Alpha's Spoiled Princess - Burgov Series VI

14. Sean

After leaving the arena, Anya and I went back to the Burgovs' home to get dressed and then immediately rushed back to the Pack House.

I need some damn explanation. - Was what Igor said to me, and I knew he wasn't about to wait forever for it.

This time no one stopped us by the entrance to the palace and some even moved away, seeing Anya approaching. They probably heard what happened in the arena, and while my sister isn't a great fighter in any way, she is a rather mean biter, and she knows her sharp claws and long canines can damage her opponents who were too scared to deal with her, because of who she is.

"You're coming with me, aren't you?" - I asked her, as we were approaching Igor's office.

"Yes, although I'm not very pleased about it."

"Why not?" - my head snapped her way.

"I prefer watching from the sidelines." - she shrugged - "But you will need someone in your corner."

That didn't bode well. I was hoping Igor wouldn't try to fight me again, but I knew there was a possibility of that. I messed up with his plans, and he wasn't a very elastic guy, meeting obstacles with calmness and dignity. He was always more of a beat first, ask later, kind of a guy.

I knocked and pushed the door open, expecting to be met with Igor, perhaps uncle Dmitry too, but I definitely wasn't expecting Igor, his Luna, both parents, some young dude and Cilia sitting with crossed arms and an annoyed expression.

"Ya trebuyu obyasneniya, Cilia!" (I need explanation, Cilia) - Igor demanded, glaring at his sister, but Cilia only looked to the side defiantly showing him he wouldn't be getting anything from her. He sighed and locked eyes with me. - "Maslow, it's good you're here. Sit." - he tilted his chin towards the chair next to Cilia, and I took it without a question. - "Maybe you will be more willing to tell me what the hell is going on?"

I glanced at Cilia, who seemed adamant about keeping eye contact with the wall ahead of her, and did not acknowledge anyone in the room. So, with no help from her, or even a lead on what she would like to reveal to her family, I chose the safe answer.

"I think she's making a mistake, that's why I volunteered."

"A mistake?" - Leticia scoffed, crossing her arms angrily.

"Yeah, now I'm pretty sure he's the fucker we've been looking for." - the younger guy, who now that I think about it, looks a lot like Leticia, said nonchalantly, regarding me with something between disdain and curiosity.

"I see." - Igor said, watching me closely with his icy-blue eyes. - "I'm gonna ask this once, are you or are you not my sister's mate?"

His stare didn't scare me. It didn't have the effect of freezing my bones like it had on others. Maybe because it's hard to see a guy you remember eating his own boogers as terrifying, but I still could recognize the edge in his voice, and if my plan was to succeed, I didn't want him or any other Orlov against me.

"Yes." - I confirmed.

"Hmm." - he hummed and turned to Cilia. - "Tell me what happened." - he asked her, but she didn't move for even an inch. - "Cilia! Tell. Me. What. Has. He. Done?" - Igor repeated himself, in a much more menacing tone.

"I didn't do anything." - I answered instead of Cilia, but it was a bad move, because in a blink of an eye, my chair was flipped back with Igor towering over me, and his hand squeezing my shirt's collar.

"We are not in Harvest Moon anymore, Sean. Here, I make the rules, and one of my favorite rules is that no one speaks unasked. So when I address my sister, you keep your mouth shut and wait your turn. Is that clear?" - he asked in a low tone, and I nodded. Partially because I was taken aback by a sudden outburst, but also because he seemed a lot stronger than he showed me earlier today, and a lot stronger than I remember. Who would know that his reputation might not be as exaggerated after all?

He got off me and if nothing happened, went behind his desk. I picked the thrown back chair, while glancing around at the group of people who hadn't even moved, making my eyes linger on Anya, who seemed to be biting her lips to stop from laughing.

Great. I guess I'm on my own here.

"Cilia." - Igor called to her again, and, surprisingly, this time, she moved her glare from the wall to him.

"Why do you even care? It's not like it's making any difference to you. You allowed him to participate, so why does my story even matter?"

"Because I want to know what he did and whether he hurt you." - Igor said slowly, visibly struggling to stay calm.

