Rise of the Dragon Princess

CHAPTER 7

~ROMAN~

Of all the factions in the school, witches and werewolves have shared a hatred for years heading back to almost since the school was founded. It has passed on to us kids of the founders and doesn't seem to end any time soon. We try to keep out of each other's way but I make sure they know they will never be in charge regardless of what power they possess.

Sage Forrester is the most powerful witch in the school and honestly, I know she is capable of hurting me in a way no one else can if I'm not keen. Well, except Wren. I have felt her power stronger than I dare to admit. I don't know what she is but I'm pretty sure my mother does. Otherwise, she wouldn't be as interested in her as she is to the point of returning home permanently. Such irony, right?

I have practically grown up without a mother and now she shows up for a stranger. I don't know her. And that goes both ways. She doesn't know me either. I am playing the long game here. Whatever it takes, I will win. Wren is mine after all, isn't she?

I leave the two and head back to the house. Just as I'm about to go upstairs, Alistair appears and stops me. I roll my eyes and turn.

"Aren't you going to join us for dinner? I have already set the table," she smiles warmly.

I don't know how she manages it— going for months and coming back to act like everything is alright in the world. To her, she starts where she left off and hopes to continue like nothing has changed.

"I have had dinner on my own for as long as I can remember. I'm sure you two can manage," I respond and start walking upstairs.

"Roman!" she raises her tone. I keep walking to get to my room. At the top of the stairs, I hit an invisible block that almost sends me rolling back down.

"Seriously! Now you are using force to get me to the dinner table?"

"We are a family, Roman. Above everything else. If I have to use force to remind you that, I damn right will!"

"Tell me how long we have been a family," I chuckle and start walking back. "Eleven months ago when you came and left barely after I saw you? Last year on my birthday when you came late, dropped some gifts in my room like some Secret Santa. Oh, wait!" I mock-exclaim. "That would be on my sixteen birthday. Last year you were no show and this year, well. You are late by one month."

"Roman, is that seriously what all your anger towards me is all about?" she raises an eyebrow. "Or is there something else?"

"Who is Wren?"

"Isn't she your long-awaited mate?" Alistair responds with a question. That's her style, avoiding giving responses she doesn't want to by turning the conversation around. "She is pretty, don't you think?"

"Who is she? Where did you find her?" I ask again firmly. "A secret daughter of yours?"

Alistair chuckles and then nods.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Great. Just great."

"Come on Roman, let's at least have dinner together before all the questions. I'm sure we have a lot to talk about."

"Couldn't agree more." I walk the rest of the way down and follow her knowing that she won't let me be if I don't.

Several minutes into the dinner, I'm getting tired of small talk while there is a whole platter of serious issues weighing down on us. I need something to keep me distracted if I'm going to make it through the meal without snapping. Like an answered prayer, my girlfriend's scent fills the room moments before she appears.

"Brooke!" I call out and stand to welcome her.

I have been dating Brooke for almost two years now. She has been away for three weeks on tour with her parents who are the major sponsors of the school. I haven't thought about her from the moment I set my eyes on Wren but seeing her standing there smiling at me, the old familiar feeling of happiness takes over. She rushes over and falls into my arms.

"Miss me?" she asks teasingly.

"Every day you cheeky monster!" She giggles at my response then kisses me in front of Alistair before pulling back.

"Sorry, I got a little distracted in the dorms. I would have been here sooner." Alistair clears her throat to announce her presence. Brooke turns to her sweetly. "Oh, Mrs Grayson! I didn't see you there."

She did. Of course, she knew she was sitting right there. Sometimes Brooke's ignorance irritates me but at that moment, I can't help but smile. We walk back to the table together.

"Right. I'm known to possess ghostly features," Alistair responds sarcastically.

"I'm just excited to be back, don't blame me. I have been waiting all Summer to hang out with my boyfriend again," Brooke shrugs her off.

"Yeah, I wouldn't hold my breath," Alistair mumbles under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Mom!"

We both speak at the same time. I glare at Alistair for several seconds then turn back and find Brooke looking at me questioningly. She has a way of picking up on things too fast and Alistair accelerating the process is only making things worse.

I take her hand into mine and squeeze in reassurance. If someone needs to tell her the truth, it has to be me. But I'm not ready for that yet. Just because some mystic being says that someone else is my destined doesn't mean I should just break Brooke's heart right away.

"It's nothing," I reassure her. I can tell that she doesn't believe me. Alistair remains quiet observing us. I know she has never liked Brooke but that goes both ways. It is part of the reason I date her. Does it make me a bad person? I don't care.

"Let's go to my room," I add and get up. Alistair is offended but I know she won't dare to stop me. Not with Brooke around.

"Goodnight, Mrs Grayson," Brooke accords her and follows me.

Behind the closed door, I pin her against it and claim her lips hungrily. She moans in surprise and responds for several seconds before she pulls away. She pushes me aside and starts walking to my bed. She however heads straight to the window facing outside and stands there. Something is definitely going on in her mind. I follow her and stand behind her.

"Ro, if I ask you something will you tell me the truth?" I press my jaw tightly and close my eyes. My mother got to her. She turns around. "Will you?"

"I uh..." I nod. "Sure."

"Who is this Wren bird? What is she doing in this school if she is a human?"

Yeah, that is definitely not information she got from my mother. I guess everyone in school is talking about the 'human' with secret powers that I helped unlock. There's no way around this.

"My parents brought her. I don't know what she is but she is definitely not a human."

"Hm, I figured as much." She sits down on my bed. If she already knows that, why is she asking then? She sighs. "Is it true that she is your mate?"

"How did you... Who told you that?"

"I'm not dumb, Roman. The first thing I know after getting back, there's some new student more powerful than you, than any of us. So I went to see her only to find her with freaking Sage Forrester talking about you."

"About me?"

"Of course I got curious but neither would break."

"What did you do to her?" I demand without thinking.

Brooke scoffs and shakes her head slowly.

"I guess I have my answer then," she states and gets up. "See, that look on your face right now thinking that I did something to her, your willingness to confront me about her... If I hadn't overheard your mother mentioning it right before I came in, I would have guessed from that look."

"Brooke..."

"What am I to you now?" she asks.

I have never seen her hurt before but now her eyes hold that long heartbroken look. I close the gap between us and take her hands.

"Nothing has changed between us. You are still my girlfriend, Brooke."

"Until when?" she asks.

I don't know what to say to her. I have shared a long relationship with her and the reason we have stayed together this long is because we are alike in so many ways. We anchor each other and understand each other in ways no one else has. While everyone hates me and fears me, Brooke doesn't. There's however one thing that I haven't brought myself to think about because it hasn't been necessary. I don't love her. She is just a convenient fix.