It was gorgeous. There was a majestic, gigantic water fountain in the middle of the garden and there were well groomed shrubs and trees decorated with what looked like tiny fairy lights.

"It's beautiful!" I gasped in awe.

"Not as beautiful as you are," he said softly.

"You're such a flirt," I laughed and he smiled.

We walked along the garden path, talking about random things. Ashton plucked one of the roses from the bush and offered it to me. I raised an eyebrow. He could be a gentleman when he wanted to be.

I took the rose and our fingers brushed for a moment. I smiled at the sensation. Ashton boldly took my hand and laced his fingers with mine.

"What are you doing?" I asked shyly.

"Holding my soulmate's hand."

"Your soulmate?" I teased

"Who else's soulmate?" he replied nonchalantly.

"Hmm... let me think," I said, tapping the rose against my chin in pretend thought.

Ashton whirled around to face me. "Don't think about it," he said, staring into my eyes.

"Are you trying to hypnotize me or something?" I joked, letting go of his hand and leaning against a tree.

I slipped my feet out of my heels. That felt so much better.

"You're my soulmate alone," he said coming closer to me and trying to hold my hand again, but I wasn't going to let it be so easy.

I balled my hand into a fist so that he couldn't intertwine our fingers.

"I'm only your soulmate if you can catch me," I teased, gently pushing him back with my free hand.

Ashton smirked. "Really?"

I stared up into his midnight blue eyes and then grinned. I broke away from him in a run across the garden. The wind played with my hair and carried the echo of Ashton's laugh to me.

I glanced back. He was just walking towards me with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. I guess I could slow down a little bit. Running definitely wasn't my strong suit.

I heard footsteps behind me and glanced around in amazement. How did he catch up to me so fast? Then again, he was an Origen. I tried to pick up the pace, but Ashton was behind me in a few seconds. His arms circled around my waist, lifting me up and spinning me around as I screamed and giggled.

"You could have at least let me win," I pouted as he put me down.

"I gave you a head start," he pointed out, pulling me closer to him. "I'm only your soulmate if I catch you?" he chuckled. "Bold aren't we."

I smiled innocently.

"You're my soulmate," he repeated, pulling me even closer to him until there was no space between us.

"Ashton," I gasped in surprise as he placed a kiss on my cheek.

"You're mine," his voice was deep, almost like a growl. The sound sent shivers through my body.

He placed a kiss on my other cheek.

"Only mine."

With this, his lips found mine in a passionate kiss. My will to leave his arms crumbled into dust and I cherished the feeling of his soft lips eagerly searching mine. He pulled me closer to his body, deepening the kiss and hungrily devouring my lips. The taste, the feeling, everything was perfect.

My back gently brushed against a tree bark as Ashton leaned me against it.

"Elizabeth," he growled as his lips made their way to my earlobes. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"Ashton," I gasped as his lips travelled down to my neck, kissing and sucking at the delicate skin. It felt electrifying. My eyes drifted closed as he targeted the spot on my neck just below my ear.

I moaned as the feeling of pleasure overtook my body and I felt Ashton smile against my neck. He intensified the kiss as I relaxed in his arms.

I kissed him with everything I had in me. All my feelings bunched together in that sweet passionate kiss.

He licked my lips and I gasped in surprise. He took this opportunity to slide his tongue into my mouth. God, the kiss was perfect. I tried to control my emotions as his well defined body pressed against my own.

Ashton's hands slid down to my waist where they explored and dipped along my curves. He groaned as my hands gently caressed his hair. I could feel his heartbeat racing against my own.

I inhaled deeply as we broke apart. My lungs were begging for air, but my heart wanted more of his kisses. He looked down at me with an unreadable expression on his face; not his usual cocky smirk. His eyes were so dark they looked black. We were breathing heavily after all of that.

"Elizabeth..." he trailed off. "Where have you been all my life?"

I smiled against him. I didn't even think I could stand, my knees felt like jello.

He hugged me and pulled me down on the grass with him. I rested my head against chest, feeling his heartbeat intensify. He rested his head on top of mine.

All we did was kiss, but it felt like so much more. Was this what it felt like to have a soulmate? Every touch was like music; the perfect symphony composed for only us. Ashton stroked my hair as my eyes drifted close. I wished that the moment would last forever. I sighed contentedly.

I would have never imagined in a million years that I would feel like this with Ashton of all people. I never imagined that we would ever be like this. It felt like a dream. It felt right.

"Elizabeth," Ashton whispered, as if tasting my name on his tongue.

"Hmm?"

"Let's date."

"What?" I leaned off his chest to stare up at him.

"I'm allowing you to date me. You're welcome," he smirked.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Ashton. Do you realize what you're saying?"

He looked down at me. "I'm being completely serious."

I searched his eyes. He didn't seem to be joking.

"You just broke up with Nicole though. It's kinda soon."

Ashton sighed. "Nicole and I weren't in a real relationship. It was based on benefits. She was with me because I'm the most popular guy in school. I was with her because I wanted to rebel against the king. It was a win-win situation," he shrugged.

"But you were angry that you had to break up with her," I said confused.

"Me having to break up with her meant that I lost to the king," he scoffed. "I'm sure he's happy about that. That's what makes me angry, because all his plans are working."

"But Ashton... Why now?"

He sighed. "I'm going to be the next king whether I like it or not. I should be with my betrothed and soulmate. That way the kingdom can have their rightful queen."

I shifted uncomfortably in the grass. "About the whole queen thing... I do still have a choice in this."

His eyes flickered to mine uneasily. "You do."

"I need some time to think about it," I confessed.

He kissed the top of my head in response.

We sat there for a couple of minutes with Ashton's arms around me. I didn't feel cold at all when he was right beside me.

"I should get you home," he said. "Or your father might actually go through with his threat."

"He threatened you?" I laughed. "What's he going to do?"

"If I don't get you home before 12, you'll see," he said, standing up.

I went to get my bag and shoes which I had left at the other side of the garden. Ashton helped me and then we headed to the car.

When we were inside the car, he removed something from the back seat and placed it into my lap. He turned the ceiling light on and laughed at my confused expression.

I looked at the package; it was small and rectangular and was neatly wrapped. I held it to my ear and shook it, but I couldn't hear anything.

"How about opening it?"

I shot him a glare and then carefully began removing the perfect wrapping paper. There was a smooth white box inside with my name on it in gold cursive writing. I glanced at Ashton suspiciously before removing the lid and gasped.

There was a delicate gold necklace lying on top of smooth, red, velvet material. It had a small pendant attached to it in the shape of the royal flower of the kingdom, the Crysauralian rose.

I gently removed the necklace from the box and smiled at Ashton.

"You didn't have to get me a gift, you know. Now I feel bad because I don't have anything to give back to you."

"That just means you owe me now," he chuckled lightly.

He took the necklace from me, placed it around my neck and adjusted my hair. The pendant glinted in the light of the car.

"It's beautiful," I said, examining it in the mirror. "Thank you."

Then my smile disappeared. I leaned closer to the mirror in shock.

"Ashton?"

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked worried.

"How am I going to explain these to my parents?" I gasped, running my fingers across the red love bites manifesting on my neck.

He grinned at my horrified expression. "Do you have to?"

"They'll be up waiting for me. I can't sneak pass them like this," I groaned in despair.

Ashton thought for a moment, then reached over and tied a knot with my hair under my chin. I stared at him.

"I don't think they'll notice," he said, admiring the knot.

"You've got to be kidding," I groaned as he laughed and sped off into the night.

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