ROYAL CONTEST

14| CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ALYSSA'S POV

It's been more than eight hours and I don't know if he is okay or not.

When I saw Owen leaving his chambers hours ago, I wanted to ask him if he was okay because I saw that he wasn't looking okay. That was before I saw him shifting into a big silver dragon.

I thought I was going to freak out, which I should've, but I didn't. I have never seen anything so beautiful in my life.

When they asked me if I believed that Clara was a werewolf, I didn't think he was different from her. I just thought he would be a wolf just like them.

I know that I might be worried for nothing. I don't know how long he has been like that and that maybe it might not be painful at all, but he's been gone for more than eight hours.

I wanted to go and ask his mother at first, but then I didn't think it would be appropriate to ask something like that. It is his private life and even though the empress seems to like me, I don't think she would answer me.

When I saw that I couldn't wait anymore, I decided to go to his chambers. At least I can wait for him there and when he comes back, I will see for myself if he is okay or not.

It's almost morning and in an hour or two, the sun will rise. I don't want people to know that I went to the prince's chambers, so it would be a good idea if I went now.

I wanted to be discreet but then his guards saw me, so I decided to go to them.

"Good morning, Lady Alyssa."

"Good morning. I am sorry to disturb you, but is the prince back?" They both looked at each other before they answered me.

"He just came back, my lady. He is inside."

"Oh. Can I see him?"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"It's okay, I know he must be tired but I won't stay long. I just want to make sure he is okay."

"That's not the reason why-"

"Let her in, Trevor." He didn't sound like a tired person.

"Of course, Your Highness. Lady Alyssa, you can go inside." He opened the door for me.

I only realised that I didn't really know what to say to him when I was finally inside. He wasn't in the living room and I couldn't see him anywhere.

I knew he was around because I felt his presence and for some reason, I could hear his heart beating.

I looked around and I have to say, the place suits him just fine. It really does look like a place where a crown prince of such a big empire should reside in.

"Alyssa." I was getting used to him calling me Lady Alyssa that when I heard him calling me just by my name, it sounded intimate.

"Good morning. Don't get me wrong, I just wanted to check on you. Can you show yourself?"

"For your safety and mine, I would rather stay where I am."

"I saw you earlier." I was hoping that he would come out when I said that but he didn't.

"That should be enough reason for you not to be here."

"Why should I? I am not scared."

"I am not worried that you might be scared of my dragon. If you were scared, you wouldn't be here. I am more worried about what I might do to you if you don't leave here as soon as possible."

"I don't think you can hurt me either, Owen, and I am not leaving until I am sure that you are okay." He didn't say anything for a while and I was beginning to think that he wasn't going to say anything.

"Your naiveness is so cute that even I don't know what to do about it. You know how I feel about you. I would never hurt you like that. I would rather kill myself than lay a finger on you."

It was then that everything made sense to me. He was staying away because he was scared that he might not control himself when he came near me.

I guess since he has already declared his love for me, his dragon wants to make me his. I don't know much about shifters but I know once they find the person they love, they will definitely want to mate with them.

If I was doubting his love for me at first, all the doubts have been cleared now.

I wanted to leave just like he asked, but then I also wanted to see for myself if he was alright.

"I know you are doing this for my sake but I won't be at peace if I don't see for myself that you are okay. You seemed like you were in pain when you left yesterday. What happened to you?"

He didn't say anything and I was hoping that he would show himself but he didn't. I couldn't even hear his heartbeat anymore.

I looked around and I still couldn't see him. I checked everywhere until I found a door that led me straight to his bedroom.

I didn't need anybody to tell me that because even though the living room smelled like him, in his bedroom his smell was very strong. Just like every part of his place, his bedroom suits him as well.

If he wasn't going to show himself, I was going to wait for him until he decides otherwise.

CROWN PRINCE OWEN'S POV

It was already hard for me to stay away from her when I saw the concern on her face. I didn't know what to do when she went to my room.

Her scent was already everywhere in my chambers and I knew my bedroom will also smell like her. I watched her as she touched the photo frame that was on the bedside table and smiled.

She put it back and looked around the room again. After that, she decided to sit on my f*****g bed!

