by Arizona Tape
“What the hell is going on here?!” A voice thundered through the yard and caught all our attentions. The five men quickly fell to their knees and Rufus whimpered. I lessened my grip on him and shoved him away from me.
“Ah Leander, perfect timing.”
My brother shot me a glare as he inspected the demolished grass. In our fight, we mowed down lawns of flowers and dug out clumps of dirt. A gentle breeze brushed past me and knacked one of the frail stems still standing. It was a massacre.
Guiltily, I inspected the scenery and swallowed a lump in my throat. I made it even worse than before.
“Prince Leander, we were attacked by this mad man just for practicing here,” Rufus hastily explained, bending the knee as he addressed my brother. Surprised, I couldn’t detect any trace of mockery in his voice he spoke to Leander. Looked like they actually respected my little brother?
“Who gave them permission to spar in Ma’s gardens?” I inquired, ignoring the captain. I pointed at the Keep. “Was it Father?”
Leander sighed and bent to pick up a fallen flower. “Such a waste,” he mumbled gently brushing his fingers over the pink petals.
“Prince, do you know this man?” Rufus asked, studying the interactions between my brother and I. Leander sighed and ran his hand through his brown hair.
“Why do you do this to me?” he asked, handing me the bruised flower. He patted my shoulder and shook his head in disappointment. “One day back and you’re already stirring up trouble?”
I scoffed and gestured at the destruction they wreaked. “If you let them spar in the gardens, I have no choice, little brother.”
“Little brother?” The captain drew white as his eyes widened like saucers. “Prince Darius?”
I nodded as I brushed some grass from my shirt. Even if I didn’t look the part, I was most definitely a prince of this kingdom.
The six men I fought fell to the ground and groveled in front of my feet. “My prince, we didn’t know. Please forgive us for raising our sword at you.”
Their regret didn’t really appeal to me, so I waved their apology away. “Just get out of the gardens and let it be known that sparring is no longer tolerated in the Queen’s Gardens.”
They scrambled to their feet and darted to the barracks with their tails between their legs. I rolled my eyes as Leander shook his head.
“Did you really need to get into a fight with them?” he asked, rubbing his hand over his face to mask his exhaustion.
“I tried talking to them,” I defended myself, but even I heard how weak that sounded.
“Did you mention you were their prince?” Leander asked.
“Yes!”
My brother pulled up his eyebrow and I backtrailed a little.
“Well… I mean, not with those exact words specifically, no.”
He patted my back and shook his head. “You don’t have to solve everything with violence and resistance, you know? It wouldn’t hurt to meet in the middle even once.”
“But—”
“Sometimes it’s better to lose the battle and win the war. Just saying, Darius.” Leander shook his head and with those pearls of wisdom, he left me in the garden. I scratched my nape and pondered, asking myself if there was some truth in what he said. And if it related directly to my situation.
If I gave in to Father’s request and had lunch with Mer, that would help Danny and my friends, right? And if I armed myself against her mental abusive and prepared myself for her attacks, I would be fine.
He’d call a clan meeting and we could stop the ridiculous war waging through the lands much sooner. That was what we were here for.
Having lunch with my ex was just one of the battles I had to lose so we could all win. That was what Leander meant?
It must be.
I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. I still hadn’t gotten it cut, but that was for later. First, I needed to find Danny and let Father know that I would meet his demands.
I ignored the panic bubbling up in my gut from the thought of sitting together with Mer, but I pushed it down with denial. It would be fine. She was just one woman and I wasn’t the same weak-minded boy anymore. No, I would be fine. Totally fine. Just fine.
Chapter 6. Meredith
“Hi, Danny. Could I speak with you alone for a moment?” I asked, entering the chambers my friends were resting. Aspen was muttering to his sister in what seemed like a rather polite conversation. Odd, but not that suspicious. Maybe they were finally getting along better?
