Nixon Edington
"Nixon," my father said right after I stepped in his study.
He didn't look up at me, but it wasn't necessary. He would know it was me by just my scent.
"Father," I greeted, nodding at him.
Two guards were standing behind my dad. They were his personal guards, but also two of the strongest members of the guard.
"I hear your trip was successful," he said, now looking up.
He'd been signing some papers. After he was finished with them, he handed them to another man that was sitting in the seat across from him.
"It was. I've captured the Rogues."
"That is great news. I have been thinking of what to do. The Alphas of the packs have given me some ideas to think through," my father said, as he got up from behind his desk.
"I need to speak with you," I told him, nodding toward the guards.
"Alone," I added.
He signaled to the two guards, and the man in front of him. I recognized him as one of the Beta's, but I wasn't too sure.
"Is something the matter?" My father asked, once we were alone.
"I found my mate," I stated, keeping my eyes on him.
"Is that so?" He asked, but I was certain he had already heard about the news.
"I did, and she will be the queen of our kingdom," I said, not leaving room for argument.
"Of course she will. She's your mate. What is the problem then?" He questioned.
"She's a Rogue." I felt guarded, even if I was talking with him.
Miranda was my priority. She came before anything and everything, and I wanted to make sure he understood that.
"I see," he said, taking a seat behind his desk once again.
"I've talked with her, and she understands that things will be different here," I assured him.
It was a lie, but I knew Miranda would accept. I had her twin brother to bargain with. If that wasn't enough, I knew she cared about the pack of Rogues back in her home.
"Then I don't see a problem. We've never had a queen before who was a Rogue, but it might be a good thing. I want to meet her," my father said, an order behind his words.
I was leaving the worse for last. I sighed once, choosing my words carefully.
"There is one more thing," I told him.
He cocked an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.
"Craven is her father."
My father frowned, and I could already see in his eyes the negatives he would find in my relationship with Miranda.
He would accept her. I would make sure of that. I just didn't want to fight him for the thrown, because he was my father.
"She's the daughter of the enemy?"
My father asked the question of which he already knew the answer too.
"Yes, she is. But she wasnít involved in any of his attacks. Miranda and the rest of the Rogues had no idea what Craven and Zander were up too. The ones that did, I took care of before leaving the US," I assured him.
"Her name is Miranda?" His words sounded casual, but it was easy to tell he was thinking over my words.
"Miranda Bonham, but her surname will change as soon as we can organize our wedding. I want to take care of that in the next few weeks."
I took a seat across from my father, waiting for him to make a decision. He'd been quiet for the past couple of minutes, looking deep in thought.
"I have a marvelous idea," he said. For some reason, I didnít trust his words. My Wolf felt unsettled by the look my father was giving me.
"What is it?" I dared to ask.
"The Alphas had already proposed we bring back all the Rogues who werenít involved in the mess Craven and Zander created. I agree with them. Seeing as your mate, Miranda, was not involved, she falls under that category. She will, of course, live in the palace instead."
"When will the trial for Craven and Zander be?"
"That is precisely what I had been thinking. Your mate being Craven's daughter will be beneficial for us."
"How is that?" I asked, frowning. I wasnít expecting him to say that. I had been certain he would object to Miranda after finding out she was Craven's daughter.
"Well, you say she's innocent. I think the people will love to have her do our kingdom justice."
My frown only grew, as I still felt confused by his words. I was assuming the worse, not wanting to ask what he meant with that.
"Miranda will be present in the trial at The Building of Justice. I want her to be the one that proclaims him guilty. Right after, we can announce that she is your mate and the future princess of The Island," my father said, with a grin on his face.
He sighed contently, looking extremely happy with his idea.
My Wolf was fighting me to be let out. He was angry at me because we both knew there was no way Miranda would agree to that. It would kill her to be the one that brought Craven down in public.
Especially if being found guilty, meant Craven's immediate death.
Miranda Bonham
"I'm sure," I told the lady that Nixon had sent to my room.
She was looking at me with a worried expression, but there was nothing she could do. I shut the door and made sure to lock it, before walking back to the bed.
I had been thinking of a way to get to my dad when the lady had interrupted me. I was supposed to give her a list of things that I needed.
Since I wasn't really interested in staying here, I simply asked her to leave.
It took a lot of convincing, because at first she didnít want to listen to me. Nixon had been right though. As soon as I reminded her who I was, it was almost like I'd threatened her with her life. She bowed, asked me one last time if I was sure, and then walked away.
The only way I could get a hold of Preston was through my dad. He still had his link with the whole pack. I needed to know that everyone was okay back home. Even if Nixon said that he hadn't done anything to them yet, I wanted to make sure.
I had been lying down on the bed, with my hands resting on my stomach. I was surprised when someone tried turning the knob on the door.
