^ Feyona and Hyde- the dark siblings^

"Everyone has that one annoying friend, if you don't have one then it's probably you."

Chapter 20

River's POV

I read the paper at least four times before the reality of it all sunk in.

Someone, a past conquest most probably, was coming to see Alastair. Why he hadn't told me, I wasn't sure. An act that created great suspicion in my eyes. If she was but a past conquest why hadn't he told me of her coming?

My mind raced to many conclusions. The majority of which ended tragically for me.

If she was but a past conquest, wouldn't she be just that...? In the past? Why was she returning? For what purpose?

The turning of a doorknob interrupted my thoughts as I quickly stuffed the letter back into Alastair's pocket and attempted nonchalance.

"Love?" Alastair raised a brow.

"Yes?" Is my voice shaking?

"Shouldn't you be in bed, love?" His hand grasped his towel to his waist as he slowly approached me.

"I was...looking for you," I smiled with trembling lips.

"I'm here now." He spoke softly as he swept me from the cold, stone floor that had begun to become as painfully cold as my immediate future. Even shirtless he was still warmer than me. His skin as blazingly warm as a feverish fire while I, a cold midnight wind, twisting and turning in a constant state of bleak frost.

Opposites.

He gently laid me on the bed, his hands pulling from my fragile form, taking with it whatever heat it emitted. I pulled the feathered, white blanket to my neck, holding it in a death grip as I turned away from Alastair's shirtless form.

"What's wrong, love?" His voice sounded worried, almost suspicious.

"Tired," I managed as I squeezed my eyes shut. A childish act, as if, if I can't see him neither can he I. Though, that wasn't the true reason I had done it. Rather, it was to shut him out. To hide from the fact that he had hid something from me. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, if I ignored the elephant in the room the elephant would rather disappear.

One could always hope.

Hope. A word I hadn't known of until rather recently. Before the occurrences that had begun to shape who I was rather than who my father wanted me to be. A word that gave a sense of prospect that maybe, just maybe, there was something out there for me. Something more grand than a closeted room or an empty kitchen. More wholesome than the upbringing I was given. A word I wanted to keep in my vocabulary, in my reality.

A week had passed since the fated letter's arrival. I lay in bed, a continuous activity I had been doing for days now, contemplating what to do when the fated time would come to meet this so called Feona. The meeting was only inevitable.

Alastair had long since locked himself away in his study, as usual, writing away.

I, on the other hand, laid quite frozen in my bed, awaiting the fated moment to come.

A knock resounded at the door, a sound I had long since been expecting yet wasn't quite prepared for. My legs felt like jello as I walked towards the door, my hands shaking as I turned the knob. A smiling girl stood by the entranceway, a smile gracing her painted red lips, her dark hair pulled up in a neat, braided bun as she pushed her way into my room, completely ignoring my existence. I staggered, grabbing hold of the post as I watched her pace the room as if analyzing everything she could as she spun in circles. A giggled laughter filled the room as she jumped onto the bed, bouncing a bit as her eyes landed on me.

"Would you tell Alastair of my arrival, kind servant." She smiled as her eyes continued circling the room.

"Oh no, I'm not a servant." I tried as to take a stand against her disrespect.

"Oh no?" She asked a bit puzzled, "then who are you exactly?"

"I am Alastair's mate."

"Mate?" Her eyes narrowed as she gave me a thorough once over, "are you not but a boy?" She scoffed.

"Yes," her eyes widened, "a boy that belongs to no one but him."

"Aah," she began to play with the ruffles on his red sundress, "I almost started to believe not much had changed when entering this room. The flooring, walls, and decor has remained the same but his status no longer remains the same." She gave a small, sad smile.

My chest tightened as I approached the bed and wrapped my arms around her small waist. Trying to comfort the poor girl that had lost before even beginning.

A piercing laughter rang through the room as I found myself on the floor, back against the hard marble as a red heel pressed harshly against my wheezing chest.

"Fool," she laughed, "you are far too naive. To think I would give up before even beginning." My eyes widened as the wheels began to stir oh so smoothly in my head.

"Feyona, is it?"

Her eyes narrowed, "...Yes?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I raised a hand as she stared through narrow eyes as if a monster were to emerge from it and bite her.

I cleared my throat awkwardly as I dropped my hand, "There is a saying I had heard of once in a book: "keep your friends close but your enemies closer".

