You Belong To Me

Chapter One: Wren

I had been summoned back to the house by my mother.

Instead of calling me on my phone like a normal person, she decided to send the royal guard - okay, it was just two of them - to the house I was currently working on.

It was a long distance on foot, and an inconvenience to make the drive, so I was confused as to why my mother would send them here instead of texting or calling me.

Especially since she was the one always harping on about reducing costs.

They found me talking to Cole, my site manager, as we were supervising the work being done in the expansive, Edwardian-style entrance hall. The noises from inside were so loud that I could barely hear what Cole was saying, never mind the car pulling up outside.

Everywhere, people were walking around with tools or blueprints, others carrying or pushing equipment to other rooms in the house.

Everyone was wearing hardhats, even though we didn’t really need them, it was important to keep everything up to code in case one of the municipal inspectors stopped by unannounced to take a look, which they seemed to do a lot more recently.

Cole was the first between us to spot the dark vehicle pulling into Mrs. Walker’s massive driveway, and nudged me with his elbow before gesturing for me to look out the window.

I turned with a frown to see Russell and Silva exit the vehicle, straightening their clothing before making their way to the door.

If I were anyone but the alpha’s son, I would try to duck away and hide somewhere in the massive house.

But, unfortunately, I was, and doing something that childish would be seen as cowardice by everyone who saw me.

I was many things, but a coward wasn’t one of them.

Even if I had tried to run, Russell would’ve sniffed me out and found me in less than a minute. So I stayed where I was and turned, watching them make their way through the doors and walking towards me with measured steps.

Russell’s gaze scanned over the room with a practised eye and all the people in it, before they swept back to me, reluctantly, and that familiar glint of dislike shone in his pale blue eyes.

I had never really understood why the man hated me so much, because I’d never really done anything to merit it. Most of my childhood had been spent in boarding school, far away from here.

After graduating high school, my mother had insisted I attend Oxford or Cambridge, but my father thought it best I stay in the states for college.

They had pushed me towards MIT, where I spent the next four years of my life before graduating with an engineering degree.

I had been allowed to return home six years ago to start a job at Cormier Construction.

Throughout all these years, whenever I came home for the holidays, Russell had always regarded me with disdain, but treated Rehan like he was the son he never had.

I really didn’t get it.

So it went without saying that I would be an asshole to him whenever he spoke to me.

I mean, what would you do if you were in my shoes?

“Your Highness,” he greeted.

His voice had a slight tinge of sarcasm and resentment, which I lifted a brow at.

“Your mother, the Queen, has asked that we escort you back to the house urgently because she needs to speak to you.”

I narrowed my eyes at the small smile on his ugly face, and turned to look at Silva, who was staring daggers at Cole.

“What exactly does she need to talk to me about that’s so important she would send you, Russell?” I asked.

He let his eyes sweep over me again.

“I’m not sure. She wouldn’t really say.”

Liar.

Mother knew how I felt about this guy, so for her to send him here was her way of letting me know that the situation was rather urgent.

But for her, that could be anything from a broken plate to an assassination.

Russell was head of security and my father’s right hand, so he was hardly ever sent anywhere for the fun of it.

But my mother underestimates how petty I can be, because I say, “Please inform my mother that I’ll be home for dinner. This project needs my attention so I have to be here all day.”

With that, I turned back to Cole.

Russell let out a long, loud breath to show his disapproval at my rudeness, but I didn’t really care.

“You’re not a child any more, Wren, so this behaviour is hardly necessary. Besides, Helena was very insistent.”

He knew exactly how to push my buttons.

Apart from being the alpha’s son, I was well-known for having a very bad temper.

If nothing else, I could be counted upon to snap at the smallest provocation, and I was guaranteed to break a lot of bones once I was really pissed off.

Russell knew this.

Since I’d come home, I’d been in a few fights and he’d been called to help me out of whatever mess I’d gotten involved in.

He’d smirk at me before he lifted a hand to help, and though I hated how much satisfaction he got from bailing me out, I really struggled with my temper.

I closed my eyes at his dig and tried to calm my breathing like Cole had shown me.

“I’ll call Helena and explain the circumstances. Thank you, though, for coming all this way to escort me home.”

Before he could respond with something most likely to piss me off, I walked off into the living room. The best way to avoid a fight with him right now would be to get away from him.

