Rogues: Rise of The King

Three

Ash:

    Amelia stood at the head of the council room table. The covens are paying their taxes and giving her the reports of the week. I sat back with my mistress and watched as she inspected the tributes that were brought for the vampire queen. 

    "You're awfully quiet," she whispered to me. It's just her and me in the room of the many gifts brought to the queen.

    "Not much to say," I shrugged before briefly glancing at her. 

    I have lost a lot of faith in her and the queen since I found out Amelia is really no better than me. A bitten vampire who was once a werewolf but I really shouldn't be. I'm no different than this queen. I had left my mate after she lost our son. After my wolf broke apart when Lance left, there is no way I was going to be able to fix the spirit of my wolf. There's nothing worse than an alpha abandoning his linked betas. 

    I was a danger to myself and those around me. I didn't want to hurt her any more than I had already. It stung to hear she had moved on but I have no right to feel anything about it. Just like this woman has no right to try and be anything in Sloane's life. She has no business in taking Ray back. No business in trying to position herself in their life. They had already grieved her. She should have stayed dead. 

    "Your thoughts should be kept silent," I looked up at my sire and looked away. "I understand you are angry but just like it's not her place to do what she is doing it's not your place to care for that she-wolf. You're not like them anymore. You best remember that. I've allowed you to hover around your family because you are very sentimental and now because we need to keep an eye on the situation with the up and coming royal family. If I were to give you an order and you choose to disobey I will dismember you and send you back to them in pieces," 

    "Please," I said standing up to come eye to eye with her. "If you really meant that then I'd be forced to show you who chose who," 

    "You're adorable when you're upset," she chastised. I looked around to make sure no one was looking. I gripped her by the neck and pushed her back against the wall using my body to trap her. 

    "Am I really?" I asked baring my fangs close to her neck. "Your blood might bind my soul to yours but remember who it was that saved you," 

    "You sure are getting cocky, you little pup," she hissed. 

    I looked her in the eye. She's beyond upset with knowing she can't control her own creation. Those blazing modena eyes of hers intrigued me like no other. They had caught my attention the moment I had come back as this thing that I am now. She's beautiful and she knows it. I want her. The only thing keeping me from taking her is the fact that she wants me more than I'll ever want her. 

    "You can't domesticate a rogue wolf," I said pressing my forehead against hers. "You've tried already, princess. Don't make me show you who the real master is here," 

    I let go when a set of steps walking our direction echoed from the other side of the wall. She straightened up in flash and acted like nothing was happening when a Coven Mistress walked by with one of her human servants. She let out a pant when the disappeared into the council room. Her eyes met mine again before she walked away. 

    It's a f****d up relationship we have. I find all ways to disrespect her and she still holds her position without so much as batting an eye. I almost instantly regret it when I have to look her in the eye again but it makes me do it again when she acts like it doesn't affect her in any way. Her indifference drives me f*****g insane and I want nothing more than to bend her over my lap and punish her until she couldn't sit on her f*****g ass for a week. 

    "Interesting train of thoughts," I looked up at Tristan. Her eldest brother. I rolled my eyes and kept walking. "Come on, Ashton. We're all friends here now," 

    "I don't remember ever giving you that impression," I said going for the door. 

    "Come on, man. Pull that stick out of your ass and come shoot some pool with me. What are you going to do lurk the rest of the night," I glanced at him and sighed. He's right. I have nothing to do. Sloane and Alexie are home now. 

    "Fine," I agreed. 

    "My man," he beamed tossing an arm around my shoulder and pulling me to the game room. Two others are here just having a drink. "My sister trying to ride your ass?" 

    "Not exactly," I said going over to the bar. 

    "What will it be my lord?" Mark, the bartender asked.

    "Two jacks," he walked off to make my drink. 

    "Amelia is being difficult. That alpha being around is becoming rather troublesome," Tristan continued.

