Free as a Bird

Chapter Two

~Mia~

It wasn't long after my eighteenth birthday that my father had started to grow impatient.

As the months ticked by and my inner being remained ever-silent, I had begun to reminisce more and more about the night of my first shift; whenever my father dragged me out to another high-class social function packed with what he thought of as eligible male shifters, my mind would drift, almost of its own accord, towards the werewolf in the woods, and of the spark I was now certain I had felt. I had begun to hope that, despite my father's expectations, I wouldn't find a compatible shifter mate. I hoped, perhaps foolishly, that I would find the wolf again before too long, and that I could put my mind at rest. Even if we weren't bonded in any way, at least I would have some closure. On the other hand, I often thought it would be better to just find a compatible shifter mate. At least my father would be happy. His expectations for me would be met. I would be the heir he needed me to be – that the country needed me to be – someone strong, and sure of their heart and mind.

But this, now, in the ballroom of the Elridge manor was not what I, or the country, needed. This was deceit, pure and simple. It was a proud, scorned boy exacting his revenge.

I fixed Lucas with a deadly glare as Jake rose from beside me, looking slightly nauseous as he flicked his gaze between his older brother and me. Forcing a smile, I moved slightly closer to Jake, linking my arm with his as if we were a perfect couple. Lucas had only said we were compatible, after all. It would be easy enough to announce in a couple of weeks' time that it wasn't meant to be, and the news would fade back into obscurity.

"I'm so sorry," I murmured, but Jake just shook his head, not looking at me. His face was bright red from embarrassment.

"He's my brother, not yours," he choked out eventually. "I'll kill him later, don't worry."

I let out a genuine laugh then, and Jake turned to me with a surprised expression, his lips twitching up in a smile as the applause began to die down and the musicians began to play again, their lilting melody resonating throughout the large space.

"This will be easy to fix," I assured him, but my feeling of reassurance died down as I saw three familiar faces heading towards us with matching elated expressions.

My family.

"Jacob Elridge, it's wonderful to see you again," my father greeted with a smile, holding his hand out in front of him.

"Your Royal Highness," Jake greeted, ducking his head respectfully as he shook my father's hand. "It's been a long time."

"It certainly feels like it," my father replied brightly. "How was Scotland?"

Aware that this small talk was probably going to continue for some time, I let Emma drag me off to the side. She had a smile on her face.

"He's grown up, hasn't he?" she commented with wide eyes, looking back towards where our parents were laughing heartily at something Jake had just said. "What do you think?"

I hummed in agreement. "He seems really great."

"What, that's it?" screeched Emma. "I thought you were supposed to be all gooey over him, seeing as he's your mate and all. I remember when cousin Liam found his mate, he couldn't stop talking about her for weeks!"

"He's not my mate," I replied quickly. Perhaps too quickly. Emma frowned at me. "We're just compatible."

She just looked at me. "He's always had a crush on you, you know."

I froze. "What?"

"Yeah, when we were kids! He always followed you around at archery, and went bright red whenever you talked to him. It was adorable."