The She-wolf and The Prince

The fires of love.

CHAPTER 07

Beginning of May 1811

- So, we have another sister and very beautiful this time. rejoices Alois.

- I will pretend to believe that you do not compare me to this savage.

- Please, my dear sister. You don't have to ignore this remark which is a truth.

The Harrington brothers and sister had met early in the morning in the inner garden of the castle. Anemone was sitting on a bench while the other two were standing like charismatic gentlemen.

- ‶That's enough," said the oldest of the siblings. You are here because I had to inform you of the situation, so stop your childish bickering for the moment.

- I don't have any order to receive from you, taunted the insolent of the family.

- So be it.

- Why didn't you just send us a letter?

Hiden smiled mischievously.

- The answer is simple. We need the hybrid on our side, and I don't want to see you get in the way.

- It's your fault you don't trust him. I can understand that. What an idea to attack her fiancé in front of her eyes, mocked the younger.

His elder brother glared at him, which amused him even more.

- ‶What I still don't understand is the fact that she was in front of our eyes for years and that none of us, not even father, noticed her," Anemone took offense.

- It is however simple. Our sister is often holed up in the countryside, paying no attention to anyone, so limitless is her pride. I manage my business in London and you, Hiden, are busy slaughtering poor Ryan. Let's not talk about Father, who is either locked in his chambers or sitting on his throne.

There was a silence between them.

Finally, it was Anemone who broke the silence.

- I am surprised that you pay so much attention to this savage. She refused the chic dresses I had selected to make her more presentable. She prefers to dress like a little thug.

- That's because she's not as fake as you. She's a genuine young lady.

- You don't say. Do you know that she hardly sleeps in her room? She would spend her nights with the other one. Who knows what they do? It's a shame. Are we sure she's our mother's daughter?

- ‶She is. I'm a thousand percent sure," said Hiden.

- I see you've done a successful investigation, sister. And I think you are not well placed to talk about shame, you who change men every night.

Anemone didn't reply to this pique. She glared at her brother who was smiling victoriously.

- And how does the future father-in-law react?

- ‶He tolerates. Anyway, he has no choice," replied Miss Harrington.

- And he will have to put up with a lot more if he wants to keep England.

- ‶Do you think that's the best solution?" asked Alois. In my opinion, it would be better to leave things as they are. She'll be on our side, as long as there's Ryan at stake.

- Alois, you know very well that I don't like to settle for anything less.

- So be it. I'll let you do as you please. I just hope the consequences aren't too dramatic. On that note, I'm going to pay them a little visit.

- ‶You're going to go to this infected tower?" said Anemone indignantly.

- Why not? It's our brother and sister.

To end the discussion, he left at breakneck speed. He knocked on the chain door and entered without waiting for an order.

- Hello. I hope I'm not disturbing you.

His eyes went to the two people lying on the small wooden bed at the back of the room. He lingered on the young girl snuggled in her brother's arms.

He cleared his throat to indicate his presence. This time, he was able to wake the lovebirds.

- Hello, he repeated.

He was amused by the confusion on their faces and the promptness with which they got up.

- I came to pay you a small visit of courtesy.

- Hello sir, answered the girl with the silver hair.

- Call me Alois. I feel old when someone younger than me calls me sir.

- Okay, I'll do that. Would you like to sit down?

- No, I'd rather not. I'd rather not intrude. I've intruded enough as it is. You, on the other hand, should get out a little. Don't live in Hermit or you'll end up as white as my younger brother. And don't forget to take him with you. You got it?

- Yes, sir. Uh... Alois. But Ryan's skin is...

- Every problem has a solution. I'll send him a little present.

He turned his attention back to his brother, who was looking at him suspiciously.

- Ryan, you have found a person who will make you happy. Take good care of her. It was nice to meet you, Alia. It was nice to meet you again. I wish you both the best.

- I'm glad too and thank you.

- Thank you.

Their voices were so shy that he had a slight sympathetic smile. He stared again at his new sister. She was the most beautiful person he had known after Dahlia.

- I hope we will see each other again soon. Have a nice day.

Then he walked towards the exit, satisfied to have seen his sister a second time.

- I hope I'll always be there for you, he said quietly as he walked away.

He went into a long corridor filled with paintings hanging on its walls. The undead went to stand in front of one of the portraits. His cheerful mood immediately turned to melancholy. His right hand caressed the canvas.

- It looks so much like you, mother. I hope I am worthy and able to protect her.

Alois sighed loudly and walked away to his chambers. At the doors was one of his slaves. He had ordered him to stand by in case he needed his services; and unlike Hiden and Anemone, he did not try to hypnotize them, believing that the fear he inspired as a vampire was more effective than mind control.

He was scheduled to stay in the family home to welcome the Duke of Lancaster and his family to discuss some sort of union with other countries; the business of rebellion still worried the king despite the fact that he held the hybrid. Even though he was a talkative person, he was not happy to attend this kind of meeting.

He went to look at the landscape through the window but, after a few minutes, left. Finally, he decided to go for a walk in the woods. It was a habit he had developed with his mother and continued to have when he was in Nottingham. He opened one of his drawers, took out a small wooden chest that he could hold in his hand and called his slave to give him specific orders. After the vampire jumped out of the window to land on the lawn surrounding the castle. Despite this effort, he remained impeccable in his suit without a single crease. It seemed as if the jump had been only a few inches high.

The sun was already rising and sending its rays directly onto the east wing of the mansion. With one hand in his pocket, the man moved at his ease and let himself be taken in by the architecture of the east tower. His gaze went to the window from which a person was watching him. This one disappeared as soon as their eyes met and he waved his hand.

He smiled, thinking that he had attracted the attention of the hybrid. Which he undoubtedly had…