    "I know. The queen wants her dead. I think Sloane was brought into this so she can use her as leverage," 

    "Sloane," he mused like the name was the greatest name he had ever had the privilege to call out. I hate the way he said it. "What can you tell me about that girl? I hear very fun things about her. The up and coming Rogue Queen. Your former brother must have his hands full," 

    "You can say that," I confirmed taking my drink. We walked over to the pool table. He began to set up for us to play. "She's just crazy. She likes to stir things up just because she's bored," 

    "Or maybe she makes it look like she's doing it because she's bored," he said pensively. "I am intrigued. Elliah wants one of us watching you. She thinks you're getting attached," 

    "She's jealous," I corrected him. He laughed pointing the end of his pool stick at me agreeing.

    "Why haven't you taken your claim?" he asked. 

    "Not that it's any of your business but I don't have any intention of taking her unless she begs me for it," he barked out a loud obnoxious laugh. 

    "Don't hold your breath, pretty boy," he positioned himself at the end of the table. The end of the stick hit the white ball. The triangle of balls broke apart. A stripped ball made it into one of the pockets. 

    "I'm not," I said waiting for him to take his next shot. "I don't mind you coming along as long as you don't screw anything up or rile Alex or Sloane up. They won't be too happy to know I have a watch leech on my ass," 

    "You're giving her this? You're playing nice?" he asked missing his next shot. I took my shot making the solid blue ball into the corner pocket. 

    "I've always played nice. She's the one that likes to make a scene," I made two more shots before I missed. 

    "That she does," 

    "Why are you so comfortable with talking about this? She's your sister," he shrugged. 

    "It's irrelevant when you're immortal. Purebreds aren't born to be families. It's all in the name and the power the blood holds. We may be siblings by birth but none of us acknowledge one another as such. We're beasts. How do you think the purebloods stay pure?" 

    "That's sick," I fake gagged making him laugh. "I'd rather die than ever think of my sister that way," 

    "Elle doesn't catch my eye. Her similarities to myself get in the way. I'm more of an exotic type kind of guy. Elle is far too pale, her hair too silver. I like color," he sighed as he made three shots in a row. 

    "You would have loved being at Court," I smirked, as I made the rest of the solid balls into the pockets. I chose a pocket and shot for the eight ball. 

    "They are much better when they're warm aren't they?" he asked. "Have you had a tangle with an immortal yet?" 

    "I don't plan to,"

    "That's left for Elle huh? I respect that about your kind. One mate for the rest of their existence. It's beautiful. A thing of true romance. Did you have one of those before this?" 

    "I did," I nodded making my shot. "I win," 

    "Why would you let it go?" he asked looking at me confused. 

    "You wouldn't understand. You'd have to be a wolf to get it or in the very least know what the love and bond between siblings are," 

    "The spirit of your wolf was mended when you crossed over. I felt the agonizing pain that was inside of you when Elle brought you here. It was shattered. I had never felt suffering like that before. You didn't believe your mate would be able to mend you. I knew then why she chose to turn you after all these centuries," 

    "She wouldn't have. I was loyal to one thing and he turned his back to me. Cut the connection between his wolf and mine without warning. One minute everything was perfect and the next the spirit of the wolf in me was shattered. I was in class. The pain of it made me shift and I killed a class of twenty-eight students and two teachers. I almost killed one of my brothers when he tried to stop me. My dad had to sedate me with wolfsbane and then dose me every morning before I went to school in order to keep my wolf in check. I lived like that for almost a year until I met Elle," 

    "Why would that shatter your wolf?" he asked. I looked up at him to see he had lowered his head like he felt bad for me. 

    "It's rare and it's only supposed to happen to pack wolves. The alpha has an heir. His children after that are just as regular as other wolves. It happened with my older brother Alexian and Raz first. Alexian is the second born alpha in my family. Kind of like a spare successor if the eldest is killed. 

