Begrudgingly Yours Ch. 03

The silence that fell over the room was deafening. For a moment, albeit, a brief moment, I feared that I had revealed too much. My stomach twisted in knots and I began to sob harder. Would Jai blame me? Would Liam? Were they angry at me for running and bringing this trouble to their quiet village?

Shame, guilt, and fear clouded my thoughts as I sat in silent judgement of myself. When Liam stood up, jaw clenched and hands balled up into fists at his sides, I realized that he was angry. He was furious. Just not at me.

"Liam?" Jai looked at his mate. He was still holding me. His arms tightened around me as I sobbed, one hand rubbing slow, soothing circles between my shoulder blades.

Liam glanced up, locking eyes with Jai, then he gently jerked his head toward the door. Jai nodded, some silent kind of communication passing between them.

"Ash, honey, just wait here for a minute, Okay?" I nodded and Jai slipped out of the chair we'd been sharing. I understood at once. Whatever they were about to discuss, they didn't want to me to hear. Jai walked to Liam and the two of them left the sitting room, leaving me alone, sitting beside the fire.

Jai should have known. He was half vampire after-all. Stepping out and into the hall just beyond the sitting room wasn't far enough that I couldn't hear them. Especially when the door failed to latch properly, leaving about a two inch gap. Even with the door closed I would have heard them. Vampire's have exceptional hearing.

"We can't keep him hidden up here forever." Liam said, his voice low, almost a whisper. "They'll come for him eventually."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Jai confessed. He was trying to keep his voice low as well but I could hear the unsteadiness in his tone, and the way his voice cracked as he spoke. He was scared, and it showed. "Liam, we can't let them take him back."

I could hear Liam sigh, frustrated. "Jai, I don't want that anymore than you do but I also can't put the Pride in danger."

"It won't come to that." Jai tried to assure him. "There are protocols to follow, rules that have to be observed, especially when entering another's territory. Trust me, the council doesn't want to start a conflict. They'll ask you to return him before taking any other action."

"And if I refuse?"

Jai paused. I waited, listening closely. Maybe he didn't know the answer, but I did. They'd obey the rules of chivalry, at first. If Liam refused their request though, they'd send the magistrate himself and he would demand my surrender. Failing to comply with his demands would be viewed as an act of hostility that could, eventually, lead to an all out war.

I was about to interrupt them, ready to give myself up if it meant protecting my brother and the life he'd made for himself when Jai suddenly said something I hadn't expected. Something I honestly hadn't even thought of.

"Don't refuse." He told Liam. "You can't do that. Not unless you want a fight on your hands. Instead, offer Ash sanctuary. You'll have to petition the council but they wouldn't be able to remove him from our lands unless the petition is denied. That would at least buy us some time."

Liam was pacing. I could hear his shoes dragging across the carpet, the weight of each step heavy as he considered Jai's advice.

"So, sanctuary. What exactly does that entail?" Jai let out a shaky breath. "I'm not one hundred percent sure of the details. It's been so long since I've studied any of this and I was never a very good student."

"You stand before the council and plead my case." They both turned to look at me. Listening to Jai struggle was more than I could bear. I stood in the, now open, doorway, wringing my hands nervously as my mind went over the hours and hours of laws, procedures, and protocols I'd been forced to learn. "You'd act my advocate, speaking on my behalf."

"So, we explain to the council what really happened? If they knew all the facts, if they understood why..."

I shook my head. "They don't care about the truth, or facts. According to the law, I'm already guilty. This is about punishment now, not proving my innocence."

Liam's brow furrowed. "But that doesn't make any sense. You were just defending yourself. Niklas is the one who committed a crime."

"In our eyes, yes." Jai stated, bitterly. "But in their eyes, Niklas was asserting his right. Ash was promised to him. They'll see it as a lover's quarrel and probably blame Ash for refusing to obey his alpha."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "You make it seem like he's a possession rather than a person."

"Under vampire law," Jai said, his voice hoarse, "He is a possession. Niklas owns him."

I flinched at his words but Jai was correct, my rights were limited.

"That's a load of shit." Liam huffed angrily, once again pacing back and forth like a caged animal. "How can vampires be so..."

"Chauvinistic? Narrow minded?" I raised an eyebrow. "Not all covens agree with such antiquated views but the council is made up of elders. Vampires who are hundreds of years old and their ideals haven't changed in the centuries since they were first written. Once, these laws were put in place to protect omegas but anymore, they exit to subjugate us."

"It's one of the reasons I left." Jai explained. "An omega's life is not their own. If unmated they're, we're, the property of our alpha father or in some cases, the head of the family. Usually the oldest living alpha relative. Once mated, we become the property of our mate."

I smirked. "Technically, Liam, you own Jai."

Liam frowned. "I don't own anyone." He said. "In this Pride, he's my equal."

