Chapter 26: Chapter 26

After mom left, I stood up to paint. That has been the only thing that keeps me busy, aside from my work and Maya. By the time I was done painting, It was evening already. I went to the bathroom to take my bath. I was already feeling bored and decided to take a stroll. I got dressed in black sweatpants and a sweatshirt with a hoodie. I don't want those guards following around like zombies. I left the room and went to the garden to have a quiet time. I needed some time to myself. I sat on the bench to reminisce on what mom had said earlier. I just don't understand why mom wants me and Elmira together. I've been seated for almost an hour when someone jumped on me. I groaned. From the scent, I knew it was Maya. "Hey, Maya"

She chuckled and sat down. "What are you doing here? Alone?"

I rolled my eyes. "Nothing"

She chuckled. "Are you running away from something?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I just need a bit of privacy"

She nodded. "I guess you need it". I nodded and relaxed. "The queen came"

I rolled my eyes. Of course, I know. "Yes"

She narrowed her eyes. "You knew she was coming to see Elmira?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, she came to see me"

She chuckled. "Guess she told you she was going to make Elmira accept you"

I rolled my eyes. Accept me?. That wasn't our discussion. "I don't know of that"

She furrowed her brows. "You don't?". I nodded. She sighed. "You don't know about the wedding either?"

Wedding?. I furrowed my brows. "What wedding?"

She chuckled. "The wedding between you and Elmira"

My eyes widen and I sat up quickly. A wedding between me and Elmira? How? When?. She must be pulling my legs. "You're joking right?"

She shook her head. "I'm not"

I hissed. Mom!!. "And Elmira accepts to marry me?"

She shook her head. "No. She doesn't even know about the wedding either. The Queen only told her to accept you back as her mate"

I rolled my eyes. "And she accepted to be my mate?"

She chuckled. "I won't tell you what her answer was"

I groaned. She'd better not say yes, cause I don't want her, I don't need her!!. I will never marry her. Talking of marriage, there's a bit of confusion here. If Elmira doesn't know about the wedding, how did Maya found out about the wedding?. I turned to face her. "How do you know about the wedding then?"

She chuckled. "I overheard her talking to Lord Raymond. She wants the wedding as soon as possible"

I hissed. Is mom for real?. "How can she plan a wedding for me without my consent? Who does that?"

She chuckled. "Only the Queen can". I hissed. I'm not accepting that. Never!!. I pull up my hoodie and stood up. "Where are you going?"

"To see Lord Raymond. No wedding is going to hold here"

"I'll come with you". I did not bother to tell her no, cause I was too angry to want to. I left the garden to visit lord Raymond but the crowd on by road drew my attention. "He's a vampire," someone said. I furrowed my brows. Vampire? In Island pack?. How?. Maybe mom sent him or her.

"Why is he holding her?" Another person said. I rolled my eyes.

I don't think mom sent him. "Maybe the vampire is mated to a werewolf," I thought. I turned to go. There is nothing to watch there.

"Is that not the Alpha's mate?" someone said and that stopped me on my track. Did he just say Alpha's mate?. I turned.

Maya held my hand. "Do you think it's Elmira?" She asked. I ignored her and decided to listen to Elmira's heartbeat. It was faint, so I moved closer to them. Everyone moved away when they saw me.

As I moved closer, the vampire's face was becoming more visible. I gasped. "Arden?". I hissed. Arden happens to be the vampire that has come to visit. What the heck is he doing here?. And why is he holding Elmira?. "Take your hands off her!!" I yelled

He laughed. "Good to see you again, Damien" he cooed. I ignored him and dragged Elmira away from him. He laughed. "Are you still daft?"

I hissed. "What are you doing here?"

He laughed. "To take what's mine"

I fold my arms and scoffed. "And what's yours?"

"Her". He pointed at Elmira and everyone gasped.

I hissed. "You're sick"

He laughed and I groaned. I hate the fact that he laughs when not necessary. "She belongs to me, Damien. She's my mate just like she's yours". I groaned. There's something wrong with him!!.

"She isn't your mate, Arden. Come off it"

"Why?. Cause you're special?"

I rolled my eyes. "She isn't mated to you!!"

"She is, dear Damien"

I scoffed. "You're..."

"I'm what?. A psychopath?. Name it I don't care"

I hissed. "You know what you are, Arden. You won't want me saying it here"

He laughed. "We are the same, Damien. Brutal, rude, aggressive, cold-hearted"

"We ain't the same"

He laughed. "We are. The only difference between you and me is that I've not been rejected by her but you've been. That makes you less good"

I hissed. How information flies. "Arden, you have no place here. Leave before my anger rekindles"

He laughed. "Of course, I'll leave but not without her"

I hissed. "She's going nowhere"

"Chill man. Let her speak for herself, Damien"

I turned to look at Elmira, who looks so scared. "She doesn't need to. She..."

"I will go with him," Elmira said quickly. Everyone gasped. I was surprised too. That was the least I expected from her.

I rolled my eyes. "You said what?"

Arden smiled. "You heard her. She's going with me"

I furrowed my brows. "You're..."

"I'm no more your mate, Damien. I already rejected you. I will go with him"

She just called me by name?. I clenched my fist. I raised my head to look her in the eyes but she moved backward. "You won't do that, right?" Maya asked. She ignored her. "If you're leaving, I'll go with you". Maya tried to hold her but she pushed her away. She was about to fall. I held her quickly. Maya cried. "Elmira, i

I rolled my eyes. There's something wrong somewhere. Elmira, I know won't push her sister away. "You want to go with him?. You can"

I held Maya tightly as we watched him leave with her. Maya wouldn't stop weeping. "Elmira!!. You can't leave me!!. Damien, you can't let her go!!".

"Maya, let her go. It's her choice. He won't hurt her" I assured her, but she never stopped crying. I groaned. I hate to see her cry. "Let's go Maya". She wouldn't budge, so I lift her and took her to my room.

I dropped her on the bed. She kept crying. "Damien, my sister"

I sat beside her and pulled her close to me. "Don't worry, Maya. I'll bring her back"

"Is that a promise?"

I nodded. "It's a promise"