“Yes, sure. What’s going on?” Danny smiled, untangling herself from Regan’s embrace. She kissed JP’s cheek and waved at her best friend. Happily, I held out my arm and hummed as she curled against me.
“Hi,” I muttered, squashing the urge to kiss her. Even if we were alone in the east wing, I had no doubt that my father had little spies everywhere. He would not be pleased to know I was involved with Danny. But then again, we were all on our own. Could one little kiss hurt?
“Hi,” she breathed, solving my dilemma by pressing herself up and softly kissing me. The scent of roses filled my senses and I smiled against her lips. The stress from seeing Mer and Father again melted away, like snow on a mountain cap touched by the first sun’s light after a long winter.
“Are you alright?” she asked, tangling her fingers in my hair and gently stroking my nape.
“I am now.” I closed my eyes and leant my forehead against hers. There was something irrationally soothing about her, something familiar that made me sure she was my second mate. She just had to be.
Danny brought her lips to my cheek and brushed them over my ear. Her breath tickled the sensitive skin in my neck and I curled my fingers deeper into her waist. I didn’t want to let her go, I never wanted to. And yet, I had to. I needed to talk to her and tell her about my lunch with my ex.
Saddened, I pulled her tighter into me and captured her lips with mine. She giggled in surprise, but answered my kiss with no hesitation or doubt. I rolled my tongue against hers, drawing her in.
This might be the last time I properly kissed her. I better made it count.
A little out of breath, she pulled slightly away from me. She brushed a stray lock of hair from my face and a smile graced her lips. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I scratched my nape and averted my gaze. “Listen, there’s something I need to tell you.”
She frowned, painting lines of worry across her forehead. “Okay?”
The glimmer in her eyes awoke butterflies and I couldn’t stomach telling her about my awful lunch. If she knew about Mer, she’d just worry about me. I didn’t want her to. No, I’d just go to lunch and take one for the team.
“Well, not tell. Ask, more,” I backtracked, racking my brain over something I could tell her.
“Go on?”
I took a big breath and pushed the thoughts of Mer to the far back of my mind. “Would you like to go on a date with me? In the gardens, later tonight?”
Her crystal laugh tinkled through the hall and she pressed herself into me. Lovingly, she wrapped her arms around my neck and stole a kiss from my lips. “I would love to.”
Happiness bubbled up in my gut. “Yes? Really?”
She chuckled and shook her head while laughing. “Of course, silly.”
“Won’t JP or Regan mind?”
Danny’s eyes softened and she placed a finger on my lips. “No, they won’t mind.”
Worried, I thought about Regan’s bulking muscles and JP’s skills in martial arts. If there were two people in the world I didn’t want to piss off, it was them.
“Are you sure?”
“Actually, I’ve had talks about it with them both already. JP thinks you are a good guy and Regan actually encouraged me to get to know you better.”
I pulled up an eyebrow. “Really?” I asked, surprised. The two men had accepted me in their group, but I always figured it was more out of necessity than anything else.
“Yes, really. Besides, I’m not their
possession. And neither are they mine.”
Confused, I tilted my head. “What does that mean?”
“It means we talk about stuff like this. I think JP knew that I liked you before I did. He made some funny remarks about it.”
I felt my cheeks heat up and wafted some fresh air into my face. “Huh, is that so? Boy, it’s warm in here, don’t you think?”
“It’s not warm at all,” Danny chuckled, kissing me gently. “JP and Regan are both okay with me being with you too. So, what about you? Are you okay with sharing my time?”
“More than okay,” I replied, pulling her into a tight hug. This wasn’t where I wanted to go with the conversation originally, but I didn’t mind. I was sure as hell glad it wound up here.
“Good, because I really like you, Darren.” Danny swept her fingers across my stubble and smiled at me in a way Mer never had.
“I really like you, Danny. And man, it’s good to hear my name again.”
She laughed and curled into me. “Everyone is still calling you Darius, huh?”
“Yes, and it makes me sound like such a pompous twat.”
