"She must have only wanted to protect her sister." And her mate, Emma added.

The alpha shifted back and Emma averted her eyes elsewhere, she didn't need a show. One of the guards who had entered the room right after her father had, handed the king a pair of trousers. And then handed one to her mate as well. It had totally slipped past her that when he shifted back, her mate had been naked as the day he was born.

And a part of her was disappointed with that.

"So this is the supposedly Royal guardian who has failed her job once already," the king talked down on her.

Emma growled again, a warning for the king to stop talking. Her sister's mate or not, her king or not; Emma wouldn't hesitate to hurt him. Again. He would have lost their fight if her mate hadn't stepped in.

During the conversation, Emma had carefully avoided her mate's gaze. She still wasn't over the fact that he had chosen against her. He had fought against her. And after everything she had done, she was still a girl.

All her life she had thought she wouldn't get to have a happily ever after. But here he was. Her knight in shining armour. Only he hadn't gone to rescue her, but to do quite the opposite. It stung. Maybe the fact that she had a mate didn't mean that it would be a happy ending. Emma whimpered at that thought and lay down on her belly, her head resting on her paws – one still injured.

Alpha Samuel walked over to her and crouched down. "Emmy, he is not going to hurt our Ary." He ruffled her blonde fur and kissed the top of her head. "He only wants to protect her. Like you." Begrudgingly Emma had to admit that her father was right.

"Now why don't you shift back and we talk about it? I'll stay here to watch over Ary, okay?"

Emma got up and limped slowly out of the bedroom and into the living room where some of the guards – under which the two she had knocked out – held a close eye on her. Emma huffed and didn't spare them a glance.

Her injuries were slowly healing because of the injuries she had gotten before, but either way she would be fine in a while.

When she limped into her own bedroom a floor above the one Aryana and the king were sleeping on, she found her mother already waiting for her. Luna Erica had already laid out some clothes for Emma to wear. Emma shifted back, got dressed and then let her mother tend to her wrist where king Geoffrey's teeth marks were still visible.

After getting bandaged up, luna Erica shooed her daughter back to the third floor and into the guests' sleeping quarters.

Emma walked into the living room, dragging her feet while doing so. She didn't want to go back in there. She noticed the whole atmosphere had changed in her absence. Her father, king Geoffrey and her mate were talking and laughing freely in the living room.

Casting a glance towards where the bedroom was, Emma noticed the door was closed and three guards were standing in front of it. It was clear she wasn't going to be allowed in there anytime soon.

It pained Emma that she would be kept away from her sister.

She turned to the three men, but her main focus was on the guy who was her mate. She assessed him and observed him. She didn't have long to stare at him as the second he caught her scent, he stopped in the middle of his sentence and stared intently into her blue eyes. She heard his breath hitch in his throat. His gaze was so intense that Emma simply couldn't lower her eyes. She was spellbound by him. Captivated by him and his dark brown eyes. They were warm and welcoming and instantly made her feel at ease.

But then the spell was broken when he looked away and Emma snapped out of her daze. She waited for a moment, but he didn't look up to meet her eyes anymore.

Emma blinked, not entirely sure what to do now. She looked at him some more, debating on what to do. His caramel hair was all messed up and he was wearing a pair of black trousers – no shirt. Emma blushed lightly when her eyes raked down his well-built body. He was muscular, one fine piece of man.

Alpha Samuel watched his daughter curiously, but Emma was no fool; she knew her father had already figured it out. He winked at her, giving her the missing courage she needed to walk up to her mate.

"Hi," she whispered. His head snapped up when hearing her voice and his dark orbs were penetrating her soul. It was as if he could not believe she was truly speaking to him. He was obviously at a loss for words and Emma giggled softly at that.

"I won't bite you again. I'm sorry for injuring your arm," Emma apologized. But her mate shook his head and showed her his arm.

"Don't worry, it has already healed." The guy twisted his arm to prove his point. "Besides, you can bite me anytime you want," he winked. And there is that lost confidence, Emma smiled. "I'm Dante Hall..." he seemed hesitant to end his introduction, Emma noticed.

And so she finished for him, "Royal beta, am I right?" Her smile was now a reassuring one.

"Yes, ma'am. You are right." He took her good hand in his and kissed the back. "May I ask for your name?"

Emma tilted her head to the side to take in his facial features. He truly took her breath away. His eyes, his nose, his cheekbones, but most of all his lips. His lips... Emma felt a desperate need to kiss them. And then her eyes travelled down to his chest once again, her mouth watering at the sight of his abs.

Wow. She had found herself quite the looker.

Alpha Samuel cleared his throat and looked at her expectantly. Emma blushed, but did not look away from Dante. "I am Emmaline Reed, Royal guardian." Emma pointed to alpha Samuel, "and his youngest daughter". She hadn't known that Dante already knew that.

She was shy and blushing a lot. She couldn't remember ever doing that – in anyone's presence. This man before her was already bringing out the little girl in her. It was unnerving and yet also a welcome change to the hard armour she always put on.

Dante smiled and tugged her towards him with her hand he was still holding. He embraced her. His arms were strong and firm around her, a sigh escaped Emma's lips. This felt so right.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. Dante buried his face in her neck and she felt his canines scrape over her sensitive skin. Emma realised he was getting ready to mark her. And there was no way she was going to stop him.

"You don't know how long I've waited for you to come," Dante murmured against her neck. His canines nipping her skin gently as he spoke.

Emma wished she could say the same, but truth was she hadn't waited for him at all. Hoped, sure. But she never would have thought she, too, was blessed with a mate. And honestly, she hadn't thought she was ready.

But as he was about to mark her, Emma finally realised just how much she had longed for this, too.

Emma knew that once he marked her, she wouldn't have a choice anymore. She would become his forever, and he would become hers. Their faith would be sealed. And she was ready for it. Ready to give herself to him despite only just meeting the guy.

This man was made especially for her as she was for him, he was destined and promised to her. And Emma trusted that the moon goddess knew what she was doing when pairing people.

Dante hesitated, but Emma knew what she wanted – what he wanted. To encourage him to go on, she leaned up so she was able to kiss his neck and mirrored his actions.

The body heat that was radiating between them took Emma in its hold and all her thoughts were of this beautiful creature before her; this wolf who was made just for her.

And as if on cue, their canines pierced their skin at the exact same time.

A/N

I hope you don't find it too soon for them to mark each other. Thing is I always read about how males of a higher rank are supposed to mark their mates the moment they find them and it never happens. So I thought, I'd try it out.

Next chapter we'll go back to Dante's pov. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I wish you all a lovely weekend.

Love, Charlie