8 Chapter 7

Unbeknownst to me Arthur did have business to attend.

"Did you get it, Lear?" He asked the leggy blonde as they entered his office.

"Of course, cousin," she pulled out a square black box. "Gran was more than delighted to give it up."

Her lilt was light and almost non existent.

Arthur took the box and cracked it open to show a large diamond ring with a Celtic knot wedding band.

"Does she know yet?" Lear asked smirking at how Arthur seemed to glow.

He cocked a dark eyebrow and looked up from the ring.

"She seems completely clueless that our wolves have chosen each other."

"They say her father kept her in the dark," Lear whispered.

"Figuratively?" Arthur seemed confused.

Lear shook her head no. "I mean literally in the dark. In a cage."

Arthur sat down at his desk in shock. "He wanted to harness the thunder heart…"

Lear stared at the ground. "From what I've heard he wanted to eventually breed her."

A growl grew in Arthur's throat. "If someone hadn't already torn him apart, I would have done so now." Arthur sobered. "That doesn't leave this room."

"Of course not," Lear rolled her eyes. "Anything else alpha?"

"No," Arthur focused back on the ring. "Go enjoy the gala."

"Aren't you?" Lear seemed offended he would miss his own engagement party.

He held up papers. "There is a lot to be done before we leave for two weeks."

"You mean your honey moon," she grinned and her green eyes lit up.

"Learian," Arthur chided her.

"Fine," she pretended to pout. "I will go and enjoy your party." She went to leave the study before turning. "There's a cocktail waitress here, is she single?"

Arthur's face turned up with confusion and ridiculousness.

"How the hell should I know?"

"Right," she saluted him. "wish me luck."

Arthur shook his head after he was left alone. He sent a quick texts to some of his advisors and requested Baen's presence in his office.

Baen entered and shut the door behind him knowing full well he was going to be torn into.

"Alpha I swear I have made no marks on her," Baen began.

"I know cousin," Arthur admitted. "I want to apologize for losing my temper. You see how beautiful she is, any man would want to protect what's his."

Baen nodded understanding. "Forgiven and forgotten."

"I have a task for you though," Arthur continued. "Tak has been overthrown from the republic. They have instituted a new leader. I want you to find out all you can about Emory Eagle Horn. I want to make sure your brother's hold on the North American packs is secure."

Baen seemed shocked. "It would be an honour. Thank you alpha." He stood and Arthur waited for him to leave.

"Is there something wrong?" Arthur seemed confused.

"I have photos that you might want," Baen said sheepishly. "It took some digging but…"

Arthur knew Baen had been researching me and finding out all he could.

"What kind of pictures?"

Baen smirked. "Let's say, I've made sure no one else has copies. Apparently at last year's Christmas party someone took candids of her in a very revealing dress."

"Who?" Arthur growled. "And why was she in such a revealing dress?"

Baen sent Arthur the photos. "Her mother was trying to get Lilly attention. Who knew she would be married off to the strongest and most dangerous alpha, wolfdom has ever seen."

"I don't pay you to bolster me," Arthur murmured as he looked at the photos on his phone. His face softening as he studied my face.

"You don't technically pay me," Baen smirked as he saw how Arthur's personality had changed upon seeing me on his screen. "I'll just leave you alone with your phone, alpha."

He slipped out the office with a smirk. Arthur looked up completely unaware that Baen had left.

A feeling in Arthur's gut made him realize the prize he was begging for would not be easily won. He had spoken to Tally before leaving for England and recalled what she had told him. I would not go quietly and it would not be an easy win.

But he loved a challenged and a piece of him felt that as much as he loved a challenge, he loved me as well.

He could not understand how that had happened. How had he fallen so quickly but he knew the moment in the study at Sean's had been special.

He had tried to play it cool but the way my face searched his, a thought had popped in his head. He wanted my face before him for the rest of his life.

He reached down under his desk to his pants as he unzipped himself.

He could only think of my green eyes and full lips. He imagined I was under the desk and it was my lips and not his hand around himself as he slowly pumped up and down.

——————————————-

From what I was told the wedding was beautiful and I was there on time. Caleb had slipped me a flask that morning; and while I did not know what was in it, after four gulps it began to lose it's flavor.

I remember standing in front of Arthur as a priest spoke Latin. I felt the heaviness of his grandmother's diamond ring and it made me feel as if I were sinking. After that, the rest of the day was a blur.

I opened my swollen eyes as I looked up to see Baen staring down at me with a smirk.

"What happened?" I rasped as I sat up. It was difficult to maneuver in the wedding dress.

Baen handed me a glass of water which I took gladly noticing I was in my room at uncle Sean's and it was morning.

"Yesterday was epic," he laughed as he sat beside me on the bed. He obviously had changed into casual clothes.

"Did I get married?" I asked after draining the glass of water.

He laughed hard enough to rock the bed. "Be glad you don't remember, between the coldness of the English, the drunken angriness of the Scots, and well… Your mom, it was so painful."

I buried my face in my hands and felt the cold metallic ring around my finger.

I held out my hand to see it properly and was stunned at how large and gorgeous it was. The diamond was square and solitary.

"Four carets," Baen read my mind. "don't go to any dodgy neighborhoods or you could lose a finger. I don't believe Gran wore it but once."