"Since when does my wellbeing mean a s**t to you, huh? It didn't matter when you took away my birthright, it didn't matter when you cut me off, and even today you showed how my own opinion doesn't matter, when you hand-pick the top candidates." - Igor's eyebrows shot up in surprise - "Oh, don't look so shocked, brother. I know exactly what you did back there. And if you think you're fooling…."

"ENOUGH!" - Igor boomed, making the photos on the wall rattle. - "You are sometimes so dense, Cilia." - he said with narrowed eyes, shaking his head with disappointment. - "You think I stole your birthright from you? Well, news flash, I didn't. I gave you freedom."

Cilia scoffed, turning away from him.

"Do you really think that Dad, Mom or even I, haven't noticed how unhappy you were here?" - he asked, gaining her attention again. - "We did. And while I had no other option, you had. You didn't have to be trapped here. You didn't have to play that stupid politics that was slowly killing you. I took all the responsibility on me, not because I wanted it, but so that you wouldn't have to. So that at least one of us could have a more or less a normal life."

When he put it that way, it did sound better, there's no denying that. And seeing Cilia's shocked expression, she wasn't expecting that revelation either. However, being her usual stubborn self, she quickly hid her surprise behind that unbothered mask again.

"Yeah, right. Now you're probably going to tell me you cut me off for my own good too." - she mocked him, but there was a subtle change in her attitude and unusual shakiness in her voice.

"I did." - Igor confirmed - "It was never about the money, but about bringing you to safety. You started attracting too much attention and I had to do something, and since none of my pleas brought any results. You left me no choice."

"Strangely, I don't remember you saying please even once." - Cilia grumbled. - "Now you will probably tell me that the stunt you pulled in the arena was all for me too, huh?"

"It was." - he nodded - "I wasn't about to tell you this, but I had my men following and spying on each contestant since they got here…"

"Of course you did." - Cilia rolled her eyes.

"And that's why I knew which ones of them weren't going to make you happy. Three of those I eliminated were fortune hunters. Two had a history of being violent towards their women. One was gay. Two live with their true mates and need you just for your name. And one was simply a twat." - he listed - "The three I left you with have the best intentions at making this union work. Their packs are thriving and they are rational enough to be trusted with you. Them I could accept, because neither of them would make you point-blank miserable."

Cilia's mouth opened and closed in shock a few times, before she pursed her lips and looked away, contemplating her brother's words.

Damn, even I was surprised. After all, Igor was always the first one to mock his sister. But now I kinda get a feeling he only wanted everyone to think so.

"Why have you never told me any of this?" - Cilia asked very quietly.

"There was never a good time. Dad and I wanted to talk to you about the pack and your role in it, but then you were already so shut out from the family that it seemed impossible to even get you to listen." - Igor admitted with a sigh, leaning back in his chair.

"I heard you speaking to him" - Cilia c****d her head in my direction - "in Harvest Moon. You were bragging and mocking me."

"Ah, that explains it." - Igor nodded.

"Why haven't you told back then that you're doing it for my own good?" - she asked accusingly. - "Why have you left everyone believing you were just a self-centered prick, who didn't want to share?"

Igor watched her for a while, keeping a straight face, while Cilia looked as if everything she believed in crumbled to the ground.

"Did you really expect me to share that with everyone? Can't you see that would only make you my weakness? The one I chose to protect. It was safer for everyone if the rest of the world thought we were estranged. It made others targeting you less probable. Besides, I don't trust Maslow any more than he trusts me." - he glanced my way. - "No offense, man."

I waved my hand as if no offense was taken, while in fact I was a bit surprised. I thought I hid my true feelings about the Orlovs quite well. At least well enough, so that they didn't have the grounds to guess my true feelings. Guess I was wrong.

"So if those were all the questions you have, could you please tell me now what went down between the two of you?" - Igor asked much softer, but Cilia looked down at her intertwined hands and started fidgeting with them. - "Did he reject you?"

"No." - Cilia grumbled.

"Did he hit you or cheat on you?" - Igor pressured.

"No, but he didn't tell me about his side piece." - she said.

"Was this woman the reason you didn't work out?" - Igor tried a different approach.

"No, I never even met her."

Igor sighed and glanced at me, before turning back to his sister.

"Then what is it, Cilia?"

She was hesitant for a moment, then she looked at me, with hurt she never showed before, too preoccupied with hiding her feelings under the thick layer of carelessness.

