"Yes, Cooper." Nick closed the boot.
"I think I could sleep for a week." I sighed and leant my head into Chase's shoulder as he held me close to his side. I hadn't slept once, since Cooper was hurt. Three days with no sleep and now entering my fourth wasn't working well for me. My insides felt asleep already.
"Mom," Cooper was pulling on my free arm, while I groaned and pretended to ignore him, smiling into Chase's shoulder.
"Mom!"
"Yes, Cooper."
"Will you watch the reruns with me?" He opened his eyes up slightly bigger, both hands wrapped around my arm, begging me to say yes.
"If you shower and put your Pyjamas on. Yes."
His pleading face bloomed into a full massive grin and if it wasn't for the shut front door. I think he would have charged through it.
Laughing, I unlocked the front and walked in. A familiar scent invaded me, a scent which burnt my nose.
Gasping, my mouth went dry and Chase must have also picked up on the scent, because I noticed how he reached out and grasped Cooper to his chest. Stepping more into the foyer, I studied the lounge room. Watching as our uninvited guest turned around to meet my stare.
"Mother, what are you doing here?" I held a hand up behind my back, making sure Chase remained out of sight with Cooper. My eyes were still covered in shock, in fact I felt like I was frozen in shock.
How had she found us?
She got up from our couch. Her hair was still a blonde sheet which hung loosely around her shoulders. My eyes snapped across to an armchair as I noticed a dark figure rise from it.
Flicking on the light switch, the room snapped into life. My heart welled with happiness, as I took in his dominant posture, his face was as strong as I remembered but there was a slight darkness that shadowed under his eyes.
"Liam." I smiled at him. "How did you two find me?" I looked between both of them, as they both raked their eyes up and down me; taking in my new appearance. Not that I looked differently. I still looked the same , but I had noticed the slight greyness tint to my eyes. Which by the looks of their stare; was their focus.
"With difficultly." My mother's voice was a low hush, "Now, are you going to let my grandchild come in, or is he to stay outside in the cold?"
My mouth dropped open. She knew, how? How could she know? No one knew about Cooper! I was sure about it. Surely none had told her. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Nick's and Chase's shock; they both looked as shocked as me. Chase must have pushed Cooper outside with Serenity and Ryan.
"Serenity, Ryan," my mother's voice went a little higher, "Bring him in."
"Don’t,” I quickly shouted and then spun around to look at my mother, my eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here?"
Why was I suddenly all defensive? Who was I kidding; when it came to my family, I had every right to be defensive.
"Isabella, do not growl at me." My mother snapped and widened her eyes slightly. I didn't even know I was growling. But when it came to Cooper, I couldn't help but roar in defence.
"Why are you here?" I moved more into the lounge room, making sure their focus remained on me.
"The question is why you are not happy to see us?" Liam scoffed and crossed his arm, "I haven't seen you in over five years, close to six, and this is how you greet me?"
"You are uninvited." I pointed out, "And there are reasons why I haven't seen you Liam, you know that this isn't personal."
"Reasons which are soon to be erased." My mother spoke up and broke mine and Liam's intense stare. "Sit Isabella, it's about time you know something."
She sat back comfortable in the couch and crossed her legs. Tapping her finger on the armchair, waiting for me to be seated so she could tell me whatever it was that made her hunt us down.
Chase placed a hand on the middle of my back, "What harm will it do Is?" He whispered in my ear.
Sighing, I linked my hand in Chase's behind me. "You're doing this with me." I whispered over my shoulder before we both moved into the lounge and sat across from my mother.
I noticed her and Liam both staring and frowning at our entangled hands. If they knew us both, they would know it was out of friendship, but by my mother's frown, I could tell she thought it meant something else.
Crossing my legs and locking my eyes with my mother. "So tell me mother, what is it that has driven you to hunt me down after all this time?"
She sighed softly and glanced at Liam as he went to sit next to her. "There are some things you need to know."
"About?" My voice was steadier than how I felt.
"Connor."
