Chapter 34

XAVIER

Saying I was shocked was an understatement as I alternated between glaring at both ladies, especially Roseline who was doing her best to avoid my eyes.
“Come with me, ” Ariel said as she made her way out of the room, but I could sense the malicious undertone in her words which only added fuel to the already raging inferno of anger inside me.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask once we were out of the dining hall.
“You have a ruined outfit,” she replied without looking back. “Of course, I’m taking you out to change it.”
“Drop the charade,” I hissed, my voice barely a whisper.
“What?”
“Drop the fucking charade,” I said again, louder this time.
“As you fucking wish,” she said and took a bending which I followed immediately.
I was led to a balcony of sorts, with lounge chairs and a round table in the middle of them. It overlooked most of the kingdom which was riddled with lights. I found that unnecessary and a little too convenient which is sure to lead to laziness. Werewolves are creatures of the night. Our sight is just as good at night as it is during the day, if not better. They are sure to depend on this false differentiation of light and darkness until they eventually start t depend on the light for sight at night.
“I hate you,” she said, looking over the balcony at the city. “I think you already know that much but I want to make it clear.”
”Enough that you would risk the lives of everyone around you, betray your family’s trust and risk a potential war that might result at the end of your kingdom?” I asked.
“What about yours?” she retorted. “Are you so conceited that you think your pack is actually superior to mine? Do you think you could swat with the back of your palm like we are flies?”
“That’s not the point here!” I yelled. “You and Roseline fooled me! Fooled your parents and everyone! You fucking endangered the life of everyone in the pack, both yours and mine!”
“And that’s your fucking fault!” she yelled back. “If you had said no to this shitshow in the first place then we wouldn’t be in this situation. I wouldn’t have had to lie to everyone I care about, you fucking dick!”
She punched me as she said those words as tears flowed freely from her eyes. It surprised me because her punches were fucking weak. I expected the heir to the kingdom to be a lot stronger than this, regardless of gender.
I took a deep breath once she was done with her rant, took a deep breath, straightened my palm, and dealt her a devastating slap across her cheek. The slap had enough force behind it to knock a normal person unconscious, or even knocked a tooth or two from their mouth.
She was almost floored by the slap as she stumbled wildly backwards, doing her best not to fall over. She managed to get herself grounded and her angry eyes now held surprise as she glared at me. It was obvious that she hadn’t expected me to slap her out of the blue like that. Her eyes now held a semblance of fear for me.
“W-What did you just do?!” she stuttered as fresh tears flowed from her eyes. “Why did you slap me?”
“Did that hurt?” I asked calmly.
“Yes, it fucking did, you dick!” she yelled as her tears flowed freely.
“Your punch didn’t hurt,” I informed her. Punch me with all you have right now. Hurt me as much as I hurt you just now.”
She stared at me with disbelief in her eyes but soon realized that I was serious. Once she did, her eyes glowed as she activated her wolf powers and ran towards me with her hand balled into a fist.
There were so many errors in her charge. Her body positioning wasn’t right for optimal power behind her punch, and her fisted arm looked so uncoordinated and flailed about as she ran, losing most of its power, and when she stopped to deal her punch, her body followed through with it, making it a pitiful attempt as she rammed it into my jaw. It barely stung when it landed.
“Are you joking?” I ask genuinely, and her eyes widened in surprise. “Please tell me you are joking. Is this all of the strength you can muster even after activating your wolf?”
She immediately created distance between us, wary of an eventual slap coming her way.
I took a deep breath to calm myself before continuing.
“If we were asked to duel for supremacy as the heirs to the position of Alpha, and the loser accepts a life of slavery for their packs, do you think you could defeat me?”
“W-What?” she stuttered.
“You can’t,” I answered. “Not with that lousy punch. You can’t stand on the frontlines of war and command troops to die for their kingdom while risking your life also. You can’t be the kingdom’s vanguard when enemies invade and give your surprised subjects and soldiers the hope to stand up and fight even in the face of despair.”
“Y-Your point?!” she yelled.
“I can.”
She looked at me with clueless eyes as she made sure to keep her distance. “Are you bragging right now?”
“Ah, of course,” I laughed. “An heir who can’t even throw a punch wouldn’t know the significance of having an enemy who can lead an army.”
Her expression scrunched up into one of anger but she was smart enough to say nothing and listen, waiting for me to continue.
“The point is that my pack has superior combat abilities, a capable Alpha, and heir, and the attacking initiative. Even though we have all these, they’re letting a competent heir marry one who can’t even throw a punch. In war, you are a liability who would always needs protection. The best you can do is become a hostage for the enemy.”
“Just stop!” she yelled. “Shut your trap and stay away from me!”
“I don’t want to be close to a liability like you either,” I replied. “Now, I think you are right. This marriage is a freaking scam. While your people would be getting a competent Alpha in me, my people would be getting a weakling for a Luna. Roseline is a better fit for me and my people.”
“Yes!!” she yelled. “Roseline is a lot better than me and the best woman for you! She’s strong and everything else that you want in a woman! So, marry her and leave me the fuck alone!”
I gave her a look of pity and disgust as I turned to walk away. “Go tell that to your father and your pack members who made the mistake of depending on a lousy, spoilt brat like you.”
“What the fuck do you know about me?!” she yelled, looking a lot angrier now. It seems like I’ve struck a nerve. “You think you know it all just because I can’t throw a fucking punch the way you wanted me to?! Just because I didn’t meet your stupid standards of brute strength, you think I am nothing more than an inbred spoilt brat?! Well, fuck you!”
“Really?” I asked, turning back to give her my attention. “Prove me wrong. Show me your worth.”
“I don’t owe you anything,” she hissed. “I don’t have to show you anything. Got that?! I don’t owe you shit!”
“Would you like anyone to know about the shitshow you’ve been running with Joseline?”
Her eyes widened in horror. “You wouldn’t.”
“Dare me,” I threatened. “I have nothing to lose in this as I am a victim as well. I’m sure that your little boyfriend is involved in this too. He would be getting the brunt of this when it blows over.”
“He isn’t,” she said calmly. “He doesn’t know anything about this.”
“Not yelling anymore?” I asked. “Why do I have to care if he is a part of this or not? He is the reason why you are endangering the life of my people and running this charade. Why do I have to care about him? It’s only right that I hurt him because that will hurt you even more.”
“You can’t be that evil.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are gonna be hurting Roseline too,” she replied immediately. “I know you care about her.”
“Why would I care about the woman who lied to me all this time?” I asked.
“But, you do,” she replied. “Which isn’t a bad thing. We can make this work if we all just play along and keep our mouths shut.”
“You are telling me to work in cahoots with you all in this silly plan?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “You might be an heir, but you are an individual also. You have your desires and things that you want as a person. Things that would make you 7th. I know Roseline would.”
I gave it a thought for a few minutes before walking away. “I’ll think about it. We should head back.”