"But, if you really plan to petition the council for sanctuary, you can't think that way. Essentially, you'll be claiming ownership of me."

"I can't do that." Liam said, stepping toward me. "I'm not going to claim another person as property."

"You will if you want the council to take you seriously and grant your request." I told him. "It's your right, under vampire law. As the leader of your Pride you have the authority to grant protection to someone accused of a crime--as long as they haven't been sentenced yet. You can request that the council grant sanctuary and if they agree, I become an unofficial member of your tribe, under your protection, and subject to your laws."

"But, it comes with a price." Jai stepped to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression somber.

"What price?" Liam asked, concern etched across his handsome features.

I exhaled a shaky breath and gave Jai a look of sympathy. He knew the gravity of what we were planning. He knew the cost. It was the price he'd had to pay for the life he had now.

"I'd become an Apostate, an outcast. It's like being shunned. I'd have to turn my back on my family, my coven, and forsake my bloodline, forever."

"Forever?" Liam's eyes widened. I nodded.

"Like Jai, I could never return. I'd have no voice, no rights, and no family. I'd be dead to the vampire community, a lost soul."

"You still have a family." Jai said, pulling me into a tight embrace. "You have us."

Liam nodded. "You'll always have a place here, Ash. But to leave behind your coven, your heritage... are your sure you want to do this? Because, once it's done, it can't be undone. You can never go back."

I shrugged." What choice do I have?"

Death was the only choice. I couldn't say it out loud but I knew, it was my only choice. One way or another I was going to die. Symbolically or by my own hand. But one thing was certain. I could never go home again. My life as a vampire was officially at an end. I was about to pass into the realm of shadows.

"What do I have to do?" Liam asked, looking between Jai and I for instruction.

"You'll have to speak to my father." I answered. "And formally request the right to stand for me and become my guardian. You'll take on the role of my King, my Alpha, and my father. I'll become your responsibility."

"Alright." Liam nodded, taking it all in. "Tell me how to get in touch with him. If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right. No mistakes."

Jai met Liam's eyes and I saw a flicker of gratitude pass between them. Jai and I had been estranged for nearly ten years but he was still my brother, my champion, and I loved him. "We need to move fast." Jai told us. "The longer we wait, the more chance Ash has of being discovered. The magistrate can order his arrest at anytime. He'll only be safe once you've officially requested sanctuary."

"I'll contact Gerard now." Liam said. "There's no point in waiting and I really don't want the royal vampire guard showing up on my doorstep."

I laughed at that. "This isn't the middle ages. Honestly, the magistrate would probably send the local sheriff and a couple of officers."

"Still, that's three more vampires than I need." Liam said.

I tried not to look offended by his words but they stung. I hung my head in shame, my eyes focused on the carpet beneath my feet. It's no wonder Jai hadn't told Liam the truth. Our worlds, they didn't belong together and I was suddenly wondering how this was even going to work. I wouldn't be an actual member of Liam's Pride. Not the way that Jai was. I'd be more like Liam's ward. Under his protection but still an outsider. Would his Pride even accept me?

Liam looked at me and pressed his lips in straight line. "I didn't... that wasn't directed at you, Ash."

"I know." I tried to smile but it was forced. "And, I understand. This is new for you. And for your Pride. I know it's going to take time. I expect a degree of prejudice. Vampires aren't always portrayed in the best light and there's good reason for that, unfortunately. It certainly doesn't help that we've kept ourselves isolated from other species."

"I'm not prejudice." Liam told me, "and I don't hate vampires. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. It's just that we know so little about your kind. Vampire's have always had this air of mystery surrounding them. And, you're right, the isolation doesn't help. But maybe with you and Jai being a part of the Pride, it could help open relations between our two species."

"That would be nice." I said, trying to sound optimistic though knowing it was unlikely. Leaving my coven wouldn't help to open any doors between us. Quite the opposite actually. If the council allowed Liam to give me sanctuary in the Belle Village Pride, the door to the vampire world would be, for me anyway, closed forever.

***

Family. The word could mean different things for different people. It was something you were typically born into but it didn't always have to be. Family was more than blood, it was more than something physical. Jai found his true family with Liam's pride and they accepted him, even though he hadn't been born into the pride. The family he was born into, the one with whom he shared blood, had rejected him and all because he refused to be what they wanted. Because he refused to suppress his shifter side, to live only as a vampire, and forsake his true nature.

Liam would never ask that of him and Jai would have known that if he'd been honest with his mate. He was scared though, believing he had to be either a shifter or a vampire. One or the other but not both. Liam forgave him almost immediately but still, he had questions. My arrival had opened Liam and his pride up to a world that had, until now, remained a mystery to them. It would take time and patience on both ends. We all had a lot to learn about each other. I knew as much about shifters as Liam did about vampires but I was learning, slowly.

