Whites POV
I smile at her back and take notice how her ears were a light shade of red and her cheeks were flushed before she stormed off.
Her straight rod back to me as she walked off made me chuckle a little.
"Um, Nathaniel,"
I'm snapped back to reality when I hear a small unsure voice behind me and turn to see one of the many girls who follow me around.
This one in particular is a tawny girl who's on the chunky side with mousy brown hair and wire circle glasses that seem to take up most of her face but enhance her hazel eyes.
I give a small smile and respond back to her and watch as she too flusters and frantically fiddles with her fingers.
"Well, um, I- I was wondering who she is. You don't usually show affection like that to anyone and have turned down so many...." She trails off in embarrassment; no doubt remembering when I turned her down a little over three years ago.
I inhale and exhale at the dilemma and give an awkward smile.
"Well, it seems I gave my father too much credit." I finally say not giving her an answer.
She looks up at me confused and with a hope I'll answer but instead I slightly shake my head and brush her off.
"I have to go. Sorry." I say pointing in the direction Midnight trotted off to; I spin on my heels to run after her before the girl can speak up and stop me.
When I finally catch up to Midnight, I find her sitting down at the lake near our west border looking sad.
I approach her and see she's casually dipping her toes into the water and flinging droplets every so often.
Before I can speak up she throws her hand over her shoulder and a ball of green fire shoots at me.
I dodge at the last possible second and when she sees me, she quickly turns her nose up and looks away.
I smile and walk over sitting next to her.
"What do you want?" She huffs in annoyance as she lifts her feet out of the water and holds her legs to her chest; she rests her head on her knees.
I inhale and decide to broach the topic slowly but with an open understanding.
"I know this may be a sensitive topic, but I believe it's important for us to have an open conversation about our arranged marriage." I say rather softly.
She scrunches her nose up and looks away from me withdrawing herself from the conversation.
"I want-"
Her head whips around at me and she stands up and points her finger at my chest knocking me off balance.
"To fuck me?! Force me to have your children and then discard me for the next person when you finished your duty?!" She screeches having a meltdown and flinging her arms everywhere.
"All I wanted was to grow up like a normal person! To go to school and fall in love without a pre-destined life. But as my fate would have it, my mate found me the day I was born and I have had absolutely no say over my life since! I was born betrothed to 4 kingdoms and to my protector! But everyday they fight for my affection! And now this! How am I supposed-"
Midnights eyes roll back and my eyes widen as her outburst switches up to her falling forward passed out.
I quickly get up and catch her in my arms.
"Midnight!" I say panicked.
"Mrs Luneas! It's Midnight!" I yell out frantically.
I pick her up bridal style and run off in the direction of the pack doctor.
I get stares on the way but I don't pay them any mind.
"Quickly! Lay her down and let me look at her." She says practically pushing me aside when I lay her down in the infirmary on the bed.
She lifts her lids and shines a light with a shake of her head. Then she grabs her stethoscope and proceeds to press it on her heart.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems she had a panic attack and passed out. I'll need to take a look at a few other things but she's not really off to a great start here is she? Poor child has too much on her plate." She says shaking her head with dismay.
"I was trying to lightly broach the topic of our arranged marriage." I start off sounding small and sad.
Mrs Luneas' head shoots up and her soft motherly features harden. I gulp at her anger but push forward with what I was saying.
"I wished to tell her that I wanted to wait for consummating or children until she was ready. But before I could say anything she exploded and started yelling at me." I say suddenly feeling very ashamed of myself.
Mrs Luneas once hardened features suddenly softened in understanding with a small forced smile.
"While I'm sure she appreciates you wanting to be noble, this situation is very very delicate. No matter how lightly you try to broach it, she may not ever want to speak about it. She may even continue to have these episodes. Can you tell me some of the things she said before she passed out?" She asks in a professional manner.
I recall the events to her and when I finished she stayed quiet for the longest three minutes of my life.
"I see." She whispers with a look of contemplation. Then she slowly inhales and exhales looking over at Midnight with a renewed sadness and anger.
"I'm hoping that I am wrong," She starts off slowly.
After a small pause she continues.
