The Royal Brothers' Mate

Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

*****

“Have you eaten yet?” Liana asked me when I walked into the living room. She had just come from work while I had been home all day looking up schools I was considering going to for my honours in journalism, reading and watching cartoons because Olivia had a doctor’s appointment and our friend Kennedy was at work.

“Yes.” I replied from my position on the couch.

“Cereal?” She frowned at me.

“Yes.” I said sheepishly.

“Eden, I keep telling you to eat proper food.” I laughed as she glared at me. “I won’t be able to check up on your every meal when you move next year and then you’ll become a weak wolf.” She said. I planned to move a few cities away, I was excited to finally be out on my own, my uncle and aunt still liked to treat me like a child.

“It is proper food!” I argued.

“No, it’s mostly just sugar. Ah. You’re making me look so old with all this worrying.” She groaned covering her face as she leaned back on the couch dramatically. I laughed more as I watched her. Liana was basically my second mother. Brandon had met her just three years after adopting me once my parents passed. It was actually a ridiculously long time for a werewolf to be without their mate as usually you could feel your mate by the age of 16 and they only found each other when Brandon was 178 years old, they had both been certain their mate was dead before then.

Liana and I looked at the door as Brandon walked in fixing his tie.

“Ready to go?” I asked.

“Yeah… about that Eden, I’m not letting you work tonight – or any night until the deal with the Royals is over.”

“But –” I began.

“No.”

“You can’t have just Olivia on shift, I’ll be fine, Uncle Brandon.” I followed him from the living room into the kitchen where he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.

“I called everyone and luckily Warren hasn’t gone away on holiday so he’ll be able to step in for you. You can… watch TV or something. Have some time off, spend time with your aunt.”

“But –”

“No.” He cut me off sternly, “Do you hear me, Eden?” His tone made me step back. Brandon had raised me since my Dad – his younger brother by forty years – died and my mother committed suicide when I was two, and I had only ever heard this tone once: when I was fifteen and he found out I had snuck onto some other pack’s territory with my friends. It meant he was angry and very serious. I was confused. Why was he angry at me? He sighed running his hand through his hair, “You don’t deserve this. I know he’s your mate, but he’s a Royal, Eden. I’ll be honest with you. There’s a reason they made it so hard for him to find his mate, it’s because if they don’t see her as fit, they will kill her.” He said.

“What?” I asked confused.

“In the past, when the rest of the royal family did not see the princes’ mates or the princess’ mates as suitable, they killed them. Years ago, they began hiding these young heirs because they wanted to get rid of the hate they were receiving for killing innocent people solely for the reason of them being mated to royalty and not being powerful enough. It’s why Corin is hidden, why Kenneth was hidden, his father before that, his mother before that. It’s not his choice who he marries and actually has to mate with, Eden. If you’re seen as unfit – they’ll blame you for existing.” I stared at him shocked and he looked shaken, “I told your dad I would take care of him, and I lost him. I’m not losing – I will not lose you as well, so you will not work tonight. You have to stay away from him, Eden. You need to.” I hugged Brandon as soon as the last trembling words had left his mouth.

“Okay, Uncle Brandon.” I mumbled. What he said had not sunken in yet, I just did not like seeing him so upset and clearly afraid. I felt him sigh as he hugged me.

“Thank you, Sweetheart.” He replied softly as he pat my hair before we pulled back and he leaned over the couch to kiss Liana, “Take care of this one, will you?”

“I will.” Brandon rolled his eyes as Liana and I answered at the same time and began laughing.

“See you girls later.”

Once Brandon had left, I tried to lighten the atmosphere by making some microwave popcorn and joined Liana on the couch suggesting we watch a movie instead of talk. I would think about him tomorrow. I would process everything tomorrow. As we watched the movie though, I noticed that she was barely eating any of the popcorn and looked at her concerned.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah… no. I’m thinking about what Brandon said. If Corin wants… or needs to see you as much as I need Brandon, he might end up coming here instead of going to the restaurant. He knows where you are.”