For example, I learned exactly what a real family was like and how the members of a family supported each other. I had grown up in a coven, surrounded by my own kind, but it had never truly been a family. One major difference I discovered was just how close knit the shifter community was. Most of Liam's immediate family lived with he and Jai in the mansion that over looked Belle Village. Any of them could leave, buy their own homes and live apart while still remaining part of the pride but most preferred to remain in the mansion which had been in Liam's family for generations. Lion-shifters, I was to find, were very social creatures and had an almost pack-like mentality.

Essentially that's what a pride was. It was typically led by a bonded pair. Anyone could challenge the pride leader for control of the pride but that was rare if the leader was kind and fair and the members of his pride respected him. There were challenges over territory that usually ended with a one on one challenge between pride leaders with the weaker of the two being driven off. These challenges rarely ended in death. Honor challenges were another common thing, just like in wolf packs, and could be over just about anything. An insult to a mate or other member of the family, theft, adultery, you name it. Two or more shifters would fight and the losers typically had to pay some sort of compensation, make a public apology, or in more serious cases, they would be exiled. Again, these rarely ended in death though it has happened in the past.

That was another difference between shifters and vampires. While the pride leader could and usually would oversee a challenge, it was usually only between the two parties with the grievance. Once the challenge was completed and the victor named, the matter would be solved. Case closed, and everyone moved on with their lives. Disputes between vampires were usually taken to the King and he would decide the proper course of action. Crimes were handled by the magistrate and more serious crimes were taken to the council of elders. Punishment would be given and the sentencing carried out swiftly and without mercy. There were no appeals, and trials were quick and to the point. Evidence was shown and the council decided guilt or innocence. Their decisions were rarely ever disputed or over turned and the punishments were always brutal.

Learning how Liam's pride operated made me realize just how cold and emotionless my upbringing had actually been. I knew my father loved me, he cared about me and did his best to protect me but he didn't often show his emotions. Centuries of loss, watching those around him die, or leave had caused my father to close his heart, become stoned face and emotionless. In his long life he had buried five mates, and countless children. Two of his wives had left him and taken new mates, and he'd had one mate executed. That was another difference between shifters and vampires. Shifters tended to mate for life. Vampires, with the exception of omegas, did not. It wasn't uncommon for an alpha to sire multiple children with multiple partners, though more rare to go outside of their own species.

It had caused quite a stir in the vampire community when my father had taken Jai's mother, a lion shifter, as his mate. She had never really been accepted though they had tried to make it work. When Jai was only five years old, his mother had fallen into a deep depression and taken her own life. Two years later my father had taken another mate, a female vampire, my mother. She had died giving birth to me. His current mate was a vampire named Meredith. She had never been unkind to me, father would never have allowed that, but she didn't particularly care about me either. For the most part she was indifferent and tried to pretend like I didn't exist.

Not having a mother growing up, I was raised by a series of nannies, governesses, and tutors. None of them were kept around for long. My father didn't want me to grow attached to any of them. I was never allowed to form bonds, or friendships. Never allowed to care. I think he was trying to protect me, save me from the pain of losing someone close to me, so he made sure I never got close to anyone. While I never had to mourn the death of a loved one or watch a close friend move away, growing up so sheltered and isolated left me feeling empty and alone. Jai was the only person I'd ever been allowed to love and then one day, he too was gone. I had no one to confide in, no one to comfort me, and no one left to love.

I couldn't close myself off as my father had done. I'm an omega. We're built to love, to care, to nurture. I'm not sure my father ever understood that. He tried to make me like him but it would never have worked out that way. I wanted to love someone and I wanted someone to love me. I craved affection and attention. I wanted romance, I wanted the fairy tale. I wanted to believe that I could have that with Niklas but he turned out to be the villian and not my Prince Charming. Now, I was starting to believe that Prince charming didn't exist and I'd never have my happily ever after. Sleeping Beauty had it easy. She slept her hundred years away, unaware of what she was missing out on.

***

I had given Liam the number to my father's private extension and then told him exactly how to introduce himself and what to say. He had to be quick, assertive, and clear. He had to make his intentions known before my father had a chance to speak.

"Tell him who you are." I instructed. "Your name, title, name of your Pride and your lineage. You're not just the leader of the Pride, you're their chief. Make it sound official. Vampire's respect titles that sound official. This isn't the time to be casual. You need to be firm, confident, and demanding, but not over-bearing. You want to show respect but don't appear weak. Any sign of weakness and he'll shut you down."

"I'm not weak." Liam grumbled, narrowing his eyes. "Don't mistake my kindness for weakness."

"Never." I assured him. "But kind isn't what you need to be when speaking to the Vampire King. He's arrogant. But he's also smart. He'll push your buttons and test your patience. He'll try to talk down to you. In his eyes, you're a clan leader and clan leaders are beneath him. Show him that you're not."

"And initially address him as 'Your Majesty,' to show proper respect." Jai added. "After that, Sir is fine."

