The Monarch ( Fated Series: Book 2 - Completed )

Chapter 4 - Timber and Wood

Jon rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe things would have been different had Jon fought more relentlessly for her love.

A fight with Brandon was pointless. Jon didn't even need to resolve to his wolf to prevail in a fight with the Beta-turned Alpha wolf. The Pack Law training Jonathan received over the years was enough to guarantee his success. Jon's hand subconsciously went to his left, where a curved saber used to lay flat against his hip. A smile spread across his lips. He could yield anything with a blade to perfection. He was exceptionally proud of that particular skill as he, himself, had hone to perfection. It was his doing, his achievement, where for once his Royal blood had not given him an unfair advantage.

There was no doubt – had Jon fought for Juliette, Brandon would be painfully defeated. Jon knew his wolf would want to make a spectacle out of annihilating the competition. The easiest way to get yourself killed was to make an advance to another wolf's mate. It was a death sentence. Even a common wolf fighting for his True Mate was bound to be vicious in defending his claim on what was rightfully theirs and could take down a pretender with title. It was known to have happened. Jonathan as part of Pack Law had even witnessed it.

There is no honor in fighting a weaker wolf. That is why Jonathan had not openly challenged and disposed of Brandon. Jon didn't want to force another mating on Juliette by not taking her opinion in the matter. She had suffered enough! Juliette had been a victim of power-hungry men, who had tricked her into a Choice Mating that was certainly not working out. That is why Jonathan needed to hear her make her own choice; to choose him over any other; and to promise herself, body and soul to him!

Hadn't he been a romantic fool to believe in the notion that if you love something, you should set it free? If it comes back to you, then it was meant to be yours.

He had set her free all right, he sarcastically thought.

Yet another she-wolf was desperately avoiding him like the plague.

Yet another woman despised him without even taking the time to get to know the real Jonathan Graves.

Avery wasn't interested in him.

No.

She had made it abundantly clear.

All Jon ever wanted was to find his place in the world and have some love that was cruelly denied to him throughout his life.

Wasn't Life just priceless?

Priceless, he sarcastically thought.

What was exactly left to live for? For more heartbreak? To see the pity in the faces of those he loved? His life wasn't worth living. But if his life wasn't worth a dime, then why was he still fighting to survive, to live?

Because he was a coward.

Yes, the sad truth was that the uncrowned Monarch was a coward, hiding away from his title, people and duties, because he was not ready to face them. He didn't want to see the concern in their faces, or make them tip toe around him, too scared to live their own lives, because he could snap without so much of a moment-notice.

Jon was not weak. He considered himself strong, prideful and powerful.

Or he used to be?

Avery was right; he had dramatically lost weight, not that she would know exactly how much. She was concluding based on his bone structure that was more prominent now that it had been before. But it was no big deal as Jon knew that with proper food that seemed to be in abundance around Avery, he would retain his previous body mass back. A Monarch had to at least appear intimidating when he returned. As of the moment, he was nothing but a shadow of his old self, barely winning an argument with a she-wolf that was half his size.