Chapter 19

XAVIER

We spent the next few weeks together as Roseline always came over to spend the night or day. We talked about a plethora of topics, both relevant and irrelevant ones, and she gave me a proper tour of the Southern kingdom. She gave me history lessons and we had a lot of fun open-minded jokes about history that just drew us even closer within the few weeks we've actually spent trying to be like a couple.

Soon, it was only a week left until my family visited and Roseline's anxiety levels seem to spike once again. She was scared they wouldn't like her or that she would do something to anger them and make them call off the alliance.

"Would you stop panicking?" I sighed as I leaned on the balcony beside her. "My parents are really chill. They wouldn't even notice a single flaw about you even if there were thousands to point out."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice a little apprehensive. "I don't want this peace we're sacrificing ourselves for to be lost because of me."

"Your parents already accepted me," I comforted her as I pulled her closer to me. "I'm pretty sure mine will accept you without any difficulty. They wouldn't even have the time to notice anything."

"Are you sure about that?" she asked again.

I facepalmed with a sigh as I explained to her. "My dad is a musclehead and very hyperactive. As long as you are beautiful, strong and your father's daughter, he doesn't care about anything else. He believes I should be able to whip you into shape whenever you fall out of line. "

"What about your mother?"

"Hmmm," I thought for a little bit as I was unsure of a proper way to answer that question. "I would say it in simple terms. She doesn't care."

"What?"

"She simply doesn't care," I replied. "All she needs is my approval and my dad's. As long as it's for the greater good, she doesn't really care what I have to go through. We've been raised with the mentality that duty trumps all, so as long as I'm fulfilling my duty, she has no complaints."

Roseline's worried expression turned into that of curiosity as she listened to me. I love that inquisitive side of her. "Does she not love you?"

"She loves me a ton," I laughed. I knew anyone I told this would feel the same way. "It's just her way of upholding the culture our pack has cultivated. Those in higher positions are duty bound and they are a lot more shackled to their duties than the lower class because their duties could decide the life and death of millions of werewolves. That way, those in higher positions don't feel entitled to their positions. She believes we are shackled to our duty and she isn't gonna be the one to change it."

"What if you or your siblings die doing this so-called duty?" she asked. "That's such a reckless way to raise you guys."

"You might be right but it's our way," I shrugged. "And I was trained to escape situations that I can't win for this reason. I must not die under the direct order of the Alpha."

"What happens if you do?"

I took a deep breath before saying the words as I knew that the words I was about to say would come as a huge surprise for her. "She would kill my father and then kill herself."

"What?!" she gasped as her eyes widened. "Is your mother that violent?"

"She's not a violent person," I laughed. "At least not unless she's triggered."

"And what triggers her?"

I gave her a smug look. "I think you know that already."

"Wow," she sighed. "I can't believe you have someone who would kill for you. "With how much of a douchebag you are, I thought everyone hated you as much as my friend, Ariel does."

"And yet, here you are," I smiled. "About to marry this douchebag."

We both laughed at that and she gave me a small nudge as she settled into my arms.

"You know," she sighed. "I'm grateful to you."

I cocked an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For not letting me lose my dignity for no good reason," she replied. "If you had taken advantage of my stupidity back then, I don't think we would have discovered this friendship that we have at the moment."

"Do you still feel bad about this marriage?" I asked. "I mean, we are friends now but it doesn't change the fact that we both never wanted this marriage."

"I don't feel bad about it," she smiled. "With the way we are now, you could even say that I want this marriage to happen."

"Are you sure about that?" I laughed. "All of this could be some pretence for the sake of our families. I might not be as nice as this when we get married."

"It doesn't really matter anymore," she shrugged as she adjusted her body to be able to look me in the eyes. With her eyes glowing orange, she smiled at me. "Because I love you."

†††††††††††

JULIET RUSSELL

"Finally!!" I yelled as we approached the Southern kingdom's borders. "I would finally get to see that giant idiot!"

"A giant idiot? Is that what you think of your brother?" my mom asked, her long brown hair flowing in the wind as she looked out the window. My dad had decided to drive the car himself with the rest of the family, while the others ride in the convoy of cars that followed us.

My mother is kinda an oddball. She isn't cold, neither is she nice. She basically acts like a robot sometimes. Xavier told me this wasn't how she used to be, and it was caused by an event he wasn't allowed to speak of. I don't believe him though, since I've always known her to be like this.

"Mom, it's a joke," I replied sarcastically "C'mon, have a sense of humour."

"I see," she replied. "Okay. I'm sorry for that."

"Juliet, stop troubling your mom," my dad warned, causing me to flail my hands in frustration.

"How did I trouble her?" I asked. "She was the one who talked to me."

"Just be nice," he sighed as he focused on the road.

"I'll be leaving the second we stop," I informed them.

"Why?" July asked. "I thought we'd all meet Xavier together."

"I will meet him later," I replied. "I wanna explore the kingdom first before I'm known as the enemy."

"There are no enemies," dad said quickly. "We are all werewolves and we are trying to coexist. There would be no talks about enemies."

"You really believe that?" I raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure if these guys had the opportunity then they would have killed Xavier by now."

My mom snapped her head to my father who placed his hand on her lap. "Xavier is fine, and Juliet, shut up."

"Fine," I shrugged. "I'm just saying the obvious truth. "Xavier is obviously fine since I can't think of anyone who can beat him, but-"

"I believe I told you to shut up," dad ordered as he let some of his aura leak out. "I would advise that you listen now that I'm being nice."

"Sheesh, everyone's so sensitive," I said as I looked out of the window. "Y'all should really learn to be more like Julius and Xavier. They are both chill and open-minded, unlike the rest of you. Even you, dad."

There was silence in the car and it unnerved me so I turned to look at Julius who was focused on his game. "Hey, Julius."

"What's up?" he asked, not even looking up.

"Am I being a nuisance right now?"

"Who cares," he shrugged, still focused on his game. "Just do whatever you want as long as you don't pester me. As you can see, I'm pretty busy at the moment."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, your game is more important than your sister?"

"Pretty much," he replied without even taking a second to think.

"We're here," my dad said as he pulled up.in front of a crowd of people who were waiting outside to welcome us.

"Ooohhh, most of them don't look happy to see us,' I observed as I tried looking for my giant who soon became visible as he pushed his way from the back.

"Welcome, mom," he smiled as he approached my mom's door and held it open for her. She got out and wrapped her arms around him as she gave him a tight hug which portrayed her longing to meet him, even though she never asked about him while he was away.

"Are you okay?" she asked once they broke away from the hug."

"Be nice," dad reminded me again but this time, his eyes glowed as a warning.

"Sure," I rolled my eyes as I alighted from the car with a smile. "Hello, idiot."