Are You Scared?

Prince Draven  She was easily the most beautiful lady I had seen. I could barely hold myself when I turned and saw her standing there before me. I would be cursed by the goddess if I had let her go without claiming her. “Prince Draven… do you think this through? She’s malnourished.” My consigliere Matt said the moment she was escorted into the room after I had chosen her. His questions annoyed me. “If she is malnourished, then we will feed her. Is that a problem?” I asked while signing the papers with the Alpha of Cornerstone pack, which included the marital documents, and also confirming to settle her parents and my promise of alliance with the pack. “She looks weak, she might be fertile, but I doubt she would know how to fight. There are other women here who are trained to fight. I have asked about her from Madam Webb, she has no fighting experience.” “I will teach her how to fight. Is there anything else? She is the woman I want.” “Prince…” “Stop!” I slammed the pen to the desk. “Don’t say anything about her if it isn’t relevant to me. Your work here is done Matt. Get the car ready, I am taking her home with me.” He bowed, his eyes still weary with worries, before he left the room. Soon, my brother walked into the room. He too, has chosen a breeder of his own. I couldn’t care less who he chose. Even if he chose a man in place of a woman. To breed with him, I had trust in my ability to win the throne and become the right Alpha when the time comes. But I knew Darius. He wouldn’t let me go just like that, he stood at the door. His lips held a pompous smile as he stared at me. My fingers clenched in disgust and anger.  “Would you please leave us for a moment?” he spoke to a guard in the room, who bowed and then walked away immediately. Now, leaving both of us in the room.  “What do you want?” “What are you up to, Draven? Between the two of us, we know how badly you want to be Alpha, and you chose the most malnourished lady you could find. What are you up to?” He questioned, searching his eyes. I could tell he was already insecure. He would think the worst of me, just like everyone out here. It’s hard to have a new reputation when everyone already sees you as a devil, but I would rather hang by a rope than prove to anyone I was of any good to them, even if that person was my Twin. “Are you scared, big brother? That I might have chosen a gem?” I asked with a cocky smile, his smile dropped, I won. He was an easy target to bully. I made my way to leave, but he stopped me again. Annoyed by his desperation to question me, I stared back at him. “What is it?” “I know you, Draven, I know the evil you are capable of, and trust me, I will find out.” He said. But I couldn’t care less. “Good luck.” I pulled my hands from his. **** At first, my intentions were only to increase her dowry and then place her parents on allowance, until I saw her telling her parents goodbye, breaking down in a distant and crying her eyes out as they were about to say goodbye. “Matt,” I called out. He was at the front of the car, while I waited, watching her tell he people goodbye from the inside. There was no one there to bid her farewell as she was about to leave the pack. It wasn’t hard to figure out that she has no friends, as do her parents.  On the left was the woman Darius had chosen, who had a whole community bidding her farewell, while her luggage was being loaded into the vehicle. “Yes, Prince Draven?”  “When we finally settle, I would like you to come back here, ask her parents if they would like to join their daughter in the pack, maybe as citizens.” “What?!” “Yeah, that way, she would always feel at home, what do you think?” “What?!” He turns, looking at me again, the same confused look on his like I had said something considered taboo. “Why would you bring her parents, Prince Draven? You settled them ten times any dowry payment in the century, now you want to offer them citizenship in our pack? Why?” I settled my back against the cushioned car seat. Pressing my nose bridge with my hands, ‘Matt?” I called out. “If you weren’t so valuable to me and also a close friend, I might have to fire you. You might be rusty. Just get it done, get her parents to the pack for me, get them a new apartment if they want to come, and tell me when you are done.” I turned to see her approaching the car with a single bag in both hands; she had her head lowered again. My eyes met the gold pin in her hair. And seeing how well it matched her long brown hair. It warmed my heart. Just then I noticed behind her was Darius eyeing her as she walked toward my car. I knew what that look was, coming from a man like Darius, it instantly placed me in a defensive mood. A guard took her bag, then opened the door for her. The moment she spotted me inside, I could hear her heart beat increase. She hesitated to climb into the car, stuck between raising her gown above her knees and fighting for the fabric not to touch any part of my skin. She finally sat down, and the door was closed. Everyone in the world could fear for their lives, sound me, I wouldn’t care, but she shouldn’t, I wouldn’t allow it. “Drive,” I said to the person behind the wheel. The car revved to life.