"The only reason why he tried to make us work was to not cause feuds within the family." - she said, looking straight into my eyes - "He played with my feelings and had me agree to stay because he cares about everyone else, but not me. Like his Gamma said, he was ready to f**k me, so that everyone else was happy."

Tears started glistening in her eyes and I felt the urge to just reach my hand and wipe them, but the expression she had on her face said my hand would most likely get broken, before I got to touch her.

So I sat there, feeling like a complete asshole for hurting her feelings and causing her this pain. And I sincerely wanted to explain everything, that my Gamma isn't a man I spill my soul to, because this jackass lives to rile me up. That yes, I needed her to stay, but I never meant to make her feel like a second important to all the rest. That if I didn't care, like she thinks, I wouldn't be here, or trying to find her for the last four months. But all that wasn't something one should say with five others glaring at me from the side.

No, that was something she should hear first.

"Corazon, would you help Cilia back to her suite? She needs to get ready for the ball." - Igor asked his Luna after an excruciatingly long silence, and Lettie nodded, ushering Cilia out of the room. When the door behind them closed, Igor turned to the young guy standing quietly in the corner. - "You know what to do, Lalo."

"Si, I know. But what are you going to do with the fucker?" - the young guy asked, pointing his chin at me.

"Talk for now." - Igor said, looking at me.

The young man didn't seem too appeased by this answer, but either way he nodded and left. Then Igor turned his cold gaze towards my sister.

"Don't even think about it, cousin. I'm staying." - she said sternly, already knowing what he would ask of her.

"Very well." - Igor agreed with a stiff nod, and looked back at me. - "Now it's time for your side of the story."

"She was right about the conversation she overheard, but I had the best intentions to make us work. She made assumptions based on the conversation with a guy I would trade for any of the Burgovs in a heartbeat, and who is the last person I would ever confide in."

"Yes. I've met your Gamma." - Igor nodded. - "Irritating lowlife." - he huffed - "So what's the truth? I know my sister is emotional and no one can hold a grudge like she does, but you did hurt her."

"I didn't mean to. Had she only confronted me, we wouldn't have been here today. It's true that I was thinking about the repercussions our bond can have on everyone, but wouldn't you?" - I asked.

"No, I wouldn't. If you don't remember, I was ready to go to war for Leticia, when her asshole of a father wouldn't hand her over." - he said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but he was your rival, and this is about the family." - I argued.

"You cared about something no one else would have." - Uncle Dmitry chimed in. - "The bond is a gift, not something you choose and you forgot about it, boy."

I clenched my jaw and nodded. Had I known that back then, I would have marked her when she asked and none of it would have happened.

"But I must say, seeing Cilia with you would resolve all our problems with this tournament." - Igor said, making me look at him in confusion. - "Don't look so surprised, Maslow, I'm more rational that I let on." - he smirked - "And with you as Cilia's mate, I could at least be sure that she won't be used against us. That your pups wouldn't go against my son, trying to take over the Dark Woods. There might not be a lot of love between us, but even if for the sake of Vanya or Orson, I know you wouldn't do some shady business."

" No, none of it even crossed my mind." - I said.

"And that makes you ten times better than all the others." - he said thoughtfully. - "But my sister's hurt feelings are a problem. Knowing her, she will do everything within her power to eliminate you from the contest asap. And with her choosing the tasks, she has every means to do so."

I nodded, still a bit overwhelmed that they didn't make a fuss about the thing I was worried about the most, the fact that we belong to the same family. In fact, Orlovs seems to be rooting for me, which makes me feel even more like a screw-up.

This tournament should never have happened. Cilia and I had it good. We were on the right path to creating a pretty perfect life. She was already invested and I greeted with great surprise and satisfaction every newly uncovered detail about her, just to become my obsession when she was gone. Yes, she was hard to forget.

"So what would you have me do when all the odds are against me?" - I asked.

"It's simple." - he shrugged - "My sister may think she's a grown and an independent woman, but deep down inside she's the same insecure girl she was seven years ago. Cilia wants a romance. Woo her then."

Was he f*****g serious?!

"Great." - I said with a sarcastic edge - "That sounds like my field of expertise."

Igor started chuckling, with a sadistic smirk under his nose.