She lifted her heel from my chest with a strange look of disbelief on her face as she stretched a hand out to me. I grabbed it as she pulled me roughly to my feet, dropping her hand to the side and staring at me as if I were some strange discovery.

"Strange boy," she muttered.

I smiled awkwardly while rubbing my sore chest in a calming, circular manner.

"Love?" I pivoted my head as Alastair pranced through the open doorway with a look of puzzlement before comprehension softened his face to an almost blank persona.

"Feyona," He stated monotonously.

"Alastair!" She giggled as she practically jumped into his arms. Alastair seemed to tense up as he unraveled her arms from around him like one would pick a bug from their sleeve.

Her smile momentarily fell before it quickly replaced itself with a playful grin and fluttered eyelashes, "Didn't you miss me, Ally poo?" She spoke as if he were a cheeky five-year-old and she his disapproving mother.

"You speak as if your disappearance meant anything to me," his eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms.

Her smile grew though her eyes were anything but smiling, "Ah, always the playful one." She sighed.

Alastair remained silent, watching her with a look I couldn't quite decipher.

"You know, Ally poo, when I first arrived, the first thought that entered my mind was how things around here didn't seem to change much from the last time I was here. But it appears I was wrong." Her eyes landed on me with a humorous gaze.

Was she finding this...enjoyable?

Alastair's eyes narrowed as he pulled me to his chest in a protective embrace, "What are you getting at Feyona?" His tone gaining a slight edge on it.

"He's quite beautiful," she raised a hand in my direction, "Just my brother's type."

A growl rumbled from Alastair's chest, "Don't you dare."

"Dare what?" She fluttered her lashes, "I was merely stating the truth. My brother has long since bore of the female gender. He has taken quite a liking lately to the silent beauty type."

Alastair's grip tightened around me, "your brother knows not to touch that of who belongs to me."

"Does he?"

His grip tightened.

"Alastair," I cringed.

His grip loosened as he pressed a soft kiss to my shoulder, "Sorry, love."

Feyona watched our exchange through narrowed eyes, "my brother is to arrive tomorrow."

"Why the delay?" Alastair attempted disappointment but instead sounded relieved.

"Oh, don't sound so disappointed, Ally poo." Feyona mocked, "he made a...detour."

Alastair's eyes narrowed, "A brothel, I presume?"

A laughter escaped her cherry, red lips as she wiped her eyes of false tears, "Ah, you know my brother oh too well."

"I've known him since childhood. I didn't quite have a choice in the matter," Alastair sighed while combing his fingers through his thick, raven-like hair.

"If only we could return to those naively innocent days," she sighed.

Alastair smiled, "they were good times, weren't they?"

"Quite," she smiled looking down at her shoes before letting out a breathy sigh, "Well, I've got to go. Lots to do. I'll speak to go later, Ally poo!" She brushed her hand slowly across his shoulder as she walked out the door with a Cheshire grin and jump to her step.

I watched as her form disappeared from view, mind still processing what had just happened.

I met Feyona, a girl I couldn't quite figure out. I assumed she was a past conquest from his, but from the sound of it, she was but the sister of a childhood friend of his. A childhood friend who sounded quite sleazy from her description.

Those who visited a brothel were anything but classy, upstanding men. They were but sleazy, dirty men who couldn't bed a woman, or man in his case, on their own.

I felt myself being lifted as Alastair placed me gently on the soft cushioned fleece.

"Is there anything you'd like to do today, love?" He kissed the top of my head as his arms wrapped around my waist in a gentle hold.

"You're free?" I turned my head to see his face.

He smiled warmly as he kissed my nose, "I made sure to finish early so we would be able to do something together today."

"Can we go to the garden?" I asked softly.

"Of course," he lifted me from the bed and led me out the side entrance. A secret I had discovered with my time alone with Isaiah in the rose garden.

He held me by the hand, his large, warm hand holding mine in a heartwarming grip.

He smiled at me as the sun beat down on us in a heated gaze. His smile was so bright, so brilliant, a smile I could only hope to achieve.

My eyes pulled from his as a wave of roses engulfed my surroundings in a passionate red. The smell of perfumed flowers and dancing of bright flowers in the evening breeze took over my senses in an aura of pure tranquility.

Thoughts of all that plagued me earlier seemed to be swept away in the evening breeze as Alastair pulled me gently into his lap. I rested my head against his broad shoulder as I closed my eyes. I let my senses take over as I listened to the rustling of leaves, smelled the scent of sweet flowers, and felt the warmth of Alastair's hand drawing circles against my waist.

