Chapter 9
-Atlas Cole Fenrir-
"How about you tell me a thing or two about your mom?"
My eyebrows raised as I looked up at my little mate, who had been busy reading a novel called The Great Gatsby on one of the couches. I knew she had just finished training with the young warriors, while I was still stuck with my paperwork, or more likely, with this one particular invitation letter from my Uncle, the Alpha King.
"The first thing I can tell you is that my mother is not the best mother." I simply stated as I went back to the other papers awaiting my signature about some pack treaties while I buried the invitation letter under them.
"No mothers are perfect, Atlas." She said this in a mocking tone, impersonating my voice and accent horribly, making me chuckle.
"I know that, but our mother is just different from most mothers. It's just hard for anyone to understand that. "
I'm most definitely not in the mood to finish this all up now.
"Well, I mean, your mother is the Faerie Queen." Tatiana said, making me sigh heavily as I dropped my pen and slouched back in my seat.
"I guess there's that heavy duty weighing on her shoulders that always comes first than my sister and I." I spat bitterly as I remembered Audrey and I's childhood memories with her, which was almost none.
My usual calm and gentle composure always goes off whenever my mother is the topic, and it's quite funny since I literally inherited those traits from her and they come off because of her as well.
"Atlas---"
Tatiana must have observed my sudden change of mood, which I guess was a new and rare one for her to see. She closed the book she was reading and called for me, but I cut her off.
"She expects that I would do the same as her, to prioritise and make sure that my duties as an Alpha and Prince always come first before myself and my family." I rolled my eyes sarcastically as I said that.
Because honestly, that would be the last thing I would do to my family, to make them feel less and insignificant in my life, just like my mother made my sister and I feel. I promised myself since I was a kid that when I found my mate and we got to have a family of our own, I would also give my attention to them equally as I do with my pack.
I will never ever place Tatiana and our future kids second in my responsibilities and attention, unlike my mother dearest.
The only things I agree with and commend my mother for is her selflessness and her greatness as a queen, but that's just it. That's all I see her as. The same as all of her subjects would see her, as their Queen. I have never seen her as a mother to me and my sister.
"You know, you're not alone in those responsibilities and duties. I'm here and I'm always going to be here for you just like you are with me, Atlas. "
A smile once again graced my lips, and all of the bitter negativity left me after hearing my beautiful mate's words.
I'm so happy that she accepted me as her mate.
"I know and I am truly thankful, my little Artemis."
As I observed this past week, Tatiana is already being a great Luna. Even though she's still settling in with everything, she is already a great Luna. She's a strong and fierce fighter who trains our young warriors, but at the same time, she's also a loving and kind mother to everyone.
I feel so beyond blessed by the Moon Goddess, Selene.
You and I, Atlas.
Colvyr agreed in my head. I could almost picture him grinning foolishly as we both adored the blessing that is our mate.
"Perhaps I'm just remembering the insignificance and loneliness I felt as a child growing up at her court together with my twin sister, wishing she'd spare us a second of her precious time so the three of us could bond and talk." I shrugged my shoulders.
I was just too naive and hopeful as a child, only yearning for the love of my mother.
"Wait, you've never bonded with your mother? Personally, even though my Dad is strict with me in training and everything, we still bond over normal things like playing tennis. " Tatiana sounded upset as she stared at me.
That's the same with my father. He was always so busy with the pack too, but he always made time for us every Sunday. I guess a child just really needs both their mother and father in their life, especially during their childhood.
"Audrey and I were born back at her faerie court, and we were raised there for the twelve years of our life, but I couldn't even remember a time where she would ask us how our day went. The only time we'd see her was at dinner, where we'd eat quietly together while she'd still be working at the same time in front of us, completely ignoring our existence. I don't even know if she even loves us. " I explained and sighed.
"Don't say that, Atlas."
I only shook my head and continued.
"You know, the last time we saw her was when she invited us over to her court for dinner. That was when Audrey and Zion found out they were mates, and that was two years ago."
I rolled my eyes again at the memory. She just wanted to meet her daughter's mate and congratulate them. That's all that dinner was. At least it was good to know that she still cared for her daughter.
Actually, that's the first and last time we saw her again after our father died. Well, she still sent us messages through Sabine. Mostly they were only missions that she was asking for help with, but that's just it.
"Our relationship with her only got worse when our father died when we were fifteen. Obviously, she was so heartbroken, so much so that she didn't even want to see the faces of her children. "
Perhaps she only loved our father and not us. Because of our father, she only put up with Audrey and I.
"Clearly you don't want to go to this dinner now and see her, but why do you still want to go?" Tatiana questions me as she looks at me with pure concern. I have literally lost my calm composure now.
I smiled at her and she narrowed her eyebrows.
"Well, I thought that you would want to meet my mother."
"So you would face your mother even though you don't want to see her because of me? It's okay if we don't go, Atlas." She urged.
If only. I know the only reason mother invited us over again was because she must have found out about Tatiana and would want to meet her too.
"Unfortunately, Audrey already sent a reply that we're coming." I shook my head.
My twin sister and I were really opposites. While I almost despise the woman who expelled us from her birth canals, Audrey still loves her dearly despite everything she did and didn't do.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it's going to be tolerable."