Cole followed me with the blueprints in his hand, and whistled low in his throat when he caught up to me.

“You enjoy antagonising that man, don’t you?” he asked when we were a safe distance from the entrance hall.

“I think it’s the other way around, actually. God, the man enjoys my pain. I wonder what I ever did in my past life to deserve this.”

My best friend rolled his eyes and smacked me on the back.

“Don’t be such a baby. Just ignore him. You can fire him when you take over as alpha.”

That brought a smile to my face.

“Just do me a favour and don’t fire my father-in-law, okay?”

I turned to him with a confused expression.

“You mean the guy who loathes you with every fibre in his being and curses the day you ever met his daughter?” I asked.

He shrugged absently.

“He has his reasons, I guess. Not much I can do to make him like me at this point,” he replied.

Silva hated Cole for the same reason that dads hate playboys who got their only daughters pregnant before running off to join the army and returning to find a three year old waiting for them.

Cole and Eva had been high school sweethearts who’d decided to try and make an actual commitment from all their fooling around, except Eva dumped Cole for another guy two days before graduation.

Hurt by the betrayal, he’d gone off and impulsively enlisted.

Fortunately, they’d managed to sort out their differences before Cole got shipped off and they may or may not - depending on which of them you asked - have used protection that night.

Naturally, Silva hadn’t taken the news very well.

He’s hated him ever since.

Even though Cole and Eva are now married and raising their darling baby girl in a loving home where both parents cared for and adored each other.

You couldn’t make everyone happy. Especially parents.

Speaking of, I pulled my phone from my pocket and winced when I saw the five missed calls from my mother, along with her ten plus text messages.

Huh, how ‘bout that, I thought.

I dialled her number and waited for her to pick up.

When she did, I had to pull the phone away from my ear and grimaced as she yelled at me.

“... I could be dead, for all you know, Wren. Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“I have it on silent when I’m on site. I need to concentrate on my job, remember?”

I could almost see her purse her lips in irritation before she inhaled deeply.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten what day it is today.”

“Like I could ever,” I replied.

I heard a noise from her side of the line, then a door opening before her heels clicked against the tiled floor of the kitchen, echoing in the house.

“Good. I’m handling the menu for tonight’s dinner myself, and your father is currently at the Knight household meeting with Aurora’s father. They should arrive just before six, so I expect you here even sooner.”

I scratched my forehead as I waited for her to wrap up her conversation with the chef about the soup, and cleared my throat to get her attention.

“Don’t do that, Wren, it’s bad manners," she snapped.

I resisted the urge to sigh.

"Anyway, Rehan signed for your suit, so it’s waiting upstairs for you in your room. Please don’t be late.”

Then she hung up.

“Problem?”

“Yes, but nothing a few minutes with a sledgehammer can’t fix.”

I decided to humour my mother and leave the site just after three so I can make it home by four.

My brother greets me at the door like a butler, and chuckles when I throw a scowl his way.

“Man, oh man. How many years have you been dreaming of this day?”

Zero.

Exactly zero times.

What man sits around dreaming of the day his family and the one that tried to overthrow them all those years ago, sat down at a table and arranged for them to marry the traitorous family’s uber b***h of a daughter to the heir against his will?

Yeah, me neither. Because who on earth would ever think up a scenario like that?

“Please stop. I’m already pissed enough about this whole thing without you starting on one of your infamous rolls.”

Rehan raises is hands in surrender, and falls back in resignation.

I hurried up the stairs, hoping to get to my room before my mother realised I was home. I had just reached the landing to the second floor, when she called my name from downstairs.

I looked over the banister to find her standing there in an elegant mint two-piece suit, and her signature pearls. Her hair was pinned in a fancy updo, make-up at a minimum.

She lifted both brows above those cat-like green eyes of hers and beckoned me back down with a manicured finger.

I bit my tongue at the look on her face when I turned back down the stairs, taking my sweet, sweet time.

“Didn’t I ask you to come home hours ago?”

“We’ve been through this,” I snapped. “Is this what you called me down here for, Mother?”

Rehan chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. I didn’t even bother to look at him since I’d probably make him roll on the floor with merriment if I dared.

“I understand you’re not happy about the situation, but I will not tolerate you speaking to me like this.”

I really couldn’t understand how Rehan spent the whole day around her without losing his mind.

