Chapter 5 She's What?

“She’s what?” Queen Lara stood up immediately. “How could you Derek?” she said, moving closer to them.

“You knew she was your brother’s mate all this while and said nothing! You waited until it was your brother’s wedding just so you could ruin it.”

Derek’s fist clenched together, but he said nothing.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve ruined this poor girl’s life! She’ll be a widow for the rest of her life to someone she barely knows. And you can live with that?” she snapped.

Derek didn’t look up or cast me a glance. “As long as she’s not Ria, yes mother I can live with it.”

Queen Lara scoffed in disbelief.

“Look, mother. I’ll compensate her and do anything she asks for as long as I live.” He said firmly, his eyes burning with something… unnamable.

“Derek?” Ria called lowly, her hands cupping his face. “You don’t have to. I’ll pay the price instead, I’ll….” 

“No!” he cut her off. “I give her my word, I’ll do anything she wants. It’s my fault for not claiming you earlier.

Ria’s face looked pale instantly, she hadn’t expected it to turn out this way. She must be thinking how Derek could say he’d do anything I asked!

The queen mother turned to me. “Very well then, my child, you heard my son. He’d do anything you ask of him.” She said then cast Derek a hard look. “At least, let him make up for making you lose your privileges as a woman.”

I almost laughed, as if marriage was the greatest thing a woman could lose.

Nobody in this room understood that I had already built a life worth more than any title they could offer.

Derek straightened up immediately. “What do you want, Penola?”

The room went quiet. For once, everyone was looking at me. Waiting for me to answer.

It was a strange feeling. Most of my life, people made decisions for me.

Now someone was asking what I wanted. The problem was… I didn’t know.

Before I could speak, a guard rushed in.

“My queen!” he bowed, breathing hard. Like someone who had just seen a ghost.

Everyone’s  gaze shifted to him. “What?”

“The alpha! He’s back!”

..........

My head snapped up at once, Ria and Derek faces were filled with shocked.

“Are you sure of what you’re saying?” the queen asked.

The guard didn’t get to speak before a man walked in. He was tall, had dark long hairs that fell to his shoulders, his eyes were blue and his chest? Broad and perfect like they were carved by the goddess herself. He was every bit of perfection.

‘Oh wow, If this is my husband then I’m doomed… in a good way though’

For one embarrassing second, I forgot I was was supposed to be angry. This man looked nothing like the monster I had imagined during the ceremony.

Which was unfortunate.

Because it was much easier to resent a man when he wasn’t beautiful

“My son…” she called, almost inaudible. She couldn’t believe her eyes, a child she thought was dead… was actually alive.

“Mother” he hugged her at once.

“My son, you’re back” she said amidst sobs.

Kylde’s eyes finally darted to his brother, but his face twisted the second he saw how close Ria and Derek were. But he said nothing…. Yet.

He eventually broke free from the hug as his mother wiped her face dry.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, his eyes fixed on Derek and his supposed mate—Ria.

Lara immediately held his arm. “My son… calm down, I’ll explain everything.”

Kylde’s fist clenched together but he said nothing.

“When your father and I got back, we found out that Derek had already claimed Ria…”

“You did what?” His blue eyes were starting to turn red.

Derek immediately shielded Ria. “I’m sorry brother, take it out on me. Don’t blame Ria.”

‘Pathetic! She’s the master mind of everything yet acts like the victim always’ Penola felt like throwing up, just looking at her. She had started to tremble—What a great actress.

Queen Lara held Kylde’s hands, stopping him from doing whatever he wanted to do.

“Son, please. Calm down, you’ve been gone for so long and… Ria—‘’

She paused. “We all thought you were dead. But that doesn’t justify what he did. You know I wouldn’t have permitted such, but please, on my behalf forgive them.”

Kylde said nothing. He didn’t even glance at Ria and Derek. He straightened up, walking past them but stopped in his track.

“What is that?” his fierce voice came.

‘Oh great, he finally noticed I exist. How dare he refer to me as that’

Queen Lara gave a small smile, “Forgive my manners dear, this is Penola. She’s…”

“I don’t care who she is mother…” Kylde cut in.

“I said, what is that?” he repeated, pointing at my hand.