My Mate and Brother's Betrayal

5 Happy Birthday One Year Later

Jasmine POV

I make my way with my children, Daniel and Diana, through the castle and toward the servants' quarters. A few of the guards look in our direction and I wonder if they will report my presence to David. I'm grateful when no one makes an attempt to stop me as I carry the covered tray. I'll deal with whatever consequences come, from us visiting Drake. David has never laid a hand on our children, so I know they won't be punished.

David is too busy with Jiselle to care where the f**k I am at this moment. Goddess, I wish he would just release me and marry my b**ch of a sister. I hate him so much. I know that will never happen as we are the Elven King and Queen. I love my children and would never regret them. I just wish they had a different father. I push thoughts of my beloved from beloved from my mind.

I could never leave my children behind, and he would never let me take them away from the

kingdom. The fact that Daniel is going to be the next king means I will never be free of that ba**ard. I push that thought away, knowing that I wouldn't want to leave Drake behind either. Goddess only knows what would happen if I wasn't here to care for him.

Today is Drake's eighteenth birthday. This would normally be the happiest day of his life having the possibility of meeting his beloved, but my ba**ard of a husband has made sure that will never happen for Drake. Along with taking his voice and throne, he has taken the

possibility of him finding his beloved with the veil spell he spoke over Drake when he was just five years old.

I know he was there the day that his parents died and even though he can't tell me exactly what happened, I know David is the real reason they are gone. My heart broke the day he brought Drake to our home. He cried for hours while I held him close to me. That was the day I knew he was mine, and I would do everything in my power to protect him.

I knock on the door and a few seconds later a boy I consider my oldest son opens the door. He may not be my blood, but he is mine in every other way. I have protected him the best I could over the years. Thankfully, the physical abuse stopped rather abruptly when Elder Samuel saw Drake's bruises. After that, the abuse was mostly mental and didn't happen often as I kept Drake out of David's sight.

He is treated as a servant, but I do my best to show him the love that all children deserve to know. As soon as Drake sees me and the kids, he smiles. He waves for us to come in, and I set the tray down on a rickety table that sits in the corner of his room. I lift the lid and Drake's

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smile grows. "Happy Birthday, Drake" is written in my writing on a small chocolate cake. He pulls me in for a hug. He does the same to Daniel and Diana. "Happy Birthday" they say in unison.

Daniel hands him the small package that contains a journal and pen. The only way Drake can communicate is by writing. I see tears well in his eyes as he quickly writes the words "thank you" on the first page. We visit for an hour before I lead the children back to our wing.

As soon as we step inside the living room, my body freezes. David is sitting on the couch

swirling an amber liquid in a glass. "Daniel and Dianna, go to your room. I will come get you for dinner." I press a kiss to both their heads before they rush down the hallway. David pats the couch next to him and, despite my apprehension, I quickly take my seat. I fight the urge to gag

when I smell my sister's sickly sweet perfume on him. He reaches up, brushing my long darkAll text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

hair off my shoulder.

"Are you upset with me, my love, because I was with your sister?" His question catches me off guard. "Of course not my king. I know it is me that you love.""That's right, your sister is merely a wh*re that I f**k roughly, but you are my queen. The woman I love more than anything. If you know all of this, why do you continue to defy me" he says, grabbing my arm roughly. "I'm not sure what you are talking about, my king." "You know exactly what I'm talking about. I have told you about treating that little ba**ard with kindness. Do you know how long it took me to convince the Elders he was not fit to rule the kingdom so that our son would be the next ruler and yet you still defy me?"

I stay quiet, knowing no matter what I say it will not stop the punishment I'm about to receive. "Whip or belt my love" he asks like we are talking about the weather. "Belt" I say. I wish I could say that this was the first time I've had this choice, but it's not. The whip has a tendency to rip my skin, so I chose the belt. He kisses my knuckles.

"Go get ready my queen. We have visitors arriving soon from the vampire kingdom and we can't keep them waiting" he says. "Yes, my king," I say and walk down the hallway. I take a few deep breaths before I push the door to our room open. I need to be strong for my children. I would take the belt every day to make sure that Drake knows he is not alone.

