The Prince and The King

Salvatore

“What the fuck is this, Salvatore?” Leonardo growls, throwing the tablet on the table.

 “You had one fucking job to do. And you blew it up because of a girl?” He growls at me; I rub my brows.

“I didn’t blow it up. She is just not…” I want to explain to him, but reasoning with Leo is like trying to reason with an angry bull.

“I don’t fucking care. You had one job, and you blew it!” he snaps as I sigh heavily, clenching my jaw, grinding my molars.

“I’m getting tired of this shit, Salvatore! It’s either you fucking grow up or—”

“Or what? You’ll kill her? You will—” I ask him as he halts his pacing, then turns to me. “You know the two of them can never be together. She is the reason—”

I burst out laughing, shaking my head. “You always say that, but you failed to prove it.”

He sighs heavily, coming closer. “Listen, Brother. I know you don’t believe me when I say this. But everything I do is in your best interest,” he insists, but I know the fucking truth. He is a selfish prick who will do anything to stay Alpha King, even betraying his own brother.

“Best interest? Let’s cut the bullshit, Leonardo. The only reason you do half of the shit you do is so you remind me who you fucking are,” I growl, and he tilts his head, regarding me.

“You’re my beta, Salvatore. You should know better. You fucking trend everywhere for the fucking wrong reasons.” He retorts. “Just like tonight”

“Tonight was—”

“Enough!” he cuts in. “We had a deal. Don’t make me go back on my word.”

“Are you threatening me right now?” I knit a brow, and he sighs heavily, shaking his head. “I’m just telling you. Keep the end of your bargain.” He says, taking out his phone, which is ringing.

“Your position is in trouble. The elders think you’re not the right man for the position. I need you to do this, brother,” he says, putting back the phone in his pocket.

“My position?”

“Yes. I need you as my beta, Salvatore. But the elders are getting wary. If there’s no change, they are thinking of giving it to Kane,” he says, his voice low. Now that’s the shit I won’t let happen.

 “Why? The guy is a prick!”

“He is a family man. They think he will make a better Beta,” he says, and I scoff. “And you would give him the alpha position at Ravenwood?” I ask.

He doesn’t need to say it because I can see it in his eyes. I shake my head. “That’s my mother’s pack! You can’t—”

He chimes in. “I know. You think I would want to give our mother’s pack to some asshole whose family is responsible for what happened?” he asks, his voice cracking.

“I don’t know Leo. I don’t know who you have become since you became Wolf King.”

He comes closer, his hand gripping my shoulder. Years ago, I would have gone in for a hug because he was the only person I trusted, but now? Not so much.

“I need you to do better. Meet Diane for dinner. Try to…”

“I’m not marrying just to keep my mother’s pack.”

“She was also my mother, Salvatore. I care about that pack just like you do, and sometimes we have to make decisions we hate.” He says, moving away from me.

 “You need to take a mate. If you plan on staying as the alpha of Ravenwood, you need a wife. Otherwise, everything we have worked hard to get here will be in vain,” he says as I sigh heavily.

“Marrying Diane will be a mistake.”

“I know. But think of everything we’re working towards,” he says as I clear my throat. I can’t lose my mother’s pack. It’s the only reason I keep going after Jules was taken away from me.

“I’ll give you some time.” He says, then starts walking out of my hotel suite. He holds the doorknob, turning to me.

 “Who was that human girl?” He asks me as I sigh heavily.

“No one of importance. Just—”

He cuts in. “No one of importance? Did she see you in your form?” He asked, and I stiffened.

 Not her. I don’t even know the fucking girl, but when she looked at me with those fucking big brown eyes, something happened in me.

“She did. But it’s complicated.”

He narrows his eyebrows. “You know we need this alliance to work. The research is important not just for us but for the people who are out there feeling—”

  I cut in. “I know”

Just like mom. She is the reason we started this research after all. Why I tolerate this asshole.

“Stay out of the limelight. I need to head back to the city. Can I trust you to handle this?” he asks me, and I nod.

“I will handle it.”

“Great. Keep your cock in your trousers. And you can handle the girl. If she needs to be paid off, do that,” he says, then walks away. I know what he means; humans are not to be trusted. I saw the way her eyes looked at him and me when she found out who I was.

After what I saw earlier, Leonardo might be right, and I fucking hate it when he is right. He once warned me about it, and I didn’t believe him. I’ll need to pay her off or something so that she doesn’t use that against me in the future.

“That sounded fucking intense.” My gamma and best friend, Paul, says when he steps out into the room.

“Well, he wants me to meet Diane.”

“That’s no surprise. We both know they have been pushing for her to become your wife,” he says, plopping down on the couch. “Did he give you a time frame?”

“Well, no. But I feel at the next Alpha meeting they will be announcing a new alpha for Ravenwood,” I say, my heart beating fast. It’s my inheritance they want to take away from me.

“That’s less than three weeks from now.”

“I know. That’s why he insists on Diane.” I rub my brows, walking towards the window. There’s so much I will be losing if they take away my position. I won’t be able to protect her. Her. The reason I tolerate all this shit.

“What are you thinking?” Paul asks behind me.

I sigh heavily. “I’m thinking about what to do. I can’t lose my position. I wouldn’t—”

He cuts in, coming closer. “And you won’t. Just find a fucking woman who is willing to stay by your side. A lot of women would kill to be called Mrs. Pavard.”

“I know. But let’s be honest, whichever pack I choose from. It will eventually go back to her. I don’t want to…I can’t mate another woman,” I shake my head. I made a vow, and I intend to keep it.

“Well, find someone you can’t mate with. Offer them something they can’t turn down.” He says to me as I narrow my eyebrows.

“Are you…”

“Humans are desperate. I can come up with a list and…”

“No, don’t.”

“Salvatore,” he whispers.

“Don’t worry. I got this.” I smile weakly. I have the right person in mind for this. This might actually work.