Right, I knew where he was as well. It felt like something was pulling me in the direction of every step he took. My wolf was upset that I let him leave and it was a struggle to shift when I needed to earlier in the morning for training with some of the other wolves in our pack. Our pack was smaller than the others around us, being only five hundred wolves, but because we were all part of a single kingdom, the packs rarely fought. Each pack had an Alpha that reported to the Alpha King, Kenneth. Weekly training and hunting was compulsory for everyone in our pack just in case we needed to be able to fight one day. For soldiers, Delta wolves – who were leaders of different divisions in our pack under the Alpha and Beta, such as the Army Delta who handled all things training and military related – and the Beta and Alpha, daily training was compulsory. I tilted my head at the screen across the room. Prince Corin probably trained daily as well. It would explain his... physic.

“I doubt he will come here, it’s too dangerous for him.” I said.

“He’s an Alpha Prince, Eden. I doubt he even needs the guards he has around him. I’m pretty sure no one will be able to stop him if he wants to see you.” She said.

I thought back to all the fights I had seen in high school and in town when another male looked at a wolf’s mate. It was like a purely animalistic desire to have your mate only to yourself and to protect them. Female wolves got quite possessive and jealous easily as well when it came to their mate. The Alpha of our pack, Trent, could not even let anyone too close to his mate without growling at them or looking like he was ready to fight in an instant if it was needed.

It did not seem that way with the Prince from what I had seen, though. Usually upon finding their mate, both wolves could not be separated for a while after that, they become really attached and possessive instantly and they long for their mate when they are not around – I had seen that with both Liana and Brandon. But… with Corin and I things seemed different. We were able to be apart immediately after meeting each other, there was no animalistic urge to find him, see him and stay with him no matter what it took. Usually wolves felt an intense pull for their mate between sixteen and twenty, I had not felt anything until we touched. Now that I thought about it, it made me nervous. It is like the moon Gods knew there would be no chance of us being together, so they had made it easier for us to be apart… The thought made my heartache and my wolf whine in my head. Even without all the usual mating signs or feelings, the thought of losing him created a ridiculously painful feeling in my chest and a knot in my throat.

“It’ll be okay.” I mumbled trying to reassure myself and my wolf.

“Oh, Baby, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to hurt you.” Liana turned her body to me on the couch and I smiled.

“You didn’t.” I gave a laugh. My own thoughts where the things saddening me.

“Let’s make nachos!” She cried out suddenly.

“Yes!” I agreed. I could do with a distraction, all day I had been unable to take my mind off of Corin for even a second despite everything I was trying to do. I missed his eyes, I wanted to see what was behind them, why he seemed so serious and cold… I had not seen him smile, I wondered what it looked like. I wondered what his laugh sounded like, what he did when he really was not working – if he actually ever stopped, what his favourite food was, who his favourite person was, if he had a pet. What he talked about when he was not being so closed up. I wanted to touch him again.

I shook him from my head again to clear it as we got off the couch and made our way to the kitchen before we began making the food. I was pretty distracted by joking around with Liana until we had put the snack into the microwave and were waiting for the cheese to melt in a silence filled only with the noise from the microwave and Liana’s occasional groaning for the cheese to melt faster. It was in this moment that I suddenly realised Corin felt closer, much closer to our house than Brandon’s restaurant was to the house.

“He’s coming.” I said half panicking, half excited to see him.

“What?” Liana looked at me, forgetting about the microwave.

“I feel him, he’s coming closer. He’s –” I cut myself off when we heard cars driving up the road above the speed limit before they came to a stop outside.

I turned to look at Liana wide-eyed and she looked somewhat fearful for a split second before the look disappeared from her face and she smiled at me.

“Think he eats nachos?”

I was too both too anxious and too distracted by the sound of footsteps outside to laugh at her question. We both looked at the door as we heard knocking, neither of us moving until Liana seemed to snap out of shock we were caught up in and took my arms.

“Finish the nachos, I’ll get the door.” She said and left before I could answer.

The sound of the microwave beeping pulled my attention back to the food, and I slowly began attending to it as I listened to the door open and Liana greet whoever it was she was seeing. I stared at the plate waiting for it to cool while feeling my heart hammer in my chest aggressively.

“Good evening, Miss…” I recognised the voice as the Butler’s from the previous day.

“Mrs Liana Slade.” She corrected him.

“Good evening, Mrs Slade. I’m Edwin, Personal Secretary to his Highness, the Alpha Prince Corin. You must be Miss Eden’s mother. Is she home?” Everyone assumed Brandon and Liana were my parents because of our surname and how much my looks resembled Brandon’s, as his had my father’s.