"Miranda?"
I smiled at Nixon's tone. He sounded guarded. It wasn't like I could be anywhere else. I didn't know anyone, and I didn't know that palace. Of course it had to be me who locked the door in the room.
I decided to remain quiet.
"Miranda, are you in there?" He asked. There was an edge to his voice which worried my Wolf. I simply let it go, knowing that Nixon usually worried over anything.
I lightly chuckled, and sat up from the bed.
"Open the door. I can smell your scent, and I just heard you laugh," he said, shaking the door knob once again.
"The locked door means you're not wanted here," I told him. There was no need to raise my voice. He'd be able to hear me even if when I was speaking low.
He stayed quiet, before softly knocking on the door once again.
"I need to talk to you. It's about your brother."
I looked at the closed door suspiciously. It was almost impossible for me to trust or believe his words, but if I had a shot at seeing my brother- he was it.
"What about my brother?"
"If you let me in, I'll tell you," he said.
I stared at the door for minutes, thinking about his words. Even if I didn't open the door on my own, he'd still be able to get in sooner or later. I at least appreciated that he was asking me.
"Did something happen to Preston?" I asked, opening the door for him.
I'd been arguing with myself for the past five minutes. My Wolf said yes, while I said no. If Nixon wouldn't have mentioned Preston, then I wouldn't have thought about opening the door.
He was looking at me with a worried expression. I could tell he was trying to hide his worry from me.
"No," he replied.
Nixon was looking at me intently. He seemed to be thinking about something really hard. With everything that was going on, I didn't even want to guess what was running through his mind.
"If you want to talk to your brother, you can. I only ask that you allow me to be present," he said.
Nixon walked into the room, and locked the door behind him.
"Are you playing with me?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"I'm not. I need to talk to your brother as well."
I didn't really know what to make of his words. Why would Nixon need to talk to Preston?
"Hello?" Preston said into the phone.
"Preston" I said, sighing in relief. Nixon was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch I was on.
"Andy?" Preston asked. I could hear something in his voice, but I didn't take time to focus on that.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Fuck, Andy, where are you? I can't believe I'm talking to you. Do you know I've been looking for you and for dad since yesterday? Is dad with you? Everyone over here is really worried," Preston kept going on with question after question.
I couldn't help but feel happy that I was talking to him. I also couldn't believe that this was happening. Even Nixon sitting right in front of me listening to the entire conversation didn't ruin how relieved I felt by talking to Preston.
"Stop talking. I'll answer your questions. Just, let me enjoy knowing that you're okay for a second," I told him, chuckling.
"That I'm okay? I'm the one that's sick worried wondering if you're okay," he said.
"I am. I'm fine."
"You sure as hell don't sound fine. Are you with that psychopathic boyfriend of yours? Is he there? Let me talk to that bastard!"
"Preston, I told you I'm okay. Nixon is here. He uh, he wants to talk to you." I looked up at Nixon.
Nixon had extended his hand, ready to take his phone back.
"Don't leave, wait. At least tell me, is he threatening you? I'm gonna find you, I swear. When I do, I'm gonna kill that-" before Preston could finish his sentence, Nixon had already snatched the phone away.
"Preston," Nixon said into the phone.
I could hear Preston telling him all sorts of curse words. He was practically inventing new ways to kill people with how pissed off he was.
"I understand, and if you let me talk- I think we can both come to an agreement."
I walked away from Nixon. As much as I wanted to listen in on the conversation, I couldn't. I was scared of what he was going to say.
I made my way to the bathroom, feeling Nixon's eyes on me as I walked.
The bathroom, like everything else in the palace, did not disappoint. I didn't need to use it, so I simply walked to the wall farthest from the door, and slid down on the cold floor.
I could hear Nixon's voice from where I was at, but I didn't focus on what he was saying. Instead, I thought of ways to get to my dad. If Nixon allowed me to talk to Preston- even if it had been for just a few seconds- then maybe he could let me see my dad.
I wasn't sure how long I'd been inside the bathroom, when I heard Nixon walk in.
"Are you okay?" Nixon asked, making his way toward me.
He kneeled if front of me, before sitting down all the way.
"What do you want with Preston? He didn't do anything. He has nothing to do with my dad."
"I know. Your brother is coming here."
I stared at Nixon with wide eyes. My heart beat was starting to pick up, and I felt like if for just that one moment everything stood still.
"Why is Preston coming here?" My voice was coming out shaky, but I didn't really care.
"We need to talk." His words gave me no comfort.
Something felt wrong not only to me, but to my Wolf as well.
"What is it?" We were sitting down on one of the couches in his room.
"You already know what your father did, and I need you to understand that."
I closed my eyes, not wanting to hear more of his words about my dad. Maybe my dad had attacked him, but it wasn't like Nixon didn't deserve it in the first place.
