Sins Among Royals
Chapter 40

Both Indie and Noah were left in a state of shock at the words that had just been spoken. Indie looked at Noah who immediately soured at his parents reactions.

“Father, is that any way to greet your future Queen?” Noah had a very smug look on his face as he spoke. Was he trying to provoke his parents? “She is my true mate and will stand by my side and rule with me.”

Through her panic and terror Indie felt a sense of calm. Noah looked at her still with adoration and pride but the cheeky smirk that lingered at the corner of his lips made her want to smile. It lessened the severity of the situation.

For a moment it did anyway.

“How dare you speak to your father like that!” Noah’s mother stepped in quickly pointing her finger at her son.

“Grace don’t.” Noah’s father pulled her away with a stern grip and an even sterner stare that made Indie feel uneasy.

“But Victor! He shouldn’t-” Grace was cut off with fierce, sharp look from her husband who then turned to look at Noah, “a word in private if you could son.”

Victor walked off towards the door as Noah quickly pecked Indie’s cheek, “I won’t be too long,” he assured her quickly. Turning his attention to his mother he pointed his finger before warning, “behave yourself mother I will not have you making a scene and making Indie feel unwelcome in my home.”

Indie watched as Grace crossed her arms and huffed. She didn’t seem too impressed at being ordered around by her son and Indie began wondering just who was in charge. Wade’s words rang through her head. If she or Noah were going to challenge Victor it would take a lot of work. He didn’t seem like anyone that could easily be pushed aside and Grace sounded like she wouldn’t be silenced so easily.

Watching carefully Indie saw both figures retreat out the door and into a separate room. She then turned her attention to Grace who sighed and rolled her eyes.

“So this is awkward,” Indie laughed as she clapped her hands together and turned away from Grace. “To be honest I was expecting worse.” She smiled to herself as she walked towards the large windows on the far side of the room. With each step she found something new to look at.

“Someone like you will never be queen,” Grace almost spat her venomous words at Indie. “I will make sure my son never let’s anyone like you be queen, you are already a black stain on the crown.” She seemed certain in her words and had a steely resolve.

Indie was not intimidated.

“Don’t think you can get rid of me so easily Grace. I won’t go down without a fight,” and after hearing about certain injustices Indie knew she had to somehow make a difference to their world so that people could experience more freedom. Coming from somewhere like Aspen she knew how wonderful it was to have freedom to do anything she wanted but the closer she got to Blackwood she realised that freedom seemed to be a luxury mostly afforded to those who could afford it.

“I can make anyone disappear Indie. I have done it before and I will do it again.” The tone of her voice was definitely threatening but still Indie would not let herself be intimidated. She got the feeling that Grace was another version of Madeline. If she could handle all of Madeline’s threats then she could do the same with Grace.

“I’m sure you could do many things Grace,” Indie replied as she turned back to her mother in law. “I am also sure it was you who had something to do with the Medea incident.” Indie had no leg to stand on and if her accusations proved to be wrong she would have a lot of apologising to do but something about Grace’s behaviour struck Indie as odd. And Medea was the first thing that came to mind.

Had she planned on having Noah never replace his true mate? Had she intended for him to mate with someone he could never have true heirs with? What game was she playing, what plots had she created. Many questions formed in Indies mind as she saw a wicked little smile race over Grace’s lips at lightning speed.

“Well,” Grace began suddenly as she stepped towards Indie, “you aren’t as dumb as you look. That’s a good start. But if you are going to survive here you need more than that.” Grace was comfortable in the fact she would never be caught for anything she had done in the past. Her husband had not figured anything out yet so how could Indie. She laughed it off. “As for the Medea incident I urge you to think carefully about what you say young pup my son may be king but he does not pull the strings around here.”

Grace stood face to face with Indie and marvelled at her quietly. She couldn’t sense any nerves or fear from the young woman and only noted that her eyes were observing her very closely. Grace wondered quickly just what she knew and who had told her.

Much to the old woman’s surprise Indie just shrugged her shoulders and laughed it off, “you’re right! What would I know? I’m just a dumb hill billy from the country.” Though Indie presented a cool, calm exterior she was struggling to keep her heart rate in check. She didn’t want Grace to know she was absolutely petrified.

