The Alpha Prince And His Bride
Book 2 The Alpha’s Forbidden Bride – Episode 30

~EDEN~

“We can’t stay here.” I told James, looking around me frantically. “We must go now. When they replace out that I’m missing, they will come for me.”

I felt my body begin to tremble as I thought about what they would do to us. I couldn’t let anything happen to James. We needed to get as far away from the council as possible. Hunter would be behind us as well, he hated being double crossed. There was no way that he would just let this slide easily.

To my surprise, James didn’t look like someone who was about to run. He had this determined look on his face, one that said he was ready for a war. I hoped that I didn’t read him correctly. My entire family was back there in the council. Whether they liked it or not, they would have to take the council’s side. Their lives depended on it. If James came here with the intention of war, I may lose the people that I cared about.

“Do not worry.” James assured me. “Look around, we have people by our side. You are safe Eden.” He said, confirming my earlier suspicions.

I followed his gaze and focused on the group of werewolves ready for war. They all had determined looks on their faces just like he did. These people were clearly here without fear for their own lives; they were here to show their support to James and his family.

But this wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want a war. The council had innocent people that would get involved in this battle, innocent people that didn’t end with my family. I didn’t want anything to happen to them during this fight.

“No.” I insisted. “My entire family is back there James. They are part of the council and will be forced to stay on their side. I don’t want to see them get hurt because of me. Let’s just leave please; I do not want a fight.”

James looked unsure by my request. I could see the conflicted look on his face and I couldn’t blame him. He understood that if we didn’t fight now, it would only be a matter of time before the actual fight happens. We would always be on the run from the council but I was okay with that if it meant that my family and all of the other innocent lives would be saved. I didn’t want the death of so many people on my hands.

“Do you know of anywhere that we can stay hidden?” James asked Austin after studying me; he must have realized that I would not accept this if it meant danger to my family. “Clearly we can’t go back home, that’s the first place that they would look for us.”

Austin shook his head. “They know everything; they know where we live, where our pack houses are. They would even search our entire kingdom if they have to. Anywhere that I think about, they would look for you.”

There was complete silence at Austin’s words, everyone wondering what the next step should be.

“We have a place.” A man I hadn’t seen before eventually cut in. “We can keep you both there safely, that is if you want to stay there.”

“Who are they?” I asked James anxiously. There were a lot of faces that I wasn’t familiar with here. However, there were a few men that stood out more than the others and for some reason they intimidated me.

There was a strong force about them. Each of them looked like they’d been trained for fighting like some sort of robots. No one should look this calm and unbothered before a huge war. They were all looking at me now and I found it hard to concentrate on my own thoughts when I had their full attention.

I thought only Hunter had the ability to make someone extremely uncomfortable but they also possessed the quality. This brought me to believe that they were just as dangerous as he was.

Who exactly were they? They all had this similarity about them and I had to wonder whether or not they were brothers.

James followed my gaze and seemed hesitant at first to answer my question. “These are the Blackners, they’re here to help us fight the battle . . . If there will be any.”

I held in the gasp that threatened to escape my mouth. Fear all but spiked all over me and I took a step closer to James without even realizing it.

The Blackners?

I’d heard stories about that family. Their reputation wasn’t exactly a good one. Not that the council had a good reputation either. But they were definitely bad, no one messed with them. Their technology was greater than anyone could ever imagine and it was their strong point, despite the fact that they fought like killing machines.

I wasn’t sure why James was here with these men. As far as I knew, the Blackners kept to themselves.

But here they were offering their help to us? Something wasn’t right, what did James and his family give up to get them on our side?

I remembered faintly a conversation that they were all having when James had returned from a trip. I didn’t remember him then and Lucy had mentioned something. She’d said that Lucas had to suffer because of these people.

Did he give up something to gain their help? I didn’t want that to be true. I hated involving people in our fights, it was unfair to them. No one should have to give up anything for my happiness.

“I think we should take Arthur’s offer.” Lucas said. “We don’t have any other options right now.”

Austin took a step closer to us. “Lucas is right, if Eden doesn’t want to put her family in danger, this is the best option that we have. I also think this is better for Lucy. It’s her family in there as well, she’s already stressed out about this whole thing and I’m afraid what that could to our baby.”

