Caelan POV

I stand beside my mate as we prepare to walk on stage. She is holding it together for me and I'm so proud of my mate for doing this with me. The press and constant hounding of us every time we go out will die down eventually after we publically announce our relationship.

I hate that Acela wanted to go slow and it pains me to not keep her wish as I stand here, seconds from flat out denying her what she wants. There is nothing I wouldn't do to see her smile right now, the worry on her beautiful face scorns my very soul knowing I am causing this.

This is my life and it's now hers, it's not for everyone. Acela will slowly be introduced into my world one way or another, by my doing or someone else's, that I can not control. As the prince, I can only do so much to protect her from the reality of a future with me and a future with me is only going to get more hectic for her if she does not accept this.

Her being here proves to me that she has accepted it, but this is only the beginning.

The royal family's house speaker finishes on stage and hints for me to take the stage. I look down at my nervous mate, I lean down and kiss the mark I gave her on her neck then go to her ear and whisper quietly. "Only me, got it?" I say with a smile to ease the tension in her face.

She smiles nervously at me and nods while looking at the mass of reports and TV stations as camera flashes begin to shoot off more now than I have been welcomed to stage.

My hand is on the back of my mate's back, I lead her with me as I walk first onto the stage as my family stands backstage to watch privately.

I stand in front of the podium behind the large number of microphones that are on top, Acela is stood behind me but in my view, as I clear my throat and smile towards the crowd as their flashes almost fucking blind me. I just need to get this over with so I can hold my mate in my arms again.

"Good afternoon." I say as I glance around the crowd. "I would like to thank you all for coming here today regarding the rumors, I mean they were bound to happen eventually right?" I say jokingly to which the crowd laughs.

That's it, start off light Caelan, the crowd is now yours.

"I, Caelan Black, Prince of The Vale would like to publicly confirm that the rumors are true, Miss Acela Shaw and I are mates." I state with pride, and the camera's flash and the crowd ask questions all at once.

I look to my side and see my mate overwhelmed by the attention, I gently pull her to my side as I lace our hands together. I feel her relax slightly at my touch but I know this much would overwhelm any normal person.

Well, time to get the most annoying part out of the way.

"We have time for a few questions." The royal house public speaker announces and the crowd goes wild with their hands up.

I nod to a reporter and the crowd quiets. "Prince Caelan, Trish from the human realm, does this mean that you and Miss Shaw are going to be the next King and Queen?" She asks and I feel my mate sweat in my hand and I smile politely to the crowd.

I shrug. "Yes eventually, marriage first Trish." I say and the crowd laughs as Trish blushes.

I look down to my mate and wink and her face blushes, she moves slightly behind me to hide her face and I can't help the laugh that comes out of me from watching her cute reaction.

"Next question." I hint to someone I recognize on TV in The Vale.

The man bows respectfully. "Thank you Prince Caelan, I am Moran from The Vale times, you were missing for two years from the public eye, where were you?" He asks curiously.

I sigh deeply, I knew this would come up. "Did you miss me Moran?" I say jokingly and the crowd laughs. "On a serious note, as you all know I like my privacy, I took time away from the public eye to focus on personal matters."

Moran is satisfied with my answer and thanks me for my time and the Royal house speaker announces we only have time for one more question.

"This question is for Miss Shaw." A woman I don't recognize says and I look down to Acela to see if she's comfortable with this. Acela nods warily and steps closer to the microphones.

"Miss Shaw, are the rumors true that you rejected Prince Caelan the first time, two years ago?" She asks and the crowd erupts in chaos, and I feel myself grow pissed off.

What kind of fucking question is that? And who the fuck is her source of information? I was about to shut that shit down but Acela speaks, stopping me from doing so.

She breathes out."That's correct, yes." She says confidently and I feel her squeeze my hand. I look at her and she's smiling at me, I look at her confused but she shrugs and laughs nervously.

She sighs nervously as the crowd is now flashes of white light and erupting in multiple questions towards me. "Caelan and I met at difficult times and I felt it was best for myself to focus on me." My mate says and I feel the guilt creep into my gut as I listen to her.

I will never forgive myself for the pain I caused her and the shame I brought to my family.

The reporter hums and before she could ask another question, Acela interrupts her. "He was going through a difficult time, I have accepted that no one is perfect and I have accepted Caelan wholeheartedly as my mate." She says and I relax when she looks at me with her beautiful shy smile.

The crowd yells out for more questions for us and I ignore them, kissing my girl on the forehead and whispering 'i love you'. I turn and lead my mate off the stage as the house speaker takes over from there and me and Acela make our way back to my family, behind the stage.

I look at my mate and all I see is how fucking proud I am of her, she didn't lie like I would've done to save myself from shame, she faced the question head-on without any preparation.

She looks at me nervously with scared eyes. "Was that okay? I'm sorry If I embarrassed you, I just thought.. truth, you know?" She mumbles nervously and I laugh amused.