"Well, we do all sorts of ridiculous things for the women we care about, and since you're here, I assume you do care." - I nodded, rubbing my stubble with exasperation. - "Don't worry, Sean, it's not like you would have to learn bedroom talk in Spanish." - he chuckled.

"I heard your bedroom talk, and it's awful, man. I'm pretty sure that's not what won Lettie over."

My sister, uncle and aunt, all giggled at that, clearly stating they all agreed.

It was a very strange moment. I felt like I'd met the Orlovs all for the first time in my life, or at least saw them in a new light.

Cilia's mother, Sabine, was always the closest to my liking. She was a no-bullshit kind of a woman and I respected her pragmatism, but this must be the first time I saw her as a concerned mother not a fierce and stone-cold Luna, a match for her intimidating mate.

Dmitry, despite being always on the asshole side, constantly bantering with my Step-father all through my childhood, wasn't all that bad either. I always saw him as a man more concerned with his image than either one of his kids. But after hearing that he would rather have his daughter be mad at him, blaming him for robbing her of a function in a pack, than see her unhappy, threw a different shade on him.

And finally Igor. The biggest surprise of them all. The one who I always pegged as the bad twin, ready to strip his sister of everything, and the one being the loudest at mocking her, turned out to have a f*****g good motive to be like he is. Maybe not every decision he made, but at least those important ones were to make Cilia's life better. He did a lot of questioning things, but most of them were for her sake. And being a brother myself, I understand it perfectly.

The fact that he also saw right through my polite facade, and chose not to be petty about it, but to once again prove that Cilia's happiness meant more to him also spoke for itself.

Yes, neither of them was quite as they seemed. Funny how appearances can be deceptive at times.

"You should go get ready for the ball. Cilia won't eliminate you tonight, so you'd better make the most of this night." - Igor said.

"What if I don't manage to change her mind?" - I asked.

"Then you will lose, at least knowing you put up a fight."

I nodded and started getting up.

"Maslow, but if you don't lose, you'd better make my sister the happiest she could possibly be. I went easy on you in the arena, and I may see you like the lesser evil than all the jerks who came competing over Cilia's hand, but if she ever again cries for a different reason than joy, I will break one bone in your body for each of her tears. Am I making myself clear?" - Igor said with his cold eyes piercing a hole in me.

"That was a plan all along." - I said with a nod.

"Good. As far as we understand each other." - he nodded approvingly - "Andrei, my future Beta, will provide you with access to the house and a few useful tips on how to move around without getting detected. And my brother-in-law, Alejandro, is my inside man with three other contestants. If they have any weak spots, we will know about them."

I watched him dumbstruck. It felt like not only was he giving me a green light to fight, but he was putting in my hands quite an arsenal to succeed.

"Why are you doing this, Igor?" - I asked.

"Because Cilia's wellbeing and happiness means more to me than any personal grudges I may have. And that girl has been pinning after you since we were like fifteen."

I nodded, accepting this answer and wondering if I was the only one blind to the teenage crush Cilia had.

I guess so.

Anya and I left the office, walking in fast strides outside and from there heading straight to the Burgovs' home.

"Any words of advice? Any useful tips on how to woo a woman?" - I asked Anya when we were on a busy street.

"Not really. But you convinced her to sleep with you once, so I have faith in you." - I shot her a side look, not entirely sure whether my nineteen-year-old sister was condescending to me, making fun, or that was her genuine response. - "But I did make some arrangements while you and Igor were preoccupied." - she added with a tiny smile forming on her lips.

"What arrangements?" - I asked carefully.

"I may have called for backup." - she shrugged.

"You did what?!" - I snapped, but she only flashed me with a grin. - "Who is the backup?" - I asked with a sigh.

"Before you get even more flustered, let me tell you that I agree that you two failing could be catastrophic for the family. So I chose to show Cilia that if you two don't work out, she will be losing a lot more."

"Who did you talk to, Anya?" - I asked with irritation.

"Talk? With no one. But I may have written to a few relatives, and some of them will be here tomorrow just in time for the first trial." - she said innocently.

"Are Mom and Vanya among them?" - I asked with a sigh.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sean. However, when the news gets out, I give them max a day before rushing here. So buckle up, brother, because you're in for a wild ride." - she said with too much enthusiasm in her tone.

Perfect. Just f*****g perfect.