Chapter 20

Bloom.

I woke up the next morning to have the sun streaming down onto my face. I had a pain in my neck from
yesterday,

Flashback.

"I now pronounce you queen." The former king, James fathers voice boomed. Now was time for James
to mark me.

You see, if the king hadn't marked his mate earlier it had to be done during coronation.

Flashback over.

So that's why it hurts so much. James had to take me straight to bed as I was feeling sleepy from the
after effects.

With the coronation over, today was the day I was going to meet his parents.

Beside me, I felt around the bed to find James gone, in his place was a note.

Hey Bloom,

I am just getting everything with my parents ready. I will be back before you know it.

Oh, so that's where he went.

I decided to get out of bed to get ready.

I took a fairly short shower before changing into a short, frilled black dress. Paired with brown lace up
boots that come to just below my knees.



Walking down the stairs and into the kitchen, I grabbed an apple before walking outside.

I needed some air before James and I went to meet his parents at lunch.

I was nervous, there was no denying that. It's not everyday you meet your mate/boyfriends parents for
the first time.

I heard footsteps approach me from behind, the gentle footfalls came closer before slowing to a stop.

"Hey Bloom, what you up to?" The voice of none other than David, James's Beta asked, startling me
out my previous thoughts.

"Oh, nothing much, just enjoying the air for a bit," I answered, felling slightly embarrassed at my
sudden jump.

He just chuckled at me. I continued staring off into the distance, leaning against the patio doorframe.

"James told me to aka you to meet him in the kitchen in ten minutes,"

"Okay, thank you David, I will go in a minute,"

I heard the footsteps growing distant signalling that he had left me in the garden.

I started walking back into the castle and towards the small kitchen on the royals floor. This is the
kitchen me and James were mostly in.

Opening the small door into the open kitchen, I saw James leaning against the countertop, phone in
hand.

As soon as he saw me he instantly put away his phone and walked over to me.

I wrapped my arms around his torso, feeling calm in his arms.



"Hey Hun, you ready to meet my parents?" He asked, stroking one hand down my back, the other
around my waist.

"Sure, I'm just a bit nervous." I admitted, the truth is I am extremely nervous.

He led me out through the kitchen doors and into a long hallway.

The walls were covered in pictures of past royals, all the way up to James. I'm not on there yet
because I need to be portrayed onto a picture with James.

At the end of the hallway we came to a large door. Opening the door, we entered into a small sitting
room. The large black L shapes couch sat against the wall on the left. A dark mahogany table sat in the
middle of the room.

Double glass doors placed at the back of the room into the gardens.

I felt a squeeze at my hand as I realised that we were standing in front of his parents.

"Hello dear, I am sage and this is my mate, James's father, Axel," The kind voice of James mother
spoke made me feel warm inside. She had a very soft motherly voice. I noticed I haven't seen my own
mother over the past few days I have been back.

"Hey, I am Bloom," I try to answer as politely as possible.

"Well, would you two like to sit down and we can get to know each other," His fathers voice boomed
slightly over his mothers.

James sat down on the seat opposite his parents, pulling me down onto his lap.

They just stared at me whilst I fidgeted with my fingers.



I was stunned for words. His parents seemed so nice.

Let's hope they aren't anything like my dad was.

~After meeting the parents~

"Hey James?" I asked, we were now back in the bedroom, lying on the warm bed. He was just nuzzling
my hair whilst snuggling up to me.

"Yes," he sounded unsure.

"When your parents said earlier that we should mate soon," I paused watching his eyes for a reaction,
his movements stilled for a second, "Do they really want us to that fast?"

I truly was curious.

"Bloom, listen to me, we have known each other for nearly two years now and still haven't mated. It
isn't up to my parents when we mate. It is purely up to us."

I smiled whilst leaning into his warmth. Trust James to always give the honest answer.

Something felt off about the room from that point onwards.

After we had fallen asleep, we were woken again by a loud crash outside the bedroom.

I nearly screamed but refrained from doing so.

James pulled me closer, obviously snarked by the noise.

"James.... what was that?" I stammered. I was trying to be as quiet as I could. What if the noise was a
killer, a mass murderer? I laughed at my own thoughts.



James stepped out of bed with me following closely behind to investigate.

What was behind the door was something I wish I hadn't woken up to!


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