Connor
"Couldn't wait to pack." I grunted and glared at May's packed bags as Melissa handed them to the driver.
"Connor, I have already told you, we are leaving once this party is over." Melissa crossed her arms. "I suggest you get over it."
"She's my daughter." I snarled. "You're taking her away from me!"
Melissa looked uneasy and gulped slightly before turning around and walking away from me. Cursing under my breath as I followed her thought our courtyard of course she would choose to leave today, today I couldn't do anything about it.
I couldn't make a scene in front of all our guests. Guests she invited here. I ground my teeth as I heard the roar of laughter and conversation as I now walked down the garden steps.
Melissa had decided after all her nagging at me to have the ballroom, to actually have the party outside in our open gardens. I suppose with the amount of people here, it was a good idea — we could have run out of air in the ballroom.
"King Connor."
I glanced at the man with an Alpha dominant air around him. He placed a hand out for me. Taking it politely and hid my annoyance that this man was stopping me from tracking Melissa down. I saw her head disappear in the sea of people.
"It's an honour to be invited." The man said nicely and then placed a hand on the woman next to him, "This is my wife Katie. Oh, I don't think I introduced myself. I'm Alpha Jordan."
I nodded my head to the woman as she smiled sweetly to me and acknowledged his introduction to himself. Well, I guess that now takes the awkwardness of not knowing how he was away. I had many Alpha's under me, it was hard to remember each one and I rarely saw them — so I couldn't pick them on appearance either.
"Don't they look the same?" She whispered up into her husband's ear. I wasn't sure if she was trying to keep their interaction private, but considering our hearing, I assumed she didn't care if I heard it.
"Exactly the same." He said amazed down at her. "I can't believe you picked up on that."
They both flicked their attention back at me. Which I couldn't help but frown at, as they both studied my eyes. Arching an eyebrow at their weird behaviour, Katie quickly looked to the ground.
"Sorry my King, it's just we had this boy in our care for a few days and well. . ." Alpha Jordan broke off again, locked his eyes with mine. "He had your eyes."
"My eyes?"
"Yes but they tinted blue in colour when he was happy." Katie added and I noticed her too studying my eyes. Now her confidence returned.
I shifted from foot to foot, feeling uncomfortable under their examination. No one had my eyes, no one had even a familiar shade of black, not even my father. My eyes mirrored my grandmothers, and she died a long time ago. I had hoped that the gene would be carried on to my children, but May didn't have them and I now knew that it was close to impossible now that they would be carried on.
"Strange," I finally spoke and it seemed to break them out of their examination.
"Very." Alpha Jordan cleared his throat, "His name was Cooper," He spoke slowly as if waiting for me to remember the child's name, or acknowledge I had a love child out there somewhere.
"He sounds like an interesting boy." I finally said, and glanced over top of their heads as I heard May squeal in joy as she opened a present. "I should really go see my daughter." I smiled and made a move to depart from them.
"Are you sure you don't kn
ow him?" Katie placed a hand on my upper arm, stopping me from walking past her.
"Katie." Alpha Jordan growled lowly from beside her, clearly worried about my reaction to her touch.
"No." I glanced at her hand and then locked my eyes with her. Making sure she got the point to remove her grasp on me.
"His mother her name was Isa. . ."
"Enough Katie." Alpha Jordan pulled her hand away from me "We apology. Please go see your daughter."
"What did you say her name was?" I narrowed my eyes at Katie as she shifted nervously into her husband's arms. Her fear was now leaking around her. "Answer me, what was the mother's name."
"It was a rouge family." Alpha Jordan answered me. "None of importance."
"What was her name?" I heard my voice lower into a growl.
"Isabella." Katie choked and backed further away from me "Cooper's mother, her name was Isabella."
"Was her last name Blackmore?"
"No." Alpha Jordan wrapped Katie into his chest. "I wouldn't help a rouge that followed another throne. Sorry for our questions King. She was with a mate, anyway."
