Not long after Violet finished helping me into the dress Emeric came in to stay with me until it was time to head downstairs. Violet left to go and greet the guests as to not arise any suspicions.
I'm pacing back and forth in my room as Emeric is sitting on my bed flicking through the channels on the tv. I don't understand how he can be so calm with all the things at stake.
"Distract me." I halt my movements at the foot of my bed. If I keep thinking about all the possible horrible outcomes I'm going to go drive myself insane.
"Distract you?" He drops the remote on the bed. "Fine come take a seat." He pats the bed next to him. I maneuver onto the bed next to him trying not to tear or wrinkle my dress. "Give me your hand." I hesitate giving him a puzzled look.
"Why?"
"I'm hoping this will put you at ease. If I make a small cut on your finger and a similar one on mine, and swear an oath to protect you a bond will form. Not like the bond between you and Aidan, but it will create a bond where if you need me and can't mind link me just pinch or prick your finger and I'll be able to feel it. Kind of like a silent call for help." I like the sound of that. Out of everyone Emeric and I have grown the closest, and I trust him. Plus you never know when I'm going to be in trouble and need help.
"Let's do this." I shift so I'm facing him on the bed. "One question though, why our fingers?" He pulls out a hidden knife from under his pant leg that was hidden in his boot.
"It will leave a small scar that is sort of like a mark. If a threat saw it then it's pointless."
"How would it be pointless?"
"Because they would somehow restrain you so you wouldn't be able to signal the other person." I have got to give Emeric credit, he has thought this through.
"Alright which finger?" He grabs my pinky looking at me asking for permission. When I give him the okay he makes a cut the size of a paper cut on the side of my pinky. Recreating and identical one on his pinky. He joins our pinky's in a pinky promise clasp, looking me straight in the eye.
"I Emeric Winters swear an oath to you Della King to protect you. I promise to never lie, betray, or hurt you in anyway. Your safety will remain my top priority for as long as I live. My Luna, best friend, and family." A small jolt runs from my finger to the rest of my body. Emeric lets go of my finger as I wipe a tear that escaped from my eye during his speech.
"That was really sweet Emeric." I pull him by the shoulders into a hug. When I pull back I see his eyes glaze over.
"They have him." He stands up pulling me up with him.
"Fletcher?" I follow him as he hurriedly makes his way out of the room.
"Yes, but we have to hurry." We pick up our pace once on the first set of stairs. When we reach the ground floor we head in the opposite direction of the ballroom. We stop in front of a door at the very end of a hallway.
I take a deep breath preparing myself for seeing my brother for the first time in eight years. Emeric grabs the door handle looking to me for affirmation. When I give him a curt nod he swings the door open letting me step in first.
Fletcher has his back to the door arguing with Alex. He's grown taller than me now, and his hair has darkened from its natural blonde. I step into the room moving over to let Emeric come in and shut the door behind us.
"Listen you said I was going to talk about fighting strategies with a Ryder dude, and I don't see him here." Fletcher waves his hand around. He turns around to prove that no one else is in the room, and abruptly halts when his eyes land on me.
He looks genuinely confused for a second before a horrified expression takes over his face. His eyes have lost there glow since the last time I saw him. Even though he isn't even eighteen for a few more days he has very faint frown lines. You probably wouldn't notice them unless you knew what he used to look like. It breaks my heart to know he has had a childhood full of ruthless training and manipulating teachings.
"Fletcher." I go to take a step towards him, but he stumbles back into the table shooting his hand out motioning for me to stop.
"What the fuck is this? This is low even for you guys." His breathing is hard and frantic. It's my turn to be confused.
"What do you mean?" Alex is leaning against the wall watching this all play out in front him.
"Bringing some girl in here that looks like my dead sister to mess with me. What do you think you're going to gain from this?" I can see the hard exterior he's been trained to have slowly form.
"Fletcher it's me." I use my stern voice that I used whenever he was naughty as a child. Much to my surprise his demeanor only gets worse.
"No you're fucking not! My sister died eight years ago. I don't know who you are but just give up already." I take a step back in shock. This is not the brother I left behind. My brother would have never treated anyone this way. He must see my dejected look because he stands up straight. "Now if you'll kindly go to hell, I've got to get back to the party."
He moves to walk past me, so I reach out and grip his arm. I'm not giving up on him so easily.
"When you turned six mom and dad forgot your birthday, so I took you to the lake. You know the one near the western border with a single rose bush on the bank. We had a picnic and swam until sunset." He looks into my eyes and I can see him fighting with himself. I know he's almost convinced. I feel bad for what I'm about to say, but it's the only way he'll believe me.
"When you were eight you thought you could climb trees, and fell out of the tree in our backyard. You got a giant gash on the back of your thigh. I had to stitch it up before dad found out. You had the "flu" for the next three days. Im sure you still have a scar." He looks away in thought as if replaying the fall in his mind. I almost laugh when I see him flinch.
"I didn't die that night. I've seen the papers but they are lying. I told you I would come back for you and that's what I'm doing." I don't hesitate I just throw myself at him. I hug him as hard as I can. The weight of how much I missed him over the years never hit me as hard as it is right now. I feel myself sobbing into his chest. My cries only grow louder when I fell him hug me back.
