Chapter 2
"You lost my pin!" Mia's voice bounced off the tiny bedroom walls as she bounced a crying Leo in her arms. "Ella, seriously?"
"It wasn't my fault!" Ella jumped out of bed. Her blonde hair was braided down her back as her light blue eyes apologized to her sister. "It wouldn't stay in my hair."
"I can not believe this,"
Ella felt terrible for being so careless with something so valuable but at the same time she also felt a flicker of irritation at her sister's words. She wanted to point out that if it was so important to her then she should have kept it in her box. Why take it out at all?
But fighting with Mia when she was mad was like inviting death into your home. From their many fights growing up, Ella had learned to keep her comments to herself.
"Why is he crying so much?" Ella looked at Leo to change the subject. The little boy's runny nose and rosy cheeks were a worrisome sight.
"He has an ear infection," Mia looked at her boy and wiped his tears.
"Poor thing," Ella frowned.
"I'm taking him to the doctor, you go to the palace and pick up our checks."
Ella's heart stumbled, "What? Why can't you go?"
"Because I'm going to the doctor, Ell," Mia shook her head.
"Are you sure I should go?" Ella's palms began to sweat with the idea of showing her face to the event planner after walking out in the middle of her shift last night.
"Don't worry," Her sister said. "I spoke to Mary. I told her you got sick and didn't want to throw up on anyone."
"Gee, thanks," Ella rolled her eyes.
"Did you get a good look at the guy from last night?"
"Not really. I just ran like you told me to."
"Well, at least you can do something right," Mia smiled. "Now go get ready and get the check. I need to deposit it as soon as I can."
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"And you're sure she was your mate?" Owen raised a brow.
"Yes!" Maksim said with excitement. "Well...my wolf didn't recognize her. But I caught her scent. I know it's her, dad."
"Macky," Owen put down the pen in his hand and rubbed his eyes. "You do realize what you're asking, right?"
"Yes," the young prince nodded his head.
"You want to invite all one hundred and ninety two women from last night to the palace so you can find this one blonde."
"My blonde," Maksim laughed. "Dad, this is it. I have to find her. I can't stop thinking about her."
Alec and Exton, who had been quietly sitting by the window ledge of Owen's office, looked at each other and then at Owen. they tried to hide their amused expressions but failed miserably.
"This isn't a joke," Maksim said shaking his head and chuckling slightly. "You've all always told me how amazing it was to find your mate. Now it's my chance. She's so close! I feel it."
"There has to be a better way," Alec shook his head.
"She's blonde, right?" Owen pulled out the guest list from the party.
"Yes," Maksim nodded.
"How tall?" Exton asked.
"I would say about..... Five eight, five nine?"
"Hmm," Owen scanned the sheet. "Have my assistant go over the guest list and pull out the names of only the blonde girls who fall under five ten."
"You, dear father, are a genius," Maksim's face lit up like a crystal ball. He took the list from Owen and hurried out of the office. The men left behind all shook their head chuckling as they stared after the love sick prince.
Maksim felt as if he could fly up the seven skies. His spirit was high, his mood jolly, and his heart full. Just a few more days and he will find her. Days? No, no, maybe even hours. He wouldn't rest until he found his mate. For the first time, he had a solid lead. He wasn't just chasing an image in his mind.
"Find her yet?" Adeline's voice spoke out from the end of the hall.
Maksim halted in his track and looked out at his cousin, "Not yet."
The slender girl with the dirty blond hair gave a radiant smile as she ruffled Maksim's hair.
"I'm happy for you, Maksim," Adeline said.
"Thanks," Maksim beamed with joy. His smile was really contagious. Especially, when he flashed those famous dimples.
"What's the next step?"
"I have to separate all the blondes from last night," Maksim looked at the list.
"Come, I'll help,"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," Adeline laughed. "I know every single person on that list."
"Then you are just the person I need right now."
The two made their way to the family room and sat down on the sofa. Maksim pulled out a notepad and a pen as Adeline went over each name.
"Amber Bass, nope. She had black hair," Adeline crossed off her name. "Ah, Madeline Sheers, yes. She's a blonde."
