His Forbidden Mate
Part 16

I pushed open the door to my house and stepped in. With the last of my strength, I moved into my chambers.

The full moon was tonight. It was no longer news. However, with the event that took place today, I had lost control of my emotions and that meant it would be a broken shift for me.

How can I control my emotions when I’ve lost the very thing I care for in the entire world after doing everything I could to keep it?

The prince lied to me. He tricked me with his clause and little exception in the agreement. Yes, before he stepped into my parlour, I knew a thing or two about him. I heard how he was a man of honour and principle and how he would make a better king over his brother. I heard about how he sorted peace and fairness throughout the kingdom. So when he proposed a reasonable partnership that would mutually benefit both of us, despite hating the additional clause, I accepted it.

He said I broke the agreement, but I had reasons and they were genuine ones. He didn’t want to listen. He had his mad fixed on what he wanted to do, which was to hurt me. I saw it in his cold eyes.

He hurt me.

I could have fought to keep a little of what I once owned, but there’s no way I’d win a dispute against him. He was the crown prince and the law would surely stay in his favour.

This is my fault. I should have expected nothing better from him. He was no better than the men that had let me down in the past. From my father to my uncle to the filthy men of Kame, Soule and Lurds.

I stepped into my bedroom and threw myself onto the bed, my eyes shuttering. Tears rolled down my face, thinking of all the people I let down.

After the prince departed, I stayed locked up in my chambers for the next five hours just to avoid running into anyone and being questioned about what I couldn’t answer. I let them down, and I hated myself for it more than anything.

I also hated that I didn’t see this coming.

His betrayal hurt more than I expected and I couldn’t even bring myself to look at my reflection in the mirror after the deed was done.

Tonight would be a broken shift because I doubt I’d be able to mend my broken heart.

My door cracked open and in walked Rue Zaine, my protégé walked in.

“Dinner is ready,” she said, her voice losing its sharpness as she sees me on the bed. “Are you okay, Kai?”

She had never seen me like this, the truth was, I’d never been this way. This depressed and miserable, but I was mourning the loss of my parlour and I couldn’t help it. I’d never allowed her to see any side of me that wasn’t happy or in control emotionally. This side was new to her in the last few years she’s been in my care.

Rue was my protégé. She was like a daughter to me. I found her five years ago when she was barely fourteen and on the street. Her parents, according to her, were attacked during the full moon and both died, leaving her all alone to fend for herself.

She reminded me so much of myself, and I took her in. She requested to join my ‘work’ after she turned sixteen. I turned her down because the parlour was not for her age. I knew how it felt having horny bastards try to touch and feel me when I was her age. I didn’t want that to happen to her as well, but she insisted, wanting to give back the little way she could. So about two years ago, I asked for a favour from my victim, who was an influential figure in Lurds. He helped Rue get a job at the town’s library.

She has been impressive from what I hear, and her charms brought in visitors to the library. We live together for now and I told her she was free to go anytime she wanted, but she chose to stay with me instead. I didn’t complain; I loved the company. Since the library closed earlier than the parlour, she’d come home and rest. She also cooked and cleaned the house as often, calling it the least she could do.

Rue Zaine was the sign I needed to believe that there was still good left in humanity. She was pretty and smart and honest and always believed in the best in people.

She taught me how to read and write as well. Rue impressed me with her reading skill the first month after I took her in. She told me she learnt it when her parents yet lived and took the first year teaching me the basic reading skills. I was slow the first few months, then I picked up, and this was something I’ll be grateful for.

I sniffed and shook my head, a little ashamed that she had seen me in my messy state. “I’m fine.”

Her green eyes narrowed on me. “You’re not, you look really sad.” she stepped closer to the bed I laid on and I wanted to tell her to stop.

“I’m fine.” I sat myself up, pulled my knees up to my chest, and cleared my throat. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Your shift would be a broken and painful one.” She pointed out, already knowing what lay ahead for me.

I nodded, seeing that and yet unable to control myself. After a few shifts during my first year, I understood my wolf felt whatever emotions I felt on the day of the full moon in multiple folds after the shift. It was unusual, and I never knew why that was, and neither did anyone I’ve come across ever since. This was the reason I let no negative emotion in during the full moon.

I had Edward to thank for the misery that lay ahead tonight.

She guided her legs over to where I was and she sat down beside me but remain silent. I felt grateful that she was silent and didn’t push or ask questions, and rather just wanted to sit and provide the emotional support she knew I needed.

Rue was mature in her reasoning and she reminded me of myself at her age. I’ve done all I could to make sure she didn’t go through what I went through and with my last breath, I’ll keep helping.

….

I stood by the window, watching as the full moon moved to its apex, knowing it was only a few minutes before my shift begins and then I’d be subjected to unending hours of pain.

“Kai,” Rue called to me, and I know what she wanted to say.

“I know, Rue. It’s almost time. Give me a minute.”

“I was going to say Jane’s here,” she replied instead, and I spun around to see her at the door and Jane behind her.

I stared at her in disbelief, wondering why she had come here when it was the full moon instead of remaining with her pack.

“Jane.”

“You didn’t think I’d let you shift alone after what happened today, did you?”

A wide smile crawled its way into my face, subduing my gloominess for a moment.

“Come on, I got here just in time for the shift. We have just a few minutes to get out.”

I detached myself from the window side and hurried over to her. I hugged her tightly, and we made our way out.

Once out under the full moon, Rue and Jane shifted first and my shift came right after. The pain, like I expected, multiplied, weighing down on me like a ton and I could not stand it. My legs felt weak and couldn’t stand, so I sat. I whimpered and my head dropped and I wanted to curl into a ball and sulk. I noticed Rue and Jane’s eyes on me, but I couldn’t shake it off. I couldn’t act tough or in control anymore, so I didn’t.

I dug my claws into the dirt and howled at the moon from where I sat and Jane and Rue came beside me, dug their hands into the dirt and howled just as loud as I did and the pain lingered in their voices.

I whimpered but not from pain because strangely enough; it was much lesser than it was a while ago. I still couldn’t move from the spot and so I stayed there and the two I considered sisters did the same.

This was all I needed, but barely ever found. Peace.