Rylan Pov
As I stood before the king, my eyes locked on the stunning woman beside him. My mother's growl still echoed in my mind, "It's her!" she had whispered to my father, her voice laced with a mixture of shock and excitement. But my father's warning glance was all the reminder I needed to keep my emotions in check.
The king's words resonated with me - "His daughter" - and I felt excitement and pride. I had been right all along. She was the white wolf, and I had been drawn to her from the moment I saw her Wolf.
But as I gazed at her, I couldn't help but notice how she seemed captivating another man's attention. Rio stepped forward, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me back before I could react. "Rylan, what's going on?" he asked, his voice low and concerned.
I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I don't know," I admitted. "But I can feel it too. We're all drawn to her."
Ed and Enzo nodded in agreement, their eyes fixed on Eliza with a mixture of longing and desire. "Oh goddess, it's happening," Enzo muttered, his voice barely audible.
And then Ed spoke up, his tone venomous. "And yet here she is, she's dancing with another," he snarled. “Can't she feel the connection?”
Rio's grip on my arm tightened. "Oh, she can, but she's fighting it. Rylan, remember what happened when she rejected you," he reminded me. "She would have to reject us together for any rejection to begin.”
“Yes, I know.” I felt anger at the thought of another man touching her, but we had to stay calm and think this through if we were going to win Eliza's heart.
“Princess Eliza, you can't be with him! You know the truth, don't you?”
I stood tall, my voice echoing through the silent ballroom, my eyes locked on Eliza and Ryder. The music had stopped, and the crowd was staring at me, their faces a mixture of shock and curiosity. I didn't care. I was beyond caring.
"Eliza, don't pretend to be happy with someone else when you know you're meant to be with us," I thundered, my words hanging in the air like a challenge. The room was silent as if time had stood still.
Eliza refused to meet my gaze, and she huddled closer to Ryder like he was her Knight in shining armour.
“The Princess is happy to dance with me,” Ryder stated smugly. “Isn't that right, Princess Eliza?”
My bitterness flooded like a tidal wave, but I kept my emotions in check. I couldn't let my feelings get the better of me.
My father stepped forward, his voice calm and commanding. "Rylan, that's enough. You're making a scene."
But I didn't back down. "No, Father,” I said, my voice firm. "I won't stand by and watch her dance with someone else. She's our mate, and we won't let her get away with this." I turned to my brothers, who nodded in agreement and stood beside me.
“You boys better back down at once, right now.” my father demanded.
The king's voice boomed through the room, silencing the murmurs and gasps of the assembly. "Let him speak," he repeated, his eyes fixed on me with a piercing intensity.
My father's hand, which had been grasping my arm, loosened its grip, and he stepped back, his face a mixture of annoyance and concern.
“Speak, boy. What are you trying to say?” The King demanded to know.
“Your Majesty, I am saying that your daughter is our mate. We are destined to be together as one. We are the quadruplet brothers of Creek.” I explained politely.
The king's face turned red with rage, and his eyes bulged out of his head. "You dare to say such a thing?" he thundered. "My daughter, the princess of the realm, is not some common shifter to be claimed by your pack? You are nothing but a bunch of savage beasts!"
I felt angry at the king's words, but I kept my temper in check. I knew that I had to be calm and respectful if I wanted to get through to him.
"No, Your Majesty," I said, my voice measured. "We are not savage beasts. We are shifters, yes, but we are also loyal subjects of the realm. And we are willing to do whatever it takes to prove our worth and earn the right to be with Princess Eliza."
The king's expression turned sceptical, and he raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think you have the right to claim her?" he demanded.
I took a deep breath before answering. "Because we have a connection I never felt with anyone else," I said. "The connection of the true mate. It's a sense that can only be felt by those who are meant to be together. The moon goddess blessed us with Eliza as our mate.”
I glanced at my father, who was fidgeting uncomfortably on the spot. He didn't like what I was saying.
The king's expression turned thoughtful, and he looked at me with a newfound interest. "Tell me more," he said, his voice slightly softer. He gestured for Eliza to go to him, and she did.
"Your Majesty, we stand before you and attest that our bond with Princess Eliza is genuine," Rio said, his voice sincere. "We've known her since childhood, thanks to our mother's efforts. She found Eliza and placed her with the omegas, unaware of her wolf or true nature. One night, Eliza vanished, leaving only memories of her time with us. The night Rylan discovered her again, she was with Theron, and he ordered Rylan to leave his territory. That night, Eliza felt something when she gazed into Rylan's eyes, a spark neither of us other quadruplets understood until we were in the princess’s presence, here in your Palace, Your Majesty."
The king's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward, his voice taking on a calculating tone. "I see," he said. "And you believe this connection is strong enough to overcome the objections of your pack?"
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "Yes, Your Majesty," I said. "We are willing to do whatever it takes to prove our worth and earn the right to be with Princess Eliza."
The king's expression turned thoughtful, and he nodded slowly. "I will need time to consider your words," he said. "But I will say this: if you are indeed the true mates of my daughter, then you will need to prove it to me. And I will not be easy to convince."
"I understand, Your Majesty," I said, bowing my head. "We will do whatever it takes to prove ourselves worthy of Princess Eliza."
The king's eyes seemed to bore into me as if searching for any sign of deception. But I stood tall, my heart pounding in my chest.
“But father, I do not want them as my mates. They made my life hell when I was part of their pack.”
The king's eyes flicked towards his daughter, and I could see the concern etched on his face.
Rio's hand on my arm kept me from reacting. "Eliza, don't be afraid," he whispered. "We just want to be with you."
The king's face darkened, and he turned back to me."My daughter is not some plaything to be won or lost. She is a princess, and she deserves to be treated as such."
I stood tall, my heart pounding in my chest. "I know that, Your Majesty," I said. "But I also know that Eliza is our mate. And we will do whatever it takes to make her happy." my brothers nodded in agreement.
"You're a foolish imbecile; you've already agreed to mate and mark Daniella as your mate and Luna of the creek!" my father thundered, his face red with rage. I caught the venomous glare Eliza directed at the mention of Daniella's name.
"No, we haven't," I retorted, my voice sharp with defiance. "You're trying to force us to take her because you're unwilling to accept Eliza as our Luna."
The king's eyes blazed with fury, and he slammed his fist on the table. "Enough!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "I will not tolerate this disrespect in my palace! Guards take them to my private chambers.”