"Yeah, no need to use honorifics like highness, or sire. Those terms are outdated."

"Got it." Liam rubbed the palms of his hands against his thighs, a nervous tell he probably wasn't even aware of. His mouth tightened into a thin line, as a look of pure determination settled on his face. "I say my name, my title, my Pride, and my lineage. I speak clearly, don't pause, and make the request for sanctuary before he can interrupt me."

"Exactly." I nodded, feeling my heart race with anticipation. We were really going to do this. "Once you state your intention, don't let him divert you. He'll try, believe me. He'll demand you return me. He'll probably throw politics at you, call your authority into question. Just let it roll off. Keep the conversation on track. After you make the request you'll need to set up a meeting with him face to face before you can go before the council. Things will move fast. The council is already on the way. They may already be in the city."

Jai crossed his arms, leaning against the wall, watching us with a tight expression. "If he tries to delay or denies your request, push harder. Remind him that under the treaty of Der Nacht, Kindred refugees--"

"sanctuary seekers," I corrected automatically.

"--are guaranteed a hearing before the council within seven days of a formal request." Jai finished without missing a beat. "Even the King can't override that without good reason, which he doesn't have. Ash was accused but hasn't stood trial yet or been sentenced, so the treaty still applies."

Liam looked between us, impressed with our shared knowledge. "How do the two of you know all this?"

"It's required." Jai explained. "As omegas, we could never rule but it would have been our duty to stand beside our future mates, advise them, and make sure they didn't make asses of themselves at court. That's why we had been taught how to rule, just as an alpha would."

"Yeah, all Princes have a place at court." I added. "Even an omega Prince. Our roles just aren't as direct."

"Plus, we could be named as Regent if the current King were incapacitated or killed. Though only temporarily until a new King was chosen."

"Or Queen?" Liam raised an eye-brow in question.

I shook my head. "The mate of a King is Queen-consort. Only a male can rule."

"Even if the Queen is an alpha?"

"A male trumps a female in matters of the crown." Jai told him. "Even a male omega. But, only if there is no ruling King and only if the omega is unmated."

"What if he is mated?" Liam asked.

"Then his mate stands as Regent." I answered. "Until a new King is chosen."

Liam sighed, rubbing his temples. "That's a lot to take in." He said. "And the two of you had to learn all of this?"

"We didn't have much of a childhood." I told him. "Our education was all about duty, policy, rules and customs. There wasn't much time for anything else."

"What about fun?" Liam asked. "Leisure and play?"

Jai and I shared a look and I smirked. "What are those?"

"Are you serious?" Liam stared at me in disbelief.

"He's serious." Jai told him. "The first time I ever had any real fun was on our wedding night." He grinned and gave Liam a quick wink.

I rolled my eyes. "I could have gone my whole life without hearing that."

"Just wait," Jai laughed. "When you finally meet your true mate..."

I shook my head, cutting him off before he could finish that thought. "No. I won't have a mate." I told him, and my expression darkened. "No man will ever touch me again."

***

Liam went to his private office to make the call. I wanted to be there but he and Jai both thought it best that I wasn't so, to keep my mind occupied, Jai decided to give me a tour of the house and introduce me to some of Liam's relatives. I wasn't sure that I was ready for that but Jai insisted that if I were going to be staying there, I should at least meet the people I'd be living with. I couldn't argue with that.

As it turned out, Liam had a huge family. Bigger than I could have ever imagined. It was no wonder they lived in such a huge mansion, with so many people living there, it was more like a hotel than a house.

"So, how many people actually live here?" I asked as Jai led me through a spacious hallway lined with family portraits, paintings, and even a few old world tapestries. I stopped to admire the art work and Jai smiled. He explained that the mansion had been in Liam's family for generations, dating back to when his great-grandfather had first come over from Europe.

"To answer your question, there's Liam of course, and me. His parents, two brothers, his sister and her husband and then four high ranking Pride members."

"And they all live in the mansion?"

"Most of them, yeah." He said with a shrug. "Some have permanent rooms here, others come and go, but the house is always full."

I was in awe. I couldn't imagine so many people living under one roof. "So, how many servants are there?"

Jai laughed a bit. "We don't have servants." He told me. "Everyone chips in here and there and helps out when and where they can."

"I like that." I told him. "Everyone working together. It sounds nice."

"It is." He agreed. "And easier to keep up with the chores when everyone lends a hand."

"I'd like to help out too." I said. "If I'm to stay here, I want to earn my keep."

"When you get settled in." He promised.

"Thank you." The idea intrigued me. I'd never had to do anything for myself. I'd always had attendants, maids, laundry staff and even cooks. I've never so much as made myself a sandwich. I didn't hate it but I'd always wanted to be more self-sufficient, and not have to rely on others so much. Doing things for myself was one small step toward finally gaining my independence, and I couldn't wait.

