tinashe ft. a$ap rocky, pretend.

I paced in my palace assigned room, it had a secret door that linked to Motheo's so that I could exit through there in case any leaders decided to become spies. We had to be a 'united front' so I had to ensure that I entered and exited from Motheo's room.

I made sure to do exactly that right this moment. I step out into the halls and shut his bedroom door, the guard standing right outside nodded in respect and I smiled and nodded in response.

Every Alpha was called upon, this was a serious matter that needed to be dealt with accordingly. That is why Kenneth was emphasising my role in everything so much, clearly they needed me to bring back the hope in the wolves. They by all means did not want to lose their shiny title.

"Lerato?"

My eyes double in size, I hadn't heard his voice in months but I could never forget it. My heart leaps a little in my chest but my mind, it's worried. How much does he know? Does he know what's been going on here because if he does, I'm legitimately screwed.

I turn around as soon as I've gotten my eyes to their regular size, "Raheem."

He takes two steps towards me, a look I've never seen before adorning his features. His hair still lesser on the sides and a few strands longer in the middle. But now the middle section has small ringlets, his beard thicker than usual, now his fair yet sun kissed skin is far more hidden.

His jaw is locked in place making the bones look even more prominent. The tux he has on clinging to him just right, he looks fucking phenomenal. His brown orbs hidden from any sort of emotion, the green specks almost taunting me.

"You're with him now?" He asks just as I ask, "What are you doing here?"

Hearing his question under mine makes me shut my eyes, dammit, he knows everything and now my question almost confirms his.

His brows furrow and his face gets even more gorgeous, "Hm," he chuckles, "I have to give you props, I never expected this. You being with the man who killed my first mate? I could've never seen this coming."

I bite my bottom lip as I raise the bottom of my dress so I can approach him quicker, "No, listen Raheem, I'm not —"

"Lerato?" I curse as I hear Motheo call out to me.

I whirl around with the biggest smile as he approaches us, "Hi," I say to him again.

Raheem shifts his eyes between the two of us as Motheo places his hand on the small of my back, "I'm glad you could make it, Raheem. I almost thought you'd be a no show for a moment."

I whip my head up to look at him, "You invited him?"

He nods his head, "Babe, I had to. He is a leader after all and what I've done is unforgivable it could take a few leaders to decide what must happen."

I couldn't believe he used a nickname just to further rile Raheem up, Motheo really was enjoying this a bit too much. I stepped out of his hold and picked up the bottom of my dress.

"I need air."

He could've called Khalil, he is the current Alpha there was no need to call Raheem. Oh but of course my charming mate would call Raheem. Unbelievable, he really wanted to twirl 'us' in front of someone he has broken down time and time again.

Motheo called after me, "Don't be too long, hon —"

"I got it." I interrupted.

I walked aimlessly through this palace that I didn't even know and the frustration of my lack of direction in here was only upsetting me further. I turned a corner before I saw her, Madeline, she was on the balcony on the far end of some room.

I adjusted my hold on the dress before making my way into the room. Not bothering to try and figure out what the room was for before I got to the balcony door.

I knew she could hear me but she hardly even showed that she could.

"Do you have a plan?" Are the words out of her mouth as she turns to me.

My brows furrow, "Excuse me?"

She rolls her eyes, "Do you have a plan, Lerato because he does."

"Motheo?"

She nods her head, "He's only doing this so that he is guaranteed to remain King. He has no interest in being a commoner, you're just a pawn in his game. So I ask again, do you have a plan?"

"Why are you telling me this?" I can't help the question, "That man killed for you, at your request."

She narrows her eyes at me and I can almost bet I could see the daggers in them, "Have you ever lost a mate!? No you have not, so don't you dare come here judging me. That pain could make you do anything, you should ask that Raheem of yours what he did in his blinded rage!" She scoffs in disgust.

"Want to fucking judge me, but has two goddamn mates at each other's throats over her, the audacity." She starts to make her way to the balcony door.

