*Danika*
“Marriage?” I mumbled slowly, having lost my voice from the revelation. “I still don’t comprehend what you mean by marriage,” I said emphatically.
“Look, Dani-”
“Tell me everything!” I careened, not going to let him deviate from telling me, not even now that my curiosity has been piqued the more.
He looked helpless, his blue eyes now a shade duller in color. I wanted to cradle him and soothe away every tensed muscle in his body. I wanted to tell him it was going to be alright, despite not knowing the fuck how.
After a long time of deafening silence, he started, “My family has been in a serious feud with the Vampires for as long as I can remember, though I don’t know why. I grew up knowing they hated my father and wanted by all means to have his head. That was part of the reason he died.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I reached my hand out to touch him, hesitated, and was about to withdraw it when he grabbed it and placed it on his cheek. It was soft in a hard way and caused a string in my heart to shatter in motherly warmth.
“I thought with the death of my father everything would relax and they would leave me alone. But as it seems, it doesn’t look like I was right. I think they still want something from me…” Something flickered in his eyes. Something like anxiety. Alonso is a great and powerful King. There is nothing I know that can cause fear in him unless he has a barrier. Then he proceeded, “They know about us. Somehow they found out about us and now they want to take you away from me. They know you are very powerful and that is what every Vampire wants. A powerful mate particularly if they have to steal her away from an enemy. They would turn you against me and then… You might not be the sweet girl you are anymore!”
“What?!” I searched his eyes, my tentacles standing in fear. They want to take me to their King to marry me, so as to use me against Alonso? “How did they know about us in the first place? I thought we were discreet enough?”
“I think your father and your former Alpha have something to do with it,” he said hoarsely, a tinge of steel in his voice. I was gobsmacked. My father? I thought-
“I thought my father was placed in the dungeon. How come?”
“He escaped… I think the former Alpha aided him and now they are conniving with the Vampires. They told them everything. That is my assumption because there is no one else that knows about this other than them, apart from Lancelot and he is also surprised about it!”
Lancelot.
A lot is going on that he rarely crosses my mind these days. I wanted to ask Alonso if he was ever going to come back but withheld myself. Now is not the time. That would wait. For now, the issue is if my father is out of the dungeon, it means I’m in danger. That man resents me with passion and if he is working with my former Alpha who has something against the King, that means we have double trouble. They would stop at nothing to bring us down. Is Liam working with them too? That son of a bitch! He betrayed me! He rejected me for my sister. What else does he want from me? Is it because the Alpha position was taken from them they are now acting out of hand?
They deserved it! Why act the wronged ones when they were the ones who stepped on the King’s toes first?!
His huge hand on my shoulders bombarded me back from my drift and I lifted my frightened eyes to him and without thinking I said. “I think we are fucked!”
He broke down in a chuckle. Like a loud chuckle. What is funny? I gaped at him and had to express it. “What’s funny?! I’m saying the reality! It’s either we stop them or if they succee-”
“Calm down, Munchkin. No one is succeeding…” He broke me off. “Firstly, I need to find my brother and then I will know what to do next.”
“Has there been any trails of where he might have gone? I’m also worried.”
“Not now, Danika. I told you my brother is not to be trusted.”
“He is my friend! If I go missing, he would bring down hell to find me.” He glared at me, and I swallowed my next words and instead remarked, “Sorry, it’s not time for all these. Let’s just focus.” I batted my eyes and shifted away.
He stood abruptly and went to the window. That was when I noticed the air shift, with a particular scent I’m getting used to, perpetrating. Paisley.
Without knocking, the door busted in and there she stood in a red short flannel gown that reached her mid-thighs, smiling down at us. “Hey, Fellas!”
She didn’t look like seeing us together was of any discomfort to her, and I tried as much as possible not to look at Alonso in fear that she would think something was amiss.
“What?” Her eyes clinched on me, with her hands spreading out in front of her in askance. If only I could have her boisterous spirit. Even in a moment like this she still has a reason to smile. Well, why won’t she when she has my mate about to get married to her?
“Nothing.” I averted my gaze to my hands which I fiddled with on my laps.
She slammed the door and came in, folding her hand on her chest. “I went to your room to look for you, but you weren’t there. I wanted us to go out, you know, for an outing to take your mind out of everything as well as take in a breath of fresh air.”
I took a steady gust of air in to calm my raging mind. I only appraised her once more because I was seeking for every reason to still see her in the light of who I once saw her. The only guilt I feel now is that I accused her wrongly of being the one after my life. Except that, I don’t think I can safely say I’m comfortable around her, after what she said and did to me in the forest. Not that I have ever been in the first place, even before the forest saga.
“I don’t think that would be necessary, Paisley. She doesn’t need to be seen out for some time after what happened,” Alonso intervened, to my recourse.
“But why? It’s not like anyone would want to grab her in the middle of the day…” She flopped down beside me and took my hands in hers. They trembled. I craved to retrieve them, yet, I allowed her to hold them. I don’t want her to feel bad, even if I want to continue hating her.
“I say let it rest, Paisley!” Alonso thundered, and the air stilled around us.
“Okay! Don’t sweat it, man. I think you also need a breath of fresh air. So why don’t we all go out! Everything that is occurring is infiltrating your head and making you do things-”
“Paisley…” he warned.
“What happened? What did he-”
She cut me off. “He used his aura on the Queen a few days ago.” She sighed, and I looked up in time to see the vicious glare he struck at her.
“I told you to let it rest, Paisley. What’s wrong with you? Why are you telling her these things?” He teetered, looking like he was about to explode.
I stood abruptly, snatching my hands from her. “I think I need fresh air.” I matched to the door, not caring if any of them followed.
“You see I told you!” Paisley came after me. I know by now Alonso would be close to his brink that was why I did it. I didn’t want to ask him why he used his power against his mom in front of her, even if I knew she might have deserved it. I would wait till later when we are together to ask him.
We busted out outside, including him who had finally followed. “So, where should we go?” he asked, looking at the sky which seemed cloudy. I think the storm is closer than I had thought earlier.
“Why not the beach? It’s been a while since we went there,” Paisley suggested.
Alonso looked at me as if asking for my opinion. It’s not like I care if we went to the depth of the sea as long as I’m far from the mansion for a while. Everything seems to be smothering me. I shrugged and trudged forth, when the black Chevrolet rode to our front and stopped, the doors sliding open.
I rummaged through my mind for where else I can find answers since Alfred is not present. I hardly know this place very much. I have only been privileged to go to the infirmary and then back to the house. I don’t even know where the library is to start my search there. Maybe I will have to ask Mary and if she doesn’t know, then I will have to ask someone at the hospital. Roland would know something. He looks like someone who has immense knowledge and should be able to help me.
“Danika?”
I blinked softly and looked up at Alonso. It appears he has been talking to me since and I didn’t know.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay? Should we go back?”
“No, it’s alright. I just drifted off.”
…