James nodded and pulled me closer into his embrace. “Let’s go.”

I looked behind me for a minute, staring of into the distance. I was leaving behind the people that I cared about to start a life with my mate. I didn’t want to do it but I also knew that I couldn’t live without James.

This was the most difficult decision I ever had to make and I hoped that I was making the right one.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~ISABELLA~

My hands were shaking as everyone started to turn and whisper amongst themselves. The crowd had been waiting fifteen minutes longer than I’d originally told them all that Eden would be down here for.

The prosecutor had sent someone to go get her five minutes ago and everyone was waiting for my sister to enter the ballroom with her wedding dress.

I tried to stay calm under the prosecutor’s penetrating gaze. By now I was sure that he knew that I was hiding something from everyone. He’d been around Eden and I long enough to know just how inseparable we were and how we acted whenever something was wrong.

My parents and brothers were frantic as they themselves started to search everywhere for my sister. No one asked me anything yet and I was grateful for that. I didn’t know how long I could keep up these lies.

But hopefully it would be long enough for Eden to escape from here and be with the man that she was meant to be with. I saw my sister lose her memory, I saw her struggle to come to terms with the fact that she could never be with her mate. I saw her suffer enough and I was not willing to see any more of that.

Who exactly were they? They all had this similarity about them and I had to wonder whether or not they were brothers.

This was my chance to repay her for everything she’s done for me. She was a great sister and I wanted to be one to her in return.

My gaze travelled to Hunter and I gasped as I found him looking at me. His penetrating gaze as always made me completely glued to the spot. There was no doubt that he knew that I had something to do with her disappearance. I expected him to come to me and demand an answer from me right away but none of that happened. Instead he just stood there looking at me like he wanted to devour me whole.

I shivered as my entire body grew hot all over.

I didn’t understand this. How could one man have such an effect on me?

I forced my gaze away as the servant came running back to us. “I can’t replace Eden anywhere, I’ve searched everywhere for her. I searched her room, even all of the rooms that she could be in. I searched the gardens, around it, I asked everyone and no one has seen her either. She’s gone.”

“WHAT?” The prosecutor roared. I jumped at his tone, this was the most angry I’d ever seen him. Usually, he would have his emotions under control. But this time he was extremely pissed.

“One of you,” he said as his eyes went to my family. “One of you knows where she is and you aren’t telling me.”

He walked over to us and examined our expressions one by one. I felt my heart begin to race as he stopped in front of me. His eyes were dark and cold as he glared at me with a knowing look.

“Isabella.” He said my name with haste. “Do you know where Eden is?”

I immediately shook my head. “No prosecutor.”

He took a step closer. “You were the last one that saw her.” He reminded me. “You informed me that she would be down here in ten minutes.”

I nodded. “I did. . . She was in the room with me when she told me that. I don’t understand where she could be. . . She doesn’t even remember any of us. I don’t understand what could have happened.” I lied.

I could see that he didn’t believe a word I’d just said. However, to my surprise he took a few steps back.

Was he going to drop this so easily? I knew him; there was something else that he was planning to do.

I watched as he called for one of the guards.

“Bring Isabella to the dungeons. She will be punished until she speaks the truth about Eden’s whereabouts.”

I gasped and my eyes widened in horror as the guard started for me. My brothers immediately stepped in front of me, each of them preventing anyone from getting any closer to me. Something unexpected happened right then and everyone was speechless at the sight in front of us.

Hunter was holding the guard by his neck, preventing him from taking another step in my direction. I watched in horror as the veins in his hands became more visible while he continued to choke the man.

“She said that she doesn’t know where her sister is.” He said flatly. “If she doesn’t know. . . She doesn’t. We’re wasting time here, if we want to replace Eden, we must move now.”

The prosecutor lifted a brow at his actions. “Alright . . . Let the guard go and lead the way.”

Hunter seemed reluctant to do as he was told and with narrowed eyes finally dropped him onto the ground.

Why did he do it? Why did it seem like he was trying to protect me?

I couldn’t think about that now. I had Eden to worry about, I had to hope that she’d somehow gotten far by now.