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What Choice
I leaned a hip against the doorway, taking a moment to process the scene before me. A small smile tugged at my lips, despite myself, and I was momentarily distracted from the unpleasant conversation I had just had with my family below.
It was so bizarre a sight, that had I not seen it with my own eyes, I might not have believed it. Even having witnessed it, I was still having a difficult time.
Gianluca, an alpha of the DiLuna line, was crouching low, so that the doll in his hand could cross the floor of the dollhouse. He had to have heard me approach, but his focus remained on the task at hand, as if playing dolls with my sister was of the utmost importance.
Reed was not smiling. He wasn't doing much of anything at all, except watching the prince play with Daisy like an overbearing mother hen. It didn't look as though he was planning on softening his stare anytime soon.
Despite that, Gianluca seemed completely at ease in his surroundings. Not for the first time that day, I admired his composure. It was such a contrast to my own behavior when his sister had treated me similarly. I had been a blubbering wreck that night at dinner, but he was handling my family's blatant distrust with a grace that even cranky, old Signora Flori would be proud of.
It could have been because he knew that Reed could do no physical harm to him, none that wouldn't heal itself in a short while. But, I had a feeling it was more than that.
Maybe he just wanted to know that he could win over one member of my family, even if that member was less than a decade of age.
The memory of the interrogation I had faced downstairs returned, breaking me from the sweet moment.
I had tried my best to sugarcoat my experience so far in the castle, but they were not buying any of it, especially when I reluctantly described the times I had been rescued from less-than-friendly shifters by the prince or his sister. As Reed was doing with his disconcerting stare, they tried to anticipate a hidden trap. When I reluctantly revealed the details of the deal that Gianluca and I had made regarding my future as his mate in one last effort to get them to understand that he truly meant me no ill will, I came to immediately regret my decision.
For a moment, I thought my mother might laugh in my face, but then her expression turned more grave, 'And you really believe that he will allow you to leave at the end of the year?'
'Well,' I crossed my arms defensively over my chest, 'yes.' My voice came out just shy of the confident tone I had attempted. That was a question that I had asked myself over and over in the months since the ball, and had yet to come close to knowing the answer.
Even sweet, kind-hearted Lily looked skeptical. 'The sister I knew would never trust one of them.'
'What choice do I have?' I asked, staring into each of their eyes in turn, as if they might actually have an answer to my question.
'So you're following along with his whims willingly?' She pressed. 'You'll play the part of his pretty little pet until the year is up and then you find out if your life has been forfeit or not? That's your plan?'
'What choice do I have?' I repeated, stressing each word individually, voice coming out just as desperate as I felt. Her words had hit their mark, and I had never felt more alone surrounded by people I loved. People I was trying so hard to be able to return to.
She doesn't understand, I tried to remind myself. It did nothing to dispel the hollow feeling that had taken up residence in my heart. None of them understood what it was like to live with the mate bond. They didn't know what it was to not know if your own thoughts and desires were really your own.
They couldn't understand.
"No!" Daisy exclaimed, drawing me back to the present, "I'm the princess and you're the peasant. You can't say such things to me, you'll get in trouble!"
Across the room, Reed visibly paled, but remained glued to his spot.
The prince chuckled. "In my experience, I've found that some peasants can be quite opinionated," his eyes finally flicked up to meet mine and I caught sight of the playful glimmer in them before they were once again landed on my youngest sister, "will the princess not make an exception because she secretly fancies him?"
Daisy's little nose scrunched in disgust, "Absolutely not."
He grinned, "My mistake."
Before she could teach him more about how royals behave, I interjected, "Would it be alright if I stole him away from you, Bug?"
She huffed, but gave me a reluctant nod.
Gianluca turned to me once again. "Are we leaving?" He asked, his brow raised in a way that told me he had heard every word of my conversation downstairs.
I shook my head, "I'd like to go for a walk, if that's alright." To clear my head.
His response was immediate, "Of course."
Reed looked none too pleased at the prospect of me walking unaccompanied with the alpha, but did nothing to stop it. There was nothing he could do.
At the foot of the stairs, I heard my mother and Lily in the kitchen and beelined for the front door to avoid parading him past them so soon after our conversation. From there, we walked to the edge of the trees that lined our property where we slowed our pace. He didn't ask me any questions, and for that I was grateful. He allowed me to process the development– or disaster, rather– with my family in silence.
When we came upon the barbed wire fence on the far end of the clearing, I couldn't help but bring my fingers to my lips to let out a loud whistle.
Beside me, he winced, bringing a hand to his ear in emphasis.
"Sorry," I mumbled, but his gaze had already left me to stare out across the field.
"You have a horse?" He asked.
"Yes, he was a gift from my father before he passed."
"Does he have a name?"
A blush crept up my neck, and I looked to the grass beneath our feet, unable to bring myself to answer. He nudged my arm, "Well?"
"His name is Prince," I finally grit out, embarrassment coloring my face a deep crimson at the admittance.
He let out a startled laugh, "Is it really?"
I didn't respond, turning my attention fully to the gelding as he trotted to the fence to greet us. I ran a hand along his velvety muzzle and cooed a greeting of my own to him.
When the prince spoke again, his tone had grown more serious, "I want to send your family money. An allowance, like yours. That way your brother can remain in school."
I turned wide eyes on him, "You would do that, even with how unwelcoming they have been?"
He shrugged, "If they are anything like you, then their trust will have to be earned. I've found I can be quite patient. But for now, I hope they'll allow me to do this one small thing for them."
I didn't know what to say, "Thank you." My thoughts traveled to Jax, who had left so fast at the sight of Luca, finding the words tumbling out of my mouth before I had fully thought them through, "Would it be too much to ask you to extend that offer to Jax as well?"
His smile faltered, "The boy who chopped wood for your mother?"
I nodded, rushed to get the words out despite the way his gaze had darkened, "His father is very ill and they can barely afford his medicine, even with his job at the bakery."
He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead gave me a nod, "Very well."
"Thank you," I grinned up at him, "it means so much to me."
He reached out a hand to run the pad of his thumb softly down the side of my face, "Anything for you." When he dropped his hand from my face, it trailed along my arm on its way down, catching on the bracelet clasped to my wrist. His fingers toyed with the little locket. "What is in this?" He asked, "you're always wearing it."
I looked down at it as well, before reaching down to pry it open. Inside, was a tiny portrait of my family.
It had been before my fathers death. My parents stood behind the rest of us, the grey not yet streaking my mother's blond hair. Daisy, only months old, was wrapped in her arms. Reed sat beside Lily, and Ash and I were posed on either side of them. My father's eyes were shining with laughter, his hand draped across my small shoulders.
We were so happy then. That was what had always drawn me to the picture, why the locket had grown so precious to me, more so by the year.
The prince studied the little image. "You look like your father," he finally told me.
I smiled. Ash and I always had.
His gaze flicked behind me, and when I followed it, I found Matteo leaning against the base of a tree, far enough away to allow us privacy.
Gianluca turned back to me. "I really will allow you to leave if you choose it," his voice was gentle, and he stared into my eyes as if that alone could make me trust the words, "I know you don't believe me, and neither does your family, but a promise is a promise. My first priority is your happiness, no matter what."
I once again was left speechless. He gave a dazzling smile in response to whatever wonderstruck expression must have been on my face. I felt the pull, as if there was an invisible string tying us to each other, tightening little by little. Word by word.
I cleared my throat, looking back to the house. "We should probably get back."
He nodded, putting space between us that I hadn't even realized we had closed and gestured over his shoulder to where Matteo still stood, "I'll meet you inside?"
I used the time it took to cross the field to gather myself for another attempt at convincing my family to give Gianluca a chance. He had been right, it would take time, likely quite a bit of it, but I couldn't resist the urge to try again. Especially when he was showing them such kindness despite their cold attitude.
Not to mention, one member of the family was yet to meet him.
Ash.
He should be home by now...
As I pushed open the back door, I glanced at the clock on the wall and my stomach plummeted. He should have been home a while ago. I took only a moment to study the apprehensive look in my mother's eyes.
Then, I was running out the front door.