I could feel my eyes changing and I struggled to control them. I don't think I still have the strength to fight with my dragon after what happened earlier.

I don't know how she sported me but she came to me without hesitation when she did. I wanted to tell her to run as far as possible but I couldn't say anything, nothing came out.

"I know you're worried about me but I know you would never do anything to me." I still wanted to tell her to leave but then my dragon had taken full control over me.

"Hi" She waved her hand shyly in front of me and that is when I realised that she knew I wasn't in control. How? Even I don't know that.

For some reason, my dragon blinked. I think he was also surprised by her reaction.

"Hello, little mate." It was her turn to blink her eyes.

"You can talk."

"Well, I basically live inside a human's body so it is impossible for me not to talk." I have never known my dragon to be this chatty.

"I guess you're right. Can I talk to Owen?"

"This is the first time I am having a conversation with you and I haven't said anything but you already want him? Should I be offended?" What is wrong with him today? If it was my wolf who was being chatty, I would understand because he has always been a talker but my dragon is the quiet one followed by my lycan who is always so quiet that I have even forgotten what his voice sounds like.

"No, I just want to talk to him. I don't know how this works but I am sure that you didn't ask for his permission to talk to me."

"Well, that's true. I don't have a reason to. I am more powerful than he is and it would be an insult if I asked for permission before doing anything." Son of a b***h!

"You just told me that you live inside his body and for that reason, it is impossible for you not to talk. That basically means that without him, you are also powerless. You both need each other."

"Well, I think you misunderstood me, little mate. I didn't say I am powerful without him, I only said that I am more powerful than he is. We are one. Each of us can't live without the other."

"That makes sense. Can I talk to him now? I want to make sure he is okay."

"Well, I am not going to risk having you as an enemy. I will give him control only if you promise me one thing though."

"What is it?"

"Next time, I can talk to you for as much as I want to. Is that okay?"

"I promise." It didn't take more than a few seconds before my eyes changed back to their original colour.

"You're back."

"Hi." I didn't exactly know what to say.

"Hi. I hope you don't mind that I'm in your room. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay." I think I'm going to be addicted to the way she looks when she's blushing. It's a rare sight! I don't know if I'm sick but I definitely want to see that more often.

"It's okay, I'm not mad." She looked at me and smiled a little. "I do have a question though."

"What is it?"

"How did you know it was no longer me that was talking to you?"

"I don't know, I just did. It was like an instinct, like a part of me knew it even though I also understand." She looked everywhere but at me. "I know it sounds crazy."

"No, it doesn't. There are lots of crazy things in this world but that's not one of them."

She didn't say anything for a while but I could tell that she wanted to say something. I wanted to know what she was thinking but then I didn't want to force her to tell me.

After a minute or two, she spoke again.

"I thought you were a werewolf like your sister and nephew. I guess I shouldn't assume things from now on." There it was again! That cute red flush on her cheeks.

"You didn't assume wrong, you just didn't know the whole truth."

"Huh?"

"I am a werewolf, but I'm also a dragon and a lycan."

"You're a tribrid?"

"Correct." She looked at me once again.

"Well, I guess it makes sense." You're beautiful.

"I don't think that's a word to describe a man, Sweetheart."

"I said that out loud, didn't I?" I didn't want to tell her that our minds are now connected as one so I just agreed with her.

"Yep."

Oh my God! Kill me now! I never thought of myself as someone with verbal diarrhoea! What if I end up telling him about my feelings by mistake?

I wanted to tell her that I already knew how she feels about me but then I always pride myself for being a gentleman, so I will do no such thing.

I just watched her as she kept saying all these kinds of things in her head.

I kissed her. Well, I don't know which one is the main reason why I did that but there's a lot.

The most important one is that I wanted to kiss her the moment she came into my chambers and the other is that I didn't want her to keep saying all these kinds of things in her head.

Although I love the feeling, I know she also deserves some privacy.

When I stopped, she didn't look away like she usually does, she looked at me.

"I know I promised that I was going to wait for you but I couldn't stop myself. I'm not going to apologize for kissing you though because it will just ruin everything."

She didn't say anything, she just looked at me. Even though she didn't say anything, her eyes told me what I wanted to know.

I don't need to do anything to impress her, the job is done already!