Writers POV

After a silent hour of driving, Prince Aiden pulls over in front of a small cafe in Alpharetta. Prince Aiden exits the car, and before Ariel can open the door, he rushes to her side and opens it for her. Helping her out of the car, they walked into the cafe with a swarm of guards following them. The cafeteria appeared to be cozy with a few people inside. The colors of the cafe adapted to the light as if they were once afraid to greet the rays. Cafe tables adorn the sun-kissed grey as if placed at the tip of an artist's brush. Prince Aiden led her to a corner table near the window, and the guards who were following them sat around them just across the other rows to give them privacy.

After they had taken their seats, a waitress came over with the menus.

"I'll be back to take your orders." She winked at Aiden and left. Ariel just rolled her eyes and looked at the menu. After a while, she came back with her shirts three buttons undone, totally flashing her tit's

"Can I take your orders?" She asked, literally drooling over Aiden, whose gaze was fixed on Ariel as she shuffled through the menu.

"What do you want to have, love?" Aiden asked of Ariel, who rolled her eyes at the waitress's glares.

"I'm going to have the fried chicken and waffles, as well as some chocolate pancakes and espresso please." Ariel handed the menu to the waitress with a fake smile, who's gaze was still on Aiden. The waitress didn't even look at her as she wrote down her order which was rude.

"What about you?" She asked Aiden

"I'll have the egg and bacon and a cappuccino." She smiled seductively and wrote his orders.

"Excellent choice, sir; I'll bring your orders." She said while brushing her hands against his arms. Ariel's beast growled at the action, and she followed the waitress's every move as she walked away with an excess swing of her hips.

"You don't have anything to ask me, Ariel? Like anything? You've been deafeningly quiet the entire time." Aiden stated as he looked at her. For the previous ten minutes, he was the only one talking, more like blabbering nonsense, while she did nothing but yawn and look around. She was completely uninterested in him and everything he was saying.

"I have the right to remain silent, and I intend to use that right properly." With a forced smile, she said. The waitress arrived with their coffee just then. With a small splat, she placed Ariel's espresso in front of her and gently placed Aiden's cappuccino. Ariel took notice of her actions when she placed a small white note with the cup. And whispers something in his ears which didn't escape Ariel's ears

"Call me, sweetheart" She winked at Aiden who gave an awkward smile. Ariel took the butter knife and stabbed it between the waitress's fingers. Both Aiden and the waitress gasped and turned to her

"What's your problem you little shit." The waitress screeched

"I missed this time but I won't next time. Get the hell out of here." Ariel said coldly and the waitress walked away from them, crossing the kitchen, and took a left.

"I need to use the restroom," Ariel said as she sipped her espresso. She left before Aiden could say anything. But she didn't go to the restroom; instead, she took a left and went to where the waitress went. She stood in front of a black door marked 'employee only,' turned the knob, walked into the room, and shut the door with a loud thud. The loud noise caused the waitress to turn around, and her nose scrunched up sickeningly.

"What are you doing here?" She glared at her

"Did I disappoint you? Did you expect him to follow you here? Well sorry, but he's not interested." She said

"You shouldn't be the one to be with him. I'm better than you, you little shit." She said proudly. The next thing she knows, Ariel has her deadly grip on her neck pinning her to the wall. Ariel saw fears in her eyes and inhaled her scent and looked at her. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw Ariel's eyes changing colors from hazel to red and yellow.

"Some of you humans always thought so highly of yourselves. Like you're always on the top of the food chain. That's where you are wrong."

Ariel's fangs extended and she sunk them into her neck. The waitress didn't get the chance to shout as Ariel covered her mouth. After she fed on her, she lifted her face and looked into her eyes to compel her.

"After I leave, you will forget everything that has happened here and you will not flirt with Aiden or with any other guys. If you do, I'll come back for you. Trust me I'll find you and when I do I will rip off that fake face of yours and slit your pretty little neck. Understood?" Ariel said without breaking eye contact.

"Yes." Then she let her go and went to the restroom. It had been long since she last fed and now her vampire seemed to be satisfied with the human blood. She cleaned her hands and mouth. She made sure to evaporate the waitress's scent and blood. After that, she went back to where Aiden was sitting. He still has his plate full of food, he didn't touch his food.

"What took you so long?" He asked as she took her seat.

"There was a line." She lied and continued her meal. Prince Aiden also started eating. Between the meal, he asked her

"So, what is your hobby?"

"Staying silent." She said as she took a sip of her espresso. He wanted to slap himself, she was back to being cold again.

"Silence mmhmm..." he trailed off as he was trying hard to stay calm

"Anything you are interested in?"

"Silence." She said again finishing her fried chicken and waffles. Prince Aiden reminded himself to stay calm and that she's having a bad day.

"How old are you?" He asked next

"It's rude to ask a woman her age." She replied digging into her pancakes

"I mean you are my mate and I thought it would be nice to know how old are you what you do for a living and why you were there at the party." She glances at him and looks back at her food. Prince Aiden sat there waiting for an answer and she finally spoke

"I'm 24 and I have a medical degree in cardiology from Stanford University School of Medicine."

"So you are a cardiologist?"

"Yes,"

"Why did you choose cardiology?"

"It gives me the right to cut open hearts."

"Where do you practice?"

"Nowhere."

"Why?" He frowned thinking why she doesn't practice even after she got her degree from such a renowned med school

"Why do you ask? You want me to cut open your heart?" She replied coldly glancing at him

"You have a talent to raise people's blood pressure."