The first stop on the tour of the mansion was the family room. I had expected something more like a hotel lounge. Walls of identical chairs, modern and impersonal. End tables with a cold uniform feel. A room that was meant for receiving guests but not nessasarily made for comfort. That's not what I found though. Instead, I had found a room that was clean and cozy but with a lived in and very feminine feel.

A plush, white couch sat against one wall, matching arms chairs sat across from it. The coffee table and end tables were elegant, rose wood, and dainty. This room was not only made for comfort but made to be welcoming, soothing, and inspiring warmth. It was a place where one could relax, let their guard down, and be themselves. The over-all feel was serene.

When we walked in I saw an older woman sitting on the couch, knitting an afghan. I say she was older because she looked to be in her late fifties and had a very motherly feel about her. She was astonishingly beautiful though, with a long mane of golden hair, tinted red, and azure blue eyes that reminded me of a clear, summer sky. She was tall and slender and dressed in a blue sweater that matched her eyes.

Beside her sat a younger woman, that I assumed was her daughter, reading a novel. She had her legs tucked beneath her and covered with a pink and white throw. She was just as beautiful as her mother but her hair was more of a strawberry blonde and her eyes were electric blue.

The older woman, who I guessed was Liam's mother, Ada, looked up as soon as we entered the family room and immediately put down her knitting. She stood up and walked over to us. "Jai." She greeted him with a warm hug that he returned. She released him after a moment and turned to me. "Why didn't you tell me we had a guest?"

"I'm sorry Ada." He apologized. "This is Ash, my younger brother. Liam has agreed to let him stay with us for awhile."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up as she looked me over. "Your brother? Honey, that's so wonderful. When did he arrive?"

"A couple of hours ago." Jai told her. She walked over to me, her radiant smile beaming as Jai introduced her to me.

I held out my hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Kerrisk."

"Oh please, call me Ada." She said, then pulled me into a tight hug. "Welcome to our home, sweetheart."

Her kindness and generosity was refreshing. She didn't ask anything about why I was there, or why Jai had never mentioned having a brother. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that I was here now. She accepted me without question and the gesture touched me deeply.

The commotion had alerted her daughter and a moment later she had all but bounced over and flung her arms around me without warning. "Oh. My. God, Jai. He's adorable!" She squealed.

Jai rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Ash, this is Gabriela, Liam's sister. She's a huger."

"It's nice to meet you, Gabriela." I said, blushing, not used to getting this kind of attention. My father wasn't an affectionate man and my step-mother didn't acknowledge my existence at all. Up until this point, Jai was the only person that had really ever shown me any affection or love.

After crushing me against her for a good minute or two, Gabriela finally released me then turned to Jai, a look of mock annoyance on her face. "Jai, Kerrisk! Why didn't you tell us you had a brother?"

The color drained from Jai's face and he shuffled his feet, trying to find the right way to answer her.

"We haven't spoken in nine years." I told her. "I was just a kid when Jai left home and until recently, I had no idea hot to reach him." That was a lie. I had known where Jai was for years. Even though he'd left the coven, our father had kept tabs on him. Jai was still his son after-all and our father still cared about him, in his own way. I had no doubt that had Jai ever been in trouble, our father would have found a way to help him. Even if it had been anonymously. And I would have reached out before now but I was forbidden from doing so. Once a vampire passed into the realm of shadows they were essentially dead to the coven and we didn't contact the dead.

"Well, I'm glad you found him." Gabriela said, giving me the sweetest smile I had ever seen in my life. So she was so bubbly, so full of life and love that acceptance just radiated off her. She truly was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside and she was stunning on the outside.

"Wait right here." Gabriela squeaked. "You have to meet my husband." She darted off too quickly and returned moments later with her arm looped casually through the arm of her mate, a man named Marcus Downing. He was stunning as well with slightly wavy brown hair and deep set dark eyes. He nodded solemnly when Gabriela introduced us. He wasn't much of a conversationalist, only muttering a quick "Welcome" when Gabriela nudged him.

His eyes scanned over me and his expression was hard and unreadable. He stood next to his mate like a sentinel, tall and imposing. His muscles coiled as he crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving me. He wasn't sure what to make of me and I could tell that he was somewhat suspicious. He didn't like that I was there, that I was so close to his mate, to Jai, and he wasn't about to let his guard down. He reminded me of the vampire royal guard. Stoic, and composed. He exuded strength and discipline. from the way he held himself I could only conclude that his role in the Pride had something to do with security. He seemed to be someone of importance, maybe a soldier or warrior.

