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Shaking my head, I back up and shift. My wolf rips free and let me tell you, she is beyond pissed at the fact that this little she-wolf dares to threaten us. Pissed at the fact that she’s gonna have to get her paws dirty over a creature so small and defenseless. What’s worse is that we possibly have to extinguish the light of a creature that should have had a mate, and should dream of pups of her own.
Before I can lunge forward, Orwell steps between us. “Bella, let me see if I can talk some sense into her. Please grant me this boon and I will do anything that you desire.” His voice quivers slightly, and I can tell that it’s a great strain on him asking this of me. He knows my wolf is out for blood and has tolerated enough from this little she-wolf.
Lightly bowing my head to him, I sit down and wait to see what he’s able to do. He walks forward, his hands held out in a placating manner, attempting to calm down the little she-wolf before him. His gentle tone takes me by surprise. He just about has her talk down when Callan comes barreling out of the woods. I swear to the Goddess this male has a death wish. He comes charging forward and barrels over his brother. He knocks him on his ass, almost cracking his head against the concrete on the upper patio.
If I didn’t move as quickly as I did and catch his head, he would have had his brain splattered all over the porch. My shift had come much quicker than I expected, and I really don’t remember making the move to save him. Unfortunately for me, when I shift too quickly, I lose my clothing in the process.
Double blinking, I’m sitting on the porch naked, looking down at myself, holding his head in my hands. Orwell has the goofiest grin on his face, smiling up at me. “Good catch Bella,” he whispers.
I can barely see him from under my breasts. Shaking my head, I slide out from under him and shift back to my wolf. Way too much of a preview for him. “Callan, what were you thinking?” Orwell says, yelling at him. His brother now turns his gray gaze on him and starts growling again.
Oh no, I’m not having any of this shit right now. It’s been rough enough of a day, and Callan having his little hissy fit was not on my list of shit to tolerate. Lunging forward, I use the size and the weight of my wolf to bowl Callan over. I press a paw to his rib cage, holding him down and growl just inches from his face.
He commits the ultimate sin. He shifts back to his human form and stares up at me. “Go ahead, do it, kill me. I’m nothing but a disgrace, anyway. What difference would it make?” I stare at him.
The little voice in my head says, “do it.” But then I would be no better than him. To kill a wolf when they return to human form is not only an unfair advantage. But the ultimate sin for wolf kind. It’s wolf on wolf or human on human. Never a mix of the two. I sit down, refusing to give him what he wants.
Having backed up now, Hollis charges in and rips Callan up off the ground by the scruff of his neck. Yelling at him about trying to make my life forfeit as well. I’m not sure why he is saying forfeit. I had done nothing wrong. I never struck out at him; I was trying to protect the female. Kaedyn steps forward and explains to me the rules of the Water Kingdom. To strike a human in wolf form in certain cases is punishable by death. And then I realize that’s what Callan was trying to do. He was trying to get me to strike out so my life would be forfeit, and if that were to happen, then his brother would never have a kingdom to rule. Shifting back to my human form, I take the sweatshirt that Kaedyn is offering me and slide it over my body, just barely covering my intimate parts.
King Mateo looks sadly down at his son and shakes his head. “Mom and I had had huge hopes for you and your future.” His tone is somber, and I can see the fight drain out of the king. “You were supposed to step up and take my place since your brother is to be mated. Now I’m not even sure if you will be a good fit for this kingdom anymore.”
Everyone can feel Mateo’s sadness as he conveys his disappointment to his son. His words seem to snap Callan out of whatever mood he is currently in. “I just don’t understand, dad. Why him and not me?”
I step forward and motion for Orwell to join me. “It was always supposed to be you.” I say as I lean on Orwell.
“Your scent drew me here. It bewitched me. Made me want to come here. And then you started acting like a monster to everyone around you.” My voice lowers and I let out an exhausted, sad sigh. “I know it’s tough to be rejected. I’ve been rejected by my family my entire life. I didn’t start knowing the love of my parents. I became of age and they were going to send me off to whatever kingdom will take me. Only then did I finally become useful, invaluable to them. Other than that, my brother has always been the golden child.” I force myself to smile and look back at my mates and rest my head on Orwell’s chest. “It’s difficult being second born, isn’t it?” I question Callan and he shakes his head no.
