The Gold Queen (Prequel)
The Gold Queen – Chapter 23

***Mateo***

A million and one thoughts go through my head as I stare at Emiliano’s sides. An omega had already cleaned and dressed his wounds but it was the fact the Julian had even touched my brother and Sofia that had me hyperventilating. I wanted to wring his neck and squeeze the life out of him for hurting the people I loved.

“Teo,” Emiliano calls out, shaking my shoulder to pull me out of my murderous fantasy. “El nopal.”

I blink and look up at him. “W-what?”

“El nopal,” He says, pointing at the Loteria (Mexican bingo) sheet in front of me. “Valentina already called it out.”

“Oh,” I sigh, placing a bean over the image of a cactus. “Sorry,” I mutter.

After I came back from the training grounds, I was informed about what Julian did to Sofia and Emi and I almost lost my mind. It took 3 wolves to hold me back and a direct order from the King to finally get me calm enough to sit down. I was not allowed to share the table with the Royal guests for fear I would attempt to murder their precious son for hurting my brother and I instead had my dinner with the twins in the infirmary.

We were currently playing loteria while we waited for our parents to arrive to take us back to Madero where the wedding would be taking place. The Royal family and groom’s family would be staying at the Reyes hotel for the occasion while we went home with our parents. We would be leaving in an hour.

“Why would you tell him?” Valentina whines, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Now he only needs La Calavera to win!”

I smirk at Valentina. “Are you trying to swindle me out of my win?”

“If you snooze, you lose!” she shrugs unapologetically as she pulls out another card to call out. She looks at it, rolls her eyes and huffs angrily. “La Calavera…”

“And buenas (Bingo!)!” I chuckle, placing my winning bean on the sheet to completely fill it. “Read it and weep,” I sigh, leaning forward to collect my five pesos.

“That’s three times in a row!” Valentina growls. “You’re cheating.”

“Sore losers are ugly…” I sing and she narrows her eyes at me. “Danny’s not going to like you if you keep whining.”

“Shut up!” she snaps, throwing a bean at me while Emiliano bursts into laughter. “I don’t like Danny, cheater!”

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” a melodic voice says from the door as the scent of roasted coffee and almonds sends Luis into a purring frenzy. “You’re practically stealing from you poor little sister,” Sofia chuckles, walking in with a toothy grin on her perfect lips.

My heart skips a beat as her gaze settles on me, her gold eyes filled with silent pain. I wanted nothing more than to scoop her up in my arms and take her away where that bastard could never touch her again. Never take her away from me.

“H-hi Princess” I gulp, getting to my feet to bow along with Valentina.

“Hey,” she replies, the small smile on her face faltering. “How’s my little guardian?”

Emi perks up a little and smiles at her. “I’ll be fine-“

“No you won’t,” Valentina huffs. “The doctor said you’ll take two weeks to heal.” Her eyes narrow to slits at the Princess. “And it’s all because of you and your stupid jerk of a fiancé!”

“Valentina!” I snap at her but she just rolls her eyes.

“Why can’t you just marry my brother?” she scoffs. “You clearly love each other!”

We stare at her in shock and she g****s with annoyance. “Emi told me.”

I turn to Emilliano and point to him accusingly. “Emi, you promised to keep it a secret.”

“I’m sorry but she squeezed it out me!” He replies defensively, holding his hands up in the air and groaning in pain when he does.

“Why are you marrying that jerk, anyways?” Valentina snaps. “He clearly has no respect for you or your people. LOOK AT WHAT HE DID TO MY BROTHER!”

“I-It’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand,” Sofia protests.

“Try me,” Valentina glares back, crossing her arms over her chest.

The Princess stares at my sister, completely caught off guard. “I-I ” She stammers, grasping at straws for some answers. “I-I don’t owe you any answers,” she finally replies, turning to leave.

I reach for her hand, ignoring the sparks and pulling her back. “No but you do owe me some.” I stare into her honey eyes and replace so much sadness in them. “You’re still going to marry him, aren’t you?”

She forces a smile on her face and stares back defiantly. “My kingdom needs me Mateo. Now if you’ll excuse me. I have to pack.”

She pulls her arms free and storms out of the infirmary. It takes everything in me not to sprint after her.

—

Both my father and I have to hold back my mother from replaceing Julian and tearing him a new one when she arrives to pick us up and it takes my father a while longer to finally calm her down. We hit the road and after a silent 2 hour drive, we arrive home. Valentina refuses to leave Emi’s bedside as we get him into bed and my mother helps her set up camp in his room.

With everyone settling down for the night, Dad and I sneak off into the kitchen to discuss the plan.

“Are you still sure you want to go through with this?” my father asks, worry swirling in his tired eyes.

“SHE’S MINE!” I snarl, feeling Luis just beneath the surface. My father snarls back in warning and I settle back into my chair. “I won’t go down without a fight.”

My father sighs, pushing his hands through his hair. “Have you told her what you plan on doing?”