I felt Alastair's warm breath against my neck as he kissed a path of butterfly kisses up and down my neck, his hands making gentle circles against my hips.

Alastair had long since apologized for that horrid night days ago. He had slipped back into his old days, as he stated. A statement that had both frightened and unnerved me. Was that the way he had treated his past lovers? In such a forceful manner? I had previously remembered Keith mentioning it the first time we had met, but I hadn't taken it to heart. Now, however, I had begun to keep the idea a possibility. Not that he was a bit dominating, as that was something I was already aware of, but that it was a possibility that his frighteningly dominant side could appear again.

I had to keep in mind that it was part of his nature. Though it has been years, if not centuries, since our people have shown our wolf sides, it was there. Our wolves were a part of us, a suppressed part, but a part nonetheless. It was in an alpha's nature to be dominant, especially over his own mate. Though Alastair had promised to continue suppressing that part of him as he always had, I had to keep in mind that it was still there and to be careful not to shake the beast.

I had heard rumors of royals being allowed to shift. Though in all the time I'd been here, I had not once seen anyone shift. I had thought of asking but didn't want to sound idiotic if the rumors were but hoaxes that I had naively believed.

"What's going on in that beautiful mind of yours?" Alastair's warm breath glided ever so softly against my sensitive ears.

"Nothing you'd want to hear of, my love," I answered softly as I turned my head, eyes peering down at his smiling lips before pressing my lips gently to his.

His lips moved ever so smoothly against mine as if they were created for the sole purpose of kissing me. I sighed into the kiss as his tongue dipped into my mouth, tenderly brushing against mine in a warming reunion. His hands pulled me closer to him until there was no space between both our forms as if we were but one passionate being.

A loud whistling sound, followed by a clapping caused me to jump as Alastair, through angry eyes, turned to the interrupting sound.

My eyes widened as the form of a tall man appeared from behind a rose bush.

"Ah, Alastair what a beautiful performance-"

A loud growl hissed through Alastair's locked teeth as he eyed the tall man through dark eyes, "I thought you weren't to arrive until tomorrow."

"Ah, details, details," he waved his hand, "let me see your new lover." He tried to peek behind Alastair as I held onto Alastair's shirt in a death grip. Peeking out slightly from his shoulder as Alastair growled in the direction of the man.

"Aww, come on. Just one peek." He whined.

For such a tall man, he acted like a five-year-old. He kind of reminded me of a lankier version of Keith. Though his appearance was nothing close to Keith's. The man had long, dirty blond hair pulled back in a loose, red ribbon. His eyes were a dark almost black color, a contradiction in comparison to his bright hair. Though, they seemed to be the only thing he had in common with his sister. They both had the same dark, beady eyes.

"What happened to the brothel?" Alastair's eyes narrowed.

"Wow, right to the chase," the man laughed, "Well, no offense to your nation here, but none of them were my type," he shrugged, "couldn't get the mini me up."

My eyes widened at his choice of words. Weren't his type..?

"So go somewhere else, there are many brothels."

"Are you trying to kick me out, Ally poo?" The man teased, "Why, afraid I may seduce your new lover?"

"Mate, he's my mate." Alastair corrected.

"He...?" The man's brows rose as he turned his head to get a better of view of me but I ducked behind Alastair's back, "Since when were you batting the same team as I, dear friend? We could have had quite the fun time together," He winked.

I felt bile begin to form in my throat from his statement.

"I'm not attracted to men, just him."

"Hmm, let me see this boy that could make the almighty Alastair switch teams." The man quirked a brow.

Alastair sighed, "would you leave us alone if I did?"

"Um hm."

Alastair took me by the hand and gently pulled me into his lap. I looked up nervously at the man that had now gone from nonchalance to wide-eyed.

"Wow," he breathed, "you got yourself a beauty."

"That I do." Alastair kissed my head as my eyes remained on the wide-eyed man.

The man bent down as he took my hand in his. My eyes widened as he brought my hand to his lips.

He pulled away with a quirked smile, hand still holding mine, "Hello there, beauty. I haven't quite formally introduced myself to you yet. I'm Hyde, a dear friend of your Alastair. I hope to get to know you very well."

The only sound I could hear through the haze of both surprise and confusion was a deep, furious growl resounding behind me as the hand that was once on mine was now twisted in a tight, crushing hold.

Then all I heard was a crack.

I have an ACT in a month so I apologize if any future updates come late. I'll try to be super on top of it, pinky promise.