Maksim quickly jotted down the name.
"Do you know what type of blonde she was?" Adeline asked. When she saw the confused look on her cousin's face she laughed. "Like was it light, dark, mixed in with brown like mine. Gold like my mom, or strawberry like Eden?"
Maksim shrugged, "I'm not sure....it was blonde."
"Close your eyes," Adeline instructed suddenly.
Maksim did as he was told.
"Now, think about her scent," Adeline said in her calming voice.
Maksim didn't need to think too hard to imagine the scent of magnolia. It was forever engraved in his mind. He felt goosebumps rise up on his skin as his mind flashed back to the night before.
She was so close....
"Now picture her," Adeline as softly. "Look at her hair.....what do you see."
A small smile appeared at the corner of Maksim's lips. He saw her clear as day in his mind. She moved through the crowd in slow motion. Maksim eliminated all the extra sounds from his memory and focused on her heart beating. He heard her little breath hitch in her throat as he called out to her. For the first time, as Maksim really focused on the memory, he realized she had slightly turned her head back. Not fully to see any part of her head, but she had definitely responded to his voice.
"Her hair...." Maksim spoke slowly with his eyes closed. "It's tied up in a bun. There are some pieces loose around the sides of her face. It's a bit wavy..... It is light, not like yours. It's....gold."
"Golden blonde," Adeline suddenly cheered. "Perfect. That narrows it down even more."
Maksim reluctantly opened his eyes. He wanted to play the memory over and over in his mind. And maybe, just maybe, by some divine power he would be able to change it and catch up to her before she got away.
"Amy Nixon," Adeline gave him the next name. "Pepper Huffman. Judy Ambers. Tiffany Trans. Stella Dane, Ma-"
"Not Stella Dane," Maksim crossed out the name. "I know her. She isn't the one."
"Alright," Adeline nodded. "Two more. Kathy Pan and Natalie Moor."
Maksim looked at the list of names in front of him. Adeline watched as a heartwarming smile played on the boy's lips. She reached out and pinched his cheek laughing.
"One of them is her," Maksim held up his list. "One of these names will be linked with mine forever."
"Congratulations," Adeline cheered.
"Thank you," Maksim laughed. His heart hadn't stopped stumbling ever since last night. He felt restless and eager to take on the world. He felt as if he could do anything. "I have to go find her."
"What? Now?" Adeline raised a brow.
"Yes," Maksim nodded. "I'm going to go visit each and every single one of them until I find her."
"Oh boy," Adeline rolled her eyes. "Make sure you take the Queen's guards with you. Don't go alone into the city on your own. People have been real crazy out there."
"I'll be safe," Maksim said. "I promise."
"Good luck, your grace," Adeline gave him a high five. "Go forth and be merry."
Maksim nodded his head as he headed towards the door. He opened his mind link and told Jamie, his Queen's guard, to get a car ready to head into town. He then instructed the palace florist to send him a dozen red roses. He wasn't sure how many girls he would be able to visit today, but just in case he found her, he wanted to be ready.
"Anything else I can do for you, your grace?" The kind man in the greenhouse asked as he handed Maksim the bouquet of roses.
"No, thank you," Maksim smiled. "That will be all."
"Very well, sir."
Maksim brought the roses to his nose and inhaled their scent. They were beautiful, but next to his mate's scent, they would be embarrassed. He thanked the florist once more before he headed for the garage. But just as he was about to round the corner, his heart stopped.
Magnolia.
She was here.
She was in the palace.
Maksim almost dropped the flowers as his wolf jumped up. His head began to turn in all directions as he sniffed the air. Maksim could hardly think straight with how wild his heart ran in his chest. The pounding and his wolf's howling was insufferable as he began to follow the scent.
Maksim slowly rounded the corner and there she was.
Her back was towards him once more. Her head was down as she looked at something in her hands. She wore dark jeans and a plaid shirt. Her crossbody bag hung at her sides as she absent mindlessly pushed her hair out of her face.
That hair. Good god, that hair. It looked even better in daylight. Like liquid gold, glossy, smooth, silky.
Maksim forgot how to speak as her scent of magnolia captured him. He moved closer just as she shoved the paper into her bag and took a step forward.
