Hell and Back

Chapter Twenty Four

I was hoping the tension between Damien and I would die down by the arrival of the American packs, but unfortunately, both he and I are both good at being stubborn. I've managed to find a little piece of mind despite the upheaval of energy. Laying on the bed, I continue examining the wall above me trying to figure it all out. Is Stacey a traitor? Or is she being serious? What if this whole situation is a façade? The packs could come to the Kingdom for an opportunity to strike unexpectedly. My fears are bubbling to the surface and I'm not sure what to do with them. "Alena." A deep voice chimes from the doorway. I ignore his presence. "Lena, they're coming in an hour. You're not even dressed."

"I'm not going down there with you." I scowl at him. I finally sit up and examine him. He looks well dressed and despite him being away all night, it's still refreshing having him here despite it all. I fold my arms.

"What do you want? An apology?" He questions.

I shrug. "I want you to be honest."

"I am being honest. You just don't know when to stop pushing my limits." He snaps.

I roll my eyes. I'm pushing his limits? It wouldn't hurt him to just stop acting like everything about him has to be a mystery. "Tell me about your mom." I challenge him.

I watch him hesitate a bit. "My mom?" He pauses. I can tell he has a lot of anger for both of his parents. Justified or not, it's useless for him to keep hiding things from me when he expects me to walk down the isle with him. "My mom was killed when I was a kid. She put her life in danger in order to protect me and she didn't make it." He admits bluntly. His face is blank and despite his grimace I can see the amount of emotion stirring in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Alena. I knew you'd be hurt. I know that I was wrong to treat you that way. But I'm not sorry for looking out for you. I've lost too many people in my life already. I don't know what I'd do if I failed to protect you." Hearing him admit his truth causes all of my anger to dissipate. Understanding Damien is a challenge in itself, but at least he's making an effort. "Is that all?" He asks. I nod silently. "Good. Get dressed and meet me in the dining room to meet our guests."

I decide to not fight him on it this time. Particularly because I am starving, but he doesn't need to know that. "I'll be there." I sigh.

Damien glances at me tenderly. "I'll see you then." He states. He leaves the room without hesitation and I exhale deeply. I have a lot to figure out.

———

Finding the best outfit for breakfast was a long, nerve wracking process. After juggling through 5 outfits, I finally found one that I felt comfortable in. It's a simple sundress that hugs my body and flows down to my feet with bright pastel colours. I head toward the dining hall where Damien says the guests are arriving. It's going to be my first time eating here on a formal occasion. I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm hoping for the best.

"Your Highness." Greets one of the staff with a bow. I return with a bow and rush toward the doors. The two guards standing at the door both bow, and then open the doors. As the doors open, I see a large crowd of people in the room. There's a lot of chatting and I can immediately feel all eyes on me upon me entering. A weird silence befalls the room. I can feel Damien's eyes fixated on me and it stirs something inside of me.

"Your Highness." They chant and do the bow. I watch Damien as he examines me up and down and licks his lips. His signature "I'm going to devour you later" look. I avoid looking at him to greet our guests.

"Welcome to The Kingdom. I'm pleased to make your acquaintances." I grin at the crowd.

"I'm sure I speak for us all when I say we're glad to be here." A tall man responds. He has short blonde hair which is slicked back. His eyes are an icy blue colour. "My name is Alpha Grande." He turns to Damien who's hardly paying attention by the look on his face. I roll my eyes at his attitude and walk over to stand beside him.