The Found One

Chapter 30

For many years, while he was growing up, Rowan had shafted under the overbearing and chaffing weight of his guard. Because of his bloodline he was one of the strongest wolves on the planet, and in his youthful arrogance he had resented the implication that he need to be 'tended and protected', that he needed guards and warriors to fight for him, to keep him safe.

After what happened five years ago, he had let the guards increase without a word. Never questioning his parent's insistence that he travel less and less, that he move with larger and larger contingents of warriors and Royal Guardians. Even his mother had accepted her own increase in guards and protection without a spectacle. Now with his mate sleeping over his head, and remembering the scent of her fear prickling his nose he could only feel relief and gratitude for the army of wolves ready to protect and defend them. Their presence no longer a responsibility for him to bear, but a gift that he was thankful to accept.

"So you know Izzy?" Rowan said, dropping any pretense for his visit, already feeling the desire to return to her side beginning to gnaw at him, he wanted to get this done and return to their room.

Tony started at the question, his gaze ripping from Hayden and Derek and onto the lounging Prince on the sofa. "Uhh- well yeah. I mean Izzy and I have been engaged for the last year. Our families are extremely close; we grew up together. Quite a boring story really, what I wanted to talk to you about was- "

"See, now she tells a different story there Tony." Rowan said cutting off Tony's attempt to steer the conversation to other topics. Pulling an ankle across his knee, Rowan let his arms stretch across the back of the sofa, the picture of ease. He could see as the wheels started to turn in the man's head, the alcohol was making him a bit sluggish, but Rowan had dealt with enough Business men and lawyers in his career in his Father's booming financial empire, that he knew the signs of someone who knew what he was doing.

"You know women." Tony said, throwing a conspiratorial grin at Rowan and a wink for extra show – they were brothers in the same game and dance, partners in crime, the victims of the dramatics of the cruel female - booming laughter accompanied his own joke as he tried to regain the confidence and swagger that had swindled so many into believing his lies. He stuttered a bit as the four others remained stonily silent, but plowed ahead, confident he could charm his way through whatever mess this was like always. "I try to put my foot down about the wedding budget but she just wasn't having it. Gotta keep the missus happy! Guess it's going to be the grand-ballroom after all!" He recovered, playing the part perfectly. If Rowan wasn't ready to rip his throat out for how he spoke of Izzy, he'd actually be impressed with the man's performance. He could see how a young hopefully girl, sheltered and starved for affection, could have been swindled into believing such a silver-tongue. Of course as it was, he wanted to rip that tongue from the beasts' mouth threw his eye-sockets.

"Did you know she has nightmares about you?" Rowan asked, his voice staying friendly and conversational; light. "Cries out your name in terror, pleading and begging you to stop, for someone to save her."

He felt Hayden and Austin start at his revelation, not having heard Izzy's admission or her constant night-terrors - this was news to them, and he could feel their own anger spiking as they put the pieces together.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Maddie is young and childish, she's probably still afraid of the dark, and monsters under the bed." Tony said hiding the glimmer of fear in his eyes by turning towards the tray of alcohol on the bar and pouring a steep drink in one of the crystal rocks glasses. Gesturing towards it, he shrugged when Rowan shook his head, belting back his drink in one gulp.

"Izzy afraid of monsters under the bed?" Austin sent through the link chuckling, "I don't know if we're talking about the same girl here Row, I mean Izzy threatened to castrate you. Over coffee. I don't think she's afraid of a monster under her bed." The joke was enough to sooth Rowan's hackles, just as Austin knew it would.