^^River in the flower garden^^

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world.'"
             -J K Rowling

Chapter 24

River's POV

The sound of crunching was all that filled the otherwise silent dining room as I focused solely on the food in front of me.

Derek and Isaiah whispered quietly amongst themselves as Michael and Keith appeared to be feeling each other up on the other side of the table. They tried for inconspicuous, hands under the royal blue cloth, but it was quite obvious from Keith's blackened eyes and Michael's widened smirk. He seemed amused by how he was affecting Keith as his hand moved slowly below the tablecloth.

Feyona seemed to almost radiant in fury as her eyes focused on me. Why she was angry at me, I didn't know. Alastair was the one that had kicked her from his room in nothing but a thin sheet. I was in a completely different part of the palace when it had occurred. I took no part in it.

Hyde glanced back and forth between people with a smirk and eyes bright with amusement. He seemed to find humor in awkward situations. Though his eyes seemed to always end up back at Isaiah's hunched form beside Derek.

I could understand his fascination with the light-haired man. None in the kingdom could deny Isaiah's beauty but none had the backbone to approach him. He gave off an air of being unapproachable like he was taken. Even without a mate. But Hyde didn't seem to mind. He seemed to quite enjoy the chase.

Derek's eyes would lock with Hyde's every now and then with a flash of annoyance before turning back to Isaiah with a bright smile.

Derek's love for Isaiah was apparent, though it didn't seem to be the same as Isaiah's. Isaiah's love was that of a mate. Derek's love was that of an overprotective brother. It was a sad truth.

A light squeeze on my knee pulled me from my thoughts as I pivoted my head to a bright-eyed Alastair. I felt a smile almost immediately form on my face.

It was so hard to not smile in his presence.

His fingers combed through my blond locks as his eyes met mine in a soft gaze.

"What are thinking about, love?"

"You," I whispered as I pressed my lips against his in a small peck that immediately turned to more as Alastair's tongue swept across my bottom lip in a coaxing move.

"Ugh," Feyona's voice range through the dining room, interrupting the previous silence.

Alastair turned from my lips with a growl. I rubbed small, calming circles on his knee in an attempt to calm him, which seemed to almost work until Hyde burst into a fit of laughter.

"Care to share the joke?" Alastair's voice was rough, an edge slowly forming around the edges.

"Why, Dear friend, the joke is merrily this room," he spread his arms wide, "everyone's so tense. Did you bed my sister while I slept?"

I felt myself tense as my throat grew dry.

He hadn't. I knew that. He had slept with me last night in our new golden room. But my heart couldn't help but freeze in my chest at his words. It hurt.

I felt Alastair's fingers playing with my locks as he took a breath.

"Moron," he growled, "if I wasn't in the presence of my mate, I would have ripped your head from your shoulders long ago."

"Don't want to give a bad impression, Dear friend?" Hyde taunted.

"My love is a flower, too delicate to witness such a gory act." Alastair brought a golden lock to his lips and kissed it as his eyes locked with mine.

My eyes widened as my heart picked up, almost jumping from my ribcage. If all eyes hadn't been on us I would have jumped up and connected my lips with his soft pair, but I wasn't one for public affection. I didn't mind doing it when others weren't looking but now all eyes seemed to focus solemnly on us, even the flirting couple had long since pulled their hands off each other. Keith's arms folded over the table as Michael's glared at Hyde like a lit torch.

"Why, Mikey, don't look at me like that," Hyde taunted, "We used to have such fun together."

Keith's left eye twitched as his nails dug sharply into his palm, lines of blood running down his hand in a crimson race.

"Say that again, Mongrel," Keith growled, "Michael is mine."

Michael whispered something into Keith's ear as he rubbed his back. Keith's posture seemed to relax as his nails ceased cutting into his palm.

Michael sighed, "Hyde that's all in the past and you know that."

While Keith seemed to be seconds from ripping his head off, Michael just seemed rather...annoyed. Like one had interrupted an intimate moment between him and his mate.

"Oh, I know," a smirk grew on Hyde's face as his eyes landed on Isaiah, whose eyes widened at contact.

"No," Derek made his presence apparent as his fists landed harshly on the table, "You can bounce around with as many people as you want, but you will not make Isaiah your next play thing."

Isaiah's eyes swept back and forth between the two before landing on mine with a silent plea for help.

"That's enough."

All eyes landed on mine. Looks of surprise, looks of disbelief. I wasn't one to take control of situations. Rather, I usually took the image of the submissive puppy who held Alastair's hand as he took charge.

"Hyde," his eyes locked with mine with a smirk, "We've had enough of your taunting, of your antics. I don't know your past with Michael, but it's just that, in the past, so leave it there. And Isaiah is not yours to claim so leave him alone."

