The Vampire King ✔

■ TWENTY-EIGHT ■

■ TWENTY-EIGHT ■

"Are you calm?" My father's voice asked, his eyes watching me carefully.

I didn't answer, just kept my arms crossed and eyes in the ground. "Has she been difficult?" My father asked Joshua.

I didn't see his reply.

"Celene, do you understand who I am?" My father asked.

Lifting my eyes carefully, I gave him the filthest look I could muster. "You're the man who abandoned me as a child," I replied, non caring.

His jaw ticked but he didn't say anything. "I am King Nathaniel Barwon, King of the Auroran Wolves, I am -" he was saying before I cut him off.

"You're the guy that abandoned me and that's all I care about," I replied, my tone dripping with hate.

He opened his mouth but said nothing, closing it with a snap. "How long do you plan on keeping me here because I have other commitments I have to attend to" I said, firmly.

"You're so quick to hide behind your sarcasm, exactly like your mother," Nathaniel said, quickly.

"What would you know? You knew her for two years, knocked her up and left her to rot," I snapped back.

His eyes flashed. "I cared about her, I cared about you but she wanted me gone!" He snapped back.

I shook my head in disbelief. "You expect me to believe that after watching years and years of seeing my mother sitting at the table surrounded by bottles of vodka and empty pill bottles as she watched the driveway, waiting for you to come back!" I exclaimed, my eyes tearing up.

"And you believe I'm a monster when you did the exact thing," he replied calmly.

Shock coursed through my system and then anger. "Fuck you!" I screamed, darting forward.

Joshua pushed me back into the chair. "I got her help and I couldn't watch her waste her life anymore!" I screamed, tears falling down my cheeks.

Nathaniel stood up. "Your mother is not the reason you are here," he said, brushing the subject aside like he did the woman.

"Than cut through the bullshit and tell me why I'm here!" I exclaