7. My Brothers

Chloe

“I understand that your mother has passed on,” King Charles said gently.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The pain was still too real.

“I think I owe an explanation to you, Chloe. You may hate me afterward, but I feel like you deserve to know the truth.”

I doubted I could ever hate the wolf sitting beside me, still clutching my hand. He might be the King Alpha, but he was… safe. My wolf felt safe with him.

“I searched for many years for my mate, but I never found her. It was a different time, then, and with court politics… well, it was important there was a Queen Luna on the throne next to me, so I married a political friend. In many ways, she was suited for the throne better than I was, and I hoped to someday grow to love her. While she was everything a Queen Luna should be, I didn’t. There was always something missing, and we weren’t anything other than friends. I thought I was okay with that; I really did. But I did have a habit of slipping out of the palace and relaxing in the bars in town. I thought everyone would recognize me, but only a few did without the finery I was usually wearing.

“That’s where I met your mother. She was… she was everything. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew that she was my mate, and I had to have her. I was selfish – I’ll be the first person to admit that. I was a selfish, self-centered man, and I made all the wrong decisions, but even now, I can’t say I regret a single one. Your mother was an astounding woman.”

I smiled softly at this. “She really was, wasn’t she?”

“I planned to tell her. I really did, but she found out before I could break the news to her myself. And she did the most selfless thing I’ve ever seen, both then and since. She broke our bond because her principles were stronger than her love for me. She refused to be the third person in my marriage. At the time, I was devasted by her disappearance, but now, with time, I’ve come to realize how extraordinary she was for making that decision in the first place. Of course, I didn’t know about you.”

“Would it have changed anything if you had?” I stared at King Charles thoughtfully, wondering if he understood what I was really asking.

“If you’re asking me if I’d have forced her to stay, the answer is no. I still would have let her make that decision for herself. It would have changed things, though. I would have insisted that you and I had a relationship. I’ve always wanted a daughter.” He gave me a sad smile, which I returned.

Making my decision, I said, “I would like to stay on the condition we don’t tell anyone who I am. I didn’t leave on the best terms with my pack, and I don’t want them coming to get me.”

“And when I inevitably have to reference you in public? What name would you like to use?” the King asked, no judgment in his voice.

“Harper,” I said automatically, and he gave me a small smile, recognizing my mother’s middle name.

“Harper, it is.” He rose and stretched. He was a tall man. “You are quite injured, as I’m sure you feel, and I know you need your rest. I will leave you to it.” He hesitated for a moment. “If you’re feeling up to it, I would like to visit you as you heal, as would your brothers.”

I didn’t bother to point out that two of my newfound brothers didn’t seem to want me here at all. Alexander seemed kind enough, though. “I would like that. No, I would love that.” I gave him a tentative smile.

“Excellent,” he beamed.

I only discovered after he left how right he’d been – I was severely injured. I collapsed just trying to get out of bed to use the restroom, my legs too weak to keep me up.

Even for a wolf, who healed far faster than a human, it took three months of R&R to get me up and going again. In that time period, King Charles and Alexander visited every day. Sometimes Knox was dragged along, but he always acted as if he disapproved of me being here.

Adrian was the one that confused me, though. He always seemed irritated when he found Alexander in my room without him, but even when he visited me on his own, his visits were awkward and silent. He rarely spoke to me.

Despite his attitude, my heart still fluttered slightly when he entered the room, which confused me. He was my brother, and I’d had a mate. I chalked it up to never know exactly what he wanted from me, which gave me anxiety.

It was King Charles who suggested we throw a ball to introduce me to werewolf society when I was able to be twirled about by Alexander. I’d never taken dance lessons, but he’d taken it upon himself to teach me the basics.

“A ball?” I gasped, out of breath and smiling. “Doesn’t that seem a bit extravagant?”

Adrian sighed from the corner of the room where he was… glaring at his brother. “Our father is known for being extravagant. It’s his style. Besides, I think it’s a great idea.”

I glanced over at him, surprised. He rarely thought anything was a great idea when it wasn’t his own.

“Perfect!” King Charles clapped. “I’ll get right on the preparations. Now, who is going to walk you down at your grand entrance?”

Alexander volunteered immediately. “It would be my honor, Princess,” he winked at me.

It was still weird being called Princess. I think the group, in general, was trying to get me accustomed to the title.

“It’s decided,” King Charles clapped in excitement.

“We have a problem,” Adrian drawled, straightening and walking over to us.

“Oh?”

Adrian sighed as if our ignorance was paining him. “What’s the point of Chloe going by Harper if we’re invited members from her old pack to the ball? They’ll recognize her instantly.”

The three of us exchanged a glance.

“Why don’t we make it a masked ball?” I suggested, surprising both myself and everyone in the room.

King Charles and Alexander started murmuring to themselves about the pros and cons.

Adrian turned his bright gaze directly onto me, and I felt burned alive by the attention. “A mask could work.”

“Then it’s decided! We’re having a masked ball! Come on, boys. Let’s start planning. We’ll need to send the seamstress up to Chloe immediately.”

The ball came up far faster than I expected, and before I knew it, I was at the top of the stairs, just out of sight in my beaded blue dress, waiting for Alexander to make my grand entrance.

“Princess.”

I turned, surprised to find Adrian extending his hand for me to take. I stared at him, my brow furrowed. “Alexander is supposed to be the one escorting me.”

Adrian arched an eyebrow. “Change of plans.”

I opened my mouth to insist he get his younger brother but closed it at the last second and swallowed. Obviously, the King had given his approval to change them out. I reached out my hand slowly, watching him swallow mine in his grip, a shock going right up my arm from our joined hands.

I stared down, confused. Had he just shocked me? It didn’t feel like static electricity, though. I glanced up through my eyelashes at him, and he was staring down at me, with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Here we go, Princess.”