Barron: The Ruthless Bear King (The Hybrid Series) Book 7

Chapter 10: Royal Visit

Lily

I cried on the bed because I lost my daughter, I don't know how I got here, I love all my kids and tried to protect them as much as I could, but this time I failed Sophie. My wolf was going crazy because she couldn't feel her anymore and was angry at Roman and Troy, she wouldn't talk to them and I don't blame her. I wanted my kids to have the opportunity to find true love and be happy with their fated mates, I had that once with Aidan and it was the best feeling in the whole of Ravena. I could barely look Roman in the face knowing that he doomed our daughter to a loveless marriage. Sophie was not me, she was strong-headed and always said what she meant, I was weak and timid because I was so afraid to leave, fear of the trouble and problems it would cause.

I wanted to keep peace and I believed staying would do that but Roman changed when it came to ruling with an Iron Fist, that he became a tyrant. No one loved Roman, they all feared him but he believed that this was how a Kingdom should be run for their obedience, including me. Kyan pushed back with his father and I am so proud of him for that, Roman loved him and would always try to make amends with him, I think he is afraid of giving Kyan the throne if he can't control him from the background. It's been months since I tried to talk to Sophie after our surprise visit didn't go so well.

*****

Flashback

I waited in the pack house after Beta Kevin let us in, we were in the living room and I was walking a hole in the floor so worried that had I lost my daughter forever because of Roman's bad decision. He didn't think it was a bad decision until she denounced us, she no longer wanted us in her life, and honestly, I was proud of her for standing up for what she believed in but it didn't change her father's mind, it only enraged him. I heard the SUVs pull up and I waited in fear of what may happen because Roman sat in the chair smoking his cigar like this wasn't bothering him and I was so angry at him. I saw Seth walk in with a smile on his face saying, "Welcome, Your Majesties," and bowing to us but Sophie walked in and headed for the stairs, her father yelled, "Stop!" He, Alpha commanded her and she had no choice but to stop, the auras in the room were strong and I could feel her anger.

Seth and Kevin backed off a bit as Roman walked over to her and said, "Let's talk," Seth said, "I have a soundproof room," I said, "No need," getting my witch who was with us to soundproof the room we were in as I didn't trust Seth, I was getting a bad vibe. Sophie walked in, sat down, looked at us with an emotionless face, and said, "Well since you are here, let's get this over with, where is, Elder Amon?" I said, "Back at the Palace, why do you want him?" She said, "To give up my title, my inheritance, take me off your will, I want nothing to do with you, I want no part of you and any future kids will not know that you exist.., Roman yelled, "Enough," cutting her off. It didn't faze her and I sensed that her wolf was ready to attack if she had to, she would force her father to execute her if we pushed this so I said, "Roman, let's just talk, okay," he looked at me and backed off.

I pleaded my case with Sophie, and she just looked at me with cold dead eyes, Roman said, "I know this is not what you expected, I should have prepared you for it instead of blindsiding you with it but Seth has always been your betrothed for a long time. That's why he attended most functions as you got older." Sophie said, "I see, I was your w***e and you are my pimp, makes perfect sense, how much money did you pay, Mum, to be your w***e?" He slapped her and Seth growled, I know that was the bond, his wolf was attaching to his new mate, the need to protect her. I yelled, "Roman, stop, you are making this worse," he pushed me back, grabbed her, and said, "Listen to me you spoiled brat, you will give Seth his heir, you will not renounce your titles, you will fall in love with him and you will attach back the parental bond," he Alpha commanded her as her tears fell.

She fought it and spit in his face and said, "You are no longer my father, so f**k you and your Alpha command," I saw that she was in pain fighting it as she screamed. Her wolf was taking her pain away because she was helping her fight the Alpha command when Kyan appeared through a portal opened by a crystal, knocked his father back, and said, "Recede your Alpha command," Roman obeyed in shock. Kyan hugged Sophie as she cried hugging him so tightly, I teared up and he looked at us and Seth because he couldn't cross the barrier. Roman said, "Let's talk, please so that we can fix what's broken," Kyan yelled, "Are you hearing yourself, Dad? You expect to fix this by force, you make her reject her mate, and give up her daughter unknown to the Kingdom and her husband.

