I Claim Your Love novel Chapter 59

A few days back

The motion of the chiming bells was the only sound that could be heard in the otherwise serene room. Einar kept staring at his locket which had all of a sudden lost all its glow. His demon had never showed after that fateful day. What surprised him though was that his wolf was eerily calm as well. Like the absence of a peculiar someone did not affect the animal at all. How was it possible?

He took a deep sigh and dejectedly lowered his locket from his hand "Is it necessary?"

"Yes it is."

"I am not ready.." Einar slowly turned his head to the left "How can I betray Callan."

Garrick scoffed and sighed in defeat. It had been the same conversation for the past several days. Garrick was sick and tired to argue with his best friend to make him understand that the pack came first. He tried his best to help him forget the green eyed man but he failed every time. It was as if Einar was completely intoxicated by the charms of Callan. It was frustrating for Garrick.

The beta stood from his place and looked at the muscular man with concern. "You have done that already. It is high time Einar."

"My conscience is refusing to do this."

"You have to make things right before going to the kings palace."

A long silence followed and Einar slowly raised his head with hope in his eyes "Will he be there?"

"No he wont." Garrick shook his head in disbelief "Stop talking about him already."

"It has been a month. I haven't seen him." A small water drop rolled through Einar's cheek as he pleaded Garrick "I want to see him. Just a glimpse that's all."

"We have talked about this Einar. We did this for a cause. The probable reason he is not showing himself is because maybe he doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. Maybe its time that both of you moved on with your respective lives."

The words broke the man once again and he returned to his indifferent, vulnerable state. "I feel so empty.."

Garrick felt sympathetic towards the pathetic state of the muscular man. "What have you done to yourself!"

Einar's once sculpted body had lost its sheen. The warmth of his face was long gone while it was as if he had forgotten to even smile. Einar was a real mess.

"Everyone in the pack is worried for your health. You have already lost a lot of weight. I am done lying to the entire pack! What more reason should I give for you to not step out of your room?"

"I don't want to go. That's final."

Even before Garrick could argue any further, his nostrils were attacked by a familiar scent. He narrowed his eye brows to recall the person and upon realizing who the man was, a small smile formed on his face. A swift knock on the door diverted the friends attention to the door as Garrick stood on his feet and met the stranger with a tight hug.

Both the men exchanged pleasantries and the stranger looked at Einar with delight and an equal surprise. The stranger had strawberry blonde hair while an inferno spewing axe was tattooed on his muscular neck on both the sides. He went ahead and greeted Einar with an embrace.

"Hello Fenwick." Einar said with a weak smile "It has been a long time."

"Hello Einar. You have changed a lot. I almost could not recognize you. Alpha Ragnar told me that you were sick so I came to check on you."

"I am fine." He gestured a hand towards his body "My family just has a habit of making a fuss about nothing."

Fenwick raised a brow "As you say."

An uncomfortable silence followed and finally it was Garrick who took charge "So are you ready for the annual meeting of the alphas."

"It is my first year as the alpha." Fenwick smiled the brightest "I am ready."

"Is that why you are so excited?"

"Not exactly." He turned his shoulder to the left as the conversation was now being held between Garrick and him "I have found my mate. Her name is Debrina and she works in the royal palace."

"I think I've heard this name somewhere."

The man nodded "You must have. She is one of the four personal maids of the princess."

"Beatrice?"

Fenwick smiled with distaste and again nodded "I met her on the last day of our training and that was the day I found Debrina following the princess with a tray of fruits."

"Why haven't you claimed her up until now? What took you so long?

"You know how Beatrice is. She loves to possess things. If her eyes feast onto something than she has to have it."

"I don't understand."

"Debrina has been her obedient maid since a long time. Beatrice doesn't want to give up on her prized possession. She has to have her at any cost. She wont easily let her go."

"That is really unfortunate. So what are you going to do now?"

"I have had talks with my father and some other alphas. The woman cannot keep my mate away from me for long."

"This is really insane." A glint of hate and disbelief marked Garrick's face "I pray for every soul who comes in contact with her. If she likes someone than there's definitely nothing the person can do. I mean she is the princess after all."

"Sheldon, Blaxton, Carnelia they all have been victims. All trapped by the princess for their qualities. However there has only been one exception."

