Galen [Beyond the Veil 4] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Toby Aden

  Bojore frowned, then seeming to realize his blunder, took a step back, and nodded. “I meant no offense, Your Highness, but it is rather imperative we talk.”

  Ignoring the man, Galen softened his features and then stared down at his mate once more. “Finc?”

  “I am okay,” Finc said hesitantly, peeking up at his mate from half-lowered lids. “I am okay,” he added, licking his lips nervously.

  “Are you sure?” Galen asked, his voice husky as he followed the movement of Finc’s pink tongue over his succulent lips.

  Finc nodded, squeezing Galen’s arm before smiling tentatively at him. “Good night?”

  Galen stared at his mate awhile, seeming to search the man’s innocent face as though searching to see whether Finc really meant his words or was trying to fend off any hint of trouble. When he found what he was searching for in his mate’s gaze, Galen leaned down and pressed his lips to the man’s forehead, inhaling deeply at the fresh sweet scent that was his mate. He allowed the contact to go on for a while, ignoring the clear of a throat and Bojore until he was good and ready before stepping back from his mate. “Good night, Finc. Sweet dreams,” he said in a gravelly voice and watched his mate nod before turning and walking away from him.

  He trailed his mate’s movement until the man disappeared from his line of view before turning to face the land owner.

  “We will discuss on the morrow. For now, I will take my rest,” Galen said. When Bojore made as though to object, Galen continued, “I do not want my mate disturbed in his quarters for anything. Should I find that my orders have been opposed, I will be most…displeased.” He gave a curt nod to the man, hands firmly clasped behind his back, and turned on his heels, walking away.

  Chapter Five

  Galen, his aide Sadri, as well as Bojore and his wife, Urla, sat in Bojore’s study, ready to get down to the dilemma they were in.

  “You were promised to marry my son Darix, Highness. Anything less is unacceptable to us,” Bojore said.

  “Be that as it may, finding my fated mate takes precedent over any sort of arranged marriage. What I also do not understand is this. They are both your sons. What matters if I take one for a mate instead of the other?”

  “Finc is an illegitimate son, Highness,” Urla said. “I will not have it said that we married off an illegitimate son before we did our other son.”

  “They are still both your sons,” Galen pointed out.

  “Nevertheless,” Bojore said, shrugging his shoulder. “Darix was the one promised in marriage.”

  “Actually…” Sadri interrupted only to be the focus of all their attention.

  Galen waved his aide to continue. “Go ahead, Sadri. Let’s hear it.”

  “A son was promised in marriage to his highness. There was no mention of which son, and it was assumed that the son would be Darix since no one knew there was another son,” Sadri pointed out.

  Bojore opened his mouth as though to object, closed his mouth, and stared hard at the aide, causing the other man to swallow nervously.

  Galen leaned back into his seat on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other and relaxing comfortably as though he had all the time in the world and was comfortable in his skin and his environment.

  “A son was promised, yes, Your Highness. However, the only son we are willing to give is our son Darix. He had been groomed for this role from birth. It has already been decided that Darix be the one to mate with you and that is our final word on the matter, sire,” Bojore said.

  “And tell me, Lord Bojore, has Darix reached his maturity?” Galen asked.

  Bojore pursed his lips before shaking his head. “Not yet, Highness. He will, however, reach his maturity in a mere two weeks.”

  Galen shook his head. “Unacceptable. I do not have the time nor inclination to wait here for another two weeks until he is of age. Finc, however, has already reached his maturity but five days ago I am told. I want to proceed with haste. Notwithstanding the fact that he is my fate ordained mate,” Galen said, waiting for the man to counter his words.

  There. Let’s see him try to get out of that one, Galen thought to himself.

  “Be that as it may, Highness, we cannot flounce the tradition of our family,” Urla said, her face impassive as they negotiated over ensuring that her own son was crowned king’s consort.

  “Tradition?” Galen said softly. “Tell me, Lady Bojore. Which tradition is more important? That of the gods or that of your family?”

  Too late, Urla realized her mistake and closed and opened her mouths several times, unable to say anything. Either way, she was damned if she uttered a word, so she kept her mouth shut in the end and let her husband deal with her mistake.

  * * * *

  The door to his room banged open, and an irate Darix stormed into his room. The force of the door opening dragged Finc from the land of sleep back into reality, and he stared in confusion as Darix marched over to him and yanked the covers off his body.

  “Get up, get up, get up, you whore,” Darix screeched.

  “Whaa—” Finc stared in confusion until the sound of things breaking in his room finally had the event of the night before crashing into his mind.

  He jumped up from the bed and stood in front of Darix, arms outstretched at his side so that the other man could not reach the rest of his things to destroy. “Stop. What do you think you are doing?”

  Darix stamped his foot against the floor, hands at his hips, face red. “No, what do you think you are doing? How dare you barge into my introduction party and steal my intended?”

  “He’s not a toy, Darix. And he’s definitely not yours. He’s my mate.”

  Darix raised a hand, about to hit Finc, but the man was faster this time around and caught Darix’s hand midswing.

