My true mate

My true mate.

Aria's P O V

I opened my eyes after sleeping for a long time. I sat up and looked around to notice someone staring at me.

"Lara?" I called.

"Yes, what did you do, what happened? I'm surprised to hear that you tried poisoning the second madam."

"I didn't, you believe that too? I didn't poison anyone. I stated.

"I believe you. You can't stoop so low as to poison someone." Lara shook her head.

I'm glad someone believes me.

"So, how do I get out of this mess, how?" I went closer to her and asked.

"I don't know for now. But what happened, what led you to serve the tea to her?" Lara probed.

"A maid asked me to serve it. They won't even listen to me, the maid might be out still trying to kill the madam now." I scoffed.

"I think she framed me up. That maid, but I've never seen her here before tho." I explained.

"Can you tell me what she looks like?" Lara asked.

"Yes, she has red hair, just like a fowl. She's putting on the attire of a head maid. I couldn't have done what she said if she wasn't a head maid. I never expected to be framed up like this." I explained further.

"Okay, I'll go look for her right now. I'll make her confess to her crimes so you can be released." She announced and stood up to leave.

"Are you two fools? The maid that did that to her seems to be smart. You think you can just walk up to her and make her confess to having poisoned the tea." A middle-aged female slave who has been listening to our conversation said.

"Shut up and mind your business!" Lara snapped before walking out of the slave quarter.

"Girl, you must have offended someone to be set up. From what I heard, you are new in the palace." The female slave continued.

"Yes," I nodded.

"I was a maid like you too and I was framed up by a fellow maid I trusted. I was about to be promoted to one of the head maids and she became jealous, she framed me up and I landed here. Since then I haven't been able to go out." She narrated.

"Why didn't you tell them that you were framed up then?" I implored.

"You fool, do you think they'll believe me without evidence? The maid comes here every time to mock me. If I can get a chance, I'll rip her throat out and drink her blood to quench my thirst and anger." She fisted her hand into a tight ball looking angry.

"So who did you offend, or who is jealous of you? It might even be the one that came here to help you solve the problem." The female slave sneered.

"I didn't offend anyone. And I..Lara can't be the one, she has been my friend even before I came here to the palace to work. She is the only friend who stayed with me, the others left me because I'm weak and haven't shifted to my wolf form before." I clarified.

"Well, so who framed you up then? Once you get the person and understand the main reason they did this to you. Then I might be able to help you get out of here." The female slave offered.

"Really?" My eyes shone as I stared at her. I hope I will be able to get out of here soon before the slave's night or I'll be doomed.

"Yes, think hard girl. Think hard." She pressed.

I sat down comfortably and started racking my brain.

The only people I came in contact with since I arrived here are that evil Betty and the crown prince.

Did the crown prince do this to me? No! I don't think he is the one.

I think it's that evil Betty. Yes, it must be that evil witch.

Why did I ever forget? She even came to the prison to mock me.

She is the one but why could she do this to me? She is the one always trying to make me look bad. I had never done wrong to her before.

"Aria, I didn't see such a person. They said there is no such head maid in the palace." Lara revealed.

"Forget it, I know who did this to me." I sat up and whispered.

"Really, who?" She questioned, also curious.

"It's that lady that always follows the crown prince. She claims she's going to be the future queen. She is the one." I revealed.

"Huh, how on earth did you get in trouble with such a powerful person?" Lara berated.

"I didn't do a thing to offend her, Lara. She just hates me." I shook my head.

"If it's someone as powerful as the lady then you might not be able to get out of here. I think you'll have to remain here." The female slave sighed making my heart skip.

"No! No! Never! I can't be here. I can't..." I placed my hand on my chest as I felt excruciating pain there.

"I can't stay here. Please help me out." I pleaded to Lara as darkness slowly covered my vision.

*

Damon's P O V

I came down from the car with my little sister beside me and the guards also surrounding me.

I've just been discharged from the pack hospital and I'm told to rest without working for a week. I don't think I can do without working honestly. But I've got my sister here to keep me company.

"Let's go, Damon." Arya looked up at me and said.

"Let's go," I held unto her small hands firmly and made to enter the sitting room when a maid rushed to me and knelt.

"Your Highness, please help her. Please help her." She pleaded.

The guards rushed to her and picked her up from the floor but she struggled with them.

"Please help her. You will also suffer if anything happens to her."

"How dare you?" Matthew snarled and lunged forward to kick her but I stopped him.

"What did you just say?" I moved closer to her and questioned.