News had traveled fast after Gabriela had told Marcus about me and soon more members of the household poured into the family room wanting to get a look at Jai's estranged little brother. Carter Madden was the first to arrive after Marcus. He was smaller than Marcus but still taller than either Jai or me. He was the Pride's chief negotiator and peacekeeper. From what I understood his job was to help Liam handle disputes between Pride members without ending in a challenge. If a challenged was made though, Carter along with Liam, would over see the challenge to make sure if remained fair and all rules were followed. His expression was calm but his handshake firm. Raw strength and power didn't roll off him the way it did Marcus or Liam but Carter wasn't weak by any stretch of the imagination.

When Carter entered, I could feel the energy in the room shift. He was strong but not like Marcus. Carter had a different kind of power. He wasn't loud. He didn't puff out his chest or throw his weight around. He didn't have to. He had the kind of presence that made people sit up and take notice. When Carter Madden spoke, you listened.

He was tall and lean with Silver-streaked black hair pulled into a tidy pony-tail that rested at the nape of his neck. His eyes were sharp and assessing but not unkind just... observant.

"Carter." Jai greeted him with visible respect. "This is Ash, my brother."

Carter gave a curt nod. "Welcome, Ash." He said, his gaze landing on me briefly before turning his attention back to Jai. "Why wasn't I alerted to his arrival?"

"There wasn't time." Jai said quickly.

"Really?" He looked at me again, this time studying me a bit longer, then he sighed. "You've caused quite an uproar, young man."

"I... I'm sorry." Was all I could get out before he turned back to Jai, essentially dismissing me, as though anything I said was of no consequence.

"I should have been told the moment he was discovered, and then Marcus."

"Like I said, there wasn't time."

"Then you should have made the time. This entire situation was handled poorly, and Liam never should have contacted the leader of another Pride without me present." His voice was calm but stern, deep and unhurried. Each word measured and weighed carefully before being spoken.

"Actually, the chief negotiator is only required when the meeting is in person." Jai corrected him. "The phone call was only to arrange the meeting, nothing more."

"I've heard there was more to the call than that." We all turned as another man entered the room from the hallway. This guy had the kind of presence that made the air feel heavier, like a storm rolling in across the mountains.

He was tall, Broad-shouldered and looked like he spent every waking hour at the gym. His chestnut brown hair was tousled just enough to suggest he didn't care how it looked, and his square jaw was lightly dusted with enough stubble to make him ruggedly handsome in a way that had my stomach doing somersaults.

His brown eyes, sharp and steady, scanned the room quickly before finally resting on me. With a frown, he crossed the room to where we were standing, Jai and me, and stood there, towering over us. When I say he crossed the room, he didn't just walk across it, he strode, like the world had to make room for him or get the hell out of his way. There was something wild in the way he carried himself, something untamed--feral almost. His presence didn't scream danger, it growled it, deep and slow.

He crossed his arms as his eyes raked over me and I felt myself shiver. The sleeves of his dark shirt stretched tight over thick forearms. He tilted his head slightly, giving me a look of appraisal and warning as if he were trying to decide whether I was a threat to neutralize or a problem to ignore. Either way, I knew where I stood. I was nothing to this man. Just a bug to be squashed under his boot.

"Victor?" He turned to look at Carter, dragging his eyes away from me slowly, carefully. He didn't trust me, that was obvious, but there was something else in his eyes, something I couldn't quite place. It was like he was deliberately trying to ignore me but at the same time, couldn't tear his eyes away from me. "What have you heard?" Carter asked.

"Liam has granted him sanctuary, given him the status of 'Saoirse.' " Victor scowled at me before turning back to Carter. "And that's not all. He's not a runaway from another Pride, he's not even a shifter."

"Victor!" Jai suddenly gasped, taking a step toward him, panic written all over his face.

"Don't." Victor snapped at Jai, his voice gravelly and low. "Stop protecting him, Jai. It's over. You need to start being honest with us."

"If he isn't shifter, then what is he?" Carter asked, suddenly taking an interest in me after-all.

Victor opened his mouth--too fast, too certain.

'He knew'.

My heart lurched into my throat and for a moment, I felt like I was going to be sick. Before he could answer though, Liam's voice cut through the uncomfortable silence that had fallen over the room.

"He's a vampire."

Liam stood in the doorway, regal as always, unwavering, his presence drawing the air from the room. Every head turned, every eye now focused on him, their leader, their chief. Their eyes demanded answers, the truth. Behind him, the hallway light sliced through the velvet darkness, creating a halo of illumination around him, making him look almost God-like.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Gabriela broke the spell with an audible gasp, her hand instantly flying up to cover her mouth. She stiffened. Marcus curled an arm around her, protectively. His free hand balled into a fist and his eyes bore into me, his lips twisting into an ugly snarl and I swear I heard him growl.

All eyes suddenly shifted to me and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. Jai grasped my hand and squeezed gently. "Relax." He whispered, but I couldn't. Heat burned beneath my skin as a rush of panic rose up, like bile, and all I could think was, 'now they know'.

'They all know'.

