Trapped In Impossible Expectations

"Are you packed and ready for our flight?" Reginald called out to her as she stepped into the spacious dining room. "Judging by how late it is, I would hope you made the right preparations."

She couldn't ignore him or avoid him. Straightening her back, she forced herself to walk to the end of the long table where he was seated. There was already a place setting prepared for her.

"I have already directed Lewis to take care of my luggage," she told him evenly which seemed to satisfy her fiance. His eyes stopped burning into her and he returned to the newspaper he was reading and his plate.

"Your brother seems to have chosen his mate," Reginald remarked nonchalantly over the newspaper as she settled into her seat across from him.

She had hoped when she attended her morning fare that Reginald would still be absent and she would meet him at the private hangar. For a few days now, he had been preoccupied by his mistress and hadn't been in attendance in the mornings. She had enjoyed the peace and quiet. She wasn’t prepared to encounter Reginald already seated at the table with brunch spread out in front of him.

"I'm shocked you're... up this early."

Reginald smirked at that. "I sense a bit of jealousy, Persephone." He took a deep gulp of his drink as his eyes shifted from the paper he was reading to her. "I should be honored that you're jealous, but frankly, it doesn't appeal to me."

Did it hurt her that Reginald sought romantic intimacies with another? It was complicated. She didn't desire to be intimate with him. He had grown so cold with her. Their coupling wasn't exactly... romantic either. He had never been sweet or gentle... or kind. He was indeed a selfish vampire. He was very unlike the vampire who still had her heart. The vampire she had left her last token of his affections in her father's library.

Reginald was no longer around to provide distractions to what haunted her. When the loneliness and emptiness ate at her and she drowned in the depths of it, she'd give into it or he'd force her to give into it. She was always left feeling disgusted with herself. Every time the emptiness and loneliness would still be there to catch her after it all.

"There is nothing to be jealous about," she snapped back at him, fiddling with the strap of her purse. It was a nervous habit to keep her in check from acting out, but he knew all those quirks about her and used it to his advantage.

He didn't bother to look up at her. He merely smirked at her reaction, knowing he could get under her skin so easily... and that only aggravated her more.

"Persephone, do you truly wish to have this conversation?" he questioned as he pinned her with his eyes like a butterfly pinned on display. "I'm surprised it wasn't someone that was more pure, but the House Of Danvers is quite a prestigious and successful House. It'll be a good match in the long run."

She rolled her eyes at that, having spotted the headlines on her mobile. "There is no match. Orion would never select Mercedes as a potential mate. That is truly absurd."

"Why would that be absurd?" Reginald asked, feigning disinterest, but she knew better. He was picking up the crumbs so he could feast on it like an animal knawing at the bone.

"Because he just gave the Gift to Lord Caleb's stepsister," she informed him with a shrug. What point was there to deny him that morsel? Caramia was a part of her House now. She had recognized that shattered expression on his face. She knew that devastation that rocked through him all too well. "I was there when he realized what she meant to him."

His eyes narrowed at what she was implying. "Orion wouldn't be that ridiculous to add dirty blood in your prestigious House."

"He would and he did." She raised an eyebrow at him. Her eyes flicked to his and relished the irritation coloring his face. "And I shall welcome her with open arms."

"You do not welcome rats." He shook his head in denial at her words. "I forbid it, Persephone. You will not acknowledge her. Grandfather will not approve of this at all to be associated with someone like her."

She jumped to her feet. Her appetite clearly left her. "I am still a Cristos and I still belong to my House. My father approved of his choice and so shall I. She is my sister now by blood. I will not go against my House."

His balled up fist smashed into the table, causing the dishes to fly up and scatter across the surface. "You will not associate with her, Persephone. You will publicly refuse her entrance into society."

"I would never do that to Orion nor my father," she hissed at him. She was certain her eyes had gone hazy with crimson, because there was a moment of self doubt in Reginald's eyes before anger erupted in them. "I am still my father's daughter and my brother's sister."

"You are my intended mate!" he roared, jumping to his feet as well. "You will obey me!"

There was silence between them. Both of their eyes burned into each other. She was expected to fall in line. She was expected to follow his lead. However, one thing was certain, she was not his mate yet.

"Not yet," she said evenly.

"Not yet what?"

She smirked. "I'm not yet your mate, Reginald. You seem to forget that."