That's your grandchild whether you want to accept that reality or not, you force her to mate someone that she doesn't know or love and is expected to be intimate with him, giving him heirs like she is a common w***e or broodmare, and instead of trying to make peace, you do this? How can you not see that you hurt her beyond repair? She doesn't want to be around you and I am sorry, but Mother, you too, stay away from Sophie, she is done with both of you, give it time as you love to say, you will get over it." Kyan looked at me and said, "Tell Seth she will be gone for the week," he walked out holding, Sophie, bridal style in his arms and I sat in the chair crying. Roman was shocked at how this all played out and said, "I didn't expect this to go this far, I am sorry, Lily, I f****d up," I looked at him with such fury and said, "I will never forgive you for this." I walked towards Seth and said, "She will return in a week, she is with her brother at his pack, she just needs to calm down, okay." He smiled saying, "Of course, Your Majesty," I walked through a portal with the witch refusing to travel back with Roman.

*****

Present Day

Roman had returned from his business trip and he walked into our quarters, I was knitting, something I picked up over the years to help calm my nerves. I knitted a lot of baby clothes because Kyan's girlfriend had a son a few days after Sophie's daughter was born, I had sent a few things to King Barron, and he accepted them as I told him not to let Roman know about it. It was risky but I hated that I was not going to be in my grandaughter's life, he always gave me a picture of her and I usually hid it away in my private area so Roman never found it. This was the closest I could be to Sophie, Issy tries to cheer me up and when she visits Sophie she never tells me because she swore to Sophie that she never would and it always breaks me but I deserve it for allowing all of this to happen. I smelled Roman in the room breaking my thoughts and he said, "Hey, how are you holding up?" I said, "What do you want?" He said, "I don't want to argue, I just want to talk," he sat next to me. He said, "I miss you, Lily," I said, "Okay, how does that help the situation?"

*******

Roman

It's been months since Lily was sleeping in the other room and I was restless, Troy was blocked from Adina and he was going crazy. Working out in the gym wasn't helping, I hated when my wife was like this, I f****d up, I admit that but Seth won't change the deal because he was so invested since we first made it. I should have offered something else but he wouldn't do it unless he got proper returns than just property, he was already a rich wolf so promising my firstborn daughter was a small price to pay for the help in overthrowing Aidan. With the union, it also benefited us as his trade routes were big business and more money for us, he was a private investor in most things and a wealthy man. Sophie did good if you ask me but because of how the situation was handled, she will never accept him. I regretted sending her to the convention, I should have sent Axel instead as she asked but if I knew she would be mated to one of my enemies, we wouldn't be in this mess.

I hated Barron and after what I did to his sister, I knew he hated me too, I couldn't have him so close to the family, it all boils down to trust in the end. I kept her pregnancy away from Ravena because of the intermixing law, it would cause a riot and I couldn't have that, a lot of people hated me after what went down with Aidan and the others. I made up that she was sent to the human world on business and no one would be able to contact her and they believed it until she was back in time for the wedding, that's all they knew and she looked great, like she just hadn't given birth a few days ago. I got up from next to Lily as she was still angry with me and it had been almost six months since the wedding, I never knew she could hold a grudge so long. Nothing I did was working and I will do what I had to do to get my wife back in good graces with me, I called Alpha Seth inviting him and Sophie to the Palace for a weekend.

I will make it a family affair and invite Kyan and his girlfriend also, maybe, if they get to spend time together, she will forgive her mother. I loved all my kids even if I made bad decisions that affected them, I was not the perfect father but I tried to be. I know what I have to do as a father and a husband to make this happen for Lily, I feel her sorrow every day and it was taking a toll on me. The bags under my eyes from her crying every night because those kids were her only saving grace because of me. I keep f*****g up and nothing seems to go right after I betrayed Aidan, it's like they are haunting me now, was it worth it at the end when my family hates me? I lay on the bed angry at myself for what happened, right about now I could use Drax's advice, he was always there for me to talk about my problems. He will kick my ass when I finally join them in the afterlife and I would welcome it, my chest hurt again and I knew Lily was crying and for the first time in years, I cried with her.