My King

Chapter 21 - The past unravels.

Chapter 21 - The past unravels.

King Luka Black

"Have you settled into the new house?" I ask my mother, who's sitting across from me, sipping her tea quietly.

She nods, allowing the cup to stand on the table. "Yes, we have thanks, it really is a lovely house" She forces a smile, the strength wavering, showing her lie.

"Let me guess, father complained?" I grunt in anger.

"It's just ..." she pauses, carefully picking her words, not wanting to upset me. "It's just a little smaller than what we're used to" She tries to justify my father's anger on the property I gifted them.

I growl lowly with an eyeroll. "Well, maybe then he shouldn't have decided to be a threat to my mate"

"Your father –" She starts saying, before I cut her off. "Don't call him that."

She squints her eyes, narrowing them, a heavy sigh breathed out. "Don't you think you're being a little childish now?"

A low growl rumble in my chest at her insinuation. "I don't care. I do not want to be associated with him on any level."

She exhales a sigh, and briefly turn her gaze to stare at her cup of tea, her grimace showing her sadness, it comes so quickly I almost miss its existence. She allows her gaze to run along the table and up to look at me, a soft smile on her face. The force behind it shows its pretend, and no true happiness is kept behind, scarring me from within. I choose to let the matter rest, not looking for an argument. My father won't have that satisfaction.

"I know Lewis won't tell you himself, his pride too heavy to carry sometimes, but he really appreciates you allowing him to stay within the walls" She tells me, her eyes sparkling as she utters his name.

"I didn't do it for him" I state sharply, without taking her feelings into consideration.

She clears her throat, deciding to let my comment slip through the cracks. "I was hoping you'd come visit someday" She smiles hopefully.

I'm about to exclaim my denial at her suggestion, but I stop myself, and bite my tongue, her feelings more important to me than my dignity. I can lie to her this one time.

"I'd love that mother" I smile brightly, reaching across the table to embrace her hand with mine, feeling the warmth it carries intwine with mine.

"You know you always have a home here, right?"

"I know honey, and I appreciate it, but my home is with Lewis"

I nod understandingly, I might feel hatred towards the man in question, but my mother will always harvest deep feelings for the man.

<Your highness, a man is at the walls. He requested to be in the presence of you and King Marcys> Fredrik, one of my warriors, break through the barrier, when I allow my defenses to drop.

<Escort him to the throne room> I command, closing our link.

I turn my focus back to my mother, who by the look of hers, saw the exchange. Her gaze is wary, and I give her a smile in reassuring, her concerned expression not sitting well with me.

"I am very sorry mother, but I have to cut this short"

"That's alright honey, I'll just come back another time"

I smile with a nod. "I'll look forward to that"

I embrace her in a loving hug, when we rise from our seated position, meeting halfway. I allow a soft kiss to linger on her delicate cheek, before turning on my heel to march to the throne room. This strange man's appearance and his want to see my mate along with me, is making me uneasy.