The woman was like a buzzard, hovering around the dying corpses of animals, barely waiting for them to die before picking at their flesh.

But then again, Rehan had a much better relationship with her than I did.

They should, since Rehan hadn’t been shipped off to boarding school like I had.

“I just wanted to ask you very nicely to please not do or say anything that will set us back. I know you’re not entirely thrilled about this, but I want you to know that your father and I are grateful to you for doing this. We’re also very proud.”

It was my turn to hold back a laugh.

My mother misunderstood the look on my face as pride, because she briefly cupped my jaw before dropping her hand and walking back towards the kitchen.

“Can I be the one to tell her about your epic break up with Aurora? Please? Please?” Rehan pleaded, clapping his hands together in prayer.

“You are such a child. Go ahead and tell her if you like. I’m sure there’s nothing either of us can do or say to change that woman’s mind."

He makes a sound of assent, then turns away, disappointment on his features, and follows after her.

I run upstairs to my room and slam the door behind me, locking it for good measure.

I needed an hour, at least, to calm myself and properly come to terms with the fact that this was actually happening.

My relationship history had consisted of a bunch of one night stands and occasional flings, and one long-term relationship that had ended so horribly, it had scarred me for eternity.

Aurora Knight and I had known each other from a very young age, way before I had been sent to boarding school.

Her parents had always brought her around my house for the summer, and I spent most of that time running away from her with Cole and Rehan. Eventually, she got the message and asked her parents to stop bringing her over to play with us.

I had thought that would be the end of it, but after graduating high school, I ran into her almost everywhere.

The mall, Cole’s house, at home, the park, the drive through, literally everywhere.

She was like the cold I couldn’t shake, and she eventually wore me down. I agreed to go out on one date with her so I could let her down as easily as I could, but she waved my words away and explained to me that, “I would catch on eventually.”

To my dismay, news of our date spread through the town like wildfire and it wasn’t long before she got her wish and we started dating.

The reason for this was rather complex, but it was the same reason I kept dating her for two more years after that.

Had I known then what I know now, I wouldn’t-

Ugh.

I stripped off my dirty clothes and tossed them in the hamper before making my way to the bathroom and turning on my shower.

I stepped under the spray and tried to wash away my dread, my anger, my resentment.

The water from the tap quickly became scalding hot, but I barely felt it as I poured a generous amount of coconut shampoo onto my large palm and smeared it over both hands before rubbing it into my platinum locks.

The colour of my hair was an oddity, and a great mystery among my pack.

I was supposedly born with a thick, dark mane like the rest of my family, but as the years went by, the colour began to fade until my hair was a snowy white hue.

My hair made a statement wherever I went, and I was recognised by both enemies and allies alike, so I had learned to hide it when I went anywhere I didn’t want to be recognised.

As if that wasn’t enough, though, I was also very tall and built like a Mack Truck.

My human form was rather unique, which made my wolf form one of a kind.

My fur was mostly white, shining almost silver under the glow of the moon, except for a few streaks of black framing my face and running down my back, and over the side of my tail.

My eyes were completely black, giving them an ominous, almost scary glow.

My wolf was enormous, and one of the largest in history.

Safe to say that nobody would be thrilled to encounter something like me in the dead of night, deep in the Black Hills.

We generally made sure to stay out of the forest as often as we could to avoid being spotted by people on a full moon. The last thing we needed was a manhunt for our kind again.

I was brought back to the present by the sound of a knock on my door, and I almost sighed in relief when I remembered I had locked it.

My peace was ruined, however, and I wrapped up my shower after scrubbing at my skin with a soapy loofah.

I turned off the water and pushed my hair off my face.

Thirty minutes later, I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my cufflinks and brushing off non-existent hair off the sleeve of my black suit.

I fixed up my tie and glanced at my reflection one more time before I unlocked my door and headed downstairs.

Rehan meets me at the foot of the stairs, and smiles up at me.

“You clean up well, big brother.”

“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself. Brioni?”

“Like I would ever wear anything else,” he replied, tugging on the navy sleeve of his tailored suit.

I looked around the house, noting all the small, yet significant changes made in the past few hours.

Flowers, our family photos lining nearly every surface within sight, the slightly warmer hues of the curtains and carpets.

“Are our honoured guests here yet?”

He shook his head.

