The Crown Prince Reluctant Mate

***Bethany***

"Why won't you just let me have you?"

James moved closer, his hands gently caressing my shoulder, sending chills down my spine, but I needed to hold on to my resolve.

"Not yet," I said, trying to wiggle free from his grasp.

"How long do you want me to wait?" James pulled back, his brows furrowing.

"I need more time. Give me more time," I said with a measured tone.

Aware that we have had this conversation a lot of times. We'd been dating for over five months, and I couldn't come to terms with letting him get intimate with me, for the fear of being treated as trash afterwards.

James, who was no longer finding the discussion interesting, stood up and left my apartment. "We'll see some other time," he said gloomily, not waiting for a reply before slamming the door behind him.

A few minutes later, my roommate and only friend, Zara, walked in. "Hey girl," she smiled at me. "I saw James leaving. Did you give 'it' to him?" She asked with a mischievous smile.

I knew what she meant, and I chuckled. "Don't be naughty. I already told you, I want to remain chaste. No sex until the wedding night."

Zara and I shared a laugh, but then she turned serious. "I don't know what dreamland you're living in, but you need to wake up to reality. Nobody does that these days. You're just going to chase your boyfriend into the hands of another woman willing to have him. And you know he's irresistible- he's the son of the alpha of our pack. You don't know the gold you're throwing away."

I shook my head, and maintained my resolve. "If he loves me, he'll wait."

I sighed, knowing that nobody would understand if they hadn't experienced what I had experienced- witnessing the abuse my mother faced in her marriage. Maybe they would have understood me if they had walked in my shoes.

****Two weeks later****

Since James last visited my apartment, he hadn't dropped by again, although we still had phone conversations. But I noticed he'd been distant- the calls weren't as frequent or intimate as they used to be. The love messages had also stopped.

I decided to take a different approach. If sex was what James wanted, I'd give it to him, hoping it would bring back the spark in our relationship. I loved James and knew he wouldn't want to tarnish his image as the son of the alpha, probably the next alpha of our pack. I didn't want him to stray.

With today being Valentine's Day and our six-month anniversary, I decided to surprise James with what he desired the most- SEX

I had wanted Zara to join me in picking out a Valentine's card, but she was nowhere to be found. I'd been calling her all day, but she wasn't answering. So, I picked out the card myself. I loved the message inside- it read:

"You're my sunshine, my only sunshine, the one that brightens me at all times, I have been the happiest woman on earth, since I got to be your girlfriend. I promise to always cherish, and adore you until my last breath."

I giggled after reading the message, knowing James would love it. I also picked out a smartwatch from the watch store and a leather belt he'd admired when we passed by the store. Packing everything into a carrier bag, I smiled to myself.

I wore my pink panties and matching pink bra, applied a nice cologne, and styled my hair in a sophisticated way I'd never tried before.

"James has no idea what was coming his way tonight," I said with a wide grin.

To confirm he'd be home, I tried calling him, but he wasn't picking up either. Not wanting to spoil the surprise, I didn't text him and instead headed to his apartment.

I stood outside James' apartment, my heart racing with excitement- I have never gotten laid. Tonight would be amazing. I took a deep breath, adjusted the carrier bag in my hand, and slowly turned the doorknob. The door creaked open, and I slipped inside.

At first, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. The room was dimly lit, with soft music playing in the background. But as my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw them. James and Zara were tangled together on the bed, their bodies moving in unison.

My eyes widened in horror as I froze, My hand still clutching the carrier bag. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, as my jaw dropped. James and Zara were so caught up in their passion, moaning shamelessly, that they didn't even notice my standing there.

As I watched in tears, James whispered something in Zara's ear. My ears perked up, and I strained to listen.

"I only asked her out because of the bet," James said, his voice low and husky. "My friends dared me to sleep with her within six months. They knew how tough she was, how focused on her studies... I was supposed to win the bet, but she wasn't forthcoming. So, I decided to end it."

I felt like my world had been shattered. The package in my hand slipped from my fingers, dropping to the floor with a soft thud. The sound broke the spell, and James and Zara finally noticed my standing there.

Their gaze met, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. My heart was breaking, and my eyes blazed with anger and hurt.

This revelation had come at the perfect time, before I'd allowed him to claim me completely, thanks to the moon goddess. But then again, hearing James' whispered confession to Zara: that I was just a bet, a challenge to win, cut deep into my soul, shattering my heart into a million pieces.

"I'm sorry, Bethany, it's... it's not what you think it is," Zara's trembling voice broke into my thoughts.

I turned to her, my gaze shifting from Zara to James, as my heart thumped loudly against my chest. "How is it not what I think it is?" I snapped, my anger rising.

Instead of responding, James smiled, loosening his grip on Zara. This further broke my heart.

"He's irresistible, huh?" I flashed with anger, launching at Zara and grabbing her hair. "Is this what you meant? You couldn't resist your best friend's boyfriend?"

I knew I was no match for Zara in a physical fight. She was an omega like me, but she had shifted into her wolf form two years ago, giving her the strength that I lacked.

James sat back, smiling mockingly, as if entertained by the scene unfolding before him.

"I don't want to hurt you," Zara tried begging me off at first, but when I bit her hard, inflicting excruciating pain, her wolf took control. Her eyes flashed red, and she launched at me with ferocity, pinning me down.

James didn't intervene, instead pouring himself a drink and watching us with an air of amusement.

I wasn't thinking clearly. Just as Zara's wolf had taken control of her, my rage had taken control of me. What was I thinking, fighting a wolf in my human form, knowing fully well that their strength was higher and mine was no match for a wolf?

My eyes landed on a silver spoon and a knife beside it. My survival instinct kicked in, and I grabbed the knife. Being silver, I knew it would harm Zara. With my rage-fueled instinct, I grabbed the knife and was ready to stab Zara.