FIVE

AUBURON

I yanked those curtains down so fast as I stormed out of Layla’s room. My eyes flash between their dark brown color and red. The anger that consumed me was taking over my entire body, I was fighting with Carro to keep him from taking over. Luckily when I stormed through my parents' study both of them were in there. “Auburon, what's wrong?” My mom said as they both saw the shifts between my eyes going brown to red, brown to red. I angrily pushed the curtain towards them and said “WHOSE SCENT IS THAT?!” My dad snatched the curtains from my moms' hands and took in a long sniff. His eyes immediately changed to the golden-light brown color of his lycan. “THAT BASTARD!” He yelled. I could see the fear in my moms' eyes as she took the curtains from my father gently, taking the curtains in her left hand and keeping her right hand on my father's forearm, stroking her thumb to try and soothe him. 

As soon as she took a whiff, her thumb immediately stopped moving. “GUARDS!!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. At least five of our men showed up within 2 minutes of her screaming. My mom began pacing back and forth around the room as my father said “Find Archer now and bring him straight to the dungeons.” As soon as my father said his name it just reminded me of what Dorian had said. “I find it odd that your uncle hasn't been seen or heard from since the attack.” I immediately begin to stalk toward the door to leave and my mother stops me in my tracks. “Where are you going?” she asks. “I think Dorian knows something,” I say before leaving out the study.

My eyes glaze over as I mind link Dorian. “Come to my room now.” “O-Okay. W-whats wro-” He says before I cut off the link. Within a minute I’m back in my room sitting in front of my desk. I take a drink of whiskey. Then another one. Then a third one. Until he finally appears in my room. “What’s wrong?” He asks. It's very clear that he’s uncomfortable. “You brought up my uncle,” I say sternly. “Why?” He stands there for a minute trying to come up with an excuse. “I-I just found it weird that he hasn’t been seen.” he stutters. I sigh trying not to take my anger out on my lifelong best friend. “Dorian,” I say before pausing. “Please just tell me what you know.” He runs his hands through his short wavy brown hair and says “Swear you’ll let me finish before you flip out?” Carro tries to push himself to the forefront when my eyes flash red and I say “I swear.” 

“I was in Layla’s room that night.” He says nervously. “What? Why were you in there and why couldn't I smell your scent?” I ask angrily. “I’m not sure why my scent was gone. But, I was in there because... Because... Layla and I are mates.” He says wincing. My jaw tightens with this information. My best friend and my twin. I thought. He continues. “We were in there well doing what mates usually do,” he says before I scoff. “Please spare me the details,” I say. “Right, well your uncle stormed into her room and he begins threatening to tell everyone that we’re mates. He asked me to leave and both my lycan and I were on edge. Layla told me that it was okay and that’s why I left. That next day is when we found Layla in her room bleeding out.” 

“Get out,” I tell him. He leaves with not even a question as to why I'm telling him to leave. 

“So they’re mates,” Carro states. “Yeah,” I say. Why would they be worried about anyone knowing? I thought. “Umm, probably because we’re hotheads,” Carro says laughing. “I mean, yeah, but I would’ve been happy for them. I trust Dorian with my life, so of course I would trust him with hers.” I  respond while feeling the sadness rise in my chest. 

I didn't even realize I fell asleep in the midst of racking my brain. When I woke up it was about midnight and I knew all our servants would have gone to bed by now. I headed to the kitchen and saw both my father and mother sharing a bowl of cereal. I’ve always admired their relationship but I will never admit that to them. They’ll just press me to find my mate because of what the bond has done for them. “Well hello,” my mother says bringing me out of my thoughts. “Hey,” I say dryly. “Want some cereal?” my father asks while reaching for the captain crunch box. “Yeah, pass me a bowl please,” I ask. 

As we all sit there quietly eating our cereal my father breaks the silence and says “We haven't found Archer anywhere in the kingdom.” My eyes flash red as that statement angers both Carro and me. “So he must be somewhere else,” I say. “We have to lure him out.” My mother states. I could see the wheels turning in her head as she comes up with a plan to lure my traitorous uncle out.