Lily POV 

The light shining through the window feels warm on my skin. It's crazy to think that Colton turns eighteen today. Since the day he promised to be a better friend, he truly has. Camille still

makes snide comments when he isn't around, but for the most part she leaves me alone. Leo

is still an a**hat but he and Colton aren't really friends anymore. I wonder who Colton's mate

will be. 

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I really hope it's not Camille. "Who do you hope it is" Ariel asks. "Ariel, let this go. I do not want to be Colton's mate." "Lily, you can lie to everyone else, but you can't lie to me. I know ever since Colton has become a better friend you have developed feelings for him," Ariel says. "Ariel, I know we aren't related by blood, but it would still be weird if we were mates. Besides,

could 

you imagine what Camille would do if she found out that Colton was mated to me?"

"I do, but I also know we can beat her a** without breaking a sweat" Ariel says. "That we can" I say, rolling out of bed. I grab a quick shower and pull on my favorite pair of denim jeans. I grab

my favorite t-shirt and a pair of ballerina flats. Pulling my hair into a French twist before I swipe on pink lip gloss.

When I make it into the living room, everyone is already making their way down to set up for the party. Colton won't be back till this afternoon. He spent the last week in the Golden Leaf visiting with Sam and Marco. I grab some of the streamers to decorate the hall. When I step inside, Camille and her cronies are already here.

I decide to go to the kitchen to help with the food. When I step inside, I fight back a laugh as Gia bops around listening to whatever music is playing in her earbuds. I wait a few seconds before I tap her on the shoulder. "Oh, my goddess, you scared the hell out of me Lily" she says. "Sorry, just came to offer my help." Why aren't you decorating with the rest of Colton's friends?" 

"I would just rather help you." "So this has nothing to do with that little b**ch that dates Colton" she asks. "No, of course not" I say, and she crosses her arms over her chest. Clearly, showing me, she knows I'm full of it. "Fine, I just don't want to have to deal with her talking about how she is going to be Colton's mate." A knowing smirk spreads across her face, but thankfully she doesn't push me anymore.

Why does everyone think I want to be Colton's mate? He is my friend. My words sound weak even to myself. Sh*t, how am I supposed to deal with him finding his other half? I busy myself in the kitchen and a few hours later everything is ready. I make my way to the ballroom and notice it's pretty much empty. I head back upstairs to change into my dress. When I push the

door open to our wing I notice the faint scent of sugar cookies.

"What's wrong Lily" my mom asks when she steps into the room. "Did you bake sugar cookies for the party?" "No, I didn't. Should I have" she asks. "No, I just thought I could smell them. I'm going to get ready. Is Colton back?" "Yes; he actually just left to head to his room to get ready for the party,"

It doesn't take me long to change into a thigh-length green maxi dress that matches my eyes. make my way toward the stairs but the scent from earlier stops me in my tracks. "Ariel, why do I keep smelling sugar cookies?" I start to move toward the scent, and I'm shocked to find

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that its coming from Colton's room. Holy sh*t, this can't be possible. I'm not eighteen. I shouldn't be able to scent my mate.

Before another question can form in my brain, a loud moan has my eyes snapping toward the door. "Ariel," I say and she whimpers. "I'm so sorry Lily. I wish I could have protected you from

this." "What are you talking about? You knew that Colton was our mate? You knew he would

do this to us?" "No, I didn't, but I still wish I could protect you from this pain. Let's just leave Lily. Maybe he doesn't realize we are his mate?"

"F**k that. Even if he didn't, he sure as hell knows that the b**ch he is f**king isn't his mate.

Besides, mom said he was in our wing. His wolf would have scented us. He is betraying me

and he knows it." I put my hand on the knob, taking a deep breath before I finally push the door

open. 

A scream and scrambling is all that registers until my eyes meet Colton's. "Lily" he says, his

voice sounding so broken, but at this moment I don't care. I hate him. I wish I had never let him back in my heart. Then maybe this wouldn't hurt so much. I turn ignoring him yelling my name.