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"Jealousy is the grave of affection."
            -Mary Baker Eddy

Chapter 21

River's POV

A howling scream was all I heard as the tall man fell like a fallen tree, landing with a thump that could wake an entire forest. I almost expected a herd of animals to come running from the loud sound of the fallen man but none appeared.

Alastair had long since hidden me behind his muscular frame as the man continued to make sounds that sounded more animalistic than human.

A bone cracking sound caused me to flinch as Hyde grunted. I peered down at Alastair's hands but they hadn't moved from their place by his side.

Had he...?

I peered up from behind Alastair's shoulder, knees bent as Alastair sat nonchalantly, watching the man through bored eyes. A booming laughter escaped the other man's throat as he bent forward, slapping at his knees as if he had heard some hilarious joke.

Confusion bubbled in my mind. I peered up at Alastair, expecting a reaction, but there was none. His eyes remained the same as he continued to watch the man through his fits of psychotic-sounding laughter.

Am I missing something?

"You've still got that spice in you. Don't you, old friend?" Hyde wiped at his tear-filled eyes, brushing away the liquid wall of humor.

I looked down at his hand and gasped in astonishment. It appeared seemingly fine. There was no blood, no bone sticking out, it looked exactly as it did before Alastair had taken the initiative to crack it in half.

How...?

"Dinner!" A woman's voice blared across the garden. We all turned as a maid stood by the door waving a bell in hand.

Alastair stood up, hands gently wrapped around my waist as he pulled me up from the bed of grass and flowers. His hand wrapped around mine like a warming blanket as he stormed out of the garden, completely ignoring the lanky guest.

I pivoted my head, waving my hand to usher him behind us. He sent me a grateful smile as he trailed after us.

Alastair's hand tightened around mine at the exchange, an act I returned with a beaming smile. He peered back at Hyde before sighing and bringing my hand to his mouth in a light kiss. I could hear Hyde snickering behind us like a hyena, completely ruining the moment. Thankfully, Alastair sent him a warning glance causing Hyde to shut up for the remainder of the time.

As I entered the dining room, a wide smile stretched across my face as my eyes locked on Isaiah's giggling form at the table, chattering away with a grinning Derek. I tugged Alastair towards the table with our locked hands, sitting at the empty chair by Isaiah as Alastair sat beside me. Isaiah and Derek seemed to be in their own world as they spoke in hushed whispers.

I pouted, "Izzy."

He jumped before turning his head towards me. His eyes going from widened surprise to excitement.

"River!" He laughed, pulling me into a tight hug, "I haven't seen you in like a week."

"Like?" I laughed, "You've been gone for an entire week. How was the diplomatic trip?"

Isaiah was in charge of international relations on Alastair's advisory cabinet. Often, he was sent to other nations abroad to discuss treaties or trading. However, after Alastair had canceled our mating ceremony, sending back many, he had pissed off many people in high places and Isaiah, the poor thing, was stuck having to clean it all up.

Isaiah sighed, "Thanks to this idiot," he pointed towards Alastair who replied with a growl, "I was stuck in Nashfield for an entire week cleaning up his mess. Apparently, the Duke had sent his daughter, Anna, to the mating ceremony to find a mate. Which, of course, was cut short by a certain royal. He claims, if not for Alastair his daughter would have returned with an honorable mate. Almost forced me to marry the thing," he flinched.

"Was she that hideous?" I asked.

He gave me a pointed look, "If she wasn't someone would have wed her by now," he sighed, "poor thing, the only thing going for her is her Jewry."

Was that really why he hadn't wanted to marry her or was it because he fancied a larger, more muscular person?

"Aah, old friends!" Hyde exclaimed as he sat across from us with a widened smirk.

Derek glared as Isaiah faked pleasantries.

"Nice to see again, Hyde," Isaiah stuck his hand out to shake but it seemed Hyde had a different approach in mind as he brought Isaiah hand to his mouth in a small kiss.

Well then, I guess that's a normalized greeting for him.