I can't keep the smile from my face, she is surprising me every time and I fucking love it. "No Acela, you did amazingly well, I'm honestly so proud of you right now." I state seriously then I lean take and take her mouth in mine and kiss her hungrily.

She turns me on so much, she's such a small shy thing around me most of the time but she's just proved that I shouldn't underestimate her, she is so fucking strong, brave, and fearless in the face of confrontation.

She's a fucking queen in my eyes.

A cough interrupts us as I glance and see my father stand there with a bored expression. I pull back from Acela but still hold onto her as she hides her red face from being caught into my chest. I chuckle and look at my father with a shrug.

My father hints for me to follow so I hold Acela close to me as he leads us into the room full of my family members and advisers. I see my mother first as she is clapping her hands and the room joins in.

"Alright, we get it." I say annoyed with an eye roll as I see Acela chuckle.

My sister Lisla stands in front of us and smiles widely at my blushing mate. "That was so awesome Acela, you looked like a queen out there! You handled that so well! I would have been a nervous wreck." She says and Acela giggles.

I snort, since when has Lisla ever been nervous or shy? She doesn't shut up and she walks towards the cameras instead of away from them.

I sigh as everyone begins to ask questions as we begin to sit down, I just want to be alone with my mate.

*****

I carry my sleeping mate in my arms up the stairs to my bedroom within the Palace. As much as I tried to escape the grasps of my family and the questions they were asking, it finally got too late for my girl as she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. She fell asleep instantly when my parents left, leaving just us two alone.

She weighs like a feather in my arms, so tiny and adorable. I made it to my room in record time while trying not to wake Acela up. I open the door with my free hand and slowly open the door, not turning the lights on as I can see in the dark. I lay my mate on my bed and she stirs in her sleep slightly but remains asleep.

She's exhausted.

I manage to take some of her clothes off so she doesn't get too warm in the night, starting with her shoes then her top and skirt. I leave her in her bra and underwear, I still can't get over the fact she is my mate and all mine.

She's so fucking beautiful inside and out, she lays on my bed with her hair sprawled out and she looks like a sleeping angel.

I begin to strip and head towards the bathroom to brush my teeth quickly so I can join my mate and be close to her so I can sleep. After the day we just had I need it. Without Acela, I would've definitely lost my temper at that last question. Which makes me think about how the fuck she got that information.

I need to find out, no one should have known but family and Acela's friends. I don't suppose her friends did it, although I have my suspicions still with that old Aldine vampire. I don't fucking trust her, something is off about her but I don't know what yet, when I do I will be the first to be there when she gets caught.

I just hope they don't involve Acela, I will kill anyone who dares harm her.

Ever since the fall of Braum, the Aldines had an in with him, half in but in none the less. They quickly denied any involvement and moved to a quiet part of The Vale away from the prying eyes of my father's spies who are keeping tabs on them, even to this day.

Finishing up in the bathroom I make my way into my bed, craving my mate's scent and beautiful soft pale skin against mine. She always does wonders to relax me without doing anything, I just can't simply live without her scent, her smile, her whole personality. She's so fucking attractive and amazing, in everything she does.

I feel my eyes begin to close and sleep slowly welcomes me until a sudden noise stops me and I find myself over Acela instantly, protectively hiding her as my wolf comes out and we look around the room to see where the noise came from.

It sounded like someone threw a rock at the window.

I glance at Acela one last time before I move from the bed, my claws are out and I'm ready for whatever caused that noise. If someone is here they will soon regret it.

I make it to the window and open the curtains slowly then I look down while I hide in the corner and see nothing, no one is there and it's quiet.

I catch my reflection in the window and I see something move behind me and before I could turn to see what it was, just in case Acela woke up but before I could check, I feel something sharp stab me in the side of my neck, I feel the fluid of whatever I was injected with entering my veins, the venom is causing me to lose my balance and whatever they injected me with causes my heart rate to beat uncontrollably in my chest. I growl deadly out as I try to stand and control myself but I fail to do so as I'm losing the battle to whatever the fuck they injected me with.

Who the fuck are these people?

I look to my mate helplessly and I try to speak, to shift, to do anything. Whatever it was they put in me is stopping me from doing anything to stop this.

I'm fucking seething and snarling at the mouth, I will kill them all, I will fucking kill them all if they fucking hurt my mate.

I try to mindlink someone, anyone but something is blocking me from doing so, I feel my eyes roll to the back of my head, the venom is working fast, and the last image I see before my head hits the hard floor is my beautiful mate being injected by something glowing by a shadow figure with no eyes as she struggles and calls my name.

I see whoever they are pick up my mate and that is the last thing I see before I'm out cold.

??? POV

"OK! He's out but not for long! Quickly grab the human and let's get out of here, she wants this done right!"

He has to pay for what his family did, starting with his filthy human mate.