“Why?”

“His highness wishes to see her.” Why did Edwin ask if Corin could clearly feel that I was home?

“Why?” Liana’s voice sounded careful and I bit my lip.

“Who knows? Prince’s wishes. His Highness gets what he wants Ma’am. Or do you disagree?”  I turned to begin to make my way to the door to join them because his voice sounded quite passive-aggressive but I stopped when Liana spoke again.

“Come in.” She said. “Eden, Honey, come to the living room.” I heard her call.

I grabbed the plate of nachos and made my way to the living room, slowing when I saw the two guards on the far-end of the room beside the widow before I put the food on the table and sat down close to my aunt. I felt my heart stall for a second as my eyes landed on a tall-standing Corin as he made his way in walking purposefully, followed by more guards before he stood on the other side of the table.

“Um, you may sit...” Liana said slowly.

“Thank you.” Corin took a seat on the couch directly across me and Edwin stood beside him. He looked at me and I immediately averted my eyes to the nachos. I bit my lip feeling my face heat and I was sure I could feel his amusement.

We sat quietly, me not sure what to say and way too nervous to speak anyway. I was afraid of my voice cracking or something similarly embarrassing. I frowned watching the nachos. I wanted to eat and watch some TV with Liana like we had planned earlier…

“So… would you like anything to drink… your highness?” Liana finally broke the silence.

The atmosphere was incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. I was sitting up way too straight for my liking, for some reason I thought the posture was appropriate, with Liana beside me and the nachos getting cold on the table in front of me. Corin was sitting awkwardly on the couch across me – like it was uncomfortable – and four of his guards stood around the room, another could only barely be seen near the front door.

“No, thank you, Mrs Slade.” Corin replied, “Eden, move into the palace.” I looked up at him, he was looking back at me intensely. I was beginning to wonder if he ever looked friendlier. I guess the seriousness suited his features, he looked very handsome. Move?

“What?” My voice was laced with Liana’s shocked voice.

“Come with me.” His black eyes were serious and staring directly into mine. I glanced at Liana and back to him.

“I-I can’t.” I stuttered.

“You ‘can’t’?” He questioned raising his brows, “Why not?” He asked.

“She doesn’t know you.” Liana spoke up.

“I am her mate.” He said. Mates always move fast, because you knew they were who you end up with without a single doubt, and you knew you would be protected by them until they died and vice-versa… but…

“She –” Liana began.

“I do not recall asking, it is late.” He cut her off. I tensed as he stood up.

“Wait, you can’t just –”

I cried out in surprise as Corin grabbed my wrist and pulled me off the couch making me bump into him, his hand seemingly automatically moving to my waist to stabilise me when I stumbled. Despite my heart leaping in my chest, the sparks his cold skin was creating against mine and the lightheadedness I felt having my chest pressed against his, I stepped back from him. He looked slightly upset by the movement but I did not say anything.

“I am not going with you.” I stated defiantly, my voice only a little shaky. I wanted to be with him, near him but suddenly moving was out of the question, especially based on what Brandon had said about the Royals and their mates. I was scared. I did not want to die, I did not want to go near that palace.

I winced as he grabbed my arm and I immediately tried to twist it out of his grip.

“Enough!” Corin shook my arm as he raised his voice and I froze for a second surprised by his aggression, I brushed it off and tried to pull away from him again, “I command you to come with me, Eden.” I immediately stopped trying to get away from him, it suddenly felt like I could not control my own body. When an Alpha, Beta, Luna or Royal commanded someone to do something in a certain tone, it was not a command anyone in their packs or kingdoms could disobey. “And you, Ma’am – stay. Let us leave.” He spoke normally.

“No. You’re not leaving with her.” Liana ran to block the front door by standing in front of it. I don’t know why because I could clearly feel that every single one of these guards was strong enough to kill her without breaking a sweat if needed be and I was certain she could feel their strength as well.

“Liana –” I began, not wanting her to get hurt, but I didn’t know what to say. I did not want her to get hurt, but I did not want her to let him take me either despite her being unable to do anything.

“Let us go, Mrs Slade.” Corin said sternly as we made our way into the hallway and stopped at the front door in front of her. “If I have to command you to move, I will make sure you never see her again.” Liana stared at us looking terrified before she clenched her jaw and slowly stepped aside clearing the doorway.

