Thane
“Starr!” I yell my eighteen-year-old sister’s name while running into the courtyard. Lyric is right by my side, just where I like her.
The Royal Knight flags flap against the flag poles in the wind. The courtyard is full of people all standing around Starr. Tristan is in front of Starr, trying to wipe what looks like green goo from her hair.
“What is the meaning of this?” I bellow, causing everyone but Lyric and my siblings to bow in submission.
“Look what they did to me!” Starr screams, shoulders shaking. “I’m gonna kill them!”
“Tristan, explain.”
“Thorin and Tane pranked Starr. They must have rigged up the bucket earlier. We were walking back from school, got to the courtyard, and when Starr stepped under,” Tristan above us. “This happened.”
I look up at the flag pole just behind Starr. For the first time, I notice a bucket upended with remnants of green slime dripping from it. The rope proves the boys rigged it and pulled it once they saw Starr in the correct position. You’d think Thorin and Tane would have grown out of this sort of thing at twenty-eight.
“Why is it always me!?” Starr screams. “Thane...” She whines while elongating the A in my name.
“For the love of Fenrir,” I roll my neck and sigh. “Starr, go inside and get cleaned up; I’ll sort Thorin and Tane. The rest of you, go about your business!” The crowd disperses, and Tristan leads Starr away.
I’m going to kill Thorin and Tane!
Why can’t they grow up?
As if I don’t have enough to deal with, now I need to reprimand my siblings!
“So that was Tristan and Starr?”
“Mm.”
I walk towards my office, Lyric following. I shouldn’t have been sharp with her, but I’m annoyed with my siblings. They’re Royals and should behave as such! It’s as though they don’t care how much embarrassment they bring down on the Crown. I will be having words once I’m done with this meeting.
“Thane, I know you’re annoyed, but it was just a prank.”
I sit in my leather chair behind my oak desk and sigh.
My office is large, with a wooden floor, a large rug, chairs for guests, a couch, and an open fire. There are paintings on the wall, a portrait of my parents, siblings, and me. I can’t wait to have a portrait of Lyric and me hanging above the fireplace in here. I want them hanging all over the castle – A King and his Queen.
“Please talk to me.”
I look at Lyric, grab her waist, and pull her into my lap. She laughs and wraps her arms around my neck.
“They drive me nuts, Lyric. They always pull pranks on each other as if they were still kids. This was payback for Starr putting chili sauce in Thorin and Tane’s drink a few weeks ago. They never retaliate immediately; they like to make the prankee think they’ve forgotten what happened.
Theo and I were traveling at the time of Starr’s prank. But Tristan filled us in when he called to let us know how things were going.”
It’s been the same thing since Starr and Tristan were six. Thorin and Tane were sixteen and should have known better. But they went out of their way to put a spider in Starr’s bed. She retaliated by spraying shaving foam all over Thorin and Tane while they slept. It was everywhere, in their eyes, noses, and mouths.
Thorin and Tane came back with glue on Starr and Tristan’s bedsheets, which meant it took an hour to free the kids from their beds. To which Starr and Tristan turned Thorin and Tane into bug burritos. And so it continued for years.
Goddess knows when or if it will ever end, but I’m at the end of my rope!
“They sound like fun.”
“Mm. They’ve always had that rival twin thing going on. Thorin and Tane believe they’re the superior twins because they’re identical. Starr and Tristan believe they are because a male and a female, two halves of the same coin, are stronger because they know both sides.” I chuckle while shaking my head.
“There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition. But I can see how it might drive a person crazy.”
“They’re Royals, Lyric. It’s one thing to act like kids around the castle. It’s quite another to act out in front of our subjects. It’s not on, and I can’t allow it to continue.”
The door knocks, and Callen walks in, bowing in respect. “My King, My Queen. The parents have arrived.”
I stand from my seat, standing Lyric on her feet next to me. I move my chair to the left and grab another, placing it next to mine for Lyric.
“Thank you,” She smiles. I kiss her forehead just because I can.
“Show them in.”
Callen bows and then motions for the parents to enter – four men and four women.
“Your Majesty, I am Ren Collings’ father, Harold, and this is my mate, Linda.”
Harold is dressed in a dark suit with his blond hair slicked back. His blonde mate is wearing white suit pants, a pink silk shirt, and a white blazer.
I read reports on each family, and the Collings are wealthy and run several businesses in Lykos city. I should have recognized the name, but I was too angry to give it a second thought.
“We’re Stephan and Susan Holton, Amy’s parents.”
