The Tormented

Part 14

Beatrice

I stepped out of the shower brushing my hair straight with my fingers when I heard a commotion coming from the bedroom. Wrapped in one of those fancy snugly bathrobes I took one look in the mirror preparing myself for what was to come. My sister's voice mixed with that of my mother, father and brothers though there was no mistake whose voice was the loudest.

"Beatrice! Where the fuck are you! Beatrice Evangeline Fort!" Opening the bathroom door I readied myself to face my sister's wrath. "How dare you!? What the hell is wrong with you? You have ruined everything! What were you thinking?!"

"I'm sorry?" I pulled on the ropes tighter as if it would shield me from her.

"Not as sorry as you are going to be! Royce is in there right now speaking to the freaking Alpha trying to smooth things over and the damn ceremony is cancelled thanks to your fight with the executive's son." Her fury filled the room and had us all on the edge. Our mother had her arms out trying to soothe the situation and father was pacing after her.

However my brothers had wide grins on their faces like they were amused. Luca patted me on the back. Leo was practically praising me for my bold performance at the lake. I hadn't managed to greet them earlier so I was happy to see them now despite the heated situation.

"Fantastical entrance, sis. Top notch." Luca was humming like he had won the lottery. "The fight was outstanding but the dive you took was just icing on the cake."

"Wait, you saw that?"

"Everybody saw that." Leo scooped me up in a tight hug. "Sorry we didn't have a chance to meet up earlier this evening, but it looked like you were busy."

"Getting busy with the Jr. Alpha." Luca wiggled his eyebrows at me with a sly smirk tugging at his lips. I punched him in the arm slightly wanting him to shut up but that only encouraged his teasing even more. "Hey save some of that fire for your boyfriend."

"He is not my- Why would you even think that?"

"Isn't he though? You seemed to know him pretty well. Couldn't you just have your little couple's quarrel another day?" Cece jumped in, poking me in the chest. "Or is your boy drama more important than my ceremony?"

"Boy drama? I don't-"

"Just fix it or I will never forgive you. Ever!" She lunged herself in my mother's arms and started sobbing. The look she gave me had me thinking I fucked up worse than I had originally thought. She was clearly upset. Had my actions really cost her the ceremony? Was Auryn really that petty he would go through my family to get back at me?

"Fine!" I stormed out of the room and my target was Auryn. He was the one who brought this on us. If he hadn't stepped in that ballroom and invited me to this party none of this would have even happened. He must have known it was me. Why else would he have invited me? He knew and pretended to not know me by asking all kinds of questions. He asked if I was free today. He pretended so he could get to know me, get close to me, get me to kiss him. That lying deceiving braindead oger. "Where is he!?"

That poor Beta got the first taste of my growing anger as I demanded directions. With a shaking finger he pointed down the hall and I flew in the direction with power on my steps. A peep behind me let me know I needed to make a left and I would be at my destination. I could feel my pulse ringing in my ears when I slammed the doors open to a small study filled with tall men, and in the middle was Auryn.

"Ah, just the one we were looking forward to meeting. Miss..?" A large elderly man was sitting behind a desk under a painted picture of themselves with their mate so I assumed this was the Alpha. Damn it. I was hoping to confront Auryn without an audience. It's too late now.

"Beatrice Fort." My eyes bounced around the room, from Royce to the catcalling jerk face back to the even bigger jerk, Auryn.

"Lovely to meet you, Miss Fort. How unfortunate to meet under such unpleasant circumstances." The Alpha stood up and gestured to the others nodding in agreement. Auryn stood still not taking his eyes off me. That just frustrated me even more. How could he be so calm given the situation? He probably didn't even care. "Now if you would just kindly apologise and we can all forget this ever happened."

"Excuse me what? Apologise? To him?!"

"Well the law states that unless we can resolve the matter here in the form of an apology, we will have to issue a formal hearing. Since your crimes are quite severe I'm afraid it would warrant a duel." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They wanted me to apologise to him. When cows fly and hell freezes over. Their vigorous murmurs were downed by the ringing in my ears. I balled my fists to stop them from trembling. I was beyond an apology and there was no turning back. I couldn't meet Auryn's gaze so I looked past him to the Alpha sealing my fate.

"Fine then! I'll duel. See you in the ring, Junior Alpha." I hissed with venom on my tongue taking one last glare at the men in the room. Shocked, amused, concerned and angry expressions mirrored mine as I flipped my wet hair over my shoulder and turned to leave. I marched out of there leaving the men stunned in their places. Fucking wolves and their stupid laws. Fine. I'll fucking fight him. If that's what I need to do to fix this. I probably should have been more worried that I would have to fight a wolf, but I was too angry to think of the consequences.

My family was waiting for me downstairs as I ran the steps fully aware that I was still in a bathrobe and my sister's clothes forgotten in the bathroom. My father offered me refuge in his arms whereas my mother was still consoling my sister. Royce caught up with us just as we were climbing back into the limo.

"I hope you know what you are doing, little one."

"I hope so too." I took one glance back at the palace and saw Auryn's dark shadow linger in one of the windows before disappearing back into the crowd. The party seemed to have continued despite the little scene I had caused. I watched the people move nonchalantly, unaware what had transpired just under their noses. The fireworks boomed above us lighting up the way back home. As the greens, reds and blues painted the sky I closed my eyes and wished happy birthday to myself in silence.