My head snapped in the direction of a blood curling squeal. I left the pair without a second look as I pushed my way through the crowd. May's cry of pain, forcing me to knock others out of the way.
Whispers of panic flooded the air as I moved closer. Breaking out of the crowd, May was curled in a ball on the ground.
I glanced at Melissa, she was frozen in terror. Terror I couldn't understand.
"Clear the gardens." I roared and immediately people began to push and shove, shattering away.
"Melissa, where are you going?" I snapped, watching her turn her back to us as I kneeled down to May.
"MELISSA! SHE' CHANGING!" I yelled to her back as she ran away. Why would she leave May at this time?
"Don't call her back." Tyler snapped at me, where he came from I didn't know. "Hopefully she won't return."
I rolled my eyes at his remark, as he sighed, frowning with concern as he watched May twist in another wave of pain.
The gardens were now empty, only the three of us now here. I glared off in the direction of where Melissa had run. How could she just leave when her daughter was changing? I wouldn't be letting her take May after this.
"Connor, back away." Tyler placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled me away from May.
Stumbling to my feet, I took a few steps away from her. May's body twisted and turned, and I couldn't help but feel pride as I watched her.
"So how does it feel?" Tyler kept his hand on my shoulder.
"How does what feel?" I questioned him, not understanding what he was implying.
"A changing? Some say your child's change is as painful as your own." Tyler frowned. "But you don't look in pain."
Frowning, he was right. I wasn't feeling anything; parents usually have a connection with their child, to talk them through this. Why was I not feeling this?
I snapped my eyes over to May and a little cub, meet my eyes terrified. She was small, smaller than usual for a cub. Her fur was a light brown colour, just like Melissa's. My breathing paused and Tyler's grip on my shoulder tightened.
She was a normal looking cub, she looked like a normal cub. Any parent would be proud in this moment. May was a healthy cub. There was just one thing missing, and that one thing meant everything to me. As her father.
She had no crest in her fur and I had no connection to her. Which only meant one thing, I had been deceived.
Chapter Fifteen
Isabella
"Connor?" I shook my head, not believing what I had just heard. "You hunted me down to tell me something to do with Connor?"
"Don't look so surprised." My mother glanced across at Liam before looking back to me. "Your happiness means a lot to me, to us."
"Us, well I know you aren't talking about father."
"Your father is a great man-"
"I know a great man, who places his throne above everything. Including his family, but yet he loves us deeply. I don't need to hear the speech mother. I know it, backwards."
"Fine. Then. " She snapped and threw her hands in the air. "Let me tell you something, you don't know."
I arched an eyebrow and my whole expression screamed confidence. But yet my insides were on fire, with alert; fearing the words she wanted so much to tell me. Chase squeezed my hand, that boy knew me to well. He wasn't fooled by my cool exterior.
"Connor is King now, you know this?"
I nodded my head and suppressed the feeling of bitterness that crept up my veins as I thought of the Queen at his side; the Queen which stayed in his bed, the Queen which had my King. "Even some things don't stay unheard." I straighten my back up slightly. "Continue Mother, you're wearing out your welcome."
"Connor's marriage to Melissa is a lie."
"They're married, I spoke to him." My fingers curled slightly, and I clenched my jaw. I hated feeling rippled with hurt and betrayal. Her words were salt, and it was only burning my open wounds. "Don't tell me otherwise."
"I said it was a lie Isabella, I didn't say it didn't happen."
"Again, missing the point," I was aware my voice had lowered to a growl, and I was aware of Liam's aura of anger, as I continued to disrespect our mother. "Connor and Melissa's life has nothing to do with me now."
"He is your mate, isn't he?" She looked across at me, with a smug expression. "He has everything to do with you." Slowly she turned and looked out across the foyer, I knew she was waiting to catch a glimpse of Cooper. "May isn't his child."
She thought she could just come here, and what remind me that Connor has a wife? What? “What did you just say?" Her words now registering.
"May isn't his." She sighed softly. "I went to tell him, but he wouldn't believe me."
