The Alpha's Mysterious Princess

Ch 11

Isabella’s POV

“I did not expect this kind of welcome” I say in a sarcastic tone once I recovered from the shock.

Dad was glaring at me as he says “how could you do this to us?” his voice came out angry and hard.

“Why would you want to stay away from us?” he shook me by placing his hands on my shoulders. I kept quiet.

What do I say to something like that? For the life of me, I could not understand why he would he question me?

Did he not realize it was not my fault? My gaze turned towards my step mom who had taken care of me like her own daughter. She looked teary eyed as she gazed at me. Once she was at arm’s length from me, she pulled me in her arms. I was shocked and stood still.

“Sweetie, where had you been?” she asks as she palms my cheeks. My eyebrow raised on their own accord.

“I was somewhere among happy people. People who cared for me. Without being my family, they never ignored me like you people did” I reply sarcastically. Both mom and dad looked confused at my reply.

“Why do yo say like that?” asks mom in a shocked tone.

“What is that supposed to mean princess?” asks dad as he stares at me. I tilt my chin up in his direction.

“Now dad, stop being so confused. Is it so hard to realize that I went away because my dad never cared enough for me as we grew up?” I asked him.

All this time Odin was standing silent. He did not interfere. I was glad that he was letting me confront my parents.

“I don’t understand” dad shook his head at me.

He palmed my check “You are my princess. I don’t know why you felt like never cared enough for you. I do baby girl. I have missed you” he whispered. Tears shining in his eyes. For a second there, I was feeling the same but then I remembered something and moved bad.

“If you really cared for me dad, why did you not come in search of me?” I asked him.

Before he could reply, mom steps in “We had no idea you were gone until it was too late. We searched you. It was not as if we did not” mom clarified.

Turning my head to her, I ask “If you searched, that was not enough. You did not find me, right?” she shook her head at me.

“It means you did not search enough” I say in a hard tone.

“Don’t talk to your mom like that” says dad.

 “If you did not like my tone, why insist me to return back?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“Did you forget that your mom cared and took care of you in your childhood or the love which she gave you?” he asks me with a pointed look.

“She is also the mom who forgot all about me when she got her own children” I pointed out with a straight face.

“What are you talking about Isa?”

 “Sweetie it was nothing like that. You are highly mistaken” says dad.

“I am not mistaken dad. I was ignored time and time again. I felt it all my seventeen years when both of you got busy caring for Gabriel and Nina. Till Gabriel, everything was okay. But when Nina was born, I was like literally nonexistent to both of you” I state.

“It is nothing like that. Even if you felt like that, it was not intentional on our part” clarified mom.

“I don’t know that. All that matters is, both of you did not care enough for me and that is not something I can forget” I say.

I felt it when Odin placed comforting hand on my shoulder. I turn to face him. I gave him a confused look when he bought his hand closer to my face. He wiped my eyes and that is when I realized that I am crying. He wiped my tears and then turn to face mom and dad.

“Your majesty, I did not bring Isa here only to let you make her cry. I don’t like it when she cries. I would really appreciate it if you do not remind her anything of the past” he requests to them.

Dad looks from me to Odin. After that he takes a deep breath and then nods his head at Odin.

“We are sorry that you felt being ignored by us. It was never our intention. I hope with time, you will forgive us sweetie” dad apologized and so did mom.

“Whatever has happened, it is done. Now, I would really appreciate if you ask Nina to not do something which I would dislike. She came and threatened the owner of the diner Mr. Arthur wills” I say.

“He was one who took me in when I first went to the city. He is a very good man. I don’t want his business to be affected” I state to them.

Dad gives me a nod “I will make sure nothing of that sort happens” he gave me his word.

“If you will excuse me” I stop short when I find my younger brother Gabriel descending the stares. The moment his eyes connect with mine, they widened in shock. He takes a step towards me.

Before I could even guess his next move, he walked fast towards me and pulled me in his arms.

“Bella, you are back?”

 “I have missed you so much” he whispered as he hugs me tightly. I hug him back. Gabriel was the one who understood me and saw what I was going through. He did make me laugh when I was sad. He was the only one who made sure I was happy.

“I have missed you too” I could not help but murmur the same thing in return.

Moving back, I gazed at him “You missed me so much that you did not even try to find me?” I asked with a quirk of my eye brows.

“I saw how happy you were working in the diner. Within a few days, I had known where were you” he states, shocking me and my parents as well.

“Then why the hell did you not say something?” dad snaps at him. That was the question even I wanted to ask? I turn my face towards Gabriel.

“Because Bella would not be happy returning back home. She was upset. For once I wanted her to be happy. I gave her some time. I did not like her working at the diner but then I saw she was happy” he explains.