He was trying to kill my pack.
"What did he do? Corner you? You went to our home with the purpose of 'capturing him'. What did you think he was going to do? Welcome you?"
"I was sent to capture him because he formed a pack, outside of The Island. That is illegal. It's basically forming a pack to come and attack the crown, which is what they did."
I didn't say anything. I just stared at him, trying to see how much he was willing to invent to make me believe his lies.
"They killed shifters from here. I thought you understood that already. Forget what he did to me. I survived and I captured him. But, what about the families that he destroyed here? What about the little kids who were left without parents, or the parents who lost their children?"
Those last words actually hurt. Even if I wasn't from here, I didn't condone murder- let alone a massacre.
"Do you expect me to believe your words after you tell me you plan to do the same with my pack? Or after you kidnap me? I'm not sure which of those two things was supposed to make me believe your lies."
"I'm your mate," he said, lowering his voice.
I tried not to let that affect me, but it did. I had never known about mates until he came along.
Now, it was all my Wolf really cared about. If it were for her, we'd be Nixon's puppet.
"I know."
"I'm not lying to you," he said, putting his hand on the side of my face and moving closer to me.
"I would never lie to you. Maybe I shouldnít have brought you here by force, but I already did. I couldn't bear to leave you behind. You're my mate, my princess." His words sounded so sincere, they tugged at my heart.
"Why do you do this to me?" I asked, moving away from his hold.
I put my head in my hands, feeling the beginnings of a headache.
"What were you going to tell me before?"
Nixon remained quiet, looking like he was thinking of his answer.
"I'm not bringing the rest of the Rogue pack that Craven created. But, I'm going to allow Preston and his friend to come here. I know you don't want to be alone. Maybe having Preston here will make all of this easier for you," he said.
I raised an eyebrow, finding suspicious that he was going to bring Preston.
"Are you going to hurt him? Or keep him, like a slave or something?"
Nixon chuckled, which only made me frown.
"You do know we don't have slaves, right? We have servants, which we hired- on their own free will."
"What about my mom?" I felt so guilty about my mom.
I hadn't seen her in a while, and now, I wasn't even sure when I would be seeing her again.
"She can't come. Someone has to lead the Rogues back home. With Craven and Preston gone, she's the only one left. If you want her to come, I would also have to bring the rest of- that pack."
Nixon didn't sound comfortable calling them a pack.
To me, it was what we were. In his eyes, I guess Nixon just saw us as Rogues.
I nodded, feeling glad that at least I had Preston.
"If you want, I could bring your mother instead of Preston," Nixon said, letting the sentence hang.
"No, don't. I want my brother," I quickly told him.
Being with Preston was more comforting. I was closer to him than to anyone else. But I also couldn't bring my mom here, where my dad was locked up. It would kill her to see him like that.
"Alright, I'll make the arrangements," Nixon said, nodding at me.
"Look, I know you already told me 'no' so many times. I still have to ask." I didn't say the words, but he knew what I meant.
I looked away from Nixon's gaze. He wasn't saying anything, but I felt like he was judging me with his intense stare.
"I'll let you see him another day. You can't go today. The guards are checking him in, and getting everything that happened the day of the attack on record."
I allowed myself to smile. At least now he wasn't giving me a flat 'no'.
I propped my legs up on the couch, wrapping my arms around them.
If someone had told me two weeks ago that I'd be in all this mess and that my life would change so drastically, I would have never believed them.
"You haven't eaten, have you?"
I snapped out of my thoughts, to look at a worried Nixon.
"No," I replied, shaking my head.
"Let's go downstairs. I'll have them prepare us something for dinner," Nixon said, putting out his hand for me to take.
I hesitated on taking his offer. There were so many problems between us right now- I didn't want to trust him.
"Are you really going to kill my family back home, and the pack?" I asked.
My vision got blurry. I could feel the tears ready to spill depending on what Nixon would say.
"I could never hurt you like that. I should've never said that. I was just angry over everything that happened."
Nixon kneeled in front of me. With his thumb, he cleared a tear that was rolling down my cheek.
"I'm sorry," he said.
I wasn't sure why, but I found myself scooting closer to him. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck- letting that electric feeling, which came every time we touched, take over.
"I love you," he said.
I pressed myself closer to him, if that was even possible. Nixon wrapped his arms just as tight around my waist. He stood up, and made me stand up with him- practically picking me up from the ground.
"What about my dad?" I asked in a whisper.
I shouldn't have. I knew that I shouldn't have brought up my dad, but I had too.
"We'll talk about your dad later," he said.
His words sounded soft, and he hadn't let go of me or loosened his hold on me.
It was enough to make everything right. If he'd chosen to bring Preston here with me, and he wasn't going to kill the pack anymore- then maybe heíd change his mind about my dad too.