Hyde burst into laughter, "So tiny yet so scary," he cooed.

I felt my fists tighten, "You know, you're just a...just a jerk!"

Feyona snorted as everyone's eyes widened.

"And you!" I pointed at Feyona whose eyes widened, "Stop with your chasing, Alastair's mine!" I growled.

Her eyes lit up in anger, "You don't get to tell me what to do."

"Actually," Alastair interrupted as he pulled me into his arms. I didn't even realize I was standing, "He's the mate of a royal, so actually he does."

Feyona's eyes narrowed.

I cringed.

I felt a warm pair of arms wrap around my waist in a gentle squeeze. Unlike his brother, Alastair wasn't much for public affection. Soft caresses and light kisses were as far as he'd go in a public setting.

His fingers played with my hair as Feyona's eyes bore into mine.

Stop.

'No.'

I froze, head pivoting in haste.

"What's wrong, love?" Alastair whispered into my hair.

I shook my head, "Nothing," I whispered back, "I thought...I thought I heard something."

"It could just be the maids whispering by the door," he whispered.

I didn't reply. No, it wasn't coming from behind the door. It was here, right beside me.

My head turned to the sound of a squeaking chair as Feyona stood up, dusting at her dress, "Well, I'm done here. If I could be excused." She peered at Alastair who nodded his approval. She walked out in great haste.

Where was she in such a hurry to get to?

"Well, then," Keith announced, "I'm going to retire to my chamber," he grabbed Michael by the hand, so much as pulling him out of the room. A victorious smirk spread across Michael's face as he winked at me before Keith pulled him out the door.

"Like bunnies," Alastair sighed.

"Bunnies? Why would you say that?" I asked.

What did they and bunnies have in common? Surely neither of them were whitening yet. They were far too young.

Hyde's laughter rang across the table, "innocent little thing, aren't you?"

I assumed he was directing his statement at me by the way his eyes landed on mine, but I couldn't quite catch the humor.

What was the humor in my statement? Surely it was a valid question.

"Okay," Alastair stood up with a groan, arm outstretched, "I believe we've got a date?"

"Oh! Yes," I claimed his hand with mine, excusing myself from the table as Alastair pulled me from the room.

I couldn't quite remember him mentioning a date earlier, but I didn't want to call him out on it in front of others.

"What date, Alastair?" I asked.

"The one where I take you to a flower garden and spoil you with expensive pastries."

"And was this date previously mentioned...?"

Am I experiencing short-term memory loss? I remember reading about such a concept. I hope I'm not; those stories never ended well.

"It was a spur of the moment decision," he admitted.

I wasn't going to press more on the subject. I quite enjoyed spending time in the garden so there was surely no complaints coming from my end.

Alastair stopped in front the kitchen on our way out, explaining for the maids to bring pastries and teas out to the rose garden. Then calling for maids to set up blankets and pillows outside to sit on. I couldn't quite understand why he would want to bring such expensive silks out into the garden. Surely they were going to get ruined by the dirt and grass, but when I had brought it up Alastair had merrily waved the idea away as if I were mentioning a flying pegasus in the sky.

We walked at a slow pace, giving the maids time to set up outside. His hand felt so warm in mine, so comforting.

A soft breeze swept past my face, locks scattering in my vision, as Alastair held the door open for me. I tumbled a bit, vision blurred in yellow.

I felt an arm catch me by the waist as Alastair lifted me into his arms.

"Careful, love," his nose pressed against my thick locks as he carried me to the spread out blankets by the fountain.

My eyes widened as I took in the lavish view. A large colored quilt laid sprawled out across the garden, assorted pillows laid by the sides as an umbrella was placed by the side, above all the pastries and teas.

"This is...too much," I breathed out.

"Nothing is too much when it comes to you," Alastair kissed my nose before placing me beneath the umbrella, placing pillows beneath my head and lower back.

"No sunlight?" I raised a brow.

"You're going to burn, love."

I pouted.

A small smile formed on Alastair's face as he bent down and brought a pouted lip between his teeth and softly biting. I gasped as he slightly nipped and pulled away.

"No pouting."

That made me pout more.

He laughed as he ran his fingers through my hair, "So cute."

He twirled a lock in his fingers before pulling away. I whimpered at the loss as he turned towards the trays of food, before turning back, pastry in hand.

"Open up?" He waved the pastry in front of my mouth.

I opened my mouth as he placed the small good inside.

I hummed my appreciation as I chewed.

Yum.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Um hm," I hummed.

He laughed, a soft, heart-warming sound. He was so beautiful. Mine.

A ringing sound filled my ears as the world slowly began to tilt.

"Love?" A voice called, confusion and anxiety lacing the tone.

No. It wasn't the world that was tilting. I was falling.

'My mate,' a thick voice shook through my very core.