Hard decisions to be made
Nicholas's POV
I stood at the kitchen table, hands gripping the back of the chair like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. With the way I held the wood, I was almost sure that it could snap any moment from now. Mum had gone out for some luna meeting. I could deal with her later. It was just dad I wanted to talk to today.
What he had said to me the day I brought Azaria home had been ringing in my head. I went to bed thinking about it. and now I have finally arrived at an answer. I stared up at him. He was at the kitchen sink washing dishes.
Stress.
That was the only reason Dad washed dishes early in the morning. He always did that to manage stress. I hoped I was not part of the reason he wanted to do that. He turned around to keep a plate when he saw me.
"hey son "dad said and continued washing the plates.
" Hi Dad" I gave him a small smile.
"what are you doing here son?" I let out a deep breath.
"Dad we need to talk" I said. The vein on his head bobbed and he coughed.
" I'm not gonna mince words son" he said. "You and I know, you're making a mistake," he said, his voice low but firm. "You don't even know her. How are you sure that's you mark?"
"dad come on I know her," I shot back. " I mean we all know Azaria but Dad I know her, even Better than anyone. Better than you think."
He shook his head, slow and tired. "You've known her for what, a year? That's not enough time to—"
"It's enough time to know I want to spend the rest of my life with her, hasn't she and Ashley been best friends for like forever I know her" I snapped, louder than I meant to. My voice echoed off the cabinets, made the tension in the room tighten another notch. I never intended to raise my voice at dad but he just doesn't want to see things from my own point of view.
He exhaled through his nose, like he was trying not to lose it. "This isn't about love, it's about judgment. About choosing someone who will stand beside you when things get hard, not just when everything feels like a movie."
I laughed bitterly. "You mean like your first wife did with you?"
His eyes flashed, and I instantly regretted it. But I didn't take it back.
"This has nothing to do with Aliya" he said through gritted teeth.
"Doesn't it?" I said. "You think I'm making the same mistakes you did, but I'm not you. Dad you made a mistake but you were able to right you wrong when you married mum. Azaria is not Aliya. Don't judge them alike because they both come from poor backgrounds"
He looked away, jaw tight. I could see the words he wanted to say but didn't.
"She's kind," I went on, softer now. "She makes me want to be better. And when I'm with her, I feel like I can actually breathe for once. Isn't that what you always wanted for me?"
He was quiet for a long moment. Then he said, "Sometimes love isn't enough."
"And sometimes it is," I said. "And you'll see that. One day, you will."
He didn't answer. He just nodded once, almost imperceptibly, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there in the echo of everything we hadn't said. Before I could walk out of the kitchen, dad walked in. His eyes were wide and he was breathing heavily like he had seen a vampire or a witch.
"There's a problem son" he said in between breaths.
"What?"
" The Volcans"
****************************************
"I'm so sorry son" dad ran a hand through his hair. He looked worn out. We had been awake. All night. Brainstorming with the other beta and gammas on what was a perfect way to break off the betrothal to the Volcans. If we were not able to do that, it could work mean one thing and one thing only.
A war.
The Volcans were quiet troublesome. They take lands from small packs. They made people cry. So it was better to stay clear off them. But we were Allies. Good friends. But this conversation could bring nothing but war for us if they do not agree to our terms of refusal.
I patted his back. "It's alright dad"
He stood up from the chair and headed for the bathroom. I watched his slumped shoulders as he moved. The harm had already been done. The only way out of this is to face them head on.
The thing is, Dad had promised the Volcans, the 3rd family and the strongest werewolf in the whole lycanthropy that, I would marry their daughter. But that was before I showed Azaria that I was her mate. I didn't know that would also happen.
He said he did that because he wanted me to be secured for the throne. Around us in the pack were elders who had sons that were eyeing my seat as Alpha. And they were waiting for any slip to have my head on the stake and have my heirship revoked. If that happened, the alpha ship would leave my lineage and go to someone else. That was what kept me on my toes. The competition in the werewolf Kingdom.
"Your highness" a guard walked up to me.
"What?"
"The messenger to the Volcans is ready to go, do you have anything else to say to him" I stood up and walked out of the house. I took the letter from the shaking messenger. He knew one thing. The Volcans would surely kill him but he still decided to go.
Then I got into the car.
The guards ran. " Your highness what are you doing?"
"I'm delivering the message myself. Tell that to my father" and then I drove off.