"I can raise a lot of other things too." She said blankly, but there was something else beneath her words that made Aiden widen his eyes and look at her. Aiden took his gaze away from her and cleared his throat awkwardly as her lips quirked up to form a smirk. They sat silently for the next twenty minutes, concentrating on their meals.

"Are you finished questioning?" She inquired as she set down her cutlery.

"I have the right to remain silent, which I intend to exercise." He returned her words, and she returned to sipping her espresso and nodding.

They sat there silently sipping their coffee's exchanging glances every now and then.

Their silence was broken by one of their guards

"Please pardon me, your highness." The guard bowed, and Aiden nodded in acknowledgment. And the guard proceeded,

"All preparations are complete, and I was told to inform His Highness that the guests would be arriving in an hour and that His Highness's presence is requested at the castle," Prince Aiden nodded and dismissed the guard. He asked for the check and looked back at Ariel who had her gaze on him,

"Today is the Death Anniversary of the late King Albert his Queen Evangeline and their daughter Princess Seraphina. They were the last Royal Alpha family killed in a brutal attack by the roughs and after that, the Royal Beta family succeeded the throne. So we mourn their death and remember their greatness every year. They were great leaders." As he finished explaining the event. He saw Ariel's eyes and features harden significantly and void any emotions.

"I know," she replied, her voice cold and stern.

The waitress then returned with their check. But her flirtatious gaze and actions were gone this time, and she was completely professional. Aiden extended his hand after payment, which Ariel flatly refused, and she began walking towards the exit. Her walk and the aura that surrounded her were unlike any Aiden had seen before. Her presence exudes dominance and authority, and everything about her was elegant. He assumed her dominant and authoritative presence was because she was his mate and the future Queen, but he is startled when his Alpha voice does not seem to work on her. Not to mention she's human, but again what was she doing at that party and she seems to be familiar with the Lycan Kingdom and its people.

"Keys,"

"Huh?" He was brought back from his trail of thoughts. He was now standing in front of the cafe. Ariel was standing in front of his car, she extended her hand and said again, "Keys!"

Her voice was stern, and she wasn't asking; her voice held a literal command that he couldn't defy. He tossed the keys to her, and she walked around the car and climbed into the driver's seat. Prince Aiden followed her and sat in the passenger seat beside her. She started the car right away, and the engine roared to life. She takes off at full speed, gliding smoothly on the nearly empty road, the guard's cars trailing behind. She depresses the accelerator, and the car accelerates, causing Aiden to tug the seat tightly.

"Slow down woman! I don't see myself dying in a car accident!" A smirk twigs upon her lips

"The big bad Alpha got scared?" She mocked

"No, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not some antics that I will get damaged by driving a car in full speed." She rolled her eyes

"No, not by driving at full speed but you will get hurt if we crash." He said out loud

"Oh chill Alpha. I know what I'm doing."

"Hey watch the red light." He shouted as Ariel broke another red light

"The road is literally empty and stop whining, start living a little." They fell silent and Aiden kept looking at her wide-eyed. At the end of the road, she took a harsh left turn,

"Hey, we were supposed to go right."

"We were now we are going left."

"We are needed at the castle!"

"No, you are needed at the castle." He rubbed his forehead and said

"We need to be there in an hour, the ceremony will be beginning."

"I don't care about the ceremony, I don't want to be there and you can't make me." She said coldly and Aiden didn't say another word. Something he learned about in the past weeks was that she's stubborn and he can't make her do something if she doesn't want to. They fell silent until Aiden spoke up

"Where are we going anyway?" She doesn't reply and continues to drive. Aiden doesn't ask any more questions because he knows he won't get any answers from her. They arrived in front of a very modern-looking building after ten minutes of silent driving. She drives to an open area that appears to be the garage and parks the car. She exits the vehicle and walks towards the elevator. Prince Aiden follows her and comes to a halt beside her. She turns to look at him and arches her brows

"Where do you think you are going?" She asks

"Where ever you are going." He replies standing there looking around their surrounding and she rolls her eyes

"Aren't you supposed to be at the castle in like thirty minutes?"

"Yeah, but being here with you is more important." He replies with a soft smile

"Don't worry Alpha, this is where I used to live. I don't have any other place to go. So just take yourself back to the castle and enjoy the day." She patted him on the shoulder and walked into the elevator. He puts a hand on the elevator door stopover it from closing and says

"I'm leaving a few guards here they will be here to protect you."

"You mean to stop me from running away? You don't have to worry about that Alpha. I'm tired of running, I just wanna stop and live for a while. But I will kill the guards if they come in my sight." She presses the elevator button to close

"You really need to stop killing my guards."

"I didn't even start killing your guards and you already want me to stop." She rolls her eyes.

"Wait what?" He stops the elevator door from closing again.

"What?" She asks

"Your Highness, we need to leave or else you are going to be late." A guard informs him,

"Just wait a second. You mean to say you didn't kill the guards?" He asks Ariel confused by her statement

"Why would I kill your guards?" She frowns

"Sir..." the guard tries to draw Aiden's attention

"Just go, I won't run away." She rolls her eyes and closes the elevator door, leaving a confused Prince standing there.

"If she didn't kill them then who did?"

__________________________

So, who killed the guards the night Ariel ran away🤔

Don't forget to,

JOIN THE PRIVATE GROUP: (Author Daisy Chaseley) www.facebook.com/groups/authordaisychaseley

LIKE & FOLLOW MY F B PAGE: (Daisy Chaseley) www.facebook.com/daisychaseley/

Happy reading,

Daisy Chaseley