Ch.4

Emereo

Damn! I had crossed the line, and I had no intention of getting out of this trap. It was her win, but why was I the one satisfied?

I turned to look at Tresia. She was fast asleep, her pale skin glowing under the moonlight just like that night.

The only thing I remembered was opening my eyes to a little girl with white hair and eyes as bright as the sky. Her small hands had patted me awake before rough hands carried me away. If she hadn't run into the woods that night, if she hadn't stopped to check on me, I would have died from my injuries.

She could have escaped this pack if she hadn't waited to see if I was okay.

Everything she'd suffered since then was partly my fault. She had stayed because of me, and I had spent thirteen years watching her get treated like she was worth nothing.

She was my responsibility.

And she was mine now.

I sat up and looked around the room. The peeling wallpaper, the dusty windows, the old furniture. Nothing had changed since the last time I'd visited, and I had never bothered to question why she still lived here.

My jaw tightened.

The rest of the family lived in luxury while the rightful heir to the pack slept in a room that looked ready to collapse. I'd been so busy keeping my distance from the family's affairs that I'd failed to notice just how bad things had gotten.

Or perhaps I'd simply chosen not to look too closely.

I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. A hot shower did little to ease my irritation. By the time I returned, Tresia was awake, sitting on the edge of the bed with her white hair falling over her shoulders.

Her eyes followed me as I dressed.

"You're awake."

"Hard to sleep with someone moving around like they own the place."

I glanced at her. "I do own the place."

Her lips twitched. "Unfortunately."

I ignored the remark and buttoned my shirt.

"Go rest in my room. I'll have people come fix this place."

Her expression changed immediately. "No."

I turned to face her. "No?" I repeated.

"I don't want anyone touching this room."

"Tresia, look around you."

"I have." Her voice sharpened. "It's my mother's room. The only place I have left that still feels like hers. I'm not letting them change it."

I stared at her for a moment. She wasn't going to budge, and I wasn't interested in fighting her over the one thing she still had of her mother.

"Fine. Come to my room, then."

"And if I don't?"

"Meet me at the dinning for breakfast." She looked at me as though I'd suggested she grow wings.

"Breakfast?"

"Yes, Tresia. Breakfast."

"I've never eaten with your family at the dining table." She gave a small, humorless laugh. "This is where I eat."

For a moment, I couldn't find a single fucking word to say. She was never allowed to sit at the same table with us, the only time she did when we were still little, our stepmother made sure she ate only what's left of everything we had eaten.

My fingers curled against my palm. "Get dressed."

Her brows lifted. "Excuse me?"

"You're eating with us today."

She studied my face, perhaps waiting for me to change my mind. I didn't. "Fine," she muttered.

I left before I did something I'd regret. The walk to the pack office building did nothing to improve my mood. I'd barely reached the entrance when Karen came running toward me.

"Emereo!"

She slipped her hand through my arm, smiling as though we hadn't seen each other in days.

"I've been looking everywhere for you since last night. I couldn't find you anywhere." Her smile faltered. "Then this morning, someone told me they saw you entering Tresia's room."

I looked down at her hand. She quickly tightened her grip.

"Were you treating her wounds again?" she asked. "Why do you keep doing that? She deserved what happened last night. How could she embarrass you and Father in front of all those guests?"

I raised my eyes to hers.

"Quit playing that game with me, Karen."

Her smile disappeared. "What game?"

"You know very well I'm not Father, I know exactly what happened." Because I watched Tresia all fucking night.

She swallowed, her fingers loosening around my arm. "But she provoked me! She insulted me, and I only retaliated. You can't blame me for that."

I pulled my arm free. "Then perhaps you should learn to control yourself."

Her mouth fell open. I walked past her without another word.

What was there to explain? They had no idea how close I was to losing my temper that night.

Just then a guard approached as I entered the main building. "Prince Emereo, the Alpha and Luna are waiting for you at the dining hall."

I nodded and followed him.

Father sat at the head of the table, with my stepmother who looked like the older version of Karen beside him. Karen immediately took the seat nearest my usual place, her expression brightening as we all sat down.

I acknowledged our parents and Father just nodded. "Where have you been?" Father asked.

"Busy." His brows drew together, but before he could question me further, the doors opened.

Tresia walked in.

She wore a short black dress that hugged her figure, her white hair pulled into a ponytail. Her eyes swept across the table before settling on me.

She then gave a deliberate smile. My gaze dropped to the faint marks scattered along her neck and the exposed skin near her collarbone.

The hickeys I'd left on her… she was flaunting them.

My mouth almost curved. The little minx knew exactly what she was doing, and judging by the way she held her chin high, she wanted everyone to notice.

Fuck! I'm starting to love this and I wasn't going to complain.

Father, however, looked as though someone had just struck him across the face. His fork stopped halfway to his mouth. His eyes moved from Tresia's face to the marks on her skin, and his expression hardened.