Chapter 20

'Gael'
••••••••••

Earl woke up feeling unusually happy and relieved. He looked beside him, just to be sure he wasn't dreaming. Nellie was lying there the same way she had been last night, beautiful and glowing. Charlie had called her a sleeping beauty last night, his sleeping beauty. Looking at her now, Earl could say that was an understatement. He smiled like a little child. He couldn't tell how peacefully he had slept last night.

Last night, the faceless lady in his dream came as usual, but this dream was different. He had held her, and she had smiled at him. He smiled, placing a hand to his lips.

"And why is the Alpha smiling like that this early?" Charlie asked from the door.

"What the hell are you doing here, in my chambers, without knocking?" Earl shot back, arranging Nellie's clothes to cover every uncovered skin.

"If you were not too busy smiling like a child who received a treat from his father, perhaps you would have heard me knock,"

"Good morning to you too, oh dear Beta," Was Earl's short reply.

"I see you had a very pleasant night with sleeping beauty. I hope you did not do anything out of place." Charlie gave Earl a knowing look.

Earl ignored Charlie's comment. "I suppose your night was great. Why are you here so early?"

"I wish I could say the same. Oliver is waiting for you downstairs."

"Oh, I'll be down soon."

"How is sleeping beauty?" Charlie paused to ask.

"She is still the same as yesterday. Send for Ariel,"

Charlie stiffened at the door. He paused for a while, contemplating.

"I'll be downstairs. " With that, he opened the door and left.

Earl shrugged and went into the bathroom.
•••••••••••••••••

Charlie went down to inspect the guards. He could tell he had a long day ahead of him today. The frustration he felt did nothing to help his mood. He just had a lot of questions running through his head.

Last night he hadn't slept in a blink. He did not know how he had managed to get away from Ariel, but he really hoped that whatever had passed between them last night was a dream. It had to be.

Her boldness, her seductive smile, her hazel eyes, and the sweet smell scented of olives. What did she want from him? She had been so bold last night. What did she mean by him being her mate?

Charlie wished what happened last night was a dream or, better still, a figment of his silly imagination, but he could still remember the taste of her mouth in his. The little time he had slept, he even saw her in his dream.

'what the actual fuck is going on?' Charlie knew most werewolves were lucky enough to find their mate, but some weren't and he had never counted himself among the lucky ones. He didn't think he belonged to that fantasy world. His parents were lucky. They found each other, and they lived happily until that fateful night.

He closed his eyes in a failed attempt to blur the image of his father's death, right before his eyes, he had died protecting Charlie. His mum's life was never the same after that night, something he blamed himself for. If he had stayed at home that night, then his father would probably still be alive.

His mother lived with the pain of losing her mate at such a young age every day, and she even refused to take another man. Such were the emotional stress that came with having a mate, the physical, spiritual and emotional connection.

If Ariel was right, which he doubted, then he had to avoid her as much as he could. The life he led left no room for that. He could die at any time. It was his duty to protect the pack and the Alpha and laying his life in the line, if need be was part of the duty. He didn't want to put anybody through that stress. If he finds a mate, marks her and dies later, then she will only live the rest of her life in pain and frustration like his mum. No, he didn't want that.

"My Lord"

Charlie was jilted out of his thoughts. He looked up from the stairs and his heart sank in his chest. He could feel his pulse racing. Ariel stood there, dressed in a simple blouse and a pleated skirt just below her knees. Her hair was packed in a bun. She was smiling up at him.

"Good morning to you too," He replied simply. He avoided her eyes and maintained his posture.

"I suppose you had a pleasant night's rest, My Lord. Because I did too." That damning question!

"I wish I could say the same for myself," Charlie said, hissing.

"That is bad. " She came up the steps, Charlie stepped back as she did.

"I'd like to think you were sleepwalking last night, but I'll overlook what happened if it never repeats itself again." Charlie looked up to face her now. She had that seductive smile on her face again.

"Will you?" Ariel raised one hand to his face.

Charlie stood there just to be sure the current that passed through them was not his imagination. As soon as her hands made contact with his face, he jumped back in utter disbelief. He had felt it again!

"Can you deny that?" Her eyes pierced into his as she stepped away from him. "I've waited for so long. I don't mind waiting a bit longer for you to accept the truth, Charlie."

Charlie stood transfixed to the spot, Ariel turned around and headed up the stairs.
•••••••••••••••••

Tony sat in his courtroom, thinking. Two ladies were dancing seductively to a distant music playing from a local band. He looked from one to another, indecisive about which to take home for the night.

He needed something to help him think, and he knew the ladies would help him relax and think. He had to come up with ways to make sure Earl was off his neck totally.

It was enough that he has had to live his whole life watching his back as a Rogue. Well, he was grateful for the ruling spirit in his dad. He had built everything for them from scratch and given him the name he carried now. Tony swore to he would be the end of Earl and everything that had to do with him.

"Tony Love" He needed no telling to know who it was, Ina. She was the only one that could call him by his name.

"Ina, where have you been?"

"Oh, I was taking a nap. " She moved over to where he sat and possessively sat on his legs.

The two dancing women saw the deadly glare in her eyes and scrambled away.

"You didn't have to do that. They were just entertaining me," Tony grinned.

"I saw the way you looked at them. I saw the desire in your eyes." She gave one of those baby eyes that weakened his senses.

