Erondale

Chapter 14

Christopher

I’m on my way to visit Erin, again. I really hate using her like this. Well, I’m not really using her. I have really enjoyed having her as a friend. The night that I had asked her to start dating me, I was trying to forget Rae.

Why? You’ll probably think that I’m crazy. So, let’s just say that I don’t think that I’m good enough for her. I know that I broke her heart by being with her nemesis. It was for a good reason, though. Just trust me. One day, I am going to find me a queen that was meant for me. One that I will rule along side of. I don’t want to hurt her more then.

I know it sounds selfish. I should have let her make that decision. But, what if we became closer and that special someone shows up. Apparently, I am going to forget everyone and everything except that person. All feelings of love with any other woman, will be wiped as if it never existed. At least that is what my mother said.

I figured it would be easier to hurt and break her friendship now then later. That doesn’t mean that it was easy. The amount of times that I just wanted to stop what I was doing and comfort her was overwhelming.

Every time she looked at me like she didn’t know me anymore dug a little hole into my heart. That happened so much that I am surprised I still have a beating heart. Watching her dance all night with, that little jerk, Alrich made my blood boil. He would wink at me every time that he saw me.

We’ve never liked each other. He always thought that he was better than me even though I was the Prince. There is also darkness in him sometimes when he loses his temper. I had hoped that the one night would be the only night Rae was with him.

That isn’t the case though. Erin fills me in on Rae and company every time we meet. I know that she still crushes on me and that she wants a repeat of the night before Rae’s birthday.

I’m embarrassed that I did that. I let myself go too far. I don’t know if Rae found out about it, or not, but I sure hope not. I don’t know why it hurts, knowing that she might, but it does. It’s a sharp sting of pain. I have remained friends with Erin, though. So, I don’t feel too bad about taking her virginity. She is a really cool girl to hang out with.

I only have one more year and then I can return. I need to sneak in to see my father though. This is what I plan on doing tonight with Erin’s help. No one can know that I have escaped training to come here. Father may be disappointed but I need to know what is going on. My sneaking out to see Erin started out as me just wanting to make sure that she was okay after what I had done.

Then it became more of just friendly hanging out. We would go out to the lake sometimes. That is until we had to stop and write the letters. It’s only this one time that we are seeing each other face to face, again.

Erin has told me that Rae knows nothing of her kind. Her Mom keeps her in the dark about it, in hopes that she turns out normal like her brother Talon. Talon doesn’t know either. Her parents were hoping that neither one got the gene from the mother. Why? I don’t know.

Their kind is dying out and I haven’t had any negative reaction from Toby and Erin’s family. So, why is she so scared? My thoughts are interrupted by the rustling of leaves. I glance up to see Erin headed this way with a frown on her face. I immediately jump up.

“Erin. What’s wrong?”

She hesitates before she answers.“I don’t know if I should tell you, Chris.”

“Why? It can’t be that bad.”

“Oh, it is. You know that I told my brother we’ve been seeing each other? I told him after Rae lost her father.”

I nod my head, not sure where she is going with this.

“Well, he isn’t too happy about me coming out to meet you and he’s sent body guards.”

She nods behind where I suddenly see two guys.

A groan of frustration leaves my throat.“What has your brother so paranoid?”

“I’ve told you about the murders. Well…” She hesitates.

“Well?” I prod.

“There’s been another. This time we got to see what she looked like.” She says quietly.

“And?”

She hesitates. I can tell that she really doesn’t want to tell me.“She has a similar appearance to Rae.”

My heart stops. Is someone trying to kill Rae and hitting the wrong target or threatening her?

“Does Rae know?”

Erin’s eyes flash. “Of course not! She’s already been through enough. Why would I tell her that?”

I raise my eyes in surprise. Then I remember what tonight is. “Is she still having her party tonight?”

“Yeah, it starts in an hour.” She looks behind her. “Actually, I should get back so I can be there for her party. I just wanted to come and say hi.”

“Yeah, okay. I figured as much.” I say a little sad. “I’m going to sneak to see my father anyway.”

“Oh, he’s going to be at the party.” She informs me.

“What? Why?”

“He said that he wants to see her smile one last time. I guess he’s really fond of Rae.” She says sounding a tad bit jealous.

“Careful there Erin one might think that you’re jealous of your friend.” I tease.