"-but she might have had a form of sexual trauma inflicted upon her. It could play a major factor in some of her behaviors and outbursts that I've seen her display." She says going professional once more.
My heart stops and a chill falls over me.
"Sexual. Trauma?" I sputter in disbelief.
She simply nods her head and tears fill my eyes as my heart hurts for my lovely Midnight.
"There's no need to feel discouraged Nathaniel. It just means she needs a little more patience and kindness as well as being loved harder. As I've mentioned before, this is a very delicate and diplomatic situation that she's in." She said taking on a motherly tone with me.
I smile at Mrs Luneas as I wipe the tears from my eyes and nod at her.
"I just want my mate to be happy. I know she's young and I had every intention on waiting till she could feel the bond before acknowledging her as my mate, but that vampire tampered with my memories and made things difficult. Now she's here against her will and forced into a marriage I know she doesn't want." I say wiping furiously at the tears that started falling again.
"Do you mean it?"
I jump at the sound of Midnights small quivering voice and I look up drinking her in with worried eyes.
"Midnight. How are you feeling? Do you need anything? Water? Some chocolate?" Comes Mrs Luneas already thrusting water and a couple fun size chocolates at Midnight who sits stunned.
"Thank you kindly." Midnight softly responds as she gingerly starts opening a chocolate bar with a quizzical look.
"Cho-co-late." She says sounding out the word curiously while staring at the brown bar with narrowed contemporary eyes. She sniffs the bar and after deeming it not poisonous, takes a small nibble from the corner and freezes.
Her eyes widen in wonder and the chocolate bar is gone within seconds.
"This tastes amazing! Chocolate! Whoinventedthisstuff!" She says so fast her words are blurring together.
I tilt my head in amusement and laugh a little.
"Have you never ate chocolate? But you're royalty! Surely you guys could've gotten ahold of some with no issue!" I exclaim in wonder while laughing.
I make to grab one of the wrappers so I can see the brand and I'm met with her trying to bite my hand.
I blink in surprise and break out into laughter with raised hands.
"Okay, okay! I surrender." I say with a lazy smile as she continues to nom happily on the little brown bars.
Mrs Luneas soon ushers me out of the room and from there, she and Midnight enter a therapy session for around two hours where it's later confirmed with me that yes, she was sexually assaulted when she was seven.
.
.
.
Two months later
Midnights infatuation and desire with chocolate has not gone unnoticed by anybody in the pack.
Many found it to be quite adorable how docile and willing she'll become if given chocolate.
She doesn't want to get up for training with the others?
Chocolate.
Won't let up on her torturous bite of the arm of the pack bullies?
Chocolate. From every single one of the bad boys before she even considers letting up.
She wanted to go to school and see what the hype was all about but because the year was almost finished they said no. She thought she could bribe the headmaster with chocolate and he threw his head back laughing calling her a cheeky little princess.
While she wasn't enrolled, she was however allowed to accompany me and see others around her age.
Something I found out she's never had the experience of.
"Everybody starts school when they turn eight!" One of the many girls who flocks around me sneers in disbelief.
"Yea! Why haven't you"
"What makes you so special that you're two years late!"
On and on Midnight was criticized about not attending school and looked pretty close to crying under pressure.
"Enough!" I bellow out causing the classroom to fall silent.
Quickly thinking about what to say, I tell the class:
"Midnight has had some special circumstances that made it where she couldn't attend school. The only reason she will be attending with us next year is because she is here with me. She is a guest here at our pack and under my protection! Any form of insult or harm to her is also to me!" I say shutting everyone down.
"Now now class! Pay attention and quit the harassment!" The teacher finally speaks up and I shoot a glare at him with my alpha aura.
He breaks out into a visible cold sweat and swiftly turns back to the board with his teaching.
I turn to Midnight and give her a small smile hoping she'd appreciate my support for her but I find her looking down at the desk avoiding all eye contact.
"We'll talk later ok." She quietly yet swiftly says cutting off anything that I could spew to her.
I nod my head in understanding and try to focus for the next half hour on the subject of mythical beasts.
In particular, the Arachnidians who but all have been completely wiped out overnight.