This place is disturbing

Isaiah P.O.V.

Earlier that day 

A man knocks on my door, where we all are gathered to go down to breakfast together. We have been discussing last night's events since sunrise, and I am still unsure how to think or feel? The King and his family are hiding something, or rather someone. I was placed besides the Princess, who by all means is beautiful, but also very selfish and entitled. She is spoiled in every sense of the word, and I did not like her from the start. Especially not when I asked her about her sister's illness, and she scoffed and told me she has no real sister. That the girl is tolerated as the first Queen’s child, but nothing more than that. I exchange a look with my mother, who then politely asks about the first Queen. Princess Briell laughs a shrill laughter that attracts all the guests around the table. 

“What seems to be the matter, daughter?” King Edor asked, and she explained the issue. King Edor paled slightly.

“My first wife was sadly killed by our enemies..” 

“Oh please! She was executed because she refused to give up her marriage so you could marry mom instead. And you hated her guts, especially when you found out Poison Ivy is not your child, but the forbidden bastard hybrid girl she had with some lone wolf dude.” Princess Briell said with an eye roll. Everyone gasped, but I secretly celebrated. 

“BRIELL!” Her mother screamed, but the Princess just shrugged and smiled sweetly at me. 

“He needs to know the truth. We have a whore in the family. Hope you don’t mind your Grace.” This was an interesting twist, and it seemed like the spoiled little daddy’s girl had some things to say. I wondered how much I could get out of her. 

The answer had been disturbing to say the least. I just had to show her the slightest bit of interest, and then mention Ivy and she would ramble on about how unfair it was she hadn’t been killed with her mom, and how she was so ugly, stupid and useless. I found out they were using her as a personal slave, and she stayed in a room by the kitchens. I was prepared to march down there last night, but I stayed back to play the political game of chess with my host. He tried multiple times to suggest an alliance between me and Princess Briell, which made the girl almost purr in response. I wanted to gag. Apollo wanted to rip her eyes out. But I just smiled and proposed to talk about it in the morning. That such important matters should not be taken lightly, and we needed to furrowly discuss his proposal and how we would manage it. I explained how mates work, and he told me his daughter had already severed all ties with the commoner who was her destined love. Which only further proved my suspicion about the King being a cruel and egotistical man.  

That morning we were welcomed at the breakfast table, and Princess Briell plopped herself down beside me, which mom immediately sensed was not at all what I wanted. She politely, but sternly told her to fuck off, and sat down besides me instead. Dad sat on my other side, which was not received well. 

“My daughter wanted to get to know you, King Isaiah. Perhaps one of your esteemed parents could sit on the other side of the table.” Mom gave Queen Ashti a quick look, and ignored her question. I hid a smile by drinking some of my juice, before I answered. 

“This is the first time I’ve had breakfast with my parents in a long while, Queen Ashti. I apologize for their tardiness, but perhaps you and the Princess will excuse them this once?” She smiled, seemingly pleased with my response. Princess Briell on the other hand was not as impressed as her mother. 

“When we are married, this will not be how we do things! I will not be disrespected by some lowlife wannabe former Queen.” Mom narrows her eyes, and the cup in the Princess's hands explodes into a million pieces. She screams about her ruined dress, while staff from all over the dinner hall are rushing in to help. Dad’s eyes cloud over, and mom snicker. I just shake my head and eat my food in peace. 

After breakfast King Edor summoned me to a meeting - mano a mano, as he said. Meaning it’s just the two of us. Dad and Aiden promised to get looking for the mystery girl, who we knew from yesterday was residing in the kitchens. 

I walked into the King’s office, hoping this would be brief, but he had other plans. 

“So, King Isaiah. As I had to disappoint your animalistic ways by retracting my offer on taking home my step daughter, I thought to make it up to you. And I have a proposal of marriage in mind. My legitimate daughter cannot inherit the Kingdom, so that will go to my son.” 

“You have a son?” I blurt out, the surprise of this revelation too much for my otherwise impeccable polite mask. The King gives me an annoyed look. 

“Yes. He is 10, and no you will not be meeting him. He is currently visiting family in the country.” This is actually the first truth he has told me, but something also tells me he is in the country because of me and our visit here. 

“You said a proposal of marriage?” I ask, trying to get back to the topic at hand. I need a way to let him down without burning bridges. We might need his goodwill some day. 

“Yes! My daughter cannot be Queen here, but she was born and raised to be Queen someday. We just had to find the perfect match. She'll be your Queen.” He says matter of factly. I raise an eyebrow. 

“King Edor..” 

“I have the contract drawn up here. You just need to sign and we’ll be on our way with the ceremony this afternoon, and you can take her back with you tomorrow.” Everything turns inside me at the thought of Briell being my wife. She is not Queen material, and I am definitely not the snobbish or fussy type, but this girl would be eaten alive by my ranked females alone. They would never accept her as their Luna and Queen. I need to get out of this. An idea comes to mind, and I smile while taking the papers. 

“I’ll have to summon my Gamma’s brother. He is a diplomat and a lawyer to boot. He’ll look over the contract for me, and we can make the necessary changes.” King Edor frowns. 

“This is not up for discussion or change, King Isaiah. It’s a take it or leave it kind of deal.” 

