Where is he?

Three large black BMW cars stood ready in front of the palace of King Graydon. Black bags lay in a pile in front and Jesper and Lukas kept stacking them in the trunk. We were ready to go. Where was he? The sun gleamed low over the hill. My wish was to leave early, but I didn't want to go without him. Rupert stood next to me and gave me a walkthrough of the road ahead, but I didn't follow, I was tired, so tired. My night had been long sleepless, cold and lonely. It was about 6 hours drive home and I longed for my bed with him next to me.

Suddenly I froze. Goose skin spread up the sleeves and over my neck. Rupert stopped talking and followed my gaze fixed on Leo. His hood was pulled far above his head and the cap stuck out just over his eyes covered with black sunglasses. He proceeded at a steady pace across the courtyard towards us, dumped his luggage in the pile and sat down in the closest car.

My shoulders sank with relief. I nodded to Rupert and got in the car to sit next to Leo. He didn't acnowlege me. Small music drums thundered from his ears.

Well at least I didn't have to think of anything to talk about for the next 6 hours. I sank back into the seat and closed my eyes in relief. He was here, he was with me, everything would be okay.

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"Rex" Rupert shook me awake

"Rex!"

"Yes" I rubbed my eyes.

We were home, I had slept for 6 hours, and I was not the only one, Leo seemed to have just woken up aswell, as he yawned and stretched beside me. We got out of the car and grabbed our luggage.

"Come" "I'll show you your room" I didn't turn around to see if he was following me, I hadn't needed it, I felt his presence.

Our castle was one of a kind. I have been in dusins of castle all over the world, being the prince did come with the perk of traveling all over. And none of them came even close to our kingdom, but I guess every 20year old prince thinks the same, that their castle is the best, probably the boy in us needing to have the biggest and coolest toys. And everytime I look at our castle and how its carved out from the mountain behind it, I cant help but know I've won.

I open the door to my living room and guided Leo through. It was a big room with only a couch and a tv, just what I needed. And the window open up to a small porch. I had barely put my bag down before Riley came jogging in.

"Rex, hey man, your dad wants to see you in the meat hall" His smile was wide and truly unaware he was giving me the death sentence. Ah...litle Riley, to be young and naive again.

"Thanx Riley"

He hold the door open for me, waiting. I headed towards the opening but turned at the last minute to look at Leo.

He was standing in the midle of the living room like a lost litle puppy, his shades were of and revealed a pair of red tired eyes. Had he been crying? My heart ached to hold him and I almost went back to him, -almost.

"I need to speak to my father" my fists clenched together, I didn't want to leave him, but this thing with my father wasn't going to be pretty. And I most definitly didn't want him to se me getting my ass whooped. "sorry, I'l come get you soon after" I didn't wait for his answer, just headed out the door.

"Dead man walking!" Riley yelled as we walked down the corridore, I shoot him a death glare, and he smikkerd behind me. Sneeky litle bastard.

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Father was pacing back and forth between the tables in the meat hall. Shit, he never paced, this is bad. I walked up alongside the long row of tables towards him, a few people were scattered all around. some on cleaning duty, others eating a late lunch, probably back from patroling the east side.

The kings royal chair stod in the front of the four tables, one my father rarely used. I reached the front faster than expected but my father had yet to look at me. My body felt stiff and I leaned on the nearest table, head low, waiting. The air getting tenser by the second.

It took him a couple of minutes, he stopped pacing and turned towards me. "YOU...." voice thick with authority. His hand pulled through the little hair he had left, shaking a little, he push out a heavy breath. "What am I going to do with you"

Stay low, I reminded myself, I knew my place and needed to keep my mouth shut, it would be okay.

"You hade ONE job, one tiny tiny one, find a mate. And I send you out far and wide so you could choose from the top. You didn't have to like her you just had to tolerate each other, create a family. So when the day comes for you to rule this kingdom you wouldn't be alone, and your successors would neatly follow. Why couldn't you listen to me just this ONCE!" he growled and slamed his fist on the table next to me, dady bear close to the surface.

"Technically I did what you told me" I swallowed and cringed as my father shifted to a big black bear roaring high above me. Me and my lose tongue.

The bench next to me came flying through the room and went smashing into the wall. This time I stayd put and held my tongue. He shifted back and slumped down next to me on the other bench still in place.

"In times like this I need you to trust me. I need you to be a good leader for our people, and trust me when I say you are not ready." His words hit me like a blow.

"Im sorry"

"I know you are not. You are not sorry. And that's what scares me the most." He got up and stod in front of me. "You did this for yourself. You didn't once stop to consider all the other people affected by your decision."

"That's not fair dad, its not like I had a choice."

"No! What you did to that boy is not fair. You always have a choice."he growled "Did you ever stop and think about him in all this? What he wanted or how he feels about this, leaving his home, being dragged here by you." his words rang with dominance.

My mouth felt dry and words didn't come.

"You" he pointed his midle finger towards me."- and you alone"

Goosebumps prickled my neck, and my head jerked towards the doors. Leo stod leaning against its frame, his hand in his jeans pocket. His hood was pulled of his head and his blonde curls were a lovely wild and free mess.

My father followed my gaze and with a deep breath he beckoned the boy over.

Leo unhinged himself gracefully from the frame and walked steadily towards us, his gaze never leaving. He looked focused, a man with a mission, he looked like a prince.

He stopped in front of my father, hands folded in his back, at ease and head held high. God he was beautiful.

"Alright boy, let me have a look at you" My father went into interrogation mode, he needed to know what animal he was letting into his chicken coop.

The king circled the boy, his eyes fixed on the merchandise. He hit Leo lightley on the leg, and I immediately tense and took a step closer to Leo. "strong legs" my father mutterd to himself. His hands squeezing lightley around Leo's bicep "strong arms". He kept walking until he stod infront of Leo "a little bit skinny, but we can fix that" The king gazed down at the boy "How old are you?"

"Sixteen sir"

My fathers eyebrows went up and his gaze shifted to me. Shit. I mean I knew he was younger than me but sixteen, fuck. I swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably on my feet.

"And your animal form" he scratched the stuble on his chin "If I remember correctly Leo you are a bear?".

"He is a" -Beautiful golden, I left that part out, "hawk"

The king looked surprised but didn't comment. Putting on a smile he gave out a hand to my mate "Welcome to the Black Blood tribe" Leo shook it steadily and a series of cheers filled the meat hall. Looking around, more shifters had made their way inn, cheering on our newest member. A flood of relief filled me.

"Come Leo, let me show you around" my father put a brotherly hand on Leo's shoulders and started walking out of the meat hall. I started following them but was cut of mid track "Not you Rex, your on toilet scrubbing and middle ground patrolling for the next month". Shoulders slump, I couldn't do anything but watch as my mate stroll out with the King.