Derek's eyes narrowed as he whacked Hyde over the head.

"Ouch!" Hyde rubbed at his head as he glared back.

Isaiah sighed as he took a napkin and wiped at his hand as one would rub dirt from their skin.

"I see you haven't changed," Isaiah muttered under his breath.

"Oh, but you have," Hyde eyed Isaiah, "Why you've grown quite stunningly, old friend."

"And you've not grown at all," Derek scoffed, "You're as disgusting as always."

Hyde turned from Isaiah and grinned, "Why, thank you."

Derek gritted his teeth as his hand began to turn white as he held the blue, satin napkin in a tight hold.

"So tell me, what have I missed? Did anything interesting happen while I was gone?" Hyde leaned against his knuckles as he peered solely at Isaiah.

"Peace reigned the kingdom," Derek gritted his teeth.

Hyde raised a brow, "Oh?"

"Why yes, almost as if waiting for a certain vile being to leave its wake."

Hyde smirked as he eyed Derek, "Too bad it hadn't left."

Derek slammed his fists against the table as he stood up from his chair, eyes never leaving Hyde's.

"Derek!" Isaiah's voice rose.

Derek looked from Isaiah back to Hyde before sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms with a huff.

Isaiah sighed as he brushed his fingers through his chestnut brown hair.

The maids streamed in quickly, placing the food on the table before rushing out. Clearly wanting to be out of the room before another fight brewed.

"Aah, a feast for a king!" Hyde declared, before stuffing his face in a very ungentlemanly way.

Alastair watched him briefly before placing food on my plate before his own.

Alastair had been rather quiet the entire conversation as if observing rather than acting.

I watched as he placed more food on my plate than I could ever imagine consuming. A typical action I'd grown quite accustomed to. I often wondered if it were a message. If he viewed me as too skinny, too pale and he was hoping to fatten me up.

He placed my plate in front of me with a small smile, kissing me softly on the forehead before turning to place food on his own.

I'd come to the realization lately that Alastair was less talk and more actions. Rather than speak of how much he loved me, he'd show me in simple gestures and gently touches. Rather than voice how much I meant to him, he'd spend all nighters doing paperwork so he'd have the day to spend with me.

I placed my hand on his knee, giving a gentle squeeze. His eyes met mine as I felt his hand wrap around mine in a soft caress.

"The food!" A voice exclaimed.

We all turned our heads as Michael came dashing in, shirt wide open, hair in a frenzy as Keith followed at a more relaxed pace, combing his fingers through his knotted hair.

"Please tell me we didn't miss the food," Michael sounded like he was moments from breaking down in a fit of tears.

"You're just on time, Michael," I laughed.

I could never understand Michael's love for food. I swear if he hadn't met Keith he would have mated with the nearest edible a long time ago.

"Oh, praise the goddess," Michael breathed.

Keith laughed as he wrapped his arm around Michael, "See I told you we'd make it," he kissed Michael's shoulder.

Michael brushed him off as he dived for the food.

Keith shook his head as he sighed, "Sometimes I feel as if he loves food more than me."

"That's because I do," Michael said through a mouthful of chicken.

"Aah, manners," Hyde scowled.

"You speak as if you have any," Michael scoffed as he continued to eat the chicken straight off the bone.

"Getting the munchies?" A girl's voice said as Feyona walked in.

Her lips were painted a darker shade of red than earlier as she walked in, in a wine red, velvet dress. Her heels clicked loudly as she strolled towards the table, her hips moving from side to side before settling in the chair beside Hyde.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Michael laughed.

"Oh, I could believe," Feyona rose a brow as she eyed Keith, "someone as big as he could take a lot out of a person."

"Tell him that," Michael sighed as he picked up a celery stick and began to nibble on it.

Were they seriously speaking about such a thing as we ate...?

Feyona's eyes turned from Michael as they settled in a heated gaze on Alastair, who was too engrossed in his food to have noticed her entrance. Clearly, the love for food ran in the family.

