AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My attention returned to Braxton, noticing the way his jaw clenched harshly with each glance he threw towards us. He was fuming, that much was clear, but I wasn’t sure why. He hadn’t been raised in our world, so it suddenly occurred to me that perhaps mated women were not supposed to speak to unclaimed men.
Brows wrinkling, I immediately discarded the notion, not only because it seemed absurd, but because there was no scenario where I would ever allow a man to tell me who I could speak to or not. It was the first reason I had never wanted to be paired before I met him.
With a heavy sigh, I resolved myself to speak to him tonight, and find out what it was that bothered him to such intensity.
Lachlan stepped back when Willow walked past Kingston, stopping before us.
Her chin lifted with indignation as she held both hands before her. “I have been informed that both the princess and the Chief of Battle have forgiven your indiscretions, and that I should consider doing the same.”
“I know I wronged you too, and for that I’m sorry, Willo—”
Lachlan’s words halted when her hand crashed against his face, thrusting it to the side from the force of her slap. Gasps reverberated all around us, mixing with my own while I watched, shocked.
Willow, however, just sighed contentedly, and wiped both hands over her skirt. “There. Forgiven.” Straightening, she whirled around, onyx strands flying as she did, and made her way back to the table.
“Just like old times,” Lachlan mumbled, rubbing his cheek, and Kingston lost it.
Laughter erupted from him, spreading like wildfire among everyone who had witnessed the exchange, and returning glee to the hall. Kingston’s gaze followed my best friend until she sat next to Penelope again, and he lifted his cup at her. Chuckles escaped me too and Lachlan grinned, glad that everything seemed to be behind us.
Taking a sip of my caramel drink, I noticed Braxton wildly smirking behind the table, like Willow was now his favorite person in the world. He really didn’t like Lachlan, did he? I was going to have to talk to him about that. I didn’t want any animosity between them.
“Have you tasted one yet?” I asked, motioning to the coffee jugs. “It was Braxton’s effort that made it possible.”
“No, not yet. Talking to you was my only purpose here. Your friendship and trust are all that matters to me, Princess. It’s all that I’ve ever held dear.” His small smile, affirmed the sincerity in his words, and a reassuring breath flowed through me.
I knew I had done the right thing by forgiving him, and the truth was, part of me missed him. “You should try one.” I nodded to the table where Brax stood. “You can thank me later.”
Grinning, Lachlan nodded, and took the drink one of the cooks offered him. “Thank you.”
“Would you like to join us for a little while?” My hand gestured to the table where the guard sat with Willow, and Kingston huffed beside me, returning to his grumpy self. “It will only be a short time, I have duties to uphold,” I assured.
Receiving a nod from Lachlan, the three of us walked to the table, but before we took our seats, Asher threw a sly glance at our guest. “I hope you don’t assume your title will be given back to you. You have been replaced, and if I may say so myself, I’m better suited for it than you ever were.”
“Oooh. That has to have hurt.” Harrison hissed like had burned himself, making the others snicker.
“No, I would never expect that, and I know exactly how capable you are. I fought side by side with you.” Lachlan shook his head, disappointed with himself. “You earned that position, Brother. There is no doubt in my mind.”
“I’m not your brother. Not anymore,” Asher asserted calmly, but there was venom in his voice.
I glanced at all of them, displeased. “Lachlan has apologized. He has been given a second chance so I would like you all, at the very least, to respect that. Even if you can’t offer him the same.”
“With all the respect I hold for you, Princess, I must speak. Lachlan might have repented to you, but he didn’t apologize to us,” Harper clarified, her green eyes bore into the man who was once her comrade.
Sighing, he addressed the guard. “She’s right. I owe them an apology too. When I did what I did, I broke the brotherhood we all shared, a bond I thought we would always have, and for that, I’m truly very sorry.”
They all nodded, but I knew that it would take more than that to repair their broken bond.
Taking my seat, with Kingston sitting next to me, I watched Lachlan walk to Asher’s side, but before he could pull out the chair, Asher’s arm blocked him. “That seat is taken. You have been replaced in more ways than one.” Looking past me, his eyes reached their target. “Braxton!”
Lachlan’s back lurched straight, hands tightening around the cup he held when he watched Braxton walk towards us.
My mate stopped before Lachlan, silently waiting for him to move, but their gazes locked in challenge, chest puffing like Dragons defending their territory. They had to be kidding. What was it with those two? Gods, a rivalry between them was the last thing I needed.
Jaw clenching, my old friend stepped back, conceding the place to Braxton, though it seemed to cost him more than it should. He took the chair at the other side of the table, right across from my mate, eyes locking together when they both sat. Willow and I exchanged a perplexed glance, and we weren’t the only ones.
Asher smirked, pleased with himself for pushing Lachlan away and I sighed, knowing this was going to be more difficult than I expected.
The tension grew among us when an eerie silence descended on our table, isolating us from the otherwise chatty ambient. Only a few moments passed before he rose to his feet, begrudgingly pulling his attention from Braxton to look at me. “Thank you for the unique drink, Princess. It was an experience.”