"And what you think I will?" I got up abruptly. "Who the hell do you think you ARE!? How dare you come here and lie to me!"
"She isn't lying." Liam got up, and for the first time I glanced into his eyes. They were dead with darkness. "Father planned the whole thing, Melissa was stupid enough to go along with it."
"Father would hurt me, but he wouldn't do that. Not to me."
"He has Isabella." Liam moved to stand closer to me, but I took a step back as he did. "May isn't Connor's child, he will know soon enough when she changes."
I felt the tears well up in my eyes. "Lies."
"Think about it Is," Chase stood up and hovered close to me. "It makes sense. Your father wanted you to rule, he would have thought you would have took the throne in revenge."
"And he expected you to wipe them out, before the secret was revealed. He knew Connor couldn't fight back, not against you." Liam shrugged his shoulders. "His plan was fool proof."
“Fool proof?” I roared, “Is that what you call it? Because I see only the pain he has brought onto Connor and myself!”
"Isabella, calm down." My mother stood with an air of calmness, her hands out, gesturing for me to relax. But the red tint was already blurring my vision, as everything became a deep red.
"For years, I have lived with the pain of Connor being with another and now, you tell me that it was for nothing!"
"Don't forget Is, Connor still slept with her. Just no child was created from it." Liam's voice was harsh.
"I would have forgiven him for that!" I snarled, and I knew I spoke the truth. "Mates are meant to be together! I would have forgiven him, sure it may have taken awhile but I can bloody well tell you it wouldn't of taken six fucking years!"
"Isabella!" my mother gasped. "Do not use that language!"
"Get out of my house!" I screamed and Chase tensed beside me, I knew when it came down to the line, he would throw them out; if I asked him. "Now!"
"No." My mother's lips twitched firmly. "Now sit down, so we can do something about this."
"This has nothing to do with you! It's between Connor and I!"
"And your son." My mother smugly sat back into the couch, crossing her arms. "The heir to two thrones.
So I suppose, in a way, he belongs somewhat to us." She arched an eyebrow, her threat clear. "Sit down Isabella and do not push me to do something I do not want too."
"They’re not alone," Ryan growled from the door frame, now making an entrance. He nodded his head in the direction of them. "They have guards out the front." Ryan's eyes meet mine for a moment and that was all I needed to know. He had the situation under control and I felt reassured immediately.
"One must come prepared." My mother smiled at Ryan, which he meet with narrowed, suspicious eyes. "It is lovely to see you again, Ryan."
He grunted before he turned his back to her, rudely. "Cooper's gone." He said bluntly before he slammed the front door. Cooper was gone, which was him telling Chase and I, Serenity has him and most likely had taken him to Anne's.
"Where has he gone?" My mother sat up straight, alert.
"Not your concern." Chase growled, and my head snapped in his direction.
"Well Chase, this is a different side to you." She looked at him with wide eyes. Chase had treated my mother like his own. Never had he disrespected her.
"Threatening my family, brings out the worst in me." He spat. "Isabella's listening, I suggest you get to your point. What do you want?"
Liam made a grunting noise. "Your family? Nice to know Chase, I didn't make the cut."
"Well you didn't stand by us, did you?" Chase spat in his direction. "How's castle life treating you Liam? Still nice and fluffy. You always were a Prince."
Liam went to get up defensively, but mother quickly placed a hand on his lap and for some reason it stopped him from charging over here. Though by Chase's intense glare, he wanted Liam over here.
"All I want you to do Isabella is for you to contact Connor and tell him you have his son. That is it." My mother said calmly. "No strings, no fine print. Contact Connor, tell him the truth. That is it."
I had to be missing something. I glanced out the corner of my eye at Chase, his face tight and glaring at Liam. I couldn't get any emotion out of him, of what he thought of this.
My mother looked calm. I shifted under her cool eyes, which were waiting for my reaction. Why did she suddenly care about Connor knowing the truth, after all these years of lying?
Royal Blood and One Forever : Book Three Page 11