  “Don’t you ever hit me again, Darix!” Finc shouted, tired of having his half-brother treat him as though he had done something wrong.

  “I will do whatever the hell I wish with you, you beggar-like bastard. You come into my home, try to steal my parents, and as though it wasn’t enough that they gave you a roof over your head, try to steal my intended and botch my advantageous marriage! Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “I am not a beggar. Bojore is as much my father as he is yours, you selfish prick,” Finc said, tossing Darix’s hand away from him as he glared at the entitled prick. “You are so selfish, thinking everything is all about you and all for your benefit. Well, guess what…Galen’s not yours. He’s mine, and I will be damned if I let you sink your claws into him.”

  “Arghhhh!” Enraged, Darix jumped at Finc, hands digging into the other man’s hair as he pulled and began punching anywhere his hands could reach.

  * * * *

  Yells and screams filled the air, cutting Galen and his people short as they tried to reason with Bojore on the delicate mating issue. Everyone stared at each other for a minute before jumping to their feet and rushing out the door toward the sound of fighting and cursing. Sound of things breaking soon followed the cursing and yelling drifting through the house.

  With Galen taking the lead and following the sound of scuffle, he pushed open the door only to stop in his tracks in shock at the sight before him. Everyone else was also frozen behind him as they stared at the two men, one light, one dark, pulling their hands back and throwing a punch at the other, clothes torn in places, potteries and other things broken all over the floor.

  The place was a mess, and none of the two cared for their environment except causing more harm to the other.

  “You evil spawn. I will teach you to steal what’s mine,” Darix yelled before picking up a thick parchment of papers from the floor and tearing it into two.

  Galen did not know what it was Darix had just torn but from the devastated look on his mate’s face and the tears that burned and hovered in his eyes, he could tell that it was of utmost importance to his mate. He then watched as though in slow motion as Finc lifted a jar from the bedside table and threw it at Darix, watching as it
connected with the other man’s chest and sent him flying to the floor from the impact.

  He watched as Finc followed, landing on top of Darix and pummeling the man as he yelled over and over again. Then was when Galen came back to himself and began moving once more. He wrapped his arms around his mate’s body, and when the man began struggling in his arms, tears dripping down his face, Galen tightened his hold on Finc and then lifted him off his brother. Well, half-brother to be more precise.

  It appeared as though the relationship between the two of them was not all it seemed to be. There was no love lost between the two brothers, and he hazarded a guess that Darix was not entirely blameless in this whole fiasco. The night before, he had seen firsthand the way Darix treated Finc, having no qualms about hitting him, and he had hated it. Seeing the two young men fight this morning once more, and he pretty much did not like Darix one bit.

  There was no way he would allow his mate close to his brother or the rest of his family once they left here and were mated. However, until then, he had to put a tight lid on his feelings on the issue so as not to cause a rippling effect on the political consequences that would arise.

  When Darix carefully got to his feet and was about to fly off the handle at his mate once again, Galen hardened his mind and his eyes, staring icily at the man.

  “Enough!”

  “By the gods, what in the bloody hell happened here?” Bojore asked as he stared at his two sons.

  Darix glared at Finc, raising his chin haughtily. “He started it. I came here prepared to talk some sense into him, and he flew off the handle and began hitting me.”

  Finc stiffened in Galen’s arms and then turned to glare at his half-brother. “That is a bloody lie, you bloody bastard. You woke me up and began breaking my things and calling me names and you hit me first. I was only defending myself.”

  “You heard him, Papa. This is what I’ve had to deal with. Him calling me names.” Turning to smirk at Finc, Darix continued, “And I’ll thank you not to call me a bastard. After all, I have both my parents well and truly alive and in holy matinghood. The same can’t be said of you though what, with your mother abandoning you and foisting you off like unwanted luggage at my family.”

  Finc wiggled, fists extended as he fought in Galen’s grips to reach Darix and pummel him further. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” he yelled, his face turning pink in rage and frustration at the steel grip he was enfolded in.

  “What? Does the truth hurt to hear, brother mine?”

  “You are a pig. An unfeeling, selfish prick,” Finc yelled, too enraged to care about anything but having Darix shut up and get out of his sight.

  “Better than a thief and a beggar,” Darix tossed back at him as he straightened his dress, smugness written all over his features.

  “Get out,” Galen said, his voice low and deadly as he stared at Darix, angry on behalf of his mate and the harsh words thrown his way.

  Darix flushed and, as though seeing him for the first time, tried to arrange his features into a pleasant mask. “Your Highness.”

  “I said get…out,” Galen said, his face an impassive icy mask as he stared at the other man without giving an inch.

  Darix opened his mouth as though to say something, but the hard set of Galen’s jaw, the thin line of his mouth, and the dangerous glint in his eyes gave Darix a pause. He sent one final glare in Finc’s direction before turning on his heels and flouncing out of the room.

  The moment Darix was out of their sight Finc felt his legs buckle under his weight as though the adrenaline that had been holding him in place suddenly vanished, and he was unable to support his weight. It was only Galen’s arms around him that held him in place. Otherwise, he would not have been able to face his father and stepmother and the rest of them staring at him as though he’d grown a second head.