My eyes had rounded in surprise “I sent Odin to her as he was my friend, once he was sixteen” he explained to everyone.

“I was fifteen years old then dad but my driver was there driving me to places. I had followed her the moment she stepped out of the house in the early morning. I had a feeling that she would leave that day” he explained to dad. I was surprised

“Once Odin was seventeen, I asked him to meet Bella and become friends with her. I was glad he got successful in befriending her. She was safe and happy. That’s all that mattered to me”

I could not help myself. Moving forward, I hugged him tightly. Once again, this time I could not hold back the tears. I started crying. He rubbed my back in a comforting manner as he hugged me back.

“And all this time I thought you forgot me” I murmured moving back.

“That is next to impossible. You are my elder sister. I am the man of the house after dad. We protect our family” he states as he smiles at me.

“You are just an adult” I pointed out with a smile

“I am happy that you kept an eye on her and yes we protect our family. I am proud of you” dad smiles at him. Mom and dad were both praises for Gabriel. I was happy for him and his mature ness.

“But both of you failed to give her the the same happiness she deserved in the castle” he says to both mom and dad. Mom gasped in shock at Gabriel’s tone.

“Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. It will only upset Bella. Now that she has returned, I want her to be happy” he sates to both of them.

“Look at you, so grown up” I say to Gabriel. He was the exact replica of dad with the same eye color and hair. His body was built. His height was probably around six feet tall. He looked handsome and dashing with his fair complexion.

“You are looking so handsome” I murmured.

“Thanks Bella” he smirks with a proud look on his face.

“He Takes after me in the looks” says dad.

“I agree. That he does” I nod at dad.

“Thanks” Gabriel gives me a full-blown smile.

“Come” he takes my hand and leads me to one of the sofas present in the grand living room.

Many things were changed in these past years. My eyes take in the new colors, flooring and the interior decoration of the castle. I take my seat on one of the chaise presents in the living room.

“Now lunch time has already passed but are you hungry?” mom inquires as she takes a seat beside me.

Before I could reply, my stomach grumbles and makes it known. All of them let out a chuckle and I blush in embarrassment.

“I am hungry and so is Odin” I say for the both of us. Giving me a nod, mom asks her lady’s maid to inform the cook to prepare something for me.

We were just sitting when I hear footsteps walking near us. I turn my face to find my younger sister Nina entering the living room. She is grown up. Her height is five feet four inches. She has amber eyes just like mom. Her hair color is blonde. She is exact replica of mom. Her eyes take in all of us sitting. The moment her gaze settled on me, her eyes evidenced in surprise and shock all at the same time.

“Bella” she looked happy as she called out my name.

“I have missed you” she says and sits beside me.

She tries to hug me but I move back. My parents who were smiling did not look happy by my behavior.

“Did you not miss me as well?” she pouts as she looks at me.

“Why did you threaten the owner of the diner which I worked in?” I ask without giving reply to her question.

Her eyes flashed in irritation but she replied nevertheless. I genuinely wanted to know why she took such drastic step. As far as I know, both of us never got along with each other. We always fought even though it was her who started it, because she was youngest.

“Because mom and dad missed you. Also, soon we are going to meet Maxwell. He is the prince. I wanted you to be present when we announce my betrothal” she says. My eyes narrowed into slits.

“You could have directly contacted me. Why threaten him?” I asked through clenched teeth.

“Because I had heard bro and Odin talking about how close you were to the owner. I knew if I did something like that, you would come immediately” she explained. I gave her a disbelieving look. She did not care how her actions always affect others.

“Did you know how scared he was?” I snapped at her.

“Calm down Isa. Nothing will happen to him or the diner. We assure you” dad tries to pacify me as mom nods her heads in agreement.

“It was not the right thing to do. I did not like it” I say.

 “Well at least you are here. We did not want to be embarrassed for not having you present while meeting the family. It would not show a good image on our part” she explained further on.

“All this because of the image?” I ask her with an incredulous look. All she did was shrug her shoulder in reply.

 “Sit quiet Nina” Gabriel snaps at her. She huffed but did not say anything.

“I am not going to be present when you meet the said family. My decision is final. All these years, all of you have managed without me and I am sure you can do so now as well” Nina’s eyes widened. Mom looked speechless. Dad shook his head at me.

“Don’t make a decision in anger. Take your time. We won’t persuade you. I want you present there on your own. We would be happy if you come on your own” dad says to me. Even though I was surprised I did not show any reaction on my face. I give him a grateful nod.

“Now if you will excuse us, I and Odin will like to have something” without waiting for their reply, I take Odin’s hand in mine and walk towards where I remember is the dining room. I was grateful for Odin’s silence.