"Did you?" Tony pushed a few strands of hair from her face and kissed her deeply. She reciprocated immediately. He was about to take her to his chambers when she held his hands to stop him.

"You promised to tell me today," Ina said, pouting.

"Did I? To tell you what?" Tony tried to feign ignorance.

"To tell me how you got to hate Earl so much."

"Oh that. I'm in a good mood now. How about we postpone this conversation?"

"No way, you have been postponing it" Ina pouted again

"Ok, fine, what do you want to know?"

"Everything"

"How about we go inside? I need to be relaxed. " Tony gave Ina a knowing look which she understood.

"Fine. " Ina knew she was not going to get anything from him if she didn't oblige.

Tony looked at the sleeping woman beside him. One would think she was one very soft woman, Tony smiled. She had slept off immediately after their bout of marathon sex. He knew he had to be prepared for Ina's question when she woke up.

He thought of how he had met her, in the enemy's territory, the Blood pack. It had been easy to seduce her and now she was here, his. He was going to make sure she never went back to that Earl. He would take anything he could lay his hands on that belonged to Earl.

"Why are you smiling?" Ina asked, smiling up at him.

"You are awake," He returned, still smiling.

"You didn't want me to?" Ina said, trailing a finger around his chest.

"We might do it again if you continue doing that."

"Will we?" Ina grinned. She moved her finger down to his navel and made circles around it.

"Come here. " Tony made to grab and kiss her, but she slipped out of his hands before he could reach her.

"Tell me what I need to know Tony," she pouted, "then we can have all the sex in the world. " She winked.

"Why are you so interested in knowing about that?" Tony was getting pissed.

"Because I need to know what course I'm fighting," Ina returned in exasperation.

"Well, why are you here, then?" Tony growled, sitting up.

"Shhh, you shouldn't get mad at me," Ina pouted. "you are making me scared," she was almost crying.

"Come on Ina, we were having a very beautiful moment just now before you brought in that bastard." Tony softened.

"Don't you trust me enough to tell me?" Ina began.

"Ok fine! Come back to bed and I'll tell you. "

"I'm here. " Ima made one swift move and landed on Tony's lap.

"Well, it began with my father. Somehow they were friends, himself and Earl's father, that is. While my father liked the outside life and the adventure of being a Rogue, Gael liked the quiet life of being confined in those damned walls."

"Gael?" Ina asked

"Earl's father. They met a woman once in their adventure, she was being attacked by the Rogues, Gael fought the Rogues while my father spoke to their leader to make them stop, you know my dad was conversant with the Rogues"

"Oh"

"Recall the Rogues were plenty and there was no way Gael could have fought them off, well after my father spoke to their leader at the time, he gave a sign to his pack and they ran off, leaving the lady of course"

"The woman saw it in a different light, to her, Gael had saved her and my father was just an errand boy. It was up to Gael to correct the impression that it was actually my father who spoke to the Rogues but your guess is as good as mine, he said nothing and took all the glory"

"That is bad" Ina rubbed a hand gently on Tony's face to urge him on.

"That was where their problem began, it got worse when they discovered the lady was the daughter of that Alpha. She was next in line to the throne, Gael could have acknowledged my father at least but he said nothing, neglected my father and went ahead to fall in love with the Alpha's daughter!"

"They could have talked about it at least," Ina said.

"Well they did, ajs the proud peacock saw nothing wrong in what he did. My father actually had eyes for the Alpha's daughter way before then and Gael knew it, but he went ahead to sleep with and eventually marry her"

Tony paused for a brief moment, he had never stopped imagining how his life would have been if his father had married the Alpha's daughter instead.

"Not long after their marriage, the then Alpha passed and Gael was made the new Alpha because the princess wanted her husband to rule instead, one would think he would have chosen my father as his Beta. You know what he did?"

"No"

"He picked another person! He took everything away from my father and gave him nothing!"

"I'm sorry" Ina apologized.

"Well that explains why he died the way he did, the plan was for me to over and take the pack as it should be. But the cunny old man had two sons! And Earl has been a pain in my neck since then. I don't know how he survived the Rogues invasion but I'm going to make sure he dies, by my hands"

"And you… your mum, where is she and how did your father end up here?"

"Well, after so much betrayal from his pack, he left them and came with these Rogues. He had his way around and he was made the Alpha of this pack. He took a wife and she bore meet" Tony quickly looked away from Ina, he didn't want her to see him as a weakling.

"So… where is she? Ina asked again.

"Dead. All of them are dead"

Ina was about asking another question when a knock on the door cut her short.

"Come in!"

The door opened and a Rogue came in.

"You are back," Ina smiled.

"I'm sorry my Lord, I'm sorry my Lady" the Rogue fell on his knees

"What happened?" Ina asked, alarmed.

"We couldn't kill the lady," The Rogues said in fear.

"What? How many of you went there? I told you how and when to get her!"

"We tried, My lady. But she was very strong and the Alpha came to rescue her"

Ina was fuming, her fear was beginning to be confirmed, Earl might begin to fall in love with that wolf and he would not even have the time to feel her absence.

"Where are the rest of you, incompetent bastards!" She fumed.

"She killed three of us, they killed the remaining two. I managed to escape"

Tony's fists tightened on the bed sheets.