"No, wait!" Maksim called out in a panic.
The girl jumped in fright and whirled around.
Mate.
All his life, Maksim has heard stories of how his uncles met their mate. How their word stopped spinning, how the sun appeared in their universe, how the cosmos exploded in their mind.
But nothing, absolutely nothing, could compare to the way Maksim felt at that moment. To him it was as if all the wonders of the word suddenly belonged in the pair of blue eyes he gazed into.
She was a poet's dream. A painter's muse. A musician's tune.
Maksim's eyes ran over her features. Quickly at first, slowly the second time, memorizing it the third time.
The way the girl stared back at him felt oddly familiar. He took a step closer as she followed him with her eyes.
"Ella?" Maksim said her name.
Ella suddenly snapped out of her haze at seeing Maksim so up close. She dropped her eyes and curtsied.
"Your grace," she said quietly.
"Ella," Maksim said once again. He knew he probably looked really stupid staring at her with his mouth wide open. But he couldn't help it. Maksim was in a state of shock.
Ella. Ella Dunbar.
The snarky twelve year old girl he had kissed on the oak tree. The girl who told him he would make a terrible king. The girl who laughed at his jokes and helped him make up stories in his mind.
Ella....it was her. It was her all long.
"I...." Ella pointed to the door behind her. "I have to go."
"No!" Maksim suddenly leaped forward and blocked her way. "Wait."
Ella jumped back and looked around. She clutched the strap of her bag tightly as her eyes widened.
She was scared of him, Maksim realized. But why?
"I'm sorry," Maksim lowered his voice. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
Ella nodded as she avoided his eyes. He tried so hard to catch her gaze but she looked everywhere but at him.
"How...how are you?" Maksim asked.
Dumb question, Max, Maksim yelled at himself as he face palmed.
"I'm good," Ella said quickly.
"It's been so long,"
Say something interesting, you idiot.
"It has," Ella nodded.
"Do you feel it, Ella?"
What the hell type of question is that?
"Feel what?" Ella looked up.
"I....I don't know how to explain it," Maksim confessed.
She was human, her mind was protected by the moon goddess from feeling the full effect of the bond until he marked her. Human minds couldn't handle the strength of the mate's pull. It drove them insane. They only felt a little at a time until they wore their mate's mark.
Ella looked around in confusion before she took a step back.
"It was really nice seeing you, Max," She said in a hurry. "I have to go."
"Go where?" Maksim's wolf didn't like the idea of her leaving just yet.
"Home," Ella said. "I have to go home."
"You couldn't stay?"
"No," Ella shook her head.
"Please," Maksim begged.
Ella felt her heart flutter in her chest as his brown eyes begged her. He still looked the same. Large brown eyes, dimple smile.
"We can go to the stable," Maksim suggested.
Ella's heart sank, "No."
"Why not?"
"I have to go home," Ella stepped around him and headed for the door.
"Let me take you home, then," Maksim followed her down the hall.
"No, thank you."
"Come on, Ella," Maksim chuckled. "Don't be so stubborn."
"Max," Ella sighed and turned to look at him. "Don't you have someone else to bother?"
There she is.....nothing had changed.
Maksim felt his lips pull back into a wide smile as he stared at his mate. His mate. She was standing right in front of him.
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I don't have anyone else. Only you."
Maksim's wolf nodded in satisfaction as he watched Ella's eyes dilate just a bit. She felt it too. Maybe not to the extent the fire burned in his system, but she was beginning to feel the flames.
"I have to go," Ella said once again.
"When will I see you again?"
"I don't know," Ella said as if it was an absurd question. "Never, I guess."
"What?" Maksim's smile dropped. He felt his heart twist in his chest as he took a step closer. "No, let's hang out. Let's do something together, like we used to."
"Like we used to?" Ella raised a brow. "Max, we were twelve."
"But we're still the same people."
"No," Ella shook her head with a smile. "We're not the same people."
Maksim didn't know what else to say as he stood stunned by her words. He watched her turn away and disappear out the door, leaving him holding his heart in his hands.
How will our prince win her heart ;)