Chapter 2 Matilda's POV

Listening to the howls from the east side of the garden, I smiled. Sixteen alpha princes had received their wolves.

It tingled my stomach to live the reality that my princes were becoming true alpha males.

A few hours after my princes had received their wolves, I found my way back to the great hall to have a drink and perhaps dance with an eligible king.

There were many kings who hadn't found their mates when they turned twenty-one, and even after their coronation, they were still lonely, but none of them ever turned out to be my mate.

I had wished for a king by a wishing well three times, but I seemed to be cursed.

Drinking wine quietly and observing how my princes celebrated meeting their mates, I felt a touch on my hand.

I looked up to see who sought my attention.

"My lady," he bowed, taking my hand completely.

"My lord," I responded with a feminine bow.

"Would you honour me with this dance, my lady?" he asked nobly.

I nodded and dropped the wine onto a tray.

We entered the dancing floor.

"Arthur Everhart, Duke of the Blackthorn Pack, once a student under Lady Matilda Fairfax," he introduced himself as he moved me to the rhythm of the music.

"A student?" I asked, amazed. "You were my student?"

"Your favourite student, my lady. I'm all grown up, haven't I?"

"I am impressed by what I am seeing," I said, raking my eyes over his appearance. "You have become a fine man."

"And you, my lady, still look just as beautiful and young as I remembered," he responded.

I chuckled.

"It is a pleasure to meet you again."

"It definitely is," I nodded in agreement. "A Duke?" I asked curiously.

"Very much so. You trained my elder brother, the Alpha King of the Blackthorn Pack. As his younger brother, I underwent the same training and was later honoured with the title of Duke," he explained.

True, I had forgotten about other noble positions in kingdoms.

"Very true, my lord."

Still following the rhythm, I sensed something strong, so strong that it made me a little tipsy, as if I were drunk.

A pungent spearmint fragrance lingered in the air, leaving me pondering.

The hall hadn't smelled this way before.

"I think I found my mate," I mumbled to myself, but even though the Duke of Blackthorn Pack heard me, I didn't pay attention to his reaction.

He turned me around because of the melody of the music, but when he turned me, my gaze landed on a he-wolf.

'Impossible.'

That was what I thought when my eyes met Lord Cedric Hawthorne, Alpha Prince of the MoonBorn Pack, Lady Matilda Fairfax's student and her Alpha Prince.

Removing my gaze from his sharp golden eyes, I looked at the string between us.

Good Lord.

Of all alpha males, my student?

After the dance, Lord Arthur Everhart kissed my knuckles and excused himself politely.

I was ten years older than my mate. What in the wolf world was this?

"Lady Matilda Fairfax?" Cedric walked up to me.

"Come with me."

I was once his teacher, and I still was until he entered his final class.