jhené aiko ft h.e.r, bs.

"Today," I speak into the phone as I sit on my window couch, glancing out at nothing in particular.

After months I was finally worthy of having Motheo's number on my phone. The King of the Wolves was finally saved in my contacts and that's exactly what I saved him as.

"Pardon?"

I roll my eyes as I make my way to my kitchen to make myself another cup of tea, "Coming clean, we do it today."

I can almost hear him stiffen, "Lerato, you have to give me a little more notice than that. This is going against my family, I need to have some notice. So I can act weird or —"

"Did you give me a notice when you announced your Ceremony?" I snap not interested in hearing his little sob story.

I hear him sigh, "You can't keep doing that, Lerato. I'm trying, okay? I'm really trying to rewrite my wrongs. Please, can you give me the chance to do so without throwing the past in my face?"

I sip my second cup of tea whilst walking back into my room, "Fine, I'll try my hardest to refrain from bringing up the past. Can't promise anything though." I shrug.

"That's all I ask."

I hold off a smile as I shake my head lightly, "Okay then King of the Wolves, how are we doing this?"

It had been a week since he had agreed to come clean and I was finally ready to do this. However, a part of me didn't feel right. It didn't feel right doing it with Motheo on my side, or rather — at my side.

Naturally, the wolves would look for someone to rule and if it were me they asked for. Would I do it with Motheo?

Absolutely not.

The answer came so quick I wanted to be shocked but was I really? I suppose not, my heart was no longer with him. As much as my soul in some capacity would always be, my heart? That was a different story.

We settled on a week's time, that would be the day that the truth is revealed. Until then, he has to act as much as he apparently needs to in that castle and I'll continue with my daily life as if I know no better.

Today was an exciting day though, when I got off the phone with Motheo a few moments later Danica called me and told me that she had found her mate! She asked Amanda and I to come over two days later, so here we were. I couldn't contain the excitement, I really needed her or Amanda to find their other half so I could live vicariously through them.

Watch and experience a mate bond start and form, so I was on my way to Amanda's house to fetch her first before we would make our way to Danica's where we'd be meeting her mate and also spending the night.

I hardly even took notice when she and her boyfriend split a few weeks after the Ball. She really kept things incredibly hush hush nowadays so an invite to meet her mate was gladly accepted. I hadn't seen Amanda and Dani both since before Dubai and that was months ago.

Pulling up to Danica's an hour later, Amanda and I grabbed our duffel bags from the backseat and practically ran to the front door.

"I can't believe I'm the only —" Her eyes grew wide as she glanced at me quickly to see if I had heard her almost say she was the only one without a mate.

I laughed halfheartedly, "You are the only one without a mate. How tragic." I stick my tongue out at her and she sighs in relief.

Danica opens the front door and squeals when she sees us, "Hi!" Her cheery voice sounds even more cheery and I can't help but smile broadly.

"Hey," Amanda and I say at the same time, Danica ushers us in and we off instinct drop our bags on the guest rooms and walk out to find Danica speaking to genuinely one of the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen in my life.

"Oh my goddess," Amanda speaks first, "I mean, woah you could be the goddess! What the hell!?"

The three of us throw our heads back and laugh at her outburst. She did not tell a single lie though, the she-wolf has gorgeous dark brown hair that pinned to one side. Cascading down her shoulder in wavy ringlets, milk chocolate skin and dark brown eyes. Her full pouty lips now displaying a smile showing off her dazzling straight teeth.

"Hey, I'm Asanté." She smiled at Danica before sneaking in a kiss, "Danica's girlfriend."

Amanda and I gave Danica shocked looks, girlfriend? Oh they on the fast fast train, I see. She only gave us a sheepish look, "Asanté doesn't like the word 'mate,' she was raised in the Arctic Pack." Danica explains.

Amanda and I share an 'ohhhh,' look as we nod in understanding at the pair.

We get to introducing ourselves before the girls night begins. We also learn that Danica wasn't ready to let everyone in on her relationship just yet when she had met Asanté and that is why she wasn't around much. It would also explain why the word 'girlfriend' could be used anyway. They've obviously been together for months.

The pair had met and instantly fallen in love, quickly deciding that they want to take their little romance around the world before they did all these introductions. So, it turns out they weren't moving that fast. Something about how they went about their romance really made me love it even more. The pair couldn't be any more perfect.

Danica showed us the photos and PG videos on her smart tv whilst Amanda and I gushed at them looking so loved up in all those different cities. Looking over at them watching their slideshow you could see the exact same twinkle in their eyes.

I wondered if I would ever have that twinkle in my eyes if I ever met someone who wasn't my mate and they by some miracle won me over.

Just as the slideshow had ended I asked Asanté, "Do people who aren't mates actually last?" The question probably was weird to her seeing as that is all she knew seeing as that is what she had told us.

She nods her head, "They do and although for most of my life I thought that was the only way and not because that motion is actually drilled in our heads. As I've seen other packs think, it's just what's the norm to us seeing as it is all we witness. Mates could be together there but they would be treated a little differently unconsciously because no one is used to that kind of display of affection."

She looks Danica in the eyes, "You see over there, no one partakes in PDA because they don't feel the urge to touch their partner. There's no spark, no tingle, no magnetic pull. With moon chosen partners there's everything, they couldn't possibly understand I must do this." She placed her hand on her cheek and Danica let out a light purr of satisfaction, "Because they don't know that reaction."

She smiled over at me, "They last but they have no fire and for someone who has experienced that feeling. An ordinary relationship will feel like nothing."

Danica smiled widely at her mate and whispered something in her ear and they both giggled. Amanda was now flipping through channels and I turned my head to join her. Not wanting to intrude on the couples moment.

She was going to change again but every channel she moved to had the Royal crest on it. My eyes widened, no. He wouldn't.

A voice, his voice started to speak and I almost wanted to kill him.

"Good evening my fellow wolves, I interrupt your regular programming to admit to something. Something I've kept a secret for months and I am deeply ashamed for my previous actions." As per Royal protocol, he could not be seen but we all knew his voice.

Only the crest could be seen, "I have deceived you all and for that I greatly apologise. I come to you all to humbly ask for your forgiveness and if granted, to tell you all the truth." As if anyone can respond seeing as we're all watching him from the television screen the little cunt continues,

"Madeline is not my mate."