As soon as she was settled she wanted to replace Wade and begin her training again. She would need a lot of strength both physically and mentally just to deal with Grace alone. The woman was vile.

For a moment she was also left speechless. What had just happened? The girl had done a complete turnaround in the blink of an eye. It left Grace more than a little stunned.

Moving around the room in silence Indie observed everything she could. Her new home was too much. Too big, too grand, too opulent. As soon as Noah would let her she wanted to take it all away. It felt like a house she could never be happy in.

Turning on her heel she heard the door open and Noah re-emerged with his father. Both men looked incredibly tense. Noah clenched his fist and his jaw while his father carried a similar stance.

Immediately Noah sought Indie and out his arm around her forcefully. The pair stood opposite his parents as Grace took her husband’s arm with a smirk on her face.

“This will not happen Noah!” He declared again. “You will send her back to her pack and replace someone suitable. What of the Alpha’s daughter of her pack?! Was she not good enough!” Victors anger only served to anger both Indie and Noah.

“She is good enough father, better than any other and of you continue down the path of disapproval I will be left with no other option but to punish you. You would have me mate with an empty bond? You would have me birth no heirs? You would have me live on misery knowing my true mate is out there and I can’t be with her because you don’t like where she comes from?” The more Noah spoke the worse his temper got as Indie squirmed out of his iron grip and held tightly on to his hand.

“I think you two need to calm down,” Grace yanked on her husband’s arm, “Perhaps all we need is a good night’s rest. Come morning we will discuss this again.”

“There is nothing to discuss mother!” Noah growled again, “She is my mate and she will be staying by my side! What was the point of me going on this trip if not to replace my mate?!”

A very proud Indie stood next to her mate as she held her head high. Grace glared at her momentarily as Noah continued his rant.

“If neither of you are happy with the choice I’ve made you are more than welcome to leave,” he pointed at the door rather dramatically at that. “This is my castle, my pack and while I wear the crown I make my own decisions and choices.”

Indie stroked Noah’s arm, she saw that he was going red in the face with anger and she didn’t like it. Even though his parents were completely out of line and rather unsavoury she didn’t want Noah having a heart attack and dying. Indie didn’t want to be left in such a wretched place all on her own.

“Let us speak tomorrow.” Grace urged as she began pulling her husband towards the door. “It has been a long day and we’ve clearly started on the wrong foot. Please excuse us,” Grace mockingly begged as she and Victor disappeared out the door.

As the room grew silent around them Indie loosened her grip on Noah’s arm as he turned towards her with a look of utter confusion on his face, “I don’t understand what just happened. I thought my parents would be happy.”

Indie looked at him with sorrow in her eyes as she took him into her arms, “Like you said I’m not what you or they expected.” Though she realised the way his parents spoke they had obviously resigned themselves to Noah replaceing an Alpha’s daughter for a mate.

“In the morning we’ll head into town. I don’t want you in this castle while they are here.” The look on Noah’s face softened as he gazed down into Indies eyes, “I’ll rent you an apartment in town so you can have your own space.”

It was the most considerate thing Noah could have done for Indie as he ran his hand down the side of her face. He knew it would be difficult sorting things out with his parents but he also knew there was something going on that they weren’t telling him. Their behaviour seemed more than a little erratic.

“What about you?” Indie asked as she leaned in to his touch, “what..” she lost her train of thought quickly as their bodies came together and she felt something rigid pressed against her thigh, “what is that!” She looked down eyes wide. As soon as she realised just what it was her face turned a deep shade of pink. She didn’t know why she was embarrassed but a tiny part of her was flattered that he thought of her like that.

Noah laughed and shrugged his shoulders, “I’m sorry I can’t hide my desire,” he stepped away and turned from Indie a little as he rearranged himself. “You do things to me I’ve never experienced before,” Noah put his arm loosely around her shoulder making sure his third arm was nowhere near her. “It’s alright. I know you aren’t ready and I don’t expect anything,” he turned towards her and wiggled his eyebrows, “not yet anyway,” he placed a kiss on top of her head as he lead her out of the room and towards their sleeping quarters.

For now the troubles with his parents momentarily forgotten as the pair laughed awkwardly like they had no cares or worries in the world.