6 - See you around, brother.

ERO’S POV

“You can’t trust her,” I said to my brother once we stepped out of Ira’s confinement. “She’s hiding something.”

“She is our mate,” Dexter said with a grit in his tone. “I felt her essence. Whatever it is she is hiding cannot be anything bad.”

He turned to me when we entered the throne room. “She shouldn’t be locked up like a prisoner, Ero.” His tone held a deep resentment. “Release her.”

I stared at my brother, trying to figure out his headspace. Dexter was my twin brother. We shared the same womb, but I was a few minutes older than him.

“I won’t.” My words were clear and hard-cutting. My brother and I rarely had disagreements; we were always in tune.

He was my fraternal twin, brother, partner, and ally. It was us against everything else, and I rarely said no to him. But not this time. It was too risky.

“Then I will do it myself,” Dexter said, staring me in the eyes. My wolf twitched at the disrespect.

Although Dexter was my brother, I was his king. I was a few minutes older, but older nonetheless. The air around me grew hot as I tried to rein in my anger.

“You will do no such thing,” I said in a low growl. “It’s bad enough that you killed some of our guards at the borders because of her.”

“I still have to answer to the Elder’s council because of your actions, and I’m barely forty-eight hours into my coronation.”

I watched a wry smile grow on my brother’s face. “They hurt my mate,” he stated, eyes growing distant. “They deserved the cruelest possible death.”

Dexter had no remorse for what he did. For the first time ever, I hated that one-track mind of his. “They are our subjects,” I gritted. “We took an oath to protect them.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, brother,” he stated with a frown, walking towards me. “You took an oath to protect them. Not me. You are their king, not I.”

“You choose to lick the ass of the Elder’s council, I choose not to.” He stepped further, aggravating me with his words. “And now, you choose to protect the ones who hurt our mate, while I choose to protect our mate.”

“I don’t care what you choose to do, but I will not stand idly and watch my mate get hurt or treated like a prisoner, Ero.” Dexter stood in front of me with a threatening stance. “And that includes you.”

For the next few seconds, I stood toe to toe with my brother, eyes flaring, and we sized each other threateningly. “How can you be so blind to the fact she is a faux?” I asked in a growl.

“Why are you so convinced she is a faux?” Dexter growled back, puffing up. I could sense his Alpha wolf surge forward.

“Simple logic,” I retorted, blood boiling with anger. “He who has nothing to hide, hides nothing.”

“Screw logic,” he snapped. “Ira is my mate, and I have a responsibility to protect her. I will not stand for her being locked up. Set her free.”

A small chuckle left my lips at his possessive declaration. “You’ve never quite learned to share, little brother,” I said, knowing he hated that term. “Ira isn’t just your mate. You will do well to remember that.”

“It doesn’t seem like it to me,” he muttered. “It looks to me that you will do anything to prove the fact she is just like Kiara.”

My heart hardened at his words.

“I heard you back then, brother,” Dexter snarled. “Weak, wolfless, traitor,” he listed, his voice getting angrier by the second. “All of the adjectives we’d use to describe—”

“Do not say her name,” I said in a grave tone, struggling to contain the power that threatened to set off within me.

Dexter knew better than to poke holes at this instant. He took a deep breath and said, “Release Ira.”

“Not until I am certain she is not a danger to me and the people,” I responded. “And that’s final,” I said in my Alpha tone.

Dexter stared me in the eye. I could see his anger grow as the seconds passed. “How long?” he asked, and I cocked my brow.

“How long do you plan to keep her in there?”

I stayed for a moment, as I’d never truly thought about it.

“Until I am certain she is who she claims to be.”

“That is not a timeline,” Dexter growled, but I didn’t care.

“Given the fact that you massacred a dozen warriors at the borders, I will be a bit busy cleaning up your mess with the council,” I tutted, knowing it would aggravate him. “Unlike you, I have to be accountable.”

“Which means I am tasked with the duty of covering your tracks once again.” I turned my back to him. “Taking care of your mess, addressing the Elders’ council, and discharging my kingly duties will take a substantial amount of time.”

“So maybe she’ll be cleared in a month or two,” I said in response to his question. “Surely you’d understand.”

“One week,” Dexter said without blinking. “You have one week to get your findings done.”

My anger spiked at his tone. “Or what, little brother?” I mused, containing the inferno within me. “You couldn’t beat me in a fight even if you tried.” I placed my hand on his shoulder and pressed hard. “Not to mention,” my Alpha voice cut through the air, “I am your king.”

I let my Alpha wolf break through the surface, and the air around us grew warm. My eyes held traces of red lines, indicating the presence of my wolf.

Dexter remained rooted in his spot, never backing away from a fight. Instead, he took a few steps away, placing some space between us as he spoke.

“I have no problem eradicating the Elder’s council if it lessens the burden,” Dexter said, a poorly hidden threat. “One week,” he said, “See you around, brother.”