(Chase Dubois)
My father stared at me like I had suddenly sprouted two heads.
His head tilted. His eyes confused.
I stared at the floor again, shame heating my face as I admitted my failures out loud to the most prideful Alpha in existence. "Turns out… my future wife…" I swallowed. "She… prefers…"
"Speak up!" Father barked. Impatience written all over his face.
"My brother is trying to say that his little dragon princess… likes it rough." Greyson voice made me look away. I didn't even know he had entered the main room until he spoke.
He leaned in the doorway to the inner chamber, a bag slung over his shoulder, a smug, terrible smile on his face.
He was enjoying this. He was enjoying humiliating me.
"She's..." He smiled even more. "She's developed a taste for...me, you see"
He walked inside the main room now, his eyes darting between father and I.
"A taste for my... expertise in the bedroom. And dear Chase here…" He gestured lazily at me. "…can't exactly deliver that."
He moved closer to our father and leaned in and whispered. "He's impotent, father"
He shrugged in amusement. I looked away and shut my eyes, a groan escaping me. It was the sound of pure devastating humiliation.
Father's furious gaze swung at him.
Greyson strolled further into the room, enjoying his moment. "So, how does it feel Father? Knowing that without me—your useless, disappointing son—your precious scheme crumbles. How does it feel to need me or at least, my cock."
He stopped in front of Alpha Kale. It was the first time I have seen him stand toe to toe with our father "Am I still useless?"
The silence was thicker than blood.
Father stared at him, his Alpha power pressing down on the room. Then, with a sound of utter disgust, he waved a dismissive hand and turned on his heel, storming out.
Mother gave us one last, pained look " Don't be late for breakfast with the Winchesters in the morning"
"Breakfast?" Greyson asked, he clutched his bag tighter. "I'm out of here, Mama. I have said my goodbyes. I am done with all of you"
Mother stared at him.
"I think I will travel for some time, see the world. Be something other than the poor substitute of the impeccable Chase Dubois. Free of the likes of you all."
"Grey-Grey—"
"Mama, excuse us, please" I told her. "It's okay. I just want to have a word with my brother."
She was reluctant. She was on the verge of losing a son, after all.
Alpha wasn't the type to forgive people who disappointed him. Son or not.
"He's not leaving" I assured her.
It was enough for Mulan. She hurried out.
The door clicked shut.
Greyson turned to me, the smug smile returning.
"Aw. You didn't have to defend me to Daddy. It's almost sweet, how you still—"
BANG.
The sound was shockingly loud in the quiet room.
Greyson's smile vanished. He looked down at his leg, at the neat, suddenly blooming red hole in his trousers just above the knee. A second later, the pain seemed to hit his brain. He cried out, collapsing to the floor with a crash.
"What the HELL, Chase!" he screamed, clutching his leg, his face white in pain.
I wheeled myself closer. In my hand, the small silver pistol felt warm.
I stopped beside him where he writhed on the floor. I leaned down, reached out, and gently cupped his cheek, making him look at me. His eyes were wide with shock and agony.
"Stay" I said softly, calmly, "Brother."
Tears slipped down his face, I wiped it with the back of my hand.
I let go of his face, turned my chair, and headed for the door.
He was gasping, swearing, his breaths coming in ragged sobs of pain.
"It's just a tiny bit of silver bullet," I said, not looking back as I opened the door. "Few hours of excruciating pain. Then you'll be good as new." I paused in the doorway. "I'll tell our mother you're not feeling well, little brother. And hope to God, I can undo the damage you did to the poor girl or so help me God, I am taking out your other fucking knee cap"
"Chase!"
I turned around. "And Grey? Don't ever cross me again or fuck my bride"
He looked at me in disbelief.
What? My eyes told him. You gets to screw with my life but I don't get to screw with yours.
No. There was enough pain to go around.
I closed the door behind me.
**
(Tilly Ann)
The dining hall was too loud, too bright, and smelled overwhelmingly of roasted meat and bread.
I was stuck in between my brother's elbow and the brooding mass that was my fiancé, Chase Dubois.
He hadn't spoken a word all evening. Just pushed food around on his plate like it had offended him.
Across the table, Talia Goodworm—a young girl from one of the noble families —was practically laying her head on her hand to get a better look at Chase.
I saw it. Everyone saw it.
I watched her.
She was everything I was supposed to be: soft, quiet, obsessed with lace patterns and the proper way to pour fucking tea.
And Chase, the miserable bastard, just sat there in his wheelchair. Handsome and silent and ignoring me again.
I wanted to be angry at him. But I asked to be strangers. Asked for nothing but mainly because he refused to give me everything I wanted.
I leaned forward and dropped my voice into my father's conversation about border tariffs with the Lycan King.
I made one sharp, accurate point about grain supply lines and it made the men paused to listen to me.
Lady Alphonse, Talia's mother, gave a tinkling little laugh over my speech.
"Oh, Princess, let the men puzzle over such dreary things. It's so unfeminine. It will put your future husband right off his meal."
The table went quiet.
My father's eyes flashed in anger, he didn't raise me to be censored in my own dinner table. My mother opened her mouth to rebuke lady Alphonse.
But Chase spoke first.
His voice was calm and clear, and it cut through everything like a knife. He didn't even look up from his plate.
"I know your little mind couldn't possibly wrap around topics like politics," he said, his tone conversational. "But Matilda's beautiful mind would put every man at this table to shame. Including mine. Her depth of understanding amazes me." He finally lifted his eyes, not to Lady Alphonse, but to me. An angry spark was in them. "So if she wants to talk politics, then she's going to fucking talk about politics and you will shut up and listen or you are free to go."
You could have heard a pin drop. Lady Alphonse's smile froze, then melted into a nervous sip of wine.
I stared at him blatantly.
"What?" He asked pushing more food around in frustration. "I don't like it when you are disrespected, Matilda"
"Everything or nothing" I whispered, glaring at him. "It's everything or fuck off"
I looked around the stunned faces of everyone present.
"Respectfully, of course"