Royally Rogue

Mercy

Xander

I closed my eyes and clenched my fists.

Sandy was... special. I had never gone far with a girl, I didn't even know how dating worked, but Sandy...

She was one of the only people my father let me talk to. He favored her over all the other members, and she was the first to show me kindness.

We liked each other, we really did. But when we had both come of age and hadn't found a mate in one another, things got weird. We distanced as I took the throne, trying to avoid the attachment that had formed over the years. The coming of my mate must have broke her heart.

I would by lying if I said she didn't hold a place in mine.

When I had suffered a horrendous beating, she would be there to feed me and encourage me to keep living. When I was left in the cold cellar as punishment for not being up to my fathers standards, she'd bring me hot chocolate and soothe me.

Even as much as I tried to deny it, she burned me now. Being close to her put my body in a simmering frenzy.

A burn that was worsened by the headache I felt from betraying my Arabella.

What's worse is I knew exactly what it meant.

Stay away or you'll cause some problems. My wolf warned in the back of my head.

She's my friend. I replied with a hiss.

She wasn't crippled by that throw. She's fine, she doesn't need your help in standing. He persisted, further stoping me from my thoughts.

Time stopped as I debated this dilemma... all I wanted to do was repay the kindness Sandy once showed me, but this situation looked all sorts of fucked up.

The whispers around me made the hairs on the back of my neck stick up and my eyes flew open. I knew they saw me as weak for letting someone outside of our pack hurt one of their family members, not to mention letting 2 foreigners into our secluded territory. These people were use to my father's harsh treatment and iron hold on the pack, so they probably expected me to murder Arabella for assaulting one of them or punish Sandy for not obeying my order to let go of me.

I clenched my jaw when my friend on the ground slowly looked up at me with wide doe eyes, pushing herself up slowly with her arms but keeping her legs on the ground.

She wanted me to help her up, to chose her. Those orbs begged me to do something, give her a sign. But I couldn't- I had a mate now and the whole world staring me down to see what I would do. If I made the wrong move, rebellions would rise once more and Arabella wouldn't be safe.

When I left, I had told my Beta that I would return with my mate, and she had spread the word to the eagerly expecting pack members. Coming back with two women, Sandy probably lost her mind.

I should probably clear that up to her-

She's not our priority right now. The love of our lives just left because of your 'friend'. The wolf inside of m persisted, stumping my logic and making me feel guilty all over again.

Arabella's words that mocked me, called me out on my hypocrisy. I was the one who wanted to shout off the rooftops that I had a mate.

Fuck.

Another stroke of heat hit me and I stumbled away from the blonde girl on the ground. Through my wince, I could see her eyes widening even more, reaching out to me. Someone in the distance called out 'Alpha' in a concerned voice.