She turned her head with a sigh as she smirked in my direction. I felt my skin prickle.

"River, doll, how has your day been?" Her eyes seemed to turn into almost slits as she attempted friendliness. She was clearly new to the concept.

"Good, yours?"

"Oh, quite marvelous. I went shopping," her smile widened.

Ah, so that's what she meant earlier when she had claimed she had 'much' to do.

"Typical," Hyde grunted, "Girls."

"Oh, why Hyde you love to shop just as much as I. You just shop for a very different item," she winked.

Hyde broke out into a fit of laughter, "True, dear sister. That I do," he turned towards Isaiah, "that I do."

Derek dropped his fork to his plate in a loud clank as he eyed Hyde through a darkened gaze.

Hyde seemed oblivious to Derek's death-filled glare as he smiled brightly at Isaiah, who looked more than uncomfortable as he smiled back in a small, awkward smile.

It was like watching two dogs fighting over one bone as the bone lays there, unable to do anything but watch it all play out.

"Why Isaiah, have your eyes always been such a beautiful blue? They appear as serene and magnificent as the ocean on a clear, summer day," Hyde acquired.

Isaiah smiled awkwardly as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Why yes, Shakespeare," Derek interrupted, "maybe if you'd pull yourself out of your ass every now and then you'd be more aware of your surroundings."

Hyde grinded his teeth as he attempted a smile but ended with an awkward sideways grin, "Why Derek I wasn't aware your name had become Isaiah."

"Why Hyde, maybe if you would breathe some fresh air every now and then as opposed to whatever disgusting odor emits from your ass, you'd be less delusional. I was merely answering for Isaiah as you've been pestering him for the past hour. Can't you see he's trying to eat?" Derek faked a smile.

"Why Derek, he looked like he was taking a break as he wiped his hands with a napkin. I was merrily starting a friendly conversation. Why you aren't jealous are you? There's plenty of me to go around," Hyde smiled back.

I almost could have sworn I saw Derek's eye twitch as his eyes narrowed, "To think, you'd assume I wanted your attention is appalling. Just having your eyes on me is causing shivers of disgust down my spine."

"Aah, is that denial I'm smelling, dear friend?" Hyde smirked, "Why to me it sounds like a very different kind of shivering."

Their fake smiles were beginning to become more and more frightening as their words were beginning to appear less like remarks and more like swords.

Derek stood from his chair, "Disgusting-"

Isaiah placed his hand on Derek's chest before he could bash Hyde's face in.

Isaiah sent him a look of disapproval as Derek's posture seemed to slump. He dropped back to his chair, eyes focused solely on his food as Hyde watched with a victorious smirk.

I let out a sigh as I turned towards Alastair, who was watching the scene through narrowed eyes before looking down at me. His eyes immediately softened as they locked with mine. His hand reached out to cradle my face as he brought his lips down to mine in a soft peck.

"What's wrong, love?"

I shook my head.

"I hate fighting," I whispered as I rubbed my nose against his.

"I know, love," he kissed my nose, "They've always been like that. Those two, always fighting over something. The only thing that changed is it's now gone from a favorite toy to an actual person."

I quickly turned my head, nervous that they heard, but they seemed to be too engulfed in an eye duel to even notice their surroundings.

I let out a sigh as I turned back towards Alastair.

"Do you think Derek fancies, Isaiah?" I whispered.

"Whether he does or does not has no affect on anything. They aren't mates," Alastair stated simply as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me from my chair and onto his lap.

I rested my head against his chest as he cradled me to him, head resting on top of mine, as I silently contemplated his words.

Is that true? Would it really mean nothing at all if Derek and Isaiah had mutual feelings for one another? Did love mean so little that it could be blown away like a fragile piece of parchment over something so out of one's control like being mates? Did the mating system trump all? Even the undying love two can have for one another?

I peered at Isaiah as he poked at his food with a glazed look as Derek and Hyde continued to bicker around him.

Was he destined to be alone?