"Who is it?" Garrick asked with curiosity.

"I don't recall his name but the princess calls him her ultimate prize. He has been the only one to refrain himself from falling in the trap."

"He definitely must have a stronger alpha wolf to deny the princess."

"That's the point." Fenwick giggled "He isn't a wolf. He is just a human."

"That's impossible!" Garrick's eyes widened "Why does a royal blood is so engrossed with a human?"

"Sheldon says that he is like no other. His beauty exceeds the entire male population of the royal palace. He says that he hasn't seen a handsome man as such before."

"It is strange. When did Beatrice met the human? She never visited the human settlement as far as I know."

"Debrina told me that the princess met him by accident on the Stowe lake. He was playing with his were-bear friend back then."

The mention of the were bear caught Einar off guard. "What did you say!"

He had been a passive listener to the entire conversation. However his interest now piqued since he was suspicious and in a way sure of the person who Fenwick was referring to. A slow but raging anger was building up inside of him. Fenwick was feeling tensed by the dominating aura of Einar which was growing all of a sudden.

Calm down Einar. This may not be what you think.

Garrick's request diverted Einar and he took long breaths to calm himself "Please continue."

Fenwick looked strangely at Einar and then at Garrick but he deduced the reason for Einar's mood swings was because of his health. He slightly shrugged and smiled "The boys were around sixteen I guess. The princess and her crew stopped by the lake for some rest when she heard the laughter. This intrigued her and she went closer to look at source behind the melodic laugh. Debrina says that Beatrice behaved as if some spirit had taken over her body. She stepped inside the water and even before anyone could realize it she launched herself on the boy.."

Einar gritted his teeth "When you say launched herself.."

"She tried to force herself on him.."

It had been there; the burning rage in his gut. The light flames of his anger were slowly gaining momentum. And when he hard the last sentence Einar's mind was ready to be blown. The anger in him bubbled and he growled with his might. He stood up from his place and smashed the window with the power of his fist.

Garrick was at his side the next moment as he tried to calm down his best friend. Fenwick on the other hand was confused by the abrupt behavior of Einar "Relax. Why your being so angry?"

"I am sorry." Einar kept his eyes stern "I felt bad for the boy." Though it was hard for him to hear any further Einar willed his mouth to speak "What happened next?"

"The princess wasn't letting it go. She clung to the boy like a magnet. His body was decorated with claw marks and canine bites. She was ready to devour him then and there. Ultimately it was the were bear friend who finally succeeded in separating the both. He slashed open the neck of the princess and saved his friend's life."

Einar's eyes were turning its color from the normal brown to the devilish red. He wanted blood. He wanted to sever the head of the princess from her body. Garrick didn't knew what he was supposed to do. He cleared his throat in hesitation and diverted Fenwick's attention to himself "Did she try something of this sort again?"

"Not that I know of. King Stanislas knew about the incident and he was pissed. Ashamed at the fact that his own daughter would stoop so low. He punished her as he deemed fit. However we all know the princess. Beatrice made it her mission to have the boy all for herself one day."

"She still wants him?"

Fenwick nodded "She does."

"Do you happen to know the name of the boy?"

"Debrina did tell me his name." Fenwick squeezed his eyes as he strained his brain to recall the name of the boy "Let me think.. uhh.. It was Coulter.. uhh no uhm.. Clinton.. uhmm no no Carren.."

"Callan." Einar said with an unknown expression.

"Yes exactly." Fenwick grinned childishly as if he had solved the puzzled "His name was Callan."

The side of Einar's lips curved and he sternly looked at his best friend with determination. "Garrick lets pay a visit to the king. We have to attend the annual meeting of the alphas after all."

****

After coming out of the changing room Beatrice stationed herself in front of the large mirror. She sat on her seat and frequently dabbed her face with the silk napkin. She carefully accessed her blouse to fit in the artificial cups so as to make herself look large. Just as she was about to apply the beauty lotion on her face her hands slipped and she gasped in horror. She turned around in a jiffy and asked in surprise "What in the world. How did you.. Why are you here?"

Einar folded his hands behind his head and rested his body on the bed of the princess. He smirked a little at the frightened state of the lady "That's certainly not a good way to welcome your guest."

"What do you want Einar?"