When she makes it a few steps away, she quietly says, "I would make the right decision if I were you, Motheo really badly wants to remain King. However, he does genuinely have feelings for you. Raheem... he's a good man, through and through. I was wrong for what I did... he deserves happiness, they both do."

The final sentence is just above a whisper but with my heightened hearing, I catch it.

I tilt my head, "Well, I wasn't at all expecting that."

She smiles, "My time here is done, Lerato, if I don't get out of here I'll be a maid just like my mother and I can't go from an unofficial princess turned Queen into a maid. So, trust me — I don't want Theo anymore. I don't want any of this."

"I could make sure you get off scotch free." I try to reason.

She shakes her head, "No thanks."

I sigh, "Well thank you, for the heads up."

She nods as she walks through the room and out the door. I glance out at the view from up here, letting out a sigh. I knew what I had to do but it didn't make it any easier, I'd be hurting a mate with my next decision.

There most certainly would not be any chance of a future with the one I let down in a few minutes time. And as it stands both sides have collateral — Motheo has his siblings whilst Raheem has his brother and Amir.

I wasn't at all shocked at Madeline's words, it's clear that the Mbatha's want to remain on top. I'm not surprised that Motheo wants to remain King, it was quite clear. What has also been clear is his changed behaviour but is it too late?

I begin to make my way out the room when I realise it's a bedroom, was it hers? Madeline's.

I don't take the time to fully grasp its contents before my attention is pulled, "Here you are."

I smile at the friendly face, "Here I am." I approach him as he sticks out his arm, waiting for me to loop my arm through.

I do just that and walk through the halls, "I wanted to talk to you before everyone starts to prep you for what they want you to say." He glances at me briefly, "My brother hurt you, Lerato and it's okay to be angry. It's okay to want revenge, it's understandable. There's nothing he could do to reverse what he did, what he caused you, what he caused Raheem."

I intake a sharp breath but he continues, "I never hated Raheem for what he did, I didn't trust Siya. He was cunning and probably plotting something, everyone here was just too wrapped around Madeline's pinky toe to see it. She was blinded by the bond, you know he could turn his scent on and off? How is anyone with potions or goddess knows what that do that not up to something?"

He scoffs with a shake of the head, "Anyway, what Raheem did was natural — Siya's scent had started to seep through, he smelt it, he killed him. There's all sorts of information on every pack in this palace, goddess knows what Siya and his wolves would've done with it.

"Raheem is a good wolf, my brother at his core is too but, what I'm getting at is — if you don't actually want to be with someone who hurt you as much as he did. Then don't be. I told him to chase you, do whatever he had to to get you back but I had never seen how you look at Raheem when I had said that."

"What?"

As if it were scripted Alpha Raheem himself decides to appear at the oppose side of the palace, he was walking up the stairs that we were walking towards. His eyes found mine and for a split second I think he almost forgot that 'I'm with Motheo.' His eyes displayed the smile that his mouth didn't, until he looked forward.

Lindokuhle followed my gaze and laughed at the coincidence, "See," he shakes his head with a smile, "In the days I've watched you and my brother interact, I thought you were actually happy. You had me completely fooled until earlier when I saw you speak to him," He nods his head in the direction of Raheem.

"It wasn't even five minutes but everything about you was different. The mere sound of him calling out your name, it looked exactly the way Amanda looks when she hears me call her, the way Tshiamo looks when Kamo calls her, Asanté looks when Danica calls her."

My eyes find his again and I almost could've sworn he heard Kuhle's next words because he raised a brow just as Kuhle completed the question. As if awaiting the answer too —

"He's the one, isn't he?"

—

WELL. #TeamNobody and #TeamNewGuy I hope you have come to accept that there is only either #TeamMicah or #TeamRaheem 🤷🏽‍♀️😂

Find out next-time-Mbali-decides-to-upload!

Side bar: can we be Team We Love Kuhle?? He's such a sweetie. I really gave the king lovely siblings, loooool.

Side side bar: can y'all pls subscribe to my youtube channel? 🥺 [Mbali J] link is also there in that description bio space at the bottom. 🌹

Stay safe.

ly. x