His destined mate

Bianca's POV

I held Ethan's hand tightly as we searched for Derek. My heart was raced with fear, but Ethan's calm demeanor reassured me.

"Don't worry, Bianca," Ethan said, his voice so low and soothing. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "We'll find him."

I nodded, trying to muster up some courage. But as we walked through the darkening palace, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched.

Ethan seemed to sense my unease. He shot me a reassuring smile and held me tightly. "We're in this together," he whispered.

I felt a surge of gratitude towards him. He was always there to protect me, to make me feel safe,i could not be less grateful.

As we turned to a corner, Sophia stopped suddenly. She raised a hand, signaling for us to halt.

"What is it?" Ethan whispered, his eyes scanning the area.

Sophia's eyes were narrowed. "I think I heard something," she said, her voice barely audible.

We all fell silent, listening intently. And then, I heard it too - a faint rustling sound, followed by the creaking of a door.

Ethan's eyes locked onto mine. "Stay close," he mouthed.

And I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. We crept forward, our senses on high alert.

As we crept forward, I caught a whiff of something familiar - the scent of lavender and vanilla, mixed with a hint of darkness. I felt that I was familiar with that sen, Emily's? Ethan's eyes met mine, and I could see the understanding there because He too had caught the scent.

Sophia signaled us to move quietly, her eyes fixed on the door ahead. We approached it slowly, our senses on high alert.

The scent grew stronger, and I could feel my heart racing. What were we walking into?

Ethan pushed open the door, and we stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, but I could make out the figures of Derek and Emily, their faces illuminated by a faint candlelight.

Derek's eyes locked onto mine, and he chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Welcome, Bianca," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

I felt a shiver run down my spine, but Ethan's hand on my shoulder steadied me. He gave me a gentle squeeze and a reassuring touch.

Emily stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "You're just in time to witness the beginning of our plan," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

I sniffed the air, trying to pick up any clues. The scent of lavender and vanilla was overpowering, but I detected something else - a hint of smoke, and something darker, more sinister.

Ethan's eyes met mine, and I could see the understanding there. He too had caught the scent of something wrong.

"What have you done?" Ethan demanded, his voice firm.

Derek smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "You'll soon find out," he said, his eyes glinting with malice.

I held back my self from shivering in fear when I realized that they had prepared more than we had expected.

Emily's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with triumph. "You think you've won, don't you?" she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But you have no idea what's coming. This is just the beginning."

Ethan's hand tightened on mine, his eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

Emily chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "I'm not here to reveal secrets yet. But I'll give you a warning: what's coming is far greater than what you're seeing now. You'll soon realize that Derek's betrayal was just a small part of a much larger plan."

I felt a shiver run down my spine as Emily's words hung in the air. What could she possibly have planned?

Derek stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We're not alone in this, Emily," he said, his voice filled with anticipation. "We have allies within the palace, waiting for our signal." Ethan's eyes snapped to Derek, his face darkening. "Who?" he growled.

Derek just smiled, his eyes glinting with malice. "You'll find out soon enough," he said.

Emily raised a hand, and Derek fell silent. "Enough chit-chat," she said, her voice cold. "I have work to do. But remember, Ethan, you've been warned. What's coming will change everything." With that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving us with more shocked than ever.

As we watched her go, I felt a sense of unease settle over me. What have I really gotten myself into. I didn't bargen for this. What is Emily's next plan? Is it a crime to have someone to love you as a mate? Why can't she just call it a quit and let everything be the way it should be.

Ethan's grip on my shoulder tightened, I felt his concern for me. "We need to find out who Emily's working with," he said, his voice low. "Before it's too late."

But as we turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of something that made my heart skip a beat - a figure watching us from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with a quiet triumph.

The figure vanished into the darkness before I could get a good look. But I knew I'd seen someone - and they were watching us.

"Ethan, I think we have a problem," I whispered, tugging on his arm.

He followed my gaze, his eyes scanning the shadows. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low.

"I saw someone," I said, my heart racing. "Watching us."

Ethan's expression darkened. "Let's get out of here," he said, his voice firm.

As we left the room, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched. And I knew that Emily's warning was more than just a threat - it was a promise of what was to come. Over the next few days, strange things began to happen in the palace. Tools went missing, food was tampered with, and whispers spread like wildfire.

Ethan was at his wit's end, trying to find the source of the trouble. But I knew that Emily was behind it all - quietly building her alliance, weakening the palace from within.

One night, as we walked through the deserted corridors, I caught a whiff of lavender and vanilla. Emily's perfume.

I spun around, but there was no one there. Yet, I knew she was close - watching, waiting.

"Ethan, I think Emily's in the palace," I whispered, my heart racing.

He stopped, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Where?" he demanded.

I shook my head. "I don't know, but I can smell her perfume."

Ethan's face darkened. "Let's go," he said, his voice low.

We moved quietly through the corridors, tracing the scent of lavender and vanilla. But as we turned a corner, we were met with a sight that made our blood run cold.