I shake my head. “No. I know she would only try to convince me out of doing it or even ban me from attending the wedding. It’s for the best she doesn’t know.” I shrug.

He shakes his head in annoyance. “Stubborn as always,” he mutters.

“I wonder who I get that from,” I roll my eyes and he laughs.

When our laughing dies down, an awkward silence consumes us. We had never really been close as he was always too busy criticizing me for not living up to his standards. At times, he felt like a complete stranger and I found it difficult to figure out where we stood.

“Well….” he says quietly.

A part of me hopes he wants to talk about the past few months that I’ve been away but he only pats his thighs as he gets to his feet.

“I – I guess I’ll be going to bed then,” he sighs. “Goodnight mijo.”

I nod and watch him ascend the stairs and disappear to his room. I sit there in silence for a while longer, dreading going to an empty bed without Sofia before I finally drag myself upstairs to my bedroom.

As I undress, my phone rings. I steal a glance at the clock and realize it was past midnight.

Who could be calling at this hour?

I take the phone off the hook and place it against my ear. “H-hello? Who is this?”

“Teo?” A weak voice answers on the other side.

“Sofia?” I ask, wondering how the hell she got a hold of our landline. “Baby what’s-“

“C-can you come over?” She sniffles, her question stunning me into silence. “Please.”

That ‘please’ was all I needed.

“I’ll be there in a bit,” I reassure her, rushing to grab my backpack and stuffing it with some of my clothes before sneaking out of the house.

Taking the car was not an option, it’s loud engine would wake up the entire house the minute I’d try to start it. Running was the only way. I shift, taking my backpack in my snout and racing towards the woods until I reach the city where I hail a taxi to the hotel.

Sofia’s suite was on the top level and I send a silent prayer to the Moon as I hop off the elevator that I don’t run into the King or Julian himself since there was absolutely no reason for me to be there in the first place. Luckily for me, I replace the hallway empty and I make my way to Sofia’s door. As I raise my hand to knock, the door swings open, revealing my teary-eyed mate inside.

Without a word, she pulls me inside and shuts the door before wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face in my chest. I feel her tears stain my shirt as I hold her tightly against my body and rest my chin on her head. We don’t speak as we bask in each other’s presence, letting out scents calm the pain in our hearts.

I don’t know how much time lapses before I lift her up and carry over to the bed, climbing in with her and pulling her to my chest.

I trace my fingers on her arm, admiring how the moonlight peaking through her window illuminated her skin. She was practically glowing in perfection and I feel my heart race as I take in her beauty.

“I love you,” I blurt out, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks as I look down at her.

Her golden orbs meet my own, each bursting with unadulterated joy and she crashes her lips against mine, moving with a fire ready to envelop me.

“I love you too,” she murmurs before once again devouring my lips.

Her tongue seeks dominance over my mouth and I readily give in to her as she climbs on top of me in a straddling position. My excitement grows as she begins to gyrate her h**s against my own and I m**n into her k****s, never wanting her to stop her movements. Her hands travel along my neck and she buries her fingers in my hair as she pulls me closer while my hands grip onto the backs of her knees.

As the k**s deepens, one of the shoulder straps of her night gown slips off her shoulder, exposing the top portion of her breast. I wanted nothing more than to tear off the dress entirely, but I was taught to be a gentleman and my mate deserved to be respected. My fingers move to put it back in its place but she stops me, pulling away from the k**s to look me in the eyes.

Her pools of honey had darkened with l**t and her swollen pink lips made her only that much more desirable. My gaze went back to the strap hanging off her shoulder, my mind racing with explicit images of her naked breasts and wondering what they would taste like in my mouth. Ever so slowly, Sofia lowers the strap off her other shoulder and I hold my breath as her bare breasts come into perfect view in the moonlight. I swallow the saliva that had collected in my mouth, my c**k twitching at the sight of her tiny brown peaks, erect and at attention.

She lowers the night gown even more until it clings halfway to her navel. Taking my hand in hers, she places it over her left breast and squeezes it.

Her boobs felt just as I imagined they would, soft and plump. I circle my thumb over her n****e, her m***s awakening a carnal desire inside me.

I, however, snap back to my senses when she tugs at my shirt in an attempt to undress me and I stop her from proceeding. She looks up at me in confusion and my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

“I-I. Oh goddess. I’m so sorry,” she says, pulling at her nightgown. “I-I thought…”

“No, it’s okay!” I cry out, completely mortified by my stupidity.

Oh goddess, she thinks I don’t want her.

“But you-“

“I want you,” I pant, leaning forward to brush my lips against hers.

“Then why did you stop?” she asks, her cheeks flushed as she covers her breasts with her arms.

Well there is honestly no point in hiding it now.

I close my eyes, a bit embarrassed by what I was about to confess.

“I-I.”

I replace it difficult to string together any words.

Just say it! Luis growls.

“I’m a virgin!” I blurt out.