We walked into the sitting room, where my mother was standing with a glass of wine in her hand.

My mother had changed into an emerald dress with a flared skirt, and an elegant wrap around her regal shoulders. She looked every bit an alpha in the dress, and I had to admit that she looked stunning.

Her face beamed with pride as she looked at us, and she actually smiled at me, clearly pleased with my appearance.

“Very nice, darling. You look very handsome. I'm glad the suit fits well.”

She fixed up my tie, and picked off the small lint on the collar.

My brother handed me a glass and mumbled, “Here. You'll need this to get through this.”

I gratefully accept the liquor and take s generous sip from the glass.

"Mother, why exactly are we doing this? Have you forgotten that these are tbe same people who exiled you and grandma, then hunted you down and tried to kill you?

She sighs at Rehan's question, as if she had answered this question several times before.

"You sound like your father. I'll tell you what I told him. It's important to keep a close eye on your enemies. You think I want to sit across from these hyenas and have them eat my food? No, but I need to make sure they don't try anything like that again. This is to protect you."

Rehan rolled his eyes.

"If this happens, then there'll be nothing stopping Gregor from killing me after I Aurora an heir. I'd be the only thing standing between him and power then."

I watch my mother swirl the wine around her glass as the silence after my statement, as if she was considering my words.

She meets my gaze squarely, her green eyes hard with determination.

"I will never let that family hurt you, Wren. I am your mother, and everything I do is to protect you two."

I'm about to reply when the front door opens, marking the arrival of my father and the Knights.

His deep baritone seems to echo down the halls, and as he sweeps into the room, my mother smiles at him.

He leans down to kiss her on the cheek, his brown eyes warming at the sight of her.

"You look lovely, as always, my queen," he says, his voice a whisper, intended for her ears only.

"As do you, darling."

Weird, seeing my mother reduced to a blushing mess by a simple compliment from my father.

"Father."

He turned to acknowledge me with a gentle pat on the back, and squeezed Rehan arm for a second.

He moved to stand beside our mother as she smiled warmly at our guests, the disgusted look she'd had on her face a few seconds ago replaced by the welcoming grin of a hostess.

The Knights were dressed well, formal and sophisticated, their attire showing off their old money.

I watched in silence, Rehan beside me, as pleasantries were exchanged between the older couples.

I tried very, very hard not to frown at the bitter glint in their eyes, or the way Mrs. Knight’s gaze sweeps over my mother with barely concealed resentment.

I know how desperately she had wanted to remain at the head of the pack, but my mother’s return had sent her and her omega of a husband scurrying away.

It explained why she had been pushing her daughter in my face for years now, perhaps hoping that I would marry her and make her queen.

Aurora, being the dramatic woman that she is, decides to sweep into the room with unnecessary, inappropriate flare. My mother glances at my father in surprise, but says nothing has the redhead makes her way over to us.

She's dressed in a black dress that bared her back, sleeves slightly off the shoulder, hair loose around her shoulders.

“Good evening, your Majesty” she said, curtsying primly to my parents.

My mother nodded politely at her, and replied in kind.

Aurora approached my brother, giving him a fake smile that ventured more towards a grimace.

“Rehan.”

“Ah, lovely, Aurora," my brother said, bowing dramatically. "So… pleased to see you again after so long.”

She doesn’t react to the sarcasm in his tone, because her blue eyes are locked on me, a devilish smile spreading across her striking face.

“Wren.”

“Hello, Aurora. Good to see you.”

“I imagine it must be,” she said.

Rehan groaned and moved away from us, tossing the rest of his drink down his throat.

“May I get you something to drink? Glass of red wine?”

She tilted her head in surprise, but the smile didn't slip even for a second.

“You remember?”

“A man can hardly forget,” I replied.

The words garner some approval from both sets of parents, and Aurora herself.

I should have left it at that, but I couldn't help the words the slipped from my mouth.

Really, I tried.

“Especially when he’s had that drink thrown in his face on so many occasions.”

My smile was genuine when I watched hers fall, and I excused myself before walking off to the bar.

I could almost feel her eyes staring daggers into my back.

“Glass of Bordeaux, and a shot of scotch,” I told the barman.

I glanced over my shoulder to find that her parents were staring at me with displeased scowls and I sighed as I turned back to the man pouring my drink.

“Rather make that a double, please.”