“Fine, then I'd rather leave it.” He scowls. “I know you find me primitive, and think me and my people live in caves still and eat the deer right when we hunt it down, but contrary to the popular opinion we shifters are actually well educated and rather distinguished. You would know that if you had tried to get to know me and my people. But you have chosen to be narrow minded and selfish, which is showing to be a giant flaw in your family. I will bid you a good day now, King Edor.”

“Now wait just a minute. I have said no such thing..”

 “As I had to disappoint your animalistic ways by retracting my offer on taking home my step daughter, I thought to make it up to you.” I smile. “Your words just half an hour ago. My “animalistic ways”, as you call them, have not been as offended as when you actually proposed I should take the first girl home, but I let the doubt be your benefit and thought you might have a sincere reason to ask such a thing. Now I know you just thought of me as an animal just because I have a wolf counterpart.” 

“Alright, call on your adviser then.” I just raise an eyebrow and mind-link Adam to come to the office. The King looks at me like I’m an idiot, opening his mouth again, probably to say something else incredibly rude, when Adam knocks on the door. I open it, gesturing for him to come inside and explaining what happened until now. 

He takes the papers and looks them over with a critical eye. 

We have been here for the last three hours, and this is getting ridiculous. I’m glad I asked Adam to help me because the contract was a joke, and it simply gave Briell rights to take everything from me and give it to her father, throwing me out of my home and denouncing me as King. He tried to dismiss it, but the more Adam read and criticized, the more red in the face he became. 

We were discussing the word sound of some paragraph or other when my dad mind-links me. 

‘You better come, son. We are on our way back to your quarters with the girl. We found her. She’s been beaten, molested, starved and abused in ways we haven’t even discovered yet. I have a strange feeling about her too.’ I stand abruptly. 

“I need to go. Adam, come on. The contract is off.” I turn with Adam hot on my heel, and we both ignore the protest of the King and the man he himself summoned to help as well. 

‘Dad, where are you?’

‘Just follow my scent. I don’t know which hallway, but we are close to the one we’re staying in.’ He sounds very concerned, so I speed walk to where his scent leads me, but when we get nearer another scent invades my senses. Apollo jumps up in joy, howling and jumping around. 

‘Mate, mate, mate! He has our mate. She is here. She…’ Apollo stops when we see dad carrying a badly beaten girl in his arms. I stop dead in my tracks, my heart shattering. She is absolutely gorgeous under all the blood and dirt. What the actual fuck happened to her? Apollo briefly takes over and growls thunderously, shaking the hallway and maybe the entire castle. 

“Son, what..” 

“MATE!” Apollo roars, surprising my dad and scaring our mate. She shakes in dad's arms, and I silently scold my wolf for scaring her. He whimpers with guilt, but he is absolutely outraged with the state of his mate. I hurry to dad, reaching for my beautiful girl, but he shakes his head, his eyes in pain. He knows what I am feeling, but he doesn’t seem to want to let her go. She is mine! Not his. The possessiveness momentarily takes over, before I get my mind cleared. This is my dad, and he is helping. I reach for her again.  

“Isaiah, we need to get her to your mother. I can carry her. I’m not sure it’s a good idea.. Oh for Goddess sake, boy!” I didn't hear him out before I have shifted her over into my own arms where she belonged! She belongs with me, in my arms and no one else’s. The sparks from the matebond are even stronger than I anticipated and for a second I just relish the feeling of her in my arms. I look down, and my eyes lock on her blue orbs. They are even more blue in reality than in the dream. Fuck they are gorgeous! I could get lost in them forever, but right now I need to get her back to my room and my mom. 

“Don’t worry, little faerie, we are almost at my quarters. My mother will help you!” I tell her in a tender voice. She is so fragile, and I want her to feel safe with me! She is safe now. No one will ever hurt her again. No one will ever touch her. 

She passes out in my arms before we reach my room, and after I put her down in my bed, I have to leave the room. Mom takes over, knowing I need some air. I want to be by her side, Apollo does as well, but we both also wants to know what the fuck happened to her. And the only way we can do that is to seek the answers ourselves. Milo joins me as I head back to the kitchen. 

“Aiden, Adam and your father are keeping guard. Although aunt Isa would be strong enough to keep everyone away from her.” He is not wrong, which for a second makes me want to smile. Then her battered body pops up again and the smile is long gone. “She’s your mate?” He asks and I nod. 

“You heard?” 

“I heard you. I think the whole damn Kingdom did.” I snort, as we turn to enter the kitchen where the slimy man from yesterday is already yelling at people. 

“HOW COULD YOU LET HER LEAVE? SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE KING! HE’LL BE FURIOUS! WHAT DID YOU TELL THOSE CREATURES?” 

“Not as furious as I am.” I say behind him, my voice deep as it mixes with Apollo. The man jumps with a pathetic yelp before turning slowly. I am going to enjoy dragging answers out of him, which proves to be easy enough with the willing help of the kitchen maids!  

When I’m done, I hurry back to my room. I need to speak to my mate and find out what the hell is going on here. There is no doubt she is coming home with me, but I need to hear her version. The crap and bull I was just served by that slimy fucker and his companions in the kitchen doesn’t do anything other that fuel my anger. 

As I come back I can hear my mother scream at someone, and when I round the corner a castle worker is sulking outside my room, and speaking to someone else over a phone. I hide, so he doesn’t see me. Yeah, I really need to speak to my mate and find out what is going on in this godforsaken Kingdom.