42. Take Your Place
“ F inally! Adrian!” His father grinned broadly upon seeing him and rose from his desk to clap him on the shoulder. “Your trip went well, I’ve heard.”
“Well, yes, but with a different outcome than anticipated.” Motioning for the servant at the door to shut it so it was only himself, his father, and their butlers present, he walked to pour himself a stiff drink. After a long sip, he refilled the glass and sat in his usual chair. “I made a mistake, and we wound up captured upon arrival.” Though the butlers hid their surprise well, his father cocked his eyebrow as he was prone to. “We arrived earlier than anticipated, and I was awakened to the sight of the alpha touching my Rose, flirting and kissing her hand. It set me off, and the wolves attacked. We fell, greatly outnumbered, and were put in their holding cells. If it weren’t for Rose calming me, we’d probably still be there.” Another gulp of cognac wet his parched throat.
“Well, I will admit this is surprising, but you are here after all, instead of still trapped there. How did you escape? ”
“We didn’t. We were held in a stone building with high windows and thick iron bars on the door. There was no chance to steal a key, nor any tools to pick the locks—”
“What of your pet?”
“He remained with Rose.”
“Hmm.”
“Aldric was not shy with his threats, Father. He was more than happy to leave us in those cells. He is prepared, even eager, for war.”
“Surely it was a bluff.”
Adrian shook his head. “He stood for five different packs during negotiations. Allies, I am sure.”
His father sipped more wine, thoughtful. “So, how did you get out?”
“Compromise. What choice had I? I did not want to be the cause of civil war. Tensions have always been high, but war is something entirely different. They could put up a decent fight.”
The King drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Tell me what this compromise includes.”
Adrian opened the folder in his lap, handing his father the sheaf. “I told him I would do my best to improve conditions for his kind—moving property lines, improving taxes, and raising restrictions.”
Florian took several moments to look over the thick document Adrian handed him. While he did, the tension in the room grew. Finally, he looked up.
“You completely rolled over for them.”
Adrian shifted in his seat. “We negotiated for hours , Father . You always say to do what’s best for the kingdom. They are a thorn in our side, yes, but—”
“What of the reports of terror we get from the towns they frequent? We have all these restrictions in place for a reason! ”
“We get similar reports on many of the races we rule. Most of it is a lack of understanding. Once we reached this agreement, I saw the truth of the wolves—simply subjects trying to live. Aldric turned a new leaf, and his entire pack became most agreeable.”
Rose had seen to that. Over the days spent in Aldric’s lands, they toured pack grounds and nearby Silvershade Town. They met the farmers and shopkeepers, werewolves raising families like everyone else. Those few days had given him new insight. He thought it had changed the wolves’ perspective as well.
“Because you gave them exactly what they bloody fucking wanted!” Pacing to his desk, his father tossed the papers. “I will not stand for this. This agreement will be torn to shreds and then burned. We will send the mutts the ashes with our expectation of obeisance.”
“They will retaliate. War will erupt and set a precedent in standing up to us.”
“Ceding to their will has set a precedent! What has happened to you? You are not the same Adrian that left here. Is it that girl? Your flower?”
Against the wall, Javier tried to hide a smirk. Adrian’s sharp glare made it drop, but it did not go unnoticed.
The King continued, “You have been making unwise decisions since you met her. All the while you were gone, I have been working on damage control, taking care of the maids you fired.”
Adrian blinked. “The maids . . . They found employment elsewhere—”
“Where they could easily give away palace secrets,” Florian interrupted. “Think, son.” He tapped his temple. “Use that head as you always have. I never, never allow any to smear the Neige name, and you released thwarted lovers into the hands of those who could plot our demise.”
“They were simply maids—”
“Released to work for the nobility, with new allegiance after you let them go, there would be no reason to keep confidentiality.” Regaining calm, his father walked to the liquor cabinet to pour cognac into his wineglass. Taking a sip, he turned back. “But they are a threat no longer.”
Adrian knew what that meant and looked away. Before Rose, he would have taken it in stride, just the way things were, but now it seemed unjust. And paranoid.
“Nothing was leaked?”
“Not that I am aware of.” There was a heavy weight to his father’s stare. For the first time in his life, Adrian felt lacking. “As I said, I took care of it. This werewolf situation, however, needs fixing. Your flower—”
“Rose is not the root of what I have done. I fear terror and loss of life that could occur with rebellion. There are many oppressed that could rise against us. If that happens—”
“We will persevere!” Florian exploded, pounding the desk next to him. “We have not maintained this monarchy by rolling over at every discrepancy! The wolves are nothing compared to us! We are the superior race! If they question that, let them. Let them come. We will knock them down where they belong!”
