The Midnight Prince

Betrayal

(Flint)

Kaylee left in such a rush earlier and made me feel like I had done something wrong, so on my way to the Crest, our pack house, I thought it would be a nice gesture to bring her some flowers by the diner. I bought her a bouquet of Forget-me-nots, her favorite. Ironic, isn’t it? Drago scoffs. Shut up.

My dress shoes tap against the concrete sidewalk as I walk up to the front entrance of “Bark’s Diner,” Kaylee’s worked here since she was 16. Mom offered her a job at the school doing secretary work but Kaylee enjoys waitressing. I’ll never understand why, I’d prefer to be served than serve but maybe it’s the Beta in her.

Reaching for the door, I hear a familiar voice coming from the back alley. It sounds like Kaylee, and the higher octave let’s me know she’s very upset.

I almost walk around the corner of the building but stop for a moment to listen. “Slate, you can’t be here. If someone sees you here and tells Flint..” she trails off and I can feel my throat tightening with a disturbing combination of anger, dread, and betrayal.

“Flint will understand one day, when he finds his own mate. I’ve been in love with you since we were little kids, Kay. I just couldn’t tell you because Flint got there first.” I press my back against the rough stone wall and continue to eavesdrop. That backstabbing asshole! He told me at the party he’d never get in the way of our love, and yet the second he finds her alone.. what a traitorous piece of trash. Told you so. Drago grumbles, but his rage burns just as brightly as mine.

Kaylee sighs. “Slate.. I’ve always felt something there too. Which is why I stayed away. Which is why I have to stay away from you now. I promised Flint I would reject you. I have to to do that. I’m sorry but I can’t be your mate.” Her shoes scuffle against the concrete as if she starts to walk away but then they stop as Slate presses on.

“Is that really what you want? You want to reject me? To be my brother’s happy little housewife and cling to his arm while I stand at his side, his lonely Beta? Don’t you even want to know what it feels like.. to give into yourself? Your..desires?” His voice changes, turning softer.

“Slate please. This is hard enough. Of course I want to know. But Flint, he would kill us. He could banish us.”

“I wouldn’t mind being a rogue for you. I’d do anything for you.”

Slate, I-“ They both fall silent. I try to swallow and peer around the corner, finding a horrific site. My brother with his hands in Kaylee’s golden locks and his mouth on hers. What’s worse is her hands snaked around his neck, holding him in a way she’s never done to me. My stomach lurches and drops so far I could’ve fallen out of my ass.

I throw myself back around the corner and bang my head against the wall to get a grip on the intense desire to kill them both. It would take two seconds for me to end their lives for such a treasonous act. Instead, I count to three, then to ten.

“Wow, that was incredible.” Slate tells her breathlessly. “There’s no way we can reject each other, I’ve never felt something like that before. That was-“

“Electric.” Kaylee replies. “I felt like you became a part of me.” She whispers.

“Please don’t reject me.” Slate begs her.

“I can’t do this. I don’t know what to do about Flint. I don’t want to hurt him. I love him.”

Finally I can hold back no longer and I come around the corner of the building curtly, holding the flowers like a knife.

Both of them watch me approach like I’m a ghost coming back from the dead. “Don’t worry Kaylee, you’ve already hurt me.” I seethe, shoving the flowers into her hand.

I don’t even look at Slate as I storm away from the two of them. I feel the heat growing, spreading across my back in a crimson aura. Deep breathing, hold yourself together. A time for revenge and justice will come. But if you murder them in front of our people there will be serious uprisings. I follow my wolf’s advice and count my footsteps as I approach my mustang. It was a graduation present from my parents. I’ve loved this car for two years now, and yet all I want to do it wrap it around a tree, smashing it into a million pieces.

“Flint! Wait!” Kaylee shouts. I turn to watch her scampering down the sidewalk in her work dress. “Please, I didn’t mean for any of that to happen. I’m sorry that-“

“That what? That my own brother is the dirtiest traitor I know? Or that my fiancé is the biggest skank I know?” I hiss through gritted teeth. The red burns from within, lashing and spitting out hate. Bloodthirsty magic crawls down my arms and whips against the palms of my hands. It begs to be unleashed, to release itself into the world and destroy everything in its wake. I pull it back, swallowing it down into the internal chamber I keep it locked inside of.

Kaylee looks as if I smacked her across the face. “I k-know your angry but if you’d just let me e-explain, I-“ she stumbles over herself, pissing me off more.

“I-I- I don’t care!” I mock her nervous stutter. “I’m not angry, I’m disgusted. I’m completely and utterly disgusted by you right you. You were supposed to be my wife? We were each other’s first, I built you a f*****g house. I have been nothing but a good man to you and decide you want my baby brother instead? Are you f*****g twisted in the head?” I jab my finger against my temple and get further into her face. “You two are the most sickening people on earth. I would never forgive either of you.”

Kaylee’s lip quivers and her eyes shed tears but she doesn’t say anything else, just stands there and looks me blankly in the eyes. “Are you going to banish me?” She whispers, her voice cracking.

I scoff and move away, unlocking the door to my car. Of course that’s what she’s worried about. “You have two hours to get your things out of my f*****g house.”