Chapter 11 lexie

It had been a couple of weeks since I arrived at the castle. In that time, life had settled into a strange routine that I never would have imagined for myself. Between helping where I could and adjusting to everything around me, there was one thing Alastor and Destiny both insisted on: training. Apparently, being the mate of a prince—and living in a kingdom that was constantly on guard for enemies—meant I needed to learn how to defend myself. Which was exactly how I ended up flat on my back on the training grounds floor. The wooden practice sword had slipped from my grip, and Destiny had me pinned in seconds. Her knee pressed lightly against my side as she held my wrist down, the tip of her training blade hovering over my chest. Around us, a few soldiers paused in their sparring to glance over before returning to their drills. “Too slow on the swipe,” Destiny said calmly. I groaned, staring up at the sky. “I noticed.” She laughed softly and stepped back, offering me her hand. I grabbed it, letting her pull me up onto my feet. “And you keep leaving your side open,” she continued, tapping my ribs lightly with the flat of the practice blade. “Right here. If that had been a real fight, you’d already be bleeding.” “Encouraging,” I muttered. Destiny rolled her eyes with a grin. I grabbed my water bottle from the nearby bench and took a long swig, letting the cool water soothe my dry throat. Training with the soldiers was exhausting. My arms ached, my legs were sore, and I was pretty sure I had bruises forming in places I didn’t even know could bruise. “I’m trying,” I said as I dropped onto the bench. “I know,” Destiny replied, sitting beside me. She nudged my shoulder lightly. “But Alastor worries about you,” she added. I sighed, staring down at my hands. “I know.” Destiny tilted her head slightly, studying me for a moment before smiling. “So do I,” she said. “You are my best friend after all.” I looked over at her and smiled. “I know.” For a moment we just sat there, listening to the sounds of swords clashing and soldiers shouting across the training yard. Then I nudged her with my elbow. “So,” I said, raising an eyebrow, “you got plans tonight?” Destiny’s cheeks turned slightly pink. “Angel is taking me on a date,” she admitted. I grinned. “Ooooh, a date.” She groaned and pushed my shoulder. “Shut up.” I laughed and stood, grabbing my bag. “Well,” I said casually, “so is Alastor.” Destiny’s grin widened immediately. “I know,” she said. We started walking back toward the castle together, the tall stone walls glowing softly in the late afternoon sunlight. “And you will love it,” she added. “Oh really?” “Yes really.” By the time we reached the hallway leading to Alastor and my room, Destiny stopped outside the door. “Go get ready,” she said. Then she winked. “You’ve got a prince waiting.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide my smile. Destiny laughed and headed down the hallway toward her own room, leaving me alone. I stepped inside my room and closed the door behind me. The space still felt surreal sometimes. The tall windows, the velvet curtains, the soft candlelight glowing against the stone walls—it all felt like something out of a dream. I walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out the outfit I had planned. After a quick shower, I got dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a frosty blue crop top. Over it, I slipped on a white knitted cardigan that hung loosely around my shoulders. I paired it with blue flats decorated with tiny white snowflakes. Once I was dressed, I sat in front of the mirror and curled my hair, letting the soft waves fall around my shoulders. Just as I finished, the door opened. Alastor stepped inside. For a moment, he just stood there looking at me. His eyes softened immediately. “You look gorgeous,” he said. I felt my cheeks warm and stood up, smoothing my cardigan. “I’m ready for the date,” I said. He smiled and held out his hand. “Then come with me.” I slipped my hand into his, and together we walked through the castle halls and out into the evening air. The sky was beginning to darken, streaks of purple and orange fading into deep blue as the sun set behind the mountains. Alastor led me down a path that curved away from the castle. “Where are we going?” I asked. “You’ll see,” he replied with a small smile. A few minutes later, we reached the entrance of a cave carved into the side of a hill. I blinked. “A cave?” Alastor chuckled softly. “Trust me.” He squeezed my hand gently. “Follow me.” We stepped inside. At first, the cave was dark. But as we walked deeper, soft glowing light began to appear along the walls. My breath caught. Blue crystals grew naturally from the stone like frozen flowers, casting a cool shimmering glow across the cave. Scattered around them were crystals in shades of purple and pink, reflecting the light in soft sparkling patterns. In the center of the cave was a small stone bench formed from the crystal itself. In front of it sat a yellow blanket spread neatly across the ground, with a pink picnic basket resting on top. The entire cave shimmered like something magical. “It’s beautiful,” I whispered. Alastor smiled. “I’m glad you like it.” He led me over to the blanket, and we both sat down. “Destiny said you would,” he admitted. I laughed softly. “She helped plan this, didn’t she?” “Maybe a little.” He opened the basket and pulled out two champagne glasses and a small plate filled with chocolate-covered orange slices. He handed one of the glasses to me. I took it and sipped the champagne, the bubbles tingling on my tongue. “I do like it,” I said softly. “Thank you for this.” Alastor picked up one of the orange slices and held it toward me. I raised an eyebrow but leaned forward and took a bite. The sweet chocolate mixed with the citrus perfectly. “Alastor,” I said, giggling. “What?” he asked innocently. I shook my head, smiling. “I’m glad you’re my mate.” His expression softened instantly. He leaned forward and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as the kiss deepened, and he gently pulled me onto his lap. For a moment the world seemed to disappear—the glowing crystals, the cave, everything. It was just us. When we finally pulled apart, he rested his forehead lightly against mine. “I’ve got one more surprise for you,” he said. I blinked. “You do?” He nodded. “Come on.” We packed up the basket quickly before heading back out of the cave. Night had fully fallen now, and the castle lights glowed warmly in the distance. Alastor led me toward the castle gates. As we approached, I noticed a small group of people standing just outside. I frowned slightly. “Alastor…?” Before I could finish the question, a familiar voice called out. “Lexie!” My heart stopped. I turned toward the sound. Standing there were two people I hadn’t seen in what felt like forever. “Mom? Dad?” I ran toward them before my brain could even process it. They wrapped their arms around me tightly. “Hey baby,” they said. Tears instantly filled my eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here,” I whispered. I pulled back just enough to look at them, making sure they were real. Behind them, I spotted two more familiar faces. “Mimmsy! Vincent!” They both smiled. I rushed over and hugged them too. “Mims!” I laughed. “We missed you,” she said. I looked back toward my parents in disbelief. “How are you here?” Mom smiled warmly. “Your mate brought us here,” she said. She gestured toward the castle. “He got us a nice house close to the castle gates.” I turned slowly toward Alastor. He stood a few steps away, watching quietly. I walked over to him. For a moment I couldn’t even find the words. “Thank you,” I said softly. His smile was gentle. “Anything for you.”