"Oh, sweet, sweet Persephone, how will your House feel about you leaving this political alliance? How would your father and brother view your insubordination?" he growled out. Crimson bled into his eyes as his rage consumed him. His lip curled into a snarl. "Just know this, my sweet Persephone. No matter where you go, I will find you. No matter what happens, you will always be mine. Mate or not. Just remember who you will be hurting with your recklessness if you attempt to defy me."

With that, he stormed off. Shaken by his threats and rage, Persephone watched him as he left. His threats loomed in the air and his words echoed in her mind. Her fate was no longer in her hands. He had taken her choice away from her. When had she become just an object... just a pawn to be used for his House and her House?

Tears welled up in her eyes. She felt helpless and trapped. She couldn't turn to her House without causing bad blood between the Houses if they were to step in. They could never know the truth. It would break her heart to know if they didn't stand with her but with Reginald.

Her purse vibrated, distracting her from her predicament. She reached inside the front pocket of her purse to see that Orion was calling. Just as she was about to answer it, she heard footsteps echoing in the dining room.

"Lady Persephone," Lewis called out her name as he approached. "Your ride is here. Master Reginald wouldn't approve of tardiness."

She quickly stuffed her phone back into her purse and rushed to leave the dining room.

____

Pacing back and forth, Orion waited, hoping Persephone would accept the call and hear him out. It had been a good hour since he placed the first call. He knew this would presumably end unfavorably, but he had to try the impossible. There would be no way she'd ever abandon Reginald especially when attempting to prove her loyalty to the High House Of Camberia.

He had placed his seventh call attempt on speaker. Caleb had already come to terms that Persephone would not be of any assistance was lounging on the sectional, watching him pace in front of the coffee table.

"Dear brother, you have impeccable timing," Persephone remarked dully through his smartphone. "Reginald and I are about to board his family jet."

Orion caught Caleb's eye roll and he smirked at his friend's bitterness, but he kept silent, knowing his interference between the two wouldn't help their complex situation. Not that anything could truly come of it, they had too much intensity and history between them to just have merely friendship. When Caleb bowed out of society to seek his stepsister, Persephone had vowed she wouldn't wait for him and that she wouldn't put her life on pause. His best friend, the poor vampire, didn't call her bluff and he let her go without establishing a matebond.

"Have you seen the headlines as of late?" Orion asked, staring at the phone.

"Shall I offer my congratulations for your choice of mate or my condolences?" she questioned wryly. It was his turn to roll his eyes as Caleb hid his laugh behind a cough. "I quite thought your affections were to a certain terminally ill stepsister of your best friend. However, if you would like I'll send a nice wholesome basket to the House of Danvers."

"That's not necessary," he growled out. "The High House of Cristos will not be welcoming the House of Danvers. It will still be the House of Valient."

"So I shall send a nice wholesome basket to the House of Valient?" Persephone droned, causing Orion to continue to roll his eyes and Caleb to smirk at that.

"Persephone, I need your help," Orion finally forced out in a grave tone.

"Dear brother, what have you done now?"

"The headlines reached her," he told her. "I haven't completed the matebond, because I wanted to wait until she had adjusted to her new body."

"Patience? Never thought you had it in you. Congratulations on these new traits you possess."

"I'm being serious. She bought a ticket to the US." There was silence on the other end. There was no more playful banter. "I can't stop her. I'm not there."

Persephone's sharp intake was heard. "I can't miss this flight, Orion. This is very important to the High House of Camberia."

As he expected, Orion sighed in frustration. His eyes met Caleb's.

"I'll book the tickets to the US," Caleb told Orion. "We can try to stop her there."

Orion nodded, watching Caleb stand up to leave him so he could speak with Persephone. He was about to say something when she let out a huff of annoyance.

"You know I can't just drop everything," she hissed, dropping her nonchalant tone. "I'm literally walking to the jet--"

"I know, Persephone. I'm not angry with you. I just hoped," he cut in softly. Was he truly losing his own sister to that monster? He sighed, knowing that there was nothing he could do to stop it. "Go. Board the jet. Text me when you land so I know you're safe."

With that, he ended the call. He needed to pack up his belongings. He wasn't lying. He held no malice towards Persephone. He knew all too well about holding up pretenses and obligations. He also knew if she abandoned Reginald to help him that it would end their relationship, because they all knew Reginald was going to propose a matebond at his family's villa after he received his grandfather's blessing.