10

Acela POV

"I still don't like him." Mason says grumpily making me sigh.

Yeah.. I still don't know if what I did was the right thing, but a big part of me wants to move on and see where this could go. I don't know why but when he explained himself last night I believed him, I knew he wasn't lying to me when he explained it to me without giving me excuses again.

I told my friends all about last night and so far only Mason disagrees with the 'friends' offer I gave him because I did not want to move too fast like two years ago when he pushed himself into my life when he was living another life with someone else.. and lying to me about it by keeping it hidden from everyone.

Mort puts his arm around me in the seating booth. "We don't have to like him but it's not our place to say Mason." Mort says and Mason glares.

"He's right, it's up to Acela." Justin says and Irelia nods her head agreeing with her mate.

Mason snorts. "You guys are just excited because he is coming to 'hang' with us, a royal." He mutters out annoyed.

I sigh heavily. "Mason, we are starting at just friends, I invited him here so I can move past this and start fresh and I really want you to get along if this is going to work."

"Fine, whatever. But no promises on being nice to him." He says as he drinks with a scowl.

Ugh great, maybe this was a mistake? Last night ended really awkwardly after we talked he asked very politely.. which is weird, for my number and I gave it to him, then he asked what I was doing today and if we could get to know each other and that I could invite my friends if that was going too fast for me.

I have to appreciate that he is not rushing me this time and he is actually trying to know me.

"Oh my god is that Prince Caelan?"

My head quickly turns around to the sound of his name and who said it, so did my friends at the table, Irelia, Justin, Mason, and mort.

And that is when we see him. He is dressed to kill and his hair is perfectly styled, one look at Caelan and you can tell he is no normal guy. His eyes are sharp and from a distance, he actually looks really intimidating, but I know that is because of who brought him up- his dad, who is insanely intimidating, standing in front of the Alpha King literally makes me shake in fear of accidently insulting the guy. But Caelan is different.. I think he is different with me and he just looks that way to other people.

"It's like he's not even trying to blend in." Irelia says amused.

He really isn't, he is talking to someone who definitely looks like a bodyguard with an annoyed expression, he says something that makes the man bow his head and stand next to the car with his arms folded across his chest, he looks menacingly as he stands there. Caelan turns and see's me looking at him which causes him to smile his breathtakingly smile at me that makes all the girls inside the restaurant swoon and gaze at him with lust.

Caelan opens the door to the restaurant and is instantly greeted by the owner who immediately fusses over the fact The Prince of The Vale is inside his establishment. Caelan taps the man on the shoulder and says something to him with a polite smile while he looks in my direction and the man bows respectfully with slightly pink cheeks. I watch the whole ordeal slightly amused.

He makes it to our table and his eyes are focused on me then my friends are holding their breath in at the face he is acting standing in front of them.

"Hello, I apologize if I'm late, my driver got lost." He says towards my friends then looks at me with those beautiful green eyes.

He sees's Mort's arm around me and glares daggers at it. "No problem, we just got here if anything you are early." Mort says, removing his arm from behind me. "I'm Mort your majesty, Acela's friend." He says holding his hand out to Caelan.

Caelan shifts his glare to a forced smile as he shakes his hand. "Please, just Caelan." He says as he shakes his hand a little too hard as Mort pales slightly.

"I'm Irelia and this is my mate Justin." Irelia says amusingly as he sees what I just did.

"Caelan." He says as he shakes her and Justin's hand, friendlier than he did with Mort.

Did he get mad because his arm was behind me?

"Uh you can have my seat, I'll go order for us, the usual right?" Mort asks the group and we all nod and says 'yep' then he looks to Caelan.

"I'll have the same as Acela." He says politely as he slides into the seat next to me. Mort nods and hurries away.

Caelan smiles at me as he leans back then glances around slightly until his eyes land on Masons, his eyes flicker and change color slightly, if I blinked I would've definitely missed that.

"You must be Mason, Acela's friend." Caelan says looking at me for confirmation, I nod my head.

"Best friend, actually." Mason smiles tightly as he shakes Caelans hand.

The tension at the table gets heavy, no one at the table dares speak just in case it worsens the mood. Thankfully Mort makes it back with the food and drinks with a waiter and sits down, the rest of us sigh out instantly relaxing, knowing full well Mason won't say anything with food in front of him.

Caelan looks at the food in front of him confused as he stares at everyone else's food, as if he's never seen ate anything like this before.

He's a prince.. of course, he doesn't eat fast food.

Everyone digs into their food and Caelan follows, mimicking what I do as I hold my cheeseburger with my hands. I take a bite out of my burger to hide my grin as I try not to notice him slightly uncomfortable.

"So Caelan, what's it like being the royal Prince?" Irelia says breaking the ice. Everyone in the building is watching our table intensely, it's so awkward right now it feels like whatever we say is going to be heard and listened to.

Well, this is really weird, Caelan looks used to it though as he seems unfazed by the sudden interest in him being with me and my friends.

Caelan's leg touches mine and I feel tingles shoot up my leg, stronger than last night, it causes my heart to speed up from the weight of his leg against mine.

He wipes his mouth with a piece of paper and smiles. "Tough, it's not always parties and traveling." He says with a shrug.

Irelia hums.

"I'd be terrified to live in the palace with the Alpha King." Justin says with a shiver, causing Irelia and Mort to agree with a laugh.

I shake my head. But I totally agree.

Caelan laughs huskily and the sound causes butterflies in my stomach.

Mason is quiet and on the phone, I got him last year as a present, not really engaging in the conversation.

"Are you okay?" Caelan says leaning over and whispers to me.

I feel his hot breath on my ear and I smell the cool minty freshness of his breath slightly and I don't know why but the action makes my pulse quicken and I feel my face get slightly warmer.

I nod my head. "Yeah, you?" I ask with a small smile.

He furrows his brows slightly then smiles and nods. "I'm great, thank you Acela." He says softly and I feel him grow closer to me before the sound of a phone rings and I shift away embarrassed.