Chapter 52-

Darius:
I listen to Oriel tell me about how she was looking for Rowen to work though her anger at being pushed to the sidelines only to find him with a woman naked in his chambers. I see the devastation on her face, and I know the importance of a true mate bond. I know the deep connection too well. I know it changes everything and how quickly it can slip away if not protected. It was something I didn’t get much time to explore, but it was so powerful overriding all other needs. When I met my true mate my whole world shifted, everything in me called to her and longed for her. It was the breaking of that bond that separated me from my evil father. Even if Oriel and Rowen haven’t yet been joined, they would feel a fierce possessiveness over the other. Wolf shifters are especially territorial over their mates and value the bond given by the moon goddess above all else. I have known Rowen for so long, since we were children, and I can’t believe he would act so disgracefully. How could he touch another when he belongs to Oriel? I know he was bedding women and had no desire to find his mate yet, but I know he is an honorable man, I know he values the mate bond. He has proven that to me. There must be more to this than what it seems, I have more faith in my king, my friend, a man I have come to love than to believe he would stoop so low. “Oriel are you sure of what you saw?” “Darius I’m not an idiot, she was completely naked on her knees in front of him and he was naked with his hand around her throat. I may be young and inexperienced, but I don’t think that she was assisting him with matters relating to the kingdoms welfare.” I wipe away the tears that spring up again and start falling down her cheeks.
There is something about seeing her cry that stirs my anger. I need to try and figure out what exactly happened. “Oriel I understand your anger and agree that as it stands Rowen has betrayed you, but please let me speak with him before you do anything that can’t be undone.” I can see the fire in her eyes as she thinks about her options, I can feel the anger radiating off of her. “Please give me tonight to speak to him. Remember most are only gifted one true mate, and the loss of the connection will weaken not only him but you as well.” “I’ll give you tonight and I will think about my options, but let your king know that I would rather burn my future down then be connected to a man who lacks honor and whom I can’t trust.” I nod and my respect for her grows. She is young but already such a force to be reckoned with. She just might be the queen our people need to move forward a truly be free. I walk her back to her room and make my way to Rowen’s. I hope for all our sakes that he didn’t do something that can’t be undone.
I knock on Rowen’s door and am met by his angry face. “I need to speak with you.” “Now isn’t the best time. I am exhausted and my patients has been stretched about as far as it can possibly go.” “Well, it won’t take long. You don’t look like a man who just got off and I don’t see any naked women in your room, so a quick explanation should suffice.” I see his anger raise to the surface and his strong fingers wrap around my neck. I know I shouldn’t be enjoying his closeness or his brutality as much as I am right now. Even as I will my body to obey and shut my feelings down my cock stirs at the way his breath ghosts over my lips. This feeling is something I have been fighting for years but his closeness weakens my resolve. I close me eyes and think of Oriels tears and her hurt. I think of the people that I love, including the one that is holding my neck in his grip, and I regain my control. “I found Oriel running down the hall in tears not long ago. It seems she came to find you and discuss her place here when she found a scene that disturbed her. I spoke with her just now and told her I would look into what really happened. So, tell me Rowen did you betray your young mate or is she mistaken.”
His grip immediately loosens on me, and I see his face drop. He sits heavy on the edge of his bed and drops his head into his hands. “I have done nothing but fuck up with her. I may be an asshole, but I am not so dishonorable that I would betray my mate bond. Maddie let herself into my room while I was bathing and then wouldn’t leave. I had to threaten her after she pulled my towel off, I told her if I ever see her in the castle again that I would kill her. I thought I heard my door open and then close, I just hoped it was your nosey ass and not Oriel. I smelled her sweet scent and prayed that I had been wrong.”
“She was definitely in here because she saw you and Maddie in what she assumed to be a passionate embrace. She is a strong woman Rowen and won’t stay anyplace where she feels slighted. Maybe we made a mistake in hiding her relationship with you. I have an idea and it is one you might not like, but at this point I’m afraid that she might reject the mate bond. If she does that you will never have the possibility of an heir and the noble vampires will turn against you. Our people are still set in their ways when it comes to succession. My father would use that leverage to continue his attack on you.” “What exactly are you thinking? I know I wasn’t too thrilled about the idea of having a mate but now that I’ve met Oriel, even though she is the most frustrating person I have ever met, I can’t let her go. I will do whatever I need to keep her.”
“I think you should introduce her to the council tomorrow as your mate. Let them know that you plan to crown her on the day of your mating ceremony and then close the castle to everyone except a tutor and staff.” “What about her safety?” “We can take a small group of your most trusted men and leave them here to keep the castle secure.” “I feel like there is more you’re not wanting to say.” “I think you should leave the castle as well. Give her the space to let her temper cool and you can use the news of your engagement to calm some of the unrest. Use this time to visit all the noble houses and we can speak to each one of your plans to unite us with the wolves and to put laws into place that protect us from the humans. Give them what they want, the hope of a future king. No one can truly call themselves king without the blood that runs through your veins. The nobles fear the unrest that will come if you don’t have a son. Use the news of your mate to cover their anger over your brother’s death and to promote new alliances.” “That could work as long as no one finds out that it was Oriel who killed him. That maniac is still causing me problems even from his grave. People have been whispering it was a woman who killed him. I can place the blame on his human mate as I visit to keep the truth from getting out. The only problem with this plan is you.”
“What does that mean? You know I will protect you and am welcome in all of the noble houses. You will need me with you.” He looks at me and gives me a sad smile. “It’s because you’re so important to me that I can’t take you. You are the only one I can trust to teach and protect Oriel. I need someone to change her view on me. Someone who can help me win her heart when the time comes.” “But Rowen surely there is someone else…” His hand slides into mine and I sigh as he leans onto my shoulder. “You are the one I trust more than anyone. More than that…I can’t trust myself to travel alone with you.” I squeeze his hand and drop it. “You can trust me. I would never betray you or her by seeking out my own desires.” “I know my friend. It sounds like I have packing to do and a mate to go convince not to reject me.” I watch as he calls one of the servants to get his bags ready and leaves the room. I roll over onto his bed and inhale his sweet scent. I will do whatever I can to help the man who has my heart, the man I can never have because he belongs to someone else. Someone I am coming to respect and care for.
Rowen:
I hate the conflicting feelings raging through me. I would never betray my mate with another but the one person who makes me want to, is also my dearest friend. Fate and timing have never been kind to us. The nobles would shit their pants if they knew how I felt about Darius, if they knew we have been together before. Part of his father’s vendetta against me is because of his son’s declaration of love when we were younger. Not that I’m not attracted to Oriel or that I don’t want her, because I do. Probably more than I ever expected to, but it doesn’t take the feelings I have for Darius away. It would be much easier if they did. There was a time when I thought we would defy the world and be together but then he met her, Emma. She was beautiful and kind their connection was instant, and I was beside myself with jealousy. I knew he loved me, but he chose her, and I wanted him to. To give up on a true mate is madness and I wanted him to be happy even if it wasn’t with me. When she was taken from him was such a dark time, one I thought he would never get over. Now that he is finally back to smiling and being himself, I have found my mate. Some things are just not meant to be and Darius and I being anything other than friends is one of them. I won’t let Oriel or my kingdom down. I will love her and make myself worthy of her in our absence. Now I just need to convince her to stay.
Oriel:
Rowen just left after explaining what really went on this afternoon and about his plan. I told him I would give him my decision in the morning. I am still angry and hurt. Am I strong enough to try and make this work? Am I afraid of putting in the work and having him betray me? I want to trust; I want to show him that I can be an amazing queen. I do believe in peace and for the betterment of our people. What would my mother do?