FATED ROYAL HEAT

Alexia

"Crap..how is it so late and I didn't know?" I quickly pack up my stuff and move to the garage as I slide into the driver side of the car and drive home.

As I'm about to step into the house, I see a black gold sealed envelope with a royal seal and I'm frozen momentarily. It's been twenty years away from home and living with humans and working from a distance with the eldest Prince who is the CEO of the company I work for.

I pick up the letter and walk right into the house but as I stand by the sink, with water running over my fingers long after I'd stop washing the plate I used for dinner I'm lost in thought as I stare at the envelope sitting on my table as dread slides into my spine making me shiver physically.

Something is wrong....

My feet move away from the sink as I make my way to the letter and study the intricate patterns around it; silver colour, three crowns and a wolf crest. I exhale but as I'm about to open the letter, a voice speaks behind me "Don't Alexia.."

I freeze...of course he's here and he's inside my house even without a key so I stay frozen and avoid turning immediately because I have been avoiding him directly for as long as I can remember.

"I didn't hear you coming into the house Jackson." I say with a steady voice.

"I own the building Alexia...besides you've been very distracted and you never hear anything when you're distracted." He says calmly.

Footsteps echo softly behind me as I'm overwhelmed by his presence. "Move.." He says.

"No.." I quickly pull the letter to myself but the moment I place it on my chest, his finger tip brushes my hand and a spark snaps against my skin as I gasp but then he places his hand completely over mine, ignoring my reaction.

"Let me see it.." He says

"I'm already checking."

His grip tightens just slightly, not enough to hurt but enough to leave a reminder that he could if he wanted to. "It's from home isn't it?"

"You don't know that." I swallow

"I do...look at the seal Alexia."

I exhale as I take his feature in...the boy I knew growing up is gone and in his place is a man fit for a king so handsome he leaves most breathless and I hate that I noticed.

"Open it."

"No." The word makes its way out of my mouth instantly. I step back, pulling my hand away from his feeling the loss of the warmth of his hands.

"I'm not going back Jackson...whatever this is, whatever is going on- it has nothing to do with me."

" That's not how this works Alexia."

"It is now." I snap and his jaw tightens

"You think they'd send in something like this if it didn't matter?"

"I don't care."

"You're lying to yourself Alexia."

"Am I? I have built a life here."

"You have hidden here...big difference."

The words hit me hard as I exhale "And what about you Prince Jackson? Have you also not hidden here the whole time?"

"I never hid. I was waiting."

"For what?"

His eyes drop briefly to the letter in my hand.

"For this."

"No...don't you dare Jackson."

"We were always going to go back home, Alexia , this isn't our home."

"I said no! That place is no home of mine."

"Well deal with your misgivings Alexia...I should be the bitter one."

"They protected you." I scoff

"They abandoned me. Open it Alexia" He snaps.

Slowly I open the letter and take in the contents "No..."

"What does it say?"

"We've been summoned to return home."

"When?"

"Immediately."

For a moment, he says nothing then a slow smile overtakes his features and a shiver runs down my spine "Guess it's about time."

"You're not serious."

"I am."

"You really want to go back?"

" We were always going to go back home, Alexia."

"Not me..."

"Why not Alexia? Because two years back you suddenly realised your body reacts strongly to my presence so you chose avoidance?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

" Really?" He steps close to me and I step backwards immediately as he chuckles "You can't hide behind fear forever Alexia...sooner or later we'd have to address this."

"There's nothing to be addressed." I snap

"Are you sure about that? If there's nothing to be addressed, why are you running away from me?"

"I am not running." I stand still and exhale. My wolf has been dormant for years...a path of me feels even broken for this reason. I'm so lost in my thoughts I don't hear him until his palm touches my cheek and a million zaps move through me as I gasp...how is this even possible?

"You feel the bond don't you Alexia?"

"I feel nothing." I try to move away

"Liar...you are ours Alexia. Deny it all you want but it does not change reality."

For the first time in years, I feel a tiny flicker of movement from my wolf and I am stunned. "I reject this bond, I reject it all."

"You don't get to reject nothing Alexia...I've been respectful, given you space but that's all you get." I try to walk away but suddenly he pulls me back and kisses me, I lose sense of time as my treacherous body responds with my nipples hardening. I push him away and walk out of the house and drive down to a studio where some work colleagues have been waiting for me and change.

The shoot is still ongoing when I suddenly feel everyone around me freeze; I look up and find Jackson with his ever suffocating presence as he clears his throat "Apologies but work is over right now." I'm trying to come up with a retort when he simply walks up to me and picks me up like I weigh nothing, when we get to the car he uses his jacket to cover the films material I have on but then I realise we weren't going back home "Don't you dare Jackson...what happens to my life here?" I break into a tiny sob and he pulls me closer to himself "We'd keep the businesses and visit from time to time but mother commands we return. You need to calm down. We'd figure things out when we get there." I try moving away from his lap but he holds my waist "Except you want me to fuck you senseless before getting to our destination you need to stop moving." I freeze immediately after hearing him say these words.

We get to the private plane but as we alight, sudden bullets fly from different directions at us and he shields me with his body as a bullet pierces his skin. He grunts but picks me up and we walk into the plane."

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