That's just what I've been doing. Every time I go to the Faerie court, I just tolerate being in front of her even though I want to snap.
"Of course it'll be, because this time I have my beautiful and strong mate by my side, who I actually want to proudly show to my mother."
***
(FAERIE COURT)
While the four of us are out to have what seems to be the most awkward dinner ever with Mother Dearest, Quincy is the one left in charge of the pack. It's funny because I don't even trust the food he cooks, yet I still trust him to take care of the pack.
"So what should I call your mother? Or how do I address her? I mean, she's a Queen, but wait, does she even have a name? "
Tatiana asked out of confusion as we finally reached our destination, the entrance to the Faerie Court, which is located near the sacred lake. It is one of the many portals to my mother's court, and only those whom the Queen has given an invitation can enter.
"Well, I remember my father calling her Aurora before, but I know Mother uses several aliases." I answered, and she nodded.
"Think about greeting her the way you would greet the Queen of England." Audrey chuckled beside me, making me shake my head.
"I've never met the Queen, but I'll try my best." Tatiana laughed back, and I noticed that she was getting nervous by now.
"Do you think she'll like me?" She quietly asked me.
One thing I have observed about my dear mate is that she's always nervous about meeting new people or creatures, and it's not mainly because she wants them to like her; it's more that she doesn't want them to dislike her, so she tries her best to be likeable to anyone she meets.
She must have also had a tough childhood. Who wouldn't have when your father is Silver Hunter II himself? I could just imagine how my mate was raised by that man.
"The Faerie Queen likes everyone." Zion chirped in.
"Yes, but apparently that doesn't quite apply to her own children." I rolled my eyes.
"Stop it, brother." Audrey hissed, which I only ignored.
"Okay. Why don't we just go?" Tatiana held my hand, making me sigh and nod.
Audrey stuck out her tongue at me before being pulled along by her mate.
"But how though?" She asked again as she looked down the lake confusingly.
I smiled and looked knowingly at my sister and nodded at her. She smirked and exclaimed,
"We go by diving in!"
I laughed at Tatiana's shocked expression as she watched both Audrey and Zion dive into the clear lake without a second thought.
"What the heck?" She exclaimed and looked at me.
"Let's go?"
I squeezed her hand. The sparks returned instantly, and I knew how she still felt about them, so she quickly returned her hand to her side. After all, the mate bond is still so new to her.
And she did say that every time we touched, it was really addicting, like she didn't want to let me go, and since we're still taking our relationship slow, I definitely understand.
If she only knew that she had the same effect on me as I have on her.
"No way! I don't want to get wet! Isn't there another portal we could go to that doesn't involve diving down a stupid lake? "
I laughed at how amusing she was freaking out.
"It seems to me that being wet is not really your main concern, is it?" I chuckled, and almost instantly I was once again harshly greeted by her fist in my face.
I definitely got to her. She would always punch me when she got embarrassed.
"Why do you always tend to get so violent when you're embarrassed?" I groaned softly.
"It's your fault."
This is really amusing.
"Little Artemis, do you not know how to swim?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Okay, I get it. But trust me, you won't get wet nor drown. " I chuckled and reached for her hand again, making her huff, but finally she nodded her head.
"Fine, let's dive in."
***
"You guys sure took your time out there." Zion chuckled as we finally got inside the Faerie court.
The warriors respectfully all bowed their heads upon seeing us.
"See? You're not wet, are you?" I chuckled and looked at my mate beside me, who was amazed once again as we entered a whole new world of the Faeries. She ignored me as she looked around all her new surroundings, taking it all in.
It is really amazing and breath-takingly beautiful here, if I say so myself, but I was born and I lived here for twelve years of my life, so it doesn't amaze me that much.
"I miss being home!" Audrey happily exclaimed, making me sigh.
"This is not our home, sister."
"Well it once was."
Once.
"Prince Atlas Colvyr and Princess Audrey Eira."
Dana, our mother's second-in-command suddenly appeared and welcomed us by throwing several petals of roses in front of us.
"Half-breed Zion Alexandre Cillian and former hunter Tatiana Arianell Hunter."
Of course, she just has to bring our mates' obvious titles.
"The Queen has been waiting. You know where to find her. "
She shape-shifted herself into a butterfly and flew off.
"That was amazing!" Tatiana happily exclaimed.
Well, I'm just happy that she's happy. With that, I guess I could survive this stupid dinner with Mother Dearest.
"You think? It's just my second time here, but I still think it's creepy. " Zion commented as we walked along to where the throne room was. I am mostly certain she's there.
"So you think I'm creepy?"
There goes the start of one of their nonsense arguments.
"No! No! That's not what I meant at all, Addie!" Zion instantly regretted what he blurted out of his big mouth.
"If that was Atlas, I would've given him a knuckle sandwich straight to the face."
I furrowed my eyebrows at Tatiana, who was beside me, giving me a sweet smile.
I shook my head. Of course she would.
"Oh, Zion will be suffering a lot more tonight."
I want to barf right now.
But
We're here...
"Welcome back my children."
"Mother."
HAPPY READING 💐
-ARAXOXO