Her eyes get wide. “I’m not jealous! I just don’t understand why Clay would risk his health.”

There’s a lie there somewhere. She is jealous of something but I am not going to press it.

“You know that he and her father were best friends, right?” I remind her.

“Yeah.”

“They had a strong friendship despite them being just peasants. My father loved hers like a brother. So, it makes sense. Is she really that bad off?”

“She hasn’t been the same since you left Chris. Her and Alrich get along alright, though. Actually, I think that he’s kind of smitten and Toby hates it.” She chuckles.

“Ugh. I wish that she wouldn’t hang out with creep.”

Erin surprises me by defending Alrich. “He’s actually really good to her. Takes good care of her.”

I pause. That fact makes me a little jealous but I know that there’s nothing that I can do about it. “Well, you should probably get back to the party. Let me know how she likes the gift I gave her.”

“I will.” She smiles, knowingly. “You know you should just tell her that you love her.”

“I can’t. It would only hurt her more later.”

Erin narrows her eyes and tilts her head. “Why?”

“You know that I have to take a queen.” I roll my eyes. I’ve already told her this. “How would it help for me to tell her how I feel.”

“Oh. Well, Toby has grown attached to her as well. He says that he has a feeling that he has to protect her.” She looks thoughtful for a moment but just shrugs it off. “His other half of himself gets angry at him when he ignores it.”

I laugh at her description of his wolf. “So, he fights with himself to protect her?”

“Yeah. He says he feels awkward with her being four years younger. He’s afraid that she’s going to read more into it.”

She smiles at me, knowingly. Every one knows that four years difference to a wolf isn’t much. However, they don’t know about Rae’s wolf.

“Well, tell him that I said thank you.” I tell her, sincerely.

Rae is the love of my life, the one that I can’t have.

She scoffs. “You know he doesn’t really like you, right? As a matter of fact, he thinks that we are sneaking around and sleeping with each other.” She smirks.

Guilt automatically sets in. “Erin, I’m sorry about that night. I never should have let it go that far.”

“I know, Chris.” She says quietly. “I should have realized that you were too far gone. I wish I hadn’t told Rae though.”

I froze, eyes wide. “You told Rae?”

“Yes.” She admitted. Then she looks down, lost within a memory. “I didn’t realize that she would react the way that she did.”

My heart was racing. Guilt and shame are fighting for control on my feelings.

“I never should have dated you behind her back. What did she say?”

Erin looks at me, pointedly, and answers, “She didn’t say anything. She just took off and locked herself in her room.”

I knew that she had locked herself up for almost a year. I didn’t realize that I was the reason.

“I should have told you sooner but I..” She starts. She looks down that back up at me with an unreadable expression. “Look, I really like you Chris. I guess it’s obvious by now that I thought there would be more.”

I’m not sure there was any way that I could feel even more guilty. “Erin. I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s okay, Chris. I get it. Just, if you don’t come back soon you’re going to lose her.”

I groan. “Erin. I can’t have her.” I remind her, in what could be said as a whine. I want her, I really do. Again, I can’t have her. “That’s why I dated you to begin with. I didn’t think that you would take it as serious as you did. I’m so sorry.”

“What do you mean, you can’t have her. Why can’t she be your queen?”

“Well, just like you have your fated mates, I too have a fated queen.” I remind her. I don’t know why she isn’t remembering that I told her this already. “Which, by the way, are you not waiting for your fated?”

She sighs. “You know that the chance of that happening are low, Chris. We are almost all gone. It’s why we have chosen’s now. Selene’s fated was a human and her son is only a human. We are dying out. No one knows why Selene was fated to a human but there was reason. However, it is rare for us to find our mates anymore.”

“Well, apparently, I will have a fated as well. That’s why I can’t be with Rae despite how much I feel for her.”

She looks at me sadly. “I have to go, Chris. The party is starting soon.”

“Goodbye, Erin. Have fun.” I say with a smile.

She starts to turn before she turns around. “Oh, and Chris?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure you are going to be able to watch her marry Sir Alrich?”

“Marry?” I ask with my voice raised.

“Yes. He’s working on a contract to marry Rae, as we speak. I didn’t want to say anything before but, now that I know for sure that you love her, you need to know the possibility.”

I can feel my face on fire as I feel the rage building. “Over my dead body will that happen.”

She smirks. “That’s what I thought.”