I wanted to run. I wanted to vanish. But I couldn't run. I couldn't move. I was frozen, grounded to the spot. Their eyes bore into me. Looks of shock, anger, and some of fear, all pressing down on me until I felt like I might crumble under the weight of their stares.

Victor was stone faced, his eyes glued to me, heavy with something unreadable. Judgment maybe? revulsion? I couldn't tell.

Even Ada, whose warmth had wrapped around me like a woolen blanket, looked momentarily stunned. Her lips parted, then closed. He brows drawing together, tight. I knew the look in her eyes well. I'd seen in my father many times. Disappointment.

I was shaking all over but I pushed down the urge to cry. So much for not showing any weakness. I was becoming a basket case. I wanted to speak, to say something to ease their fears. Anything would have been better than just standing there, looking like a deer caught in head lights, but when I opened my mouth, no words would come.

It was unnerving, having everyone stare at me and me not being able to do anything. Mercifully their attention shifted when the heavy tread of boots echoed down the hallway.

Jonah entered first. I knew it was him even thought I'd never met the man. He had the same towering height as Liam, the same sandy blonde hair and the same brooding eyes though where Liam's were cognac brown, appearing almost amber in the light, Jonah had icy gray eyes, like a frozen lake. Jonah was handsome, maybe not as handsome as Liam, but pretty damn close. Honestly, they could have been twins, they looked so much alike.

Jonah walked to Liam, his frame tense with fury, eyes darting between Liam and me like he was trying to decide whether to shout at us, or start throwing things.

Tomas followed closely behind, and I immediately saw where Liam and Jonah got their looks. They were carbon copies of their father. When he entered the room, his eyes instantly fell on me, cold and unforgiving. "So, its true then." Tomas said, his voice hard enough to shatter glass. "You granted him sanctuary?"

"I did." Liam relied, stepping fully into the room, his gaze never leaving his father's.

"Without even speaking to me first?" Tomas hissed.

"There wasn't time." Liam told him. "Ash came to us for help, for protection. I gave it."

"It wasn't your right." Tomas growled. "You should have consulted us first."

"It was my right!" Liam shot back, matching his father's tone. "And my right alone. I made a call, it was the right call. I don't need to explain myself to you, or anyone else."

"The hell you don't!" Tomas's voice boomed like thunder as he raged at his son. "I'm still the head of this family!"

Liam narrowed his eyes. "And I'm the Pride chief!" He shouted. "Your leader. Are you questioning my authority?"

"We're questioning your sanity!" Jonah yelled. "Do you even realize the danger you've exposed us all to?"

"I have everything well in hand." Liam said coolly.

"You're fooling yourself." Tomas told him, his voice strained. He was trying to keep calm but it was hard. Once, he'd been chief, he'd led the Pride, and made decisions that kept his family safe but now, it was out of his hands, and that frightened him. "You've invited a monster into home, into our territory, without first discussing it with anyone. Liam, what the hell were you thinking.?"

I cringed at the word. Monster? Is that what I was to him, to all of them? His words were sharp and they cut like a knife. Jai wrapped his arms around my shoulders as if trying to shield me from the venom in Tomas's words but it didn't help because deep down, I knew he was right. I was a monster, and I didn't belong there.

"Ash came to Jai, to me, for help. Do you expect me to just turn him away?"

"Yes." Jonah answered, taking a step closer to Liam. "Whatever happened, whatever trouble he's in has nothing to do with us but by interfering you've put us all in danger."

"Ash isn't a threat." Liam clenched his jaw so tightly that the muscles along his cheek twitched.

Tomas took a step forward, his posture rigid, his arms crossed and he stared Liam down, hard. "You say he's not a threat to us but you're playing with fire. The truth is, you know nothing about him, or his kind. You don't know what his motivations are or if the story he fed you was even the truth. You don't know."

"I know enough." Liam disagreed, his voice calmer now as he attempted to defuse the situation. "And I believe him. You're just going to have to trust me on this."

Tomas's eyes narrowed, the corner of his mouth twitched with barely contained outrage. "You brought a vampire under our roof, Liam. You didn't consider the safety of your family or your Pride. So, no. I can't just trust you. It's possible that this... creature... is manipulating you, controlling your mind."

I could feel the mood in the room shift immediately. I could smell it. Panic, fear, distrust. He was painting a picture of me that the others couldn't ignore. Whether what they thought of me, of what I was capable of, was true or not didn't matter. None of them had ever met a real vampire, other than Jai who was only half and up until this point, none of them had even known about his true parentage. The only information they had to go on was what they had seen in movies or read in books and lets face it, fantasy stories and horror movies didn't really portray vampires as heroes.

"Controlling me?" Liam snapped, his brow pulling together. "Are you serious? You don't agree with my decision so your only recourse is to accuse me of being compromised? You're being ridiculous."