"She has been framed, I think someone you know is after her and if anything happens to her your Highness, you won't be okay at all." She looked up and at me.

"You...you dare stare at him?" Matthew was very much angry now.

"And who are you referring to, who is she?" For some weird reason, I wanted to listen to his clumsy stupid maid.

"I think you know who am referring to your Highness." She kept staring at me with determination.

I peeled my eyes away from hers after some minutes then walked into the sitting room, before turning towards the direction of the prison area.

*Matthew take Arya to my room, don't bring her here.* I mind-linked Matthew and informed him.

"Your..your Highness," the guards guarding the prison went on their knees and greeted.

"Where is she? The girl that was framed up." I demanded.

The head guard stood up to answer.

"My prince, there is no innocent girl with us. Our prisoners committed one crime or the other but we'll bring her to you if you say she is innocent." The head guard asserted.

"What are you waiting for then? Bring the girl to me now!" I urged.

"Yes, my prince." He bowed and started rushing out.

"Where are you going?" I turned and questioned.

"Uh..your Highness, we needed her to confess to her crimes and when she wasn't confessing...we took her to the slave's cell." He answered.

"What, judgment has not been passed and you dare take her to the slave's cell?" I lunged for his throat and gripped him hard, choking the life out from him.

"Tell me, who ordered it, who fûcking permitted you to do that?" I snarled tightening my hold on him.

"You...your....your Highness... please..." He struggled

"Damon! Come on. Let him go." Matthew appeared and pulled him away from my hold.

"I'm sure he didn't know that she is innocent. Most criminals claim to be innocent, I understand it's a way to make her speak the truth. Control yourself, remember what happened earlier." Matthew advised and warned.

I lifted my eyes to glare at him.

No one warns me that way.

"Control your fûcking mouth too, Matthew." I groaned.

"Let me bring her. Permit me," the guard struggled to kneel.

"Go! Don't waste my time else...you'll have your fûcking self to blame." I warned as he ran out fast.

"I think you should control yourself. I feel like I don't recognize you anymore." Matthew mumbled before walking away.

The guard came back to the prison, carrying her over his shoulder.

He made her knee in front of me before stepping back. She doesn't seem to be conscious.

"Wake her," I ordered.

He immediately got a cup of water and sprinkled some of her faces.

She opened her eyes and looked around for a while before noticing me.

"Prince?" She mumbled as she recognized me.

Yeah, she's the one. The maid, her scent. I'm starting to perceive that mango scent but it's not too strong.

I inhaled the scent which surprisedly calmed me down.

I squatted down to her size.

"What did you do?" I queried.

She started shaking her head.

"I didn't. I didn't put poison in her tea. Someone did, that head maid gave me the tea to give to madam. I swear, I didn't know she poisoned it." She explained, tears rushing down her eyes.

I control the urge to wipe her tears, I looked up at the guards in front of me. Then my eyes settled on the head guard.

"What did you do with this information, did you try to find the maid who gave her the tea?" I questioned.

The head guard exchanged glances with the other guards.

"We...we didn't. We thought she was lying because she was caught with the tea," the head guard replied, his body shaking with fear of what I could do to him.

"You didn't even investigate and just locked her up in a slave's cell?" I growled making them flinch make.

"Please forgive us, Your Highness. The madam ordered that we get the truth from her, she..she fears someone is after her life and so wants to find out who." The one that looks like the head guard assistant answered, one of his knees on the floor.

"You all must be nuts. Is this how you control this place, you misbehave because no one reports you?" I groaned as I stood straight.

Now they were all kneeling in front of me.

"Tell me, how should I punish you?" I groaned as moved closer to them.

"Your Highness, please have mercy on us. Have mercy, we were only trying to bring justice."

"You failed at that job of yours. Tell me, if I kill you, do you think it'll be unfair?" I groaned as I stepped closer to them.

"Please your Highness, please spare us." They were all lying flat on the floor now, pleading for their lives.

I made to grab the head guard when I heard her whimper. I turned to see her lying on the floor like she was about to die.

I moved away from the guards and went close to her.

"Are you okay?" I inquired.

"They injected me with something, it burns me occasionally. I feel so weak, I feel like I'm going to die." She whispered as she gripped her chest tightly.

"Doe..does it hurt there?" I asked as I stared at her with curiosity.

"Yes, when the stuff they injected starts moving, my chest also starts burning me. I...I feel.. so weird, I don't know." She stammered as she explained.

Oh, these bastards also injected something into her.

But does that mean, I feel the way I feel because of her, I feel this way because it's also happening to her?

Could it be true, could she be my true mate?