“I like it though,” she teased, intertwining our fingers. “But I like Darren better. It suits you.”
Gratefully, I kissed her deeply. “Thank you,” I muttered against her lips, her breath fanning against mine.
“You’re welcome, Darren.” Gingerly, she tangled her hands in my hair. She seemed to like that, she did it a lot. But I didn’t mind, it was nice. Soothing. “Was there anything else you wanted to ask?”
I pushed the guilt bubbling up in my gut down and shook my head. “No, that was it.”
“Okay then. Listen, JP was getting a bit hungry and Aspen was babbling about food as usual. Do you think we could grab lunch somewhere in this palace?” she grinned, clearly teasing me.
“Yes, I will send Lance up and he’ll escort you all to the dining hall.”
Danny tilted her head. “You’re not joining us?”
I crossed my fingers behind my back and kissed her quickly. “No, sorry. I have some royal affairs to tend to.”
“Hmmm, shame. But okay, I will see you tonight for our date?”
I nodded and put on a smile. “Yes, I’ll meet you in the Queen’s Gardens at sunset.”
“Okay, take care! Have fun with your affairs.”
I gulped at her choice of words and realised that was my fault. “Yes, although I doubt it.”
I wasn’t looking forward to my lunch with Mer. Not at all…
“You’re late, Darius.”
Refusing to meet Mer’s grey eyes, I brushed past her and sat down opposite of her. The marble bench pressed uncomfortably in my back, but that was the least of my worries.
“I was caught up,” I muttered, the same restricted feeling gripping my chest. I hated justifying where I’d been.
“I almost thought you wouldn’t show up,” she scoffed, snapping her fingers at the servants. I repressed a sigh and took a moment to admire the scenery. The wooden gazebo we were dining under was beautifully carved, with ivy wrapped around and through the decorations. The violins playing by the koi pond were delicate and angelic, a perfect symphony. The small finger sandwiches in front of me looked appetising and fresh, and the fish roe decorating it shimmered like a thousands gems. I had to give it to Father, he had style. It was a perfect setting for a date. I glanced at Mer and cringed. Shame the company was rotten.
“Darius, aren’t you going to thank the helpers?” she scolded, smiling politely at the server. “He’s been out in the wild for a bit, he must have lost his manners. Thank you.”
I bit back the anger stirring in my gut and put on a fake smile. I couldn’t start a fight one minute into lunch. “Thank you,” I forced out, ignoring Mer’s disapproving glare.
“It must’ve been hard out there, all on your own,” she said, managing to somehow sound genuinely worried. But I knew she hadn’t been.
“It was fine.” Why did she always assume things? She must’ve heard I came with a group of friends, so I clearly hadn’t been alone. Not the whole time, at least.
“Darius, why are you so angry?” she pouted, pushing out her bottom lip.
I sighed and rested my head in my hand for a moment. “I’m not angry.”
“Then why are you so hard to me? It’s me, you know?”
Damn her, she always knew how to get to me. “That’s just it,” I replied briskly, grabbing one of the salmon pieces in front of me just so I had something to do with my hands.
“You’re treating me like a stranger. I don’t like it,” Mer continued, playing the same game she always did.
“How would you like me to treat you then?” After only a couple of minutes with her, I was already exhausted. Why did I agree to this again? Oh right, to help out my friends and Danny. Because Father left me no choice.
“Like a friend? We could be friends, don’t you think?”
“Fine, sure.” If I stabbed myself with the butterknife, would that shut her up and cut lunch short?
“So, can’t you just talk to me like a regular person and tell me how you’ve been? I’m really trying here, Dar.” She shot me a puppy look and plucked one of the bites from the plate. “I asked your father to make sure there was a lot of salmon on here. I know it’s your favourite.”
Some of the anger melted away. “You remembered?”
“Of course, I remember a lot of things.”
Against my better judgment, the words fell from my tongue. “Like what?”
