Chapter 24
“Abby?” I acknowledged cheerfully as she walked into the room and shut the door, all smiles.
I was conflicted. The last time I saw her was the day the former Queen left the palace. She said something about accompanying her to her new dwelling to help her adjust before she returned to join us. Plus, it wasn’t like we were the best of friends. After all, like her brother, she despised werewolves.
Albeit, I share a genuine smile and closed the distance between us, hesitating if to hug her or not. “Hey,” I mouthed and before you know it, she engulfed me in a tight hug.
“How have you been, Gwen?” She asked and as if a dam of tears was unscrewed, my arms tightened around her as my body shook of its own volition. Do not cry before your subject admonition be damned. “Shhhh,” she stroked my back gently.
“I feel so lost, Abigail,” I admitted, still trembling. “I feel like I-I ran away from one problem and plunged myself into yet a bigger problem.”
“It’s okay…”
“It’s not…” I hiccuped. “Your brother hates my guts. He would stop at nothing to destroy me.”
“I won’t let him do that to you,” she was still stroking my back. “That’s why I came back. Mother said she could feel your soul is restless in addition to someone informing her my brother left the palace shortly after we left.”
I pulled away, sniffing as my head bounced. “He wants to kill me, Abby.” I shook my head. “I thought- thought finding one’s mate was supposed to be the best thing yet to be. I thought it was the greatest miracle to happen to me, but now… now I must admit I have been wrong all along. Having a mate sucks like hell.”
“Hey.” She grabbed my shoulders and yanked to get my attention as my eyes locked in misery, still shaking from too much pent-up emotions. It was as if the goddess sent her to me this evening knowing how wretched I was feeling inside. “The goddess never makes a mistake, Gwen. I know that my brother treats you badly, but believe me he isn’t like that.”
“You keep saying that, yet, that’s not the impression I’m getting. Your brother left me here in the palace and went to sleep with his mistress, what punishment could be greater than that, Abby? And you say he is a good person?” I could see the shock register on her face, her mouth opening and closing at once.
“He didn’t do that.”
Of course, it’s something very hard to believe. I mean, no one in his right sense would do that if not a man with so much spite for his mate. That mate happens to me. He hates me so much. As if that wasn’t enough, he used his power bomb to subdue me. I will save her that part.
“I’m so sorry, Gwen.”
“I am learning to live with it, Abby.” I kept going, using the nickname I have quickly developed for her. “I placed my self in this predicament. I am going to suffer the consequences.” I smiled sadly, wiping at my eyes. “Well, it’s not like I have a choice.”
“Why so?”
I lowered my eyes to my hands. “You won’t understand, Abby.” I began ambling back to the door, stopping as I turned the knob. “I am off to begin my training. I think it’s because I have been too idle that I notice every of his cruelty. Perhaps, if I’m occupied in being a good queen like your mother asked me, I won’t care much about what he does around here.”
Her expression was marred. In pity. For me. “It’s not supposed to be like that, Gwen.”
“Yet, this is what the goddess think I deserve.” I passed through the door into the hall. “I will have to manage.”
~
“Ashton!” The door snapped open, causing me to jump off my chair in force, in the process, upset my legs that were hung on top of the desk as I looked outside through the open window at my horses as they grazed openly.
To every other person, my love for horses was why I had so many of them. Especially the giant ones, but to me and Williams, we knew the major reasons for this breed and why I had plenty of them. I was looking forward to my trade. “What?” I grumbled, slowly bringing down my legs as I gawked at my sister.
“How could you?”
“I have warned you to always knock, sister,” I drew abstractly, slightly peeved she would barge in like that. Why if I was with one of my mistresses?
“That is not the point,” She clamoured, her hands flailing. Okay, she’s furious. “Ash, I thought you had a gentle soul in you.”This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
“Okay, Princess, enough of the puzzles,” I huffed. “You know I suck in them.”
“I am talking about your mate, Ashton,” She snarked, her shoulders pulled in my direction in obvious angsty. “You are hurting her for something she has no clue about.”
I simply stared. Here I was thinking it was something serious. So the little werewolf was already wagging her tongue? Interesting.
“Your mistress?” She continued, unaware of my thought. “You left the palace to go to your mistress after your wedding, Ashton.” No reaction. Indeed, they’ve had a lot of catching up in such a short time. “Mother will be so disappointed.”
“Okay,” that’s it. I’m bored already. “That’s enough.” I stood, grabbing my coat by the chair. “If you are done lecturing me,” I peered at my Rolex. “I think it’s time to go see one of my mistresses, sis.”
“Are you even listening?”
“No.” I opened the front door, sharing a mischievous smile with her. “Are you just taking notice?” I shook my head, touching my beard tentatively to piss her off. “Since you have turned her spokesperson, sweetheart, do well to share my comfort to my mate on her impending suffering tonight.”
“What do you mean by that?” She rushed to me as I walked off down the hall, choosing to ignore her, but then a strong kick from Fangs inside me, infuriated me and I decided to make him more furious by going overboard.
I stopped at the front door, disregarding the presence of the butler.
I repeated, “I am going to see one of my mistresses, sis, do you know what that means for her?” As a look of shock registered on her face, I grinned widely, throwing the door open and striding to the blue BMW parked out waiting for me.
I waited for it.
“Ashton!” My sister screamed from the house. My grin widened as I slammed the door shut.
“Take me to Sonatara.”
…