I groaned as I flung myself back onto the bed. "I can't do this."

Baen looked down at me, "you can," he assured me. "But without me," he whispered. He saw my confusion. "I leave for Kalowna tomorrow. Arthur's orders."

I looked away feeling emotional. "He's going to isolate me. I just know it."

"About that," Baen began. "Tak was dismissed this morning." I jerked my head to see Baen.

"MacAlister's new beta is a distant cousin on his father's side, Bale McKenzie."

I growled. "He did that to spite me, that son of a bitch."

"Wait," Baen tried to explain but I was too far gone in my anger.

I hauled myself off the bed after two tries. This was not going to be my fate. I would not be put away from everyone I knew so he could control me. I stomped down the hall and down the stairs as my dress swished dramatically. I had lived a childhood in a cell and locked away from the world. I would be damned if my adult life would be the same.

I burst into Uncle Sean's office.

"Who does this son of a…" I stopped as I noticed Humphrey and Arthur talking.

Humphrey's eyes grew wide at the sight of me. I knew I probably looked a sight with wild curly hair, running makeup, and a wedding dress.

Arthur stood from the straight back chair.

"Good morning," he murmured.

I shut the door as I reeled in myself. "Alpha," I murmured as I approached the men. "Did I hear right, that you dismissed Baen this morning?"

Arthur clinched his teeth. "And if I did?"

"He didn't deserve to be removed from his post just so you can isolate me from everyone I know," I snapped.

Arthur breathed deeply. "That's not what happened." He kept his calm.

"Bull shit," I snapped.

Baen came busting through the door to see me still shouting.

"You are so controlling and cannot stand to see me happy. You got your treaty and your marriage. But it's still not enough for you."

"Lilly," Baen called me down. "Stop."

Arthur growled. "I'm not sure why you have this idea of me, but I don't have to explain my decisions to you. Now, since you're awake and sober I'll expect you to have your things packed and in my house by dinner time tonight."

"Go to hell," I snapped and left the study. I was so furious I did not see Caleb as I ran into him in the hallway.

"Whoa," he caught me. "I guess you heard the news," he could see I was upset.

"Yea," I snapped. "I cannot believe he's already doing this to me."

Caleb cocked his head to the side.

"what are you talking about?" His mane hung around his face as his hazel eyes tried to read my mind.

"He's sending Baen to Canada and he dismissed Tak this morning," I snapped. "He's getting rid of everyone I care about all the while he can dabble with his mistresses like he probably did last night. Its not fair."

Caleb grabbed my arm and jerked me down the hall to the living room. He shut the door quickly behind us.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"Saving you from making an ass of yourself," he loomed over me. "Where are you getting your info?"

I went to answer but realized I had not heard the full story only part of it and filled in the rest myself.

"What really happened?" I felt sick to my stomach. I did not know if it was the alcohol or guilt.

Caleb seemed unsure. "Last night there was an attack from the leaches."

I stepped backwards as if I were knocked.

"What?"

Caleb nodded. "Arthur sent Cavendish to handle the uprising and made him leader of the suppression, and… his brother is now the alpha of the Canadian Packs and the tribe."

My stomach dropped. "Harris is leader of the tribe now? But… the tribe is supposed to be mine after Humphrey steps down."

Caleb shrugged. "Humphrey gave dominion to Cavendish. Probably because of Tally."

"What does she have to do with it?" I spat.

Caleb chewed on his lip. "Well, she's Cavendish's mate so…"

I felt ill. "The brat got Harry and the tribe?"

Caleb rolled his eyes. "She's making the best out of her situation. Just like you should."

"What about Tak?" I changed the subject quickly.

LIt's pretty pathetic Arthur has to force Tak to be a man and handle his responsibility to his family. Tak stomped his feet not wanting to go home." Caleb grew angry as he spoke. "As for last night Arthur was asleep in his fur in front of your bedroom door. The rest of us were on the trail of the attackers. Until we lost it around Wales."

"Oh," I felt guilty from my actions. "I just figured…"

"Why?" Caleb snapped. "You don't even know him."

He was right. I did not know Arthur.

I slunk to the floor in a pile of white taffeta. "I'm losing my mind, Caleb."

"Not much to lose," he sat down on the floor next to me. "What's wrong?"

"I was married off against my will," I said exasperated. "It appeared he was isolating me and now…."

"He's not John," Caleb said suddenly. "I know that's what you're thinking but he's not John. I know the bastard did a number on you but da finally found you and got you away."

"It still doesn't erase what happened," I whispered.

"You know I've always blamed myself," he murmured as he pulled out a flask.

"Why?" I was shocked that my best friend and big brother would have put this tragedy on himself.

"I was so consumed with school and girls and drinking that I didn't see what was happening to you."

"You're not to blame for this," I sat up and put my hand on his face. I saw his scarred eyebrow and the new marks across his cheek from the previous night. "Our parents failed us. Diana failed us. We did what we could to survive." I stood up with difficulty.

"But that doesn't mean Arthur will fail you," Caleb pointed out.

I shrugged. "I don't know him."

"Get to know him," Caleb almost pleaded.

"I'll think about it," I whispered and left the room.

I was not the first person to open up. That was a quality of me that superseded John. But that did not mean I would close myself off to Arthur. I could learn to like him.