    "It's called a beta effect. We're bound to the alpha we will be loyal to body and soul. It's stronger than a mate bond because we're born into it. The second we've established into fate the bond forms. A mating bond isn't acquired until we come of age and that is if we are lucky to find them that early in our life. 

    "Being rejected by my mate hurt. She was devastated after she lost our pup. My wolf knew something was wrong with my brother but my parents wouldn't let me go looking for him. It put a strain on my wolf and her. After the loss, she couldn't look me in the eye and I didn't know how to make it up to her as my person. My wolf lost all interest in her long before our son died. She knew it was over and she rejected me knowing I'd never have the heart to.

    "Being rejected as a beta by my alpha nearly killed me. It started as a tingling in my fingertips. It was almost like my first shift. I wanted to tell them all to run to get away but my body locked in place and I couldn't move a single muscle not even to breathe. My friend placed his hand on my arm and I lost it. I shifted and killed everyone before they could even think to escape. When she heard what I did, she ran away from me. Even after I had accepted the rejection a part of me thought we'd be able to start over," 

    "Did you love her?" he asked. 

    "From the moment I laid eyes on her," 

    "Does she know what you are now?" 

    "Of course she does. She's also moved on and chosen a new mate. They have a daughter. Her name is Ilene," 

    "You kept tabs on her?" 

    "Of course I did. It was hard for me to let her go. I grew up with her. She came into my life when I was eight and I think I knew since then. When I turned sixteen, I swear it was the best thing ever. I told her right away she was four months away from her birthday. When the time came I didn't hesitate to claim her. She didn't hesitate to say yes to me," 

    "So why are you making it so hard for Elle?" he smirked. 

    "I wasn't supposed to fall out of love with my mate. This wasn't supposed to happen. The mate bond is something no one ever rejects or takes back. If your sister and I ever have anything to do with one another it would be out of our own free will. I don't want it to be some f**k that happened. She's my sire. I have to look her in the eye for all eternity and it would suck if it has to be awkward as hell," 

    "That's for damn sure. Smart," he laughed slamming back his drink. "I've never had a real conversation with you, Moon. What's gotten into you?" 

    "Since I've moved here you've been the only friend I made," I admitted. He smiled a real genuine smile. "You've told me everything about you, After, four years, I'm just now telling you the truth. It's fair. You might as well know the entire truth before I walk you into a wolf den," 

    "You care about me?" he asked looking at me confused. 

    "We're part of this coven. To me, it means the same as being family. You're Elle's brother. Even if you are creepy," 

He smiled and motioned something at the entrance behind me. I turned to see the Princess standing there.

    "I'll meet you in the morning, pretty boy," he excused himself before putting the pool stick on the table. He tapped the Princess, on the head roughly as he walked past her. She growled at him making him jump back. 

    "Ass," she spit. He didn't reply as he walked off. "I take it he's told you what I've established," 

    "Yeah," I assured her, putting the stick next to Tristan's. 

    "Thank you," she declared without meeting my gaze. 

    "For?" I challenged taking a drink from my glass. 

    "Not fussing about Tristan and for what you told him. We, vampires, don't have the luxury of family. We exist and work against time. I know what it means to you since you were once mortal. I know it's not something you toss around just for fun. So thank you for including him in your life. He needs someone like you to guide him out of his depression," I finished my drink and placed it at the bar. 

    "Careful, Princess. Your feelings are showing," I chided walking past her. She grabbed my arm right above my elbow digging her claws into my skin.

    "You're going to eat your words," she whispered. 

    "Who's going to make me? You?" I coaxed. She let go. 

    "I'm going to have to show you some manners mutt," 

    "I'd love to see you try princess. I'll be in my room if you need me," I smirked. She let out an exasperated gasp. If she had the ability to blush her face would be bright red right now. Instead, those blazing purple eyes of hers stayed on me until I disappeared from her sight. Women. Can't live with them. Can't live without them.