I’ve had encounters with Stephan Holton; he’s a lower-rank warrior. His wife works at the high school, and I can’t believe she didn’t know what was going on.
Susan, dressed in blue pants and a white blouse, takes her husband’s gray suit-clad arm. The smell of fear is rife in the room. Good, they should fear me.
I note each woman is dressed respectfully, while each man is dressed as though they were going to a board meeting. I know what they’re thinking, hoping I’ll believe they’re respectable people and their children are misunderstood. The only thing I believe is that their children are assholes, and they won’t get away with what they did lightly.
“Thomas and Ann Logan. We’re Phillipa’s parents.” The brown-haired Thomas tells me.
“And we’re Darrly and Sandra Cole, Kerry’s parents.”
I nod.
“I’d like to introduce you all to my mate and your Queen, Lyric.”
Each person bows respectfully. “My Queen.” They all reply in unison.
I can sense Lyric’s smile at being introduced officially and respected by these people.
“Take a seat.” They all do, in various seats in front of my desk. Lyric and I follow suit. “You all know why you’re here.” Each person nods. “What your daughters did was despicable!”
“I agree, my King.” Stephan nods. “None of us are disputing that. But, Your Majesty, our girls are just children.”
I narrow my eyes at the audacity!
Lyric lays her hand on my thigh, squeezing, silently telling me to stay calm. Easier said than done.
“And my sister is eleven years old! Your kids knowingly and willingly sought out my sister, their princess, and attacked her!”
“Please,” Sandra shifts in her seat, tears falling from her eyes. “Have mercy on my little girl. I know what she, they, all did was wrong. I swear I’ll make sure Kerry stays away from the others. I’ll even send her to my parent’s pack in Ireland. But please, don’t execute my baby, I beg you.”
All four women snivel while looking at me expectantly. Whatever they think crying will achieve, it won’t, and speaking out of turn and without permission is not on! I would have had their heads if they were anyone else. However, they’re parents, and all they want is to save their children, so I’ll let it slide this once.
“My King,” Howard wraps his arm around his wife’s shoulder, and she leans into him. “We understand the severity of what the girls did,”
“Do you?” I snap as Jagger pushes through. He’s now upfront with me, and everyone gasps. They know my Lycan is not forgiving. I try to regain control, but Jagger throws me back, taking over my body. ‘Your daughters will not be released and will be sentenced to death.’
‘Goddess damn, Jagger! You don’t get to decide these things!’
‘F.uck you. I’m King as much as you are!’
‘You know damn well that Esme doesn’t want the girls put to death or kept locked away forever.’
‘I do know that, but she’s eleven. One day, she’ll understand why these things have to happen the way they do. No one is permitted to commit a crime against a member of the Royal Family without serious consequences, Thane, and you know this!’
He cuts me off before I can reply, and I grit my teeth. I’m well aware of our laws, having written many of them myself. But it is also down to me to decide which route to take, not my Lycan! I always speak with the victims, if they survived what happened, and ask their opinion on the punishment of those who wronged them. Esme is eleven, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t give her the same respect as everyone else. I’m angry enough to gut those girls, but I know that wouldn’t be right, especially if they can be re-educated. But if Jagger has his way, they won’t live to see tomorrow.
Jagger stares down at the people in front of us. The smell of fear is now so thick in the air that it’s almost sickening, yet Jagger breathes it in and relishes it.
‘Your daughters committed treason. Did you not teach them as pups the punishment for attacking a Royal?’
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Stephan swallows hard. “What they did was wrong. But, my King, they are just children, and children do stupid things without thinking.”
‘But they are not children, Stephan; they are adults, two weeks away from graduating high school. Do not pull the child card with me. Had they fought someone of their own age, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Had they fought Starr, someone their own age, though she is much stronger, and it wouldn’t have been a fair fight, we wouldn’t be here now. But they didn’t confront Starr; they went after an eleven-year-old without thinking of the consequences!
Whimpers reach my ears, and I sigh. There’s nothing I can do to calm Jagger when he’s like this, and even I can feel the heat of his anger in the room.
‘They hurt my baby girl,’ Jagger continues. ‘Now I’m going to rip them to shreds!’
“No!” Ann sobs. “Please don’t, please!”
Everyone starts talking at once, begging for their child’s life. Jagger laughs, and I want to strangle him! Yes, these people needed to know there would be punishments for their children, but frightening them until they almost piss themselves isn’t the way to go about things!
“Your children will not be executed.”
‘What the hell, Lyric!?’