Mer smiled and licked the roe from her fingers. “That you prefer your vegetables undercooked instead of overcooked. That you cry whenever you see a budding crocus flower, or that you have a scar on your knee from falling out of a tree. And then there is all that other stuff that I know you like,” she grinned, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.
“Mer, keep your voice down,” I hissed, looking around worriedly. I didn’t look like anyone heard, but then again, they could’ve not reacted out of curtesy.
“What, it’s true? I know you very well, Dar Dar.”
“Please don’t call me that,” I groaned, slightly nauseous from hearing the pet name she gave me in the very beginning of our relationship.
“What’s wrong with it? You used to love it.”
“Yes, but that’s when we were still together. When I was still—“ Abruptly, I shut my mouth and looked away from her. Did I really want to say the things I thought outloud? Was it necessary for me to?
“What? What were you going to say?” Mer narrowed her eyes and the image of a snake popped up into my head. There was some real resemblance there.
“Nothing,” I murmured, stuffing my mouth with another piece of salmon. It really was delicious and easily the best thing about this lunch. If I couldn’t enjoy the company, I would sure as hell enjoy the food.
“Spit it out, Darius. Or Darren, as I heard you go by now,” she spat poisonously. I cowered a little under her tone and felt my defenses curl around me. I did not like her calling me Darren, at all. That name was reserved for people who actually cared for me.
“It doesn’t matter, Meredith. Can’t we just eat?” I tried, hoping to deflect the question.
“Fine, if that’s what you want,” she sang sarcastically, stabbing a small cucumber with her fork.
“So, what’s new with you?” I asked, hoping to get some small talk going.
“Oh, not much. My baby sister is doing well, she just turned seven.”
I softened as I thought back to Mer’s little sister. She was only an infant when we were together, but she was the cutest girl. For a good while, I wished that our child would be just like that. There were a lot of things I used to want, but now it was just a wasted future.
“That’s really nice,” I said, the first genuine smile gracing my face.
“Yes, and she really loves Rocco.”
“Rocco?”
Without missing a beat, Mer bit the cucumber. “My boyfriend.”
Goo
sebumps ran over my body as he answer sank in. I wasn’t sure if that made me happy or not. If she had someone, she would leave me alone, surely? But on the other hand… Mine.
No, bad wolf. Mer wasn’t for us, she never had been for us. We didn’t want to be with her, not while she treated us like dirt. But maybe she changed? Maybe things were different? Maybe—
No.
I was with Danny now and she made me feel valued and respected, like I actually counted. Like I could actually make her happy.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and ignored the small voice in the back of my head. “Your boyfriend, huh?”
“Yes, Rocco is great, but I think I’m going to break up with him.”
“Oh…” Should I be happy? Sad? Relieved? Scared? Why did she toy with my emotions like this? Why could I never figure out what I felt around her? “Why?”
“I think you know why,” she said casually, stirring her mint tea as if we were just talking about the weather.
“No, I don’t,” I replied stubbornly, dread sinking into my stomach.
She batted her grey eyes up and caught my gaze. “Because you’re back, Darius.”
Fear. Definitely fear. And disgust. Yes, that was what I was feeling. No doubt about it.
“Just because I’m back in the Keep, doesn’t change anything between us.”
Her soft look changed to a glare and the warmth left her voice. “It’s that redhead, isn’t it?”
My heart skipped a beat and my mouth dried up. “What did you just say?” I snapped, holding my growling wolf back. Just the mention of Danny had him all riled up and I felt his protectiveness roll over me. If Mer even harmed one hair on her head, I would end her here and now.
“I can’t believe you replaced me so quickly, Darius,” Mer scoffed, batting her eyes down. Her voice broke slightly and I couldn’t but wonder how genuine this was. It sounded real, it felt that way, but I knew better. My head knew better.
“I… But. You just said you have a boyfriend too?”
“Tsss, I don’t love him. I could never, I’m yours forever, remember?” She drew her steel eyes up and pierced into my skull. “That’s what we promised each other, didn’t we?”