Corin began to walk out of the door, and I followed him without a fight but looked over my shoulder at Liana who looked like she was on the verge of tears as her chest moved in rapid panicked breathing. Seeing her look so scared and upset made my eyes burn with tears. I turned around as Corin opened the backdoor to the Bentley he had probably arrived in, holding it open for me to climb into.

“Let’s go, Eden.” Another command.

He was making me so angry, but I could not argue. I obeyed and I climbed into the car before he shut the door. He walked over to the other side and climbed in as I watched Liana stand in the doorway. I swallowed clenching my fist on my lap as my fear turned into anger because of how she looked.

“Eden… I’m sorry...” I heard Corin mumble.

I did not reply as we drove off.

-----

The palace was just over two hours and thirty minutes’ drive away and no one made a sound as we drove. I was relieved, my throat was too knotted for me to be able to reply if he would have wanted me to speak. I needed to figure out how to leave. I did not pay much attention to Royal family matters, save for the usual media attention that they got from attending press conferences or other royal weddings. The mix of feelings in my chest was making my head light. I wanted to touch him so badly, to mark him, to claim him as mine but at the same time I was terrified of what was going to happen to me once the other Royals realised he found his mate, and I hated him for hurting Liana.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I had not even realised the car had stopped because we had reached the palace until the sound of Corin’s door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. The door was shut by Edwin – who had opened it for him – before my door was opened once Corin had made his way around the car.

I looked up at him and his lips formed a small, reassuring smile as he held his hand out for me to take.

‘It’s alight. I will not let you get hurt, Eden. Trust me.’

I believed him… but my eyes still moved between his gaze and his hand uncertainly, I sat for a moment contemplating it and he waited patiently without a word until I took his hand slowly. His hand closed around mine, much colder than before but it felt safe. Right, I should not be worried about him hurting me, but his family. I let him help me out of the car before I looked up at the palace and gasped. I had driven by it countless times before but actually being in the yard, right in front of it made it look so much bigger.

“What’s wrong?” Corin looked behind him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked raising my brows at him slightly. Did he really want me to explain?

“Never mind.” He said looking sheepish, it was the first change in his expression that I had seen and it made me want to smile.

“Your Highness, we must go inside.” Edwin spoke. I looked at him and noticed some of the guards seemed on edge as they looked around.

“Right. Come.” Corin did not wait for an answer before he began taking quick strides to the palace door Edwin already held open for us. “My brother is here, which is great because he is never here so you can meet him before he disappears again.”

“You have a brother?” I asked shocked. He did not. Everyone knew there was only one prince, the king and queen had only a single child.

“Uh…” Corin looked like he was not supposed to say what he had before he frowned, “Well… you are my mate and apparently that means you will be around me for a while so… I have a brother. The King and Queen chose to keep him hidden so as not to put him in any danger, one targeted prince is enough.”

“Apparently?” I asked him.

“Well… Truthfully, I do not fully understand the concept of a mate… but both my wolf and I have so badly wanted you here since I met you, and I’m not letting you leave.” He stated. He didn’t understand the concept of a mate? What? Every werewolf understood what a mate was, it was like… breathing. It was natural for us. “The point is, yes, I have a brother.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. No way. There’s no way they could keep another child hidden from everyone.

“I’m not fibbing – Rowan, please join us!” He called out.

“Fibbing?” I asked feeling a small smile tug at my lips.

“Lying.” He frowned at me and I felt my smile grow at the look, it made him frown more and I let out a laugh I was unable to hold back.

“Core?” I heard footsteps somewhere before a guy appeared in front of us and I felt weird as he hugged Corin. “You’re really early, what did you do to the poor girl this ti –?” he stopped talking as looked at me and his jaw dropped as his brown eyes widened while my heart stopped.  “Mate…” He whispered.

“Excuse me?” Corin spoke.

I tensed as my jaw dropped open. What? This can’t be happening. It’s impossible to have more than one mate. Everyone only had one. You could not have more than one sole mate. Something was wrong here.

“She…” Rowan looked at Corin before he glanced at our hands and frowned as he looked back at his brother. I saw his fist clench, “She is my mate.”

*****