Mated to the Alpha Knight
20. Questions

"Mom is going to be beyond pissed if she replaces out,”

"Linda will never replace out, Lessie,” Emrys assured me as he dried the now clean dish that once heldmy mother's lasagna; it felt odd to hear Emrys say Linda, not mom. Nodding as Emrys put the dishaway, I bit my lip. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really,” I shrugged and collapsed onto the kitchen stool, watching as Emrys startedwashing the dishes; he raised a black brow towards me and gave me that 'don't-pretend-nothing-is-wrong' look that I hated so much. Tugging my dark green sweater sleeves over my fingertips, Isighed. "I don't know, Rhys... Lately I've just had this weird feeling about life,"

A moment of silence pushed passed us. "Because you were and still are, being lied to?"

"Yeah, that's part of it." Emrys stopped what he was doing, dried his hands, and picked me up; mylegs wrapping around his waist and arms around his neck as he carried me up into his room. He satdown, leaving me to straddle his up-right posture. If I didn't have so much on my mind right now,I'd guarantee both of us would be mated within a matter of seconds.

"Talk to me," He spoke in almost a whisper, eyes searching mine, and his breathtaking face pulledtogether. Letting my hands aimlessly move over his hoodie covered chest, his thumbs gently rubbedcomforting circles upon my legging kissed thighs.

"I... I don't know," Taking a deep breath, I bit my lip before speaking. "I just feel like I hardly knowyou now, I mean I didn't even know you worked for the King and Queen till yesterday!"

"You want answers and you deserve them,” He nodded. "Where do you want to start?"

Thinking for a moment, wondering where to even begin, I decided simple would be best. "Okay,where did you go to school? Was really some private school or was that a lie?" I wasn't trying tosound harsh but my words couldn't help but have some bit to them.

"Yes, I did go to a private school except it wasn't because I was smart or whatever, it was due to myfuture duty. I'd leave around six in the mornings to get to school on time, since it was at the castlein Star City, and be back around three. Every “boy scout’ or “communication club’ retreat, camp-out-and whatever else was really just an excuse to get me out of the house and to Star City without youever questioning it."

"What about Camp Mountain, when Laker peed his pants?" I asked with a smile and raised my brow.Emrys broke out in laughter for a few moments, his laughter like music to my ears.

"No," He shook his head, laughter dying down. "Camp Mountain was really just me and Lakerhaving to do this shitty survival thing on Coves Peak Mountain, but Laker did pee his pants; and yes,it was because a small, furry bunny jumped out at him." Laughing and trying to think of my nextquestion, I felt myself relax a tad; just knowing a few answers had already helped me.

"So," I started again. "Who is your dad?" Biting my lip, knowing the question seemed to be a heavytopic, Emrys sighed.

“Let's just say an asshole,” Running his hand through his hair before returning it to its normalplacement, he continued. "I'll fill you in, I promise. But as of right now, let's skip that one,"

Fairs fair. "Why were you here in my house in the first place?" Worry passed though his grey eyes asfast as it came, it was gone.

“Protection.”

"From what?"

"Sorry love," He smirked, its glamour hardly reaching its normal extent. "Can't reveal that quiet yet,""Fine," I smiled and played with his hoodie strings, flicking the strings through each of my fingers."Oh! I know," Meeting his eyes again and enjoying how a smile had come back to his pink lips, Iasked. "You and Laker both have some sort of tattoo on your backs... What does that represent?”"You saw Laker's back?" My mate asked, silver peeking through his grey.

"No!" I answered quickly. "Well, yes, but not- On Friday night, when I went to get a drink, Lakercame downstairs to get water for Ostana and just happened to be shirtless,” Emrys relaxed.

"It's more of a seal than a tattoo," Emrys started. "Think of it like a brand on a piece of clothing, ittells others who we work for and what we stand for. If we happen to go against the Kingdom, getcaught, and are to face anything but death, the seal will be ruined by the King himself - proving toothers how untrustworthy that person is, how they have failed, and they are then to be abandonedby the Kingdom,”

"That's heavy,” I gasped. "But I also get it," Act like a traitor, get treated like one. "Does everyone inthe castle have one?"

"No, only higher ranking wolves,"

"Okay," I spoke after another few passing moments. “This one is kinda stupid,”

"Doubt it," Playfully he rolled his eyes, smirking. I chuckled.

"Ostana and Laker have mated, and you know how the female gets her mate mark on her neck?" Henodded, raising a brow. Everyone knew this, it was taught in our sex-ed classes, and our parentsmade sure their children knew this. "Well she has four stars, two on each side of her crescent moonmark, and Ostana said that's an indicator of how many children she will have with Laker - is thattrue?”

Red rose to my cheeks at the question. Maybe it was just a stupid, hopeful lie.

Emrys smiled. "Yes, that is actually true,” Shocked, I blinked a few times and when the words tried tocome out, they failed. My mate laughed as he spoke. "The reason this is just a rumor is because onlyroyal and high ranking wolves get this gift, it was developed by older wolves from hundreds of yearsago so they could always make sure they had strength in numbers..." Hope rose to my chest, howmany stars would I have?

Emrys' face fell into what seemed pity as he read my face.

"But we won't get that gift... Celeste, I am the highest ranking of royalness besides the King, Queen,Princes, and Princesses, so stars will not appear with my mark," My shoulders fell, my smile gone,but I took a deep breath and nodded. "It's for our protection from enemies so they don't and try toover populate us,"

"It's okay," I tried to smile. Why did this bother me so much, we would have kids -hopefully- oneday, and I couldn't care if we only had one or ten, as long as Emrys was with me, I'd be okay. We'dbe okay.

"I am so sorry baby,"