"And you're being reckless." Jonah told him, rubbing the back of his neck as he paced back and forth, a nervous trait that he seemed to share with his brother. "You can't expect us to be okay with this."

"What I expect," Liam growled, stepping in closer to Jonah until he was nearly nose-to-nose with him, "Is for you to remember who I am. For you not to question me and for you to stand beside me."

Jonah hesitated. He was shaking and I could clearly see the pain in his eyes. It took nearly all the strength he had to stand up to Liam but Jonah stood firm on what he believed was right. I respected him for that. "I can't stand beside you, Liam." He said, his voice breaking. "Not this time. Not on this. You're wrong."

"You've lost faith in my ability to lead? To keep everyone safe?"

"I think you've allowed your emotions to cloud your judgment. Liam, that boy is not one of us. You want him to be, for Jai's sake, but he's not and he puts all of us at risk. He doesn't belong here."

"You have to look at this from our point of view, Liam." Tomas said. His voice was quieter, but strained, like he was holding back. "You've brought a vampire here, Liam. You didn't just open the gates--you invited the wolves in."

"Then what would you have me do? Abandon him? He's vulnerable and scared." I could see the hurt in Liam's eyes, hear it in his voice. I don't imagine he ever expected that his own family would turn on him this way but I understood, they were scared. They looked to Liam for protection but instead of keeping them safe, he'd brought the danger to them.

"Send him back to his father." Everyone turned to Victor who had, up until this point, been quietly observing. He pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward, arms crossed, muscles bulging. I don't know why but I couldn't take my eyes off the man. He was so cool, so calm. He moved like a man with a purpose, ready to be heard, demanding the rooms attention. "He isn't our responsibility. Don't make his trouble our trouble."

Liam's expression cracked for a moment, something raw and primal flickered behind his eyes. He took a step back, raking a hand through his hair as he struggled to find the right words. Finally, he looked up, eyes locked with Victor's. "He is my responsibility," he said. "Because I made him so. And, I will not turn away someone in need just because It's an inconvenience. That is not who I am."

"Don't be a fool, Liam. You have an entire Pride of men, women, and children who depend on you. Don't trade their lives for one boy, even if he is your mates brother. He's not worth it." Victor brushed past Liam, deliberately knocking his shoulder as he stormed out of the room and down the hall. The room remained silent, only the heavy tread of Victor's boots on the floor and then the loud bang of the front door moments later.

No one spoke. There were simply no words to say. The room felt thick with the tension that hung in the air between us. A storm was brewing, I could feel it. This family was in turmoil, about to be divided and all because of me. As much as I didn't want to admit it, Victor had been right. The Pride was more important. Liam couldn't put the needs of one before the safety of hundreds. If I allowed that to happen, I would become the monster they already thought I was. I had to do something and I had to do it fast.

Tears filled my eyes. I was scared. Terrified of what would happen to me if I went back but more scared of what would happen to Jai and the Pride if I stayed. He loved these people, and they loved him. They were his family now, not me. I was part of a world he wanted nothing to do with and just by being here, I was putting them all at risk.

"I'm so sorry." I managed to say, chocking on my words as I spoke them. "I never should have come here I... I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say so I ran. It was the only thing I was good at. I moved so fast that I was out of the room, down the steps and running towards the woods before it could even register to them what had happened.

I kept running, faster and farther away until I found myself standing beside a small stream trickling down from the mountain. I stopped to catch my breath and allow myself one final glance toward the mansion. In that moment, I regretted so much. I regretted that I would never get the chance to really know my brother again and have a real relationship with him. I regretted frightening Gabriela who had been so kind. I regretted the look of disappointment on Ada's sweet face. Most of all, I regretted putting Liam in a situation where he felt he had to choose between a stranger and his family. It wasn't fair to him. His family should always come first and I knew the only reason he agreed to help me in the first place was to please Jai, his mate, the man he loved.

I had all these regrets and they hurt, don't get me wrong, but thing that hurt me the most, the final straw that led to my decision to run wasn't Gabriela's fear, Ada's disappointment, Marcus's hatred or even Jonah and Tomas's rejection. It had been four simple words spoken by a man I had only just met. 'He's not worth it.'

When Victor spoke those words, I felt my heart shatter. He may as well have just driven a stake straight through my chest. It felt like every bit of air had been sucked from my lungs. I felt like I was drowning and the strangest part was, I didn't know why. Tomas had said worse, called me a monster. But, when Victor said those words, when he told Liam to send me back to my father, something broke inside me.

I knew at that point that I couldn't stay there. I couldn't face him. The man despised me and that, more than what Niklas had done to me, more than my father's betrayal, more than knowing my life was at an end that, knowing I was nothing to Victor, was worthless in his eyes, I could not handle. I could survive a lot of things but Victor's rejection, I would never survive. I had no idea why he affected me so deeply, why I even cared, but I did. I cared a lot. And it was killing me.