MASKED

Chapter-3 Mate?

I had gone back to training and since finishing I decided I needed a run. I excused myself to my room and removed my uniform before grabbing a pair of shorts and a black hoodie from my wardrobe.

I exited my room and followed the staircase and winding corridors until I found the back door of the castle, which lead out onto the private garden. I pushed open the back door and felt the warm summer breeze hit my face as I took in the view in front of me. The garden was a large field of flowers and bushes which had been sculpted into different types of animal shapes. At the end of the field was a lake which had the moon looking down upon it. It wasn't full yet but on the night of the moon ball it will be.

I checked for any other wolves before I hid behind a tree which had grown next to the palace wall. I removed my clothing and shifted into my large golden wolf. I have been with her since the age of 15 when she told me her name which was "Aureum" or "Aure" for short.

She was the colour of all royal wolves. My brother and my father's wolves are golden as well except my mother's who was a brilliant white.

I ran through the garden making my way towards the water. It has been ages since I let my wolf out and I finally felt free even though I couldn't run outside of these walls.

"Lyra," Aure muttered from inside my head.

"Aure, I haven't heard from you in ages. Have you been feeling ok?" I asked as I jumped over a hedge.

"I've felt weird Lyra." She sighed. "I feel like something is coming, I've been trying to figure out what."

"Is it a bad thing?" I questioned as I trotted through the flower beds.

"I'm not sure, but I think it's a good thing." She whispered a slight excitement in her voice.

"I hope it is, I can do with some good news, but if you couldn't be sure then we never know." I teased as I jumped face first into the water.

I felt my fur stick to me as I swam through the water. The cold water felt good in the warm air. I barked for joy as I swam around in little circles.

"Lyra!" Someone called.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"It's Tia's voice," Aure laughed as we swam back to the lake side.

I ran back through the garden and jumped back over the hedges, dashing throught the flowerbeds, until I saw Tia in the castle doorway.

"Lyra!" She shouted as I ran towards her. She was in her grey dressing gown and her long black hair was down at her sides.

I ran past her and went behind the tree, shifting back into my human form. I quickly got dressed and walked up to Tia, who had a frown on her face.

"What?" I asked as I pulled my hood up.

"Your father tells me you need etiquette lessons?" She said rasing her eyebrow at me.

I sigh, "he wants me to be a princess again."

"You were always a princess. He just wants you to act like one." She hissed rolling her eyes. "Anyway, you start tomorrow afternoon, after the meeting with these rouges."

"Do I really need it?" I asked trying to give Tia the puppy dog eyes.

She looked me up and down and frowned. "You're wearing shorts and a hoodie, they are both covered in mud and you are soaking wet."

I looked down at my muddy clothes and the water dripping from my body.

"Am I not allowed a run?"

"Yes but you shouldn't have jumped in the water. You need a shower like yesterday!" She exhaled as she took hold of my wrist. "Let's go shower and bed!"