"How? What? Why?" He stutters out questions incoherently. I pull away just enough to look him in the eye.
"I was rogue up until a little over a week ago. I was going to come back for you I swear, but then I thought it would be best to wait until you were eighteen. For some idiotic reason I thought they wouldn't harm you, but I was so wrong." I rub the few scars scattered across his face as if it is going to make them go away.
"Why are you here?"
"I ran into the wrong person and I needed help. This pack was the closest, so I came here. Alex and Emeric helped me. If it wasn't for them I would be dead." I see Alex stiffen up and Emeric growl out. Fletcher looks confused at their actions. "I also kinda of met my mate." His eyes widen at this, and he shakes his head.
"Della I thought your mate died that's why you left. You told me yourself that night. I saw how it effected you."
"Our parents lied. I never had a mate that died on the battlefield. What you saw that night wasn't the affects of the death of a mate it was pack abandonment. They forced pack abandonment onto me and told me my mate died to cover it up." He sits down in a chair that's up against the wall, and shoves his head in his hands.
"They lied about everything." He's saying it more to himself than to anyone in particular. I stay quiet giving him a moment to absorb everything. I know how it feels when you find out everything was a lie, so I know what he's going through right now.
"Wait, who is your mate?" He turns eyeing Emeric up and down. I can see why he would think Emeric is my mate. I mean he did escort me here.
"Aidan. Aidan Norwood is my mate." His eyes grow wide.
"The Alpha." I try and fail at not laughing at his shocked expression.
"Yeah he's the Alpha."
"Mom and Dad are going to flip out. I mean you're a Luna now. That's why we are here right now isn't it? You will be a rival in their eyes." He rambles on, a habit he has had since he was a child. I'm glad to see a little bit of his old self is still in there.
"I don't care about Mom or Dad. I care about you. I want to help you. It's all up to you on what you want to do." For a brief moment he looks scared and that worries me.
"I can't just leave."
"Why not?"
"Because they would go after not only me but you too."
"We can protect you." I look to Alex and Emeric for back up.
"She right they can't do anything once you are eighteen." Emeric says
"You clearly don't know our parents at all if you think my age is going to stop them." It feels good knowing he didn't let them fully break him down. He stronger than even he knows.
"Listen we can deal with them when the time comes, but right now you need to think about yourself." I plead with him. I crouch down in front of him, grabbing his hands. "I need my brother back." I can see the anguish in his eyes.
Alex pushes himself off the wall and walks for the door. "Aidan's on his way. He needs an answer now, and I've got to go." Maybe if Fletcher can hear Aidan say it he'll be convinced.
The door is pushed open, and Aidan rushes over to me. I accept his embrace pulling him even closer to me. He gives my head a quick kiss before turning to Fletcher.
"Have you decided yet?" He looks between Fletcher and I. I mouth 'please' to Fletcher.
"It's going to cause more harm than good." I slump against Aidan defeated.
"Listen I know your parents are pretty shit, but your sister loves you and wants you to be a part of her pack. We can protect you until you turn eighteen, and then you can officially join our pack. They may try to retaliate, but we have a plan for that too." I intertwine Aidan and I's fingers, giving his hand a squeeze.
"You can have until the end of the night to decide." He stands up pulling he into one final hug before following Emeric out. I trust Emeric to keep a watchful eye on Fletcher until he makes his decision.
"Are you ready?" Aidan's voice cuts me off from my thoughts. I take a deep breath prepping myself for the next task at hand. I'm excited to announce to everyone that Aidan and I are mates, and am trying not to let the consequences of telling everyone weigh down the happiness.
"Of course. Let's do this." He pulls me into a quick kiss before pulling me down a long hallway with a single door at the end of it. Behind it is a small room with a curtained wall. I can hear the voices of people chatting behind it. Aidan pulls me to the edge of the curtain where I can only see a few people, but the whole stage that is set up just like last night only now it's inside.
Aidan walks out and all chatter lulls to silence. Despite all the drama going on he is still smiling. I admire how he is able to push certain emotions aside to focus on more important issues.
"Thank you all for coming out tonight. I assume you all know by now, but I'll still tell you. I have found my mate. She is the strongest person I have ever met, and the most beautiful too. It's my honor to introduce you too my mate and Luna." He motions for me to come on out. Here goes nothing. "Della King."
Clapping and cheers of excitement break out throughout the room. Almost everyone is beaming with excitement. Everyone except Raven and Blake.
My eyes meet theirs in a powerful stare. My father looks absolutely livid. My mother is covering her mouth with her hand as if she is shocked to see me. Fletcher is sitting at the table with them looking at the ground.
Once the cheering dies down my father does something that has the hair on the back of my neck rising, and makes me stand up straighter. He stands up walks to where my brother is sitting leans down and whispers something in his ear.
All the color in Fletchers face drains and he looks sick to his stomach.
**************
Song: Soldier by Fleurie
Hey Everybody! I hope everyone had a great week, and I'm sorry I didn't post last night. I went to the movies really late and didn't get home in time to edit the chapter. I hope you like this chapter, and if you did don't forget to vote. I would also love to hear your opinions on the story so far, so if you could leave a comment that would mean a lot. Until next time.
~Stella Gordon