  “This is not behavior I will condone, Finc. I will deal with you later. As soon as I get to the bottom of this issue,” Bojore said as he stared at Finc without any emotions on his face.

  Finc glanced away from his father, the ever-present feeling of disappointment and not being good enough settling like lead in his stomach. Nothing he ever did seemed to please his father, and no matter how he tried, he could still not yet come to terms with the fact that his own father did not care about him one way or the other. When Bojore said he’d get to the bottom of this issue, he generally meant he’d listen to Darix’s side of the story, and then blame him and punish him for it.

  After all, Darix could do no wrong in his father’s eyes whereas he was a punching bag for the rest of the family, the exception of when he stayed completely out of everyone’s sight and minds. He could also see the disgust in his stepmother’s eyes, for she did not try to hide it one bit. She had never once accepted him, in fact, going so far as to hate him from the moment he had been brought to his father’s house.

  He had never known a kind word from any of them or seen an inkling of love for him from them. It was like he was a mistake made in the heat of the moment, even though they had been gracious enough to put a roof over his head and feed him.

  If his own family did not want him or love him, what would his mate think? He did not know Galen at all despite the fact that they were mates. Would the man think it was acceptable to continue to treat him this way? After all, he hadn’t said anything in his defense so far. Just kept him from fighting and sent Darix away. He did not know whether he was glad his mate kept quiet or saddened that the man saw no need to defend him at all.

  “I will take him to my room and return to the study to continue or discussion shortly,” Galen said as he swept Finc into his arms and marched out of the room with his mate staring away from him. Whether in shame or embarrassment, he did not know.

  Chapter Six

  Galen kicked the door to his room shut behind him, then moved toward the large bed, and deposited his mate into it. He sat on the bed beside his mate and eyed the man, not saying anything as he watched the other man avoid looking at him. They sat in the uncomfortable silence for a while until Galen sighed, rubbing a hand over his nape.

  “Do you want to tell me about it?” Galen asked quietly.

  Finc was quiet for such a long time that Galen did not expect an answer from him, but he soon saw Finc shake his head, fingering his torn cloth. “It won’t change anything,” he said quietly and all without still staring at Galen.

  Something in Finc’s demeanor allowed Galen to see that he would not get anywhere with questioning his mate so he sighed once more. “Have a bath, Finc, then change into something else. I will be with your father if you need me. Until then, stay here and relax. No one will bother you anymore.”

  Finc nodded, still not meeting Galen’s eyes. When Galan realized that was the best he would get out of his mate, he leaned forward and dropped a kiss to the man’s fair head before turning on his feet and walking out the door, shutting it behind him.

  Finc stared at the closed door. For how long, he didn’t remember. He did not know what to think. How to act. Did his mate blame him? Would he not want him anymore? Well, even if his mate by some sort of miracle still managed to still want him, his father would do everything possible to ensure that this advantageous mating did not pass Darix by.

  He just knew it. His father would never go along with the plan to let Finc mate Galen and be happy for them. No his father was quite content to pretend that Finc certainly did not exist, only talking to him, or more like ordering him about personally, when he absolutely had to. What would happen to him now? After the debacle with Darix in his room, he just knew deep down that he had worn out his welcome with this family.

  He had to start making arrangements to leave this house. If his mate did not want him any longer, then he would go to Jory. His friend would want him. His friend would never turn his back on him. It was that thought that had always been the one constant in his life.

  Until he was sure what would happen between him and his mate, he needed to pack his most important valuab
les and transfer them. He could not trust them in his own room, else Darix or someone else might just be tempted to further destroy months of his hard work and his own means of supporting himself should he leave this household.

  Getting up from the bed, he walked toward the door and pulled it open slightly only to see two guards, definitely Galen’s, standing outside the room. He pulled open the door farther and then slid through the cracked space before shutting it behind him.

  “I need to pack a few things,” Finc said as explanation. Though why he bothered, he did not know since they did not ask him.

  They did, however, nod their heads and follow him as he trudged through the passageway leading to his bedroom. It was not long before he stood in the open doorway of his bedroom, and as he stared at the destruction of the room, he felt a twinge of guilt and sadness wash through him. The easy ways of avoidance in the past were long over. After this, he would not have any family any more.

  It hurt to think of it, but it was the reality of his situation right now. Finc glanced around his bedroom, noticing all his hard work stacked over each other in three separate piles on one side of the room. The top of one of the stack was less one bound fine paper that had been his newest book he’d just finished transcribing onto it. All the hard work that had gone into the book, gone, and he could not stop the tremble of his lips that resulted from that thought.

  Straightening his spine, Finc marched into the room straight for the torn booklet on the floor. He picked it up, gathered it together, and looked at it. He would just have to start all over again. He would not let this small setback affect him. Standing, he turned to the guards and straightened, chin up.

  “May I request your assistance?” Finc asked.

  “Of course, my lord. What do you need our assistance for?” one of the guards asked.

  Nodding toward the pile of books, Finc said, “I would like to have these books moved to his highness’s room if you do not mind.”