Loyalty Or Honour (Book 3)

Chapter Thirty Two

Vote ~ Comment ~ Enjoy!

After escorting Lady Ari and Lacy back to the castle gates, Bear and Hunter stroll down the streets together, this time heading away from the busy market. Bear hums softly under his breath knowing eventually he will frustrate his younger brother to the point where he would rather fill the air with words instead of mindless sounds. He gets louder as he sees a tick form along Hunter's jaw.

"Surely we are too old for such tricks." Hunter finally gives in and Bear chuckles.

"Speak for yourself. It worked, did it not? I have been expressly ordered to obtain as much information as possible. Let us start with the easier topics then move our way up to your mother. Orion, the man that we know very little about, apart from that he is apparently your half-brother." Bear stops there waiting for Hunter to fill in more information.

"So the interrogation starts then?" Hunter tries to push off the inevitable.

"If it was an interrogation I would not be giving you a way to escape." Bear gestures to many different routes that Hunter could take if he wanted to leave his brother behind in the dust. "Logan does not like Orion."

"He would not." Hunter agrees. "He is not so bad, just a tad overprotective for how long he has known me. I think he is trying to take your role." Hunter smirks but Bear shrugs as if the idea does not bother him. He knows that nothing could replace him or his brothers in Hunter's life. Orion will simply have to slot into what space remains. "I have three younger siblings, two sisters and a little brother. I like them, a lot. They are strong characters but they are so loyal to those they care about."

"Good." Bear says.

"Alice, Xia and Jamie. She met a man who made her a better person and made her a better mother. She regrets leaving me behind but we have decided to put the past behind us. We move ahead as friends. I can never view her as my mother, she gave me life but that is all she ever did." Hunter looks sideways at Bear. "I will be apologising to Lady Claire when I return home."

Bear's face transforms as a genuine smile overtakes his face. "She loves you Hunter, she has hated every moment you have been gone. She will be happy that you are to return home. She spoke to me when you did not return home." Hunter takes in a deep breath, his heart picking up pace in his chest. "She was young and jealous; she was still getting over the fact that she was raising a child of a woman who could do such an atrocity. Never should she have let you feel you were held accountable for that. She sends her deepest apologies and hopes one day you will find it in your heart to forgive her."

"I forgave her the moment I spoke with Khiara and I spoke of everything she did for me despite knowing I was not her child." Hunter tells him honestly.

Bear nudges him in the arm, his smile warm. "So we are to get you home then? You do not plan to remain here."

"I need some more time here but then I will certainly come home. I miss my niece." Hunter teases naturally. Bear studies him discreetly seeing a young man strong and confident instead of a young man who had been angry and closed off. This journey had done him so much good and Bear sighs inwardly in relief. He had been afraid of finding his brother angrier and feeling more betrayed than before.

"Well Tilly has decided you are no longer her favourite uncle so I do not know why you would return for her..." Bear grins as he dodges a hit from Hunter who just laughs. "So you need more time...would that have anything to do with a woman?" Hunter's neck colours and the heat travels up onto his cheeks. He ducks his head but without his trusty cloak he has no way of hiding. "So now onto the interesting topics..." Bear nudges Hunter's side.