“Father—”
“No!” Standing from where he leaned, Florian jabbed a finger toward Adrian. “It is my time now to take control of this since your balls have shrunk. My emissary will send the message. We will discuss this at the Assembly tomorrow, and the Council after. If you cause dissension, I will be even more disappointed.”
Adrian clenched a fist, containing anger and the sting of knowing he’d let his father down. He didn’t like it, the wrong, nor did he like the contradictory feelings within himself .
Getting up to take another shot, he had a premonition of Rose’s disappointment. It would be worse than his father’s berating.
But how did he fight? His political platform was not as large as his father’s, his followers less in number, with less clout. Even though he made his opinion known on matters of importance to him, he was always overshadowed by the King, who wanted to ensure he made correct choices.
In the past, those choices had usually aligned. Adrian had always been of the same mind as his father.
Now, however . . .
If he tried staging any reform, he’d be thwarted off the start, shot down like he was today, by the male who’d always been his greatest hero.
His dream of a greater kingdom for all disintegrated to dust.
“That female has done a number on you,” his father said, as he had once before.
“Our trip together was . . . magical.” Adrian ignored the cocked eyebrow and the fun it poked at him. “I fell completely in love with her while away. But that is not the cause of this. Being there with the wolves, I saw firsthand how they live, and I now feel—”
“I have given my word on the wolves.” The harsh words cut, as intended, and then his father gave a windy sigh. “Adrian, you must stop thinking with your heart. As King, you will have to make difficult decisions, decisions that upset some of your subjects. It is hard, believe me, I know because I’ve had to do so many times. I have tried to prepare you. These ordinances protect the little people. You used to know that. I need that Adrian back, the strong, steadfast, ready-to-slit-the-throat-of-our-enemies son who has stood beside me proudly. I need my heir ready to fulfill his duty and rise.
“So, we will shred these agreements and send notice, as I said, that the laws will stand. You will take a wife. You will produce heirs for the monarchy, notably a vampire son. You will satisfy the nobility and maintain control of the people.”
The liquor in Adrian’s gut churned sickeningly. “I will not pretend as you do with Mother. I won’t parade a fake love while harboring such discord. How have you done it all these years? Colette is the one your heart belongs to, no? How have you done without her? Betrayed her?”
“I have never betrayed her,” his father retorted hotly. “I love her as you love your Rose. But she understands . She knows my position and her place as your Rose does not. She supports me where your love is controlling you. I warned you she would. Stop letting her or you will fall to ruin.”
The prophecy echoed in his head. Your mate will be your ruin . . . ruin . . . ruin . . . He shook his head to clear it.
“Rose is the best thing that has ever happened to me—”
“And it is fine that you feel that way.” Sitting again, Florian gripped his shoulder. “You love who you love, and I encourage you to love her fully, but you must not let it blind you. Put her in her place. If you want the crown you so deserve, you must do what is needed more than what is wanted. No monarch ever married for love.”
Adrian ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “It feels like a betrayal. Father, she is . . .”
It was on the tip of his tongue to admit it, to explain the extent of his bond with Rose, but he stopped himself for two reasons. One because his father was not sentimental; he was all cool-headed control. Knowing the depth of his bond with Rose would change nothing. Except perhaps give him reason to get rid of her, which was reason number two—if Adrian was infatuated, or even just lovestruck, it could cool.
But a mating bond was forever. His father wouldn’t take the risk that it was true .
“It is duty , son. You are bound by your crown, and if your flower does not see that, make her or let her go.”
“I will not let her go. I just thought there would be more time.” And the feel of it ticking away had panic pinching his heart. A headache started brewing behind his eyes. He needed a fucking plan, but couldn’t see past the many obstacles.
“I warned you.” Florian sat back in his chair and crossed his ankle over his knee. “I told you there would be backlash. Your mother and most of the nobles are positively livid.”
Adrian drank more.
“It gets easier, my boy. Truly it does. But I do suggest you take my recommendation seriously. Get your flower out of this palace where she can be easily reached, especially in her position as your maid. Get her out of your mother’s sight and appease her by taking a bride. Secure young Julianna, or pick another, but quiet the talk. Take your place, Adrian, as you were always meant to. In fact”—he looked to his butler—“Pierre, have my son’s flower fetched. Take her to my meeting room and bring the appropriate documents.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We will settle this now before it gets more out of hand.”
As Adrian followed his father down the hall, he decided it wasn’t the obstacles blocking him but the noose his father kept tightening to strangle him.
He didn’t know how to cut the rope.