Red Riding Hood | BoyxBoy | COMPLETED

A Confrontation

Cassidy's POV

When Alex and I entered the dining hall, we were the first ones there. We took our seats and waited for Alex's parents. Alex was in a much better mood and had been since lunch. I was glad. His moodiness was starting to affect me through the bond as much as I tried to send positivity back. He was also unusually clingy, which I didn't mind, but it was a sad clingy and I didn't want him to be sad.

We didn't wait long before they arrived, and we began our meal. King Edward rarely spoke during meals, it was usually Queen Annabelle who started conversations.

"Oh boys, I heard you got a parcel today?" she asked conversationally.

I watched Alex's shoulders stiffen out of the corner of my eyes.

"We did," I said. "A lovely, framed portrait of the royal family from the Kingdom of Lupus. Courtesy of Duke Kellen."

Queen Annabelle glanced at us. "Interesting man," she said. "Won't you try the tea?"

Alex and I obligingly took a sip. "An interesting flavour," I said, echoing her words.

"Yes, it came with the package I also received today."

My breath caught. What did she mean? Alex didn't look inclined to say anything.

The Queen continued. "Along with this letter from Lord Jacob." She paused to take the letter out. I was feeling an immense air of foreboding and I couldn't be sure if it was from me or Alex. "Lord Jacob sends his well-wishes along with this bag of tea leaves that is a popular remedy for mitigating the side effects of incubus attacks."

I startled when King Edward put his goblet down with a clatter. Alex put a hand on my thigh, and I squeezed his fingers for comfort.

"Why is Lord Jacob telling me this?" And not you was implied.

Alex and I shared a glance. There was no getting out of this apparently.

"There was a small incident," I said nervously. "Alex took care of it quickly and I'm alright now."

"What incident?" asked King Edward.

Alex looked his parents in the eyes. "Cassidy was attacked by an incubus. I tore out his throat."

The dining hall was deafeningly silent.

"And why didn't you tell us?" Queen Annabelle asked stiffly.

"Nothing bad happened," I blurted quickly. The tension in this room was suffocating. "I'm okay. Alex made sure of it."

The letter crumpled in Queen Annabelle's fist. "How could you lie to your parents about something as important as this? Alexander, you are the Crown Prince. Any attack, indirect or otherwise is treason!"

Alex spoke. "You didn't ask."

I hurried to add on before Alex could. The mutinous look on his face was identical to the one I'd given my own Father when he brought up the betrothal. "It was just an accident; the incubus probably didn't know; we were wearing masks. It was a masquerade party."

Neither King nor Queen was appeased. "It might have been accidental, but you should have told us regardless," King Edward said quietly.

"And lying by omission is still lying," the Queen added.

Oh no.

I could physically feel Alex's outrage and indignation in my chest. It was making it hard to breathe.

"Lying by omission?" Alex's voice was low and simmering with tension. "I may be a liar, but I am not a hypocrite."

"How dare you address me in that manner?" The Queen stood. "I am your Mother!"

Alex's chair screeched back as he forcefully stood up. "Are you?" He demanded.

I was chewing nervously on my nails. The verbal volley was driving my blood pressure sky-high and Alex's emotions were not helping by boiling over through our mating bond.

"You—" She flushed with rage. "I carried you for months!"

Alex's fists were clenched so tightly; I could see blood dripping. He pointed at King Edward.

"What about him?"

Queen Annabelle paled. "What is this? What are you talking about?"

"Answer me," he snarled.

"Of course, he's your Father! He raised you, I raised you!"

Alex slammed a fist in the table, eyes glinting an unholy red. His rage was palpable; it was rushing in torrents through the bond and I couldn't breathe no matter how hard my lungs worked.

"Stop lying!" he roared.

"Alex," I called. I could barely get the words out. He didn't respond, too caught up in the confrontation.

The Queen took a deep breath, reining in her temper. "King Edward provided the seed that created you." She stared him in the eyes. "Is that what you want to hear?"

His face twisted. My vision grew dark at the edges. I reached for him, fingers brushing his wrist. Alex was scaring me. I'd never seen him so angry. He didn't even register my touch.

"Alex, please," I gasped out.

The King raised his voice, loud enough for me to hear over the ringing in my ears. "You're hurting Cassidy."

The last thing I saw was the guilt in Alex's eyes when he turned around.