“It’s nothing I would ever wish on anyone. Some never know what it’s like to be second born. Sucking at everything.” I dramatically pause between my sentences is to let it sink in for everyone else that doesn’t know what it’s like to be everyone’s second choice. “It’s tough for us. We always have to be stronger, faster, smarter than our older sibling, and even then, sometimes it really doesn’t matter. For me, it didn’t matter because I’m a girl.” Shrugging my shoulders, I try to force myself to smile. But I honestly can’t bring myself to do it. “Tonight is supposed to be a night of rejoicing and happiness. Instead, we have to deal with your dramatics and all the crap that you brought on tonight. Because you couldn’t accept the fact that you weren’t chosen.”
I look down and away for a few moments and then back again. “It’s not that we are never loved enough as second children. We just don’t feel it is ever the same as the first born heirs.” Closing my eyes for several moments, I try to plan what I wanna say next. “You were never my second choice. I can’t constantly have to pick up your pieces when I have a kingdom to run and four other packs other than my own to protect. I need a male at my side that is my equal and not a liability.” I pause again dramatically, looking over at Kaedyn and to Hollis. I don’t think they’ve ever seen this side of me.
My regret, my pain and anguish. Kaedyn, of all people, knows the hell that I lived in, so he understands where some of it is coming from. Now Orwell gets to witness me trying to put his brother back together again ‘cause, like me, his brother is broken. But in a completely different sense than I am. He’s broken because he chooses not to fight the right way for what he wants. I grip Orwell’s hand and I look over to his father.
“King Mateo, if you would be so kind; please bestow a level of kindness to your son, Callan. His own jealousy and pain has blinded him. I do not feel in my heart that any of this was done out of malice, but out of pain. If you would be so kind to take that into consideration, it would please me greatly. Regret is a strange bedfellow that I’ve known for quite some time. It’s not something that I enjoy dealing with. But unfortunately; it lives with me constantly.” King Mateo bows his head and I take my leave.
I drag Orwell with me knowing through the bond my other two mates follow close behind us. Heading into the castle, I head toward my rooms. It’s time to pick a dress for tonight and make my appearance once more in the Water Kingdom. As the future mate of Orwell.
Chapter29
Orwell
I escortBella to her door after the major debacle concerning my brother and it leaves me questioning. How one that comes from such a violent kingdom can show so much compassion to someone she barely knows. Returning to my suite, I dig through the closet of all the tuxes that I have. Tonight I am supposed to be formally mated to Belladonna and need to look my best. Kaedyn and Hollis come walking in shortly after my arrival and plant themselves at the end of my bed. “What brings you guys here?”
“Just checking up on you. That was really rough.” I nod along, agreeing with him ‘cause it most definitely was probably one of the tougher things that I’ve had to endure lately. I didn’t realize my brother was so jealous.
Kaedyn leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at me. “It always seems to happen when it’s too late. When it’s already past the boiling point. It’s not something any of us can control, but unfortunately it happens,” he says as calmly as possible. Which makes me wonder if he himself has dealt with something similar in his kingdom. They glance at each other and then back over at me.
“Is that what you’re wearing?” Hollis asks.
I’m really not liking the look that he has right now. I’m becoming self-conscious, thinking maybe I picked something inappropriate to wear for tonight. It’s a simple black tux. I mean, it matches everything. “Should I have chosen something different?” I stare at the tux that I’d laid out, pondering if going the safe route wasn’t the best route.
“Knowing Bella, she’s gonna pick out something extravagant,” is what Kaedyn says.
“Extravagant?” I repeat their words, looking between the two of them.
“Yeah, that’s what we said,” Kaedyn says confidently, then leans back.
“Well, what are you two wearing?” I look between the two of them and Hollis pulls out his phone, as does Kaedyn. They show me the ornate tuxes that they have picked out for tonight. I swear I look so ridiculously plain compared to the two of them. Nodding along, I look back inside my closet.
