Rejected by her alpha

An Averted Bromance

"We have got bad company," Ron announces.

Jack comes to my side at once and holds my hand. "Seems like we've overstayed our welcome on our own lands," he say, with a touch of irony.

"Word spreads fast around here," Sir Conwald says.

"How many of them, boy?" Jack questions Ron.

"Like a dozen or so," replies Ron. "And these are different men. Not the ones you met out there earlier. They call themselves the Alpha's Men."

"And how come I've never even heard of them? Let's go, Eva."

We walk out into the pub room. Eyes follow us to the door because no one is drinking at this time. It is like we're some interesting motion picture that they want to fix their gazes on. Jack looks out through a slit on the door. "Good thing is, they don't have weapons. That evens the playing field."

I give my brother an unbelievable look. "Don't tell me you're are thinking of fighting these men."

"Well, look at how desperate they are to come for a woman. Has it always been like this? Take a look, Eva."

I look through the opening and my heart begins to race like a cheetah. "It's never been like this before," I said, unable to believe my eyes.

"I thought as much. What if I hadn't accompanied you here, huh? What do you think these men will do to you?"

"They won't dare touch her, right?" defends Ronald. "She's Lord Killian's bride, right?"

No one says anything but exchange glances. "Let me be the judge of that, boy," Jack said. "As I see things, I don't think they agree with you, Ronald? What about the people in this room? Are they going to keep complacent or do we have them to worry about too?"

"To be honest with you, I don't even understand these people anymore," Sir Conwald says. "Don't even understand what they want."

Suddenly, there is a tremor. I almost feel the ground shake beneath me. But it's only a shout. They want to Lady Eva to come out of the pub house.

Now.

***********

"Let me get this straight," Jack turns to Sir Conwald and said. "If one of them so much as lifts a finger on my sister, there will be a bloodbath."

"I'm not sure I am the right person you should be to be telling that to right now, beta."

"True. You're not. But you might get to watch it. I'd like to tell you beforehand because of your hospitality. Thank you for that. Let's meet these men, Eva."

We walk out and there is silence all over. I notice that the place has cleared out except for the twelve men standing before us.

"She is not welcome here," says one of them, his finger points at me.

"He's lifted a finger already," Jack whispers into my ear. We descend the steps. "And who are you to decide that?"

"Oh, I do not. We do not. We only listen to what comes from the halls of our lord. Killian Romero."

"What sort of game is this?" Jack whispers again. He hardly ever whispers. And now that he is doing it, I have no idea what he plans to do in this situation. He walks closer to the men. I notice that none of them flinch. Not a muscle moved.

"And what is it that you hear?"

The speaker smiles wide. "Words have it that the Lady Eva is unable to meet the expectations of Lord Killian."

"What expectations?"

"Oh, I don't know. But a mate who cannot act as a mate isn't fit to be with our Lord Killian when he is crowned Alpha King!"

Another shout rises from their mouths.

"So we do not welcome her presence here."

"Is she a plague to you now?" Jack demands. "That you have lost your sense of loyalty. For as long as she is Lord Killian's lady, you pledge your fealty to her. Or else, it is a case of insubordination."

The speaker spits. "Fealty my foot. Lord Killian will not charge us for disrespecting his mate. No, he won't!"

I clutch Jack's arm tight. "Let's just leave here, shall we?"

"They are looking for a fight, dear sister."

"Oh, we do not wish to fight with you, sir. Hmm, no. We just want the Lady Eva to leave."

"Please, let's leave, Jack," I tug on his arm.

"No," he affirms.

"I demand it," I insist. "Do not incite these people. Whatever they heard from the manor, don't you think we should start from there?"

"Very well, then. I shall have a long discussion with Killian."

I know this to be a bad idea.

**********

We return to the manor with the sun at its peak already. However, its rays sting our backs like whips.

"The coronation is in a week's time," Jack says.

"So?" I ask, not really in the mood to listen to whatever he has to say about Killian.

"So when did Killian's behavior towards you start?"

"A full moon ago."

This stops him in his tracks. "And you did not say a word of complaint? Why?"

"You know how it starts, Jack. Well, if you were in my shoes, you wouldn't have jumped into conclusions either. When it started, I just felt he was stressed out with obligations. But it escalated. He stopped eating with me, stopped making love to me like when we first met. It seems he began to grow tired of having me around him. And like the lady of a manor, I dare not voice out my complaints so carelessly." I continue walking and he follows behind. "I even had the notion that maybe, just maybe, my lord was testing me."

"So if it is a test, then why do the people of cobblestone streets know about it? Why so serious?"

"That I cannot tell, Jack."

"But is it fair?"

"When you talk about fairness in royal homes, I tend to laugh. No offence meant. Kings have done worse to their queens just to determine their fidelity and loyalty."

"Or undermine it," Jack guesses the other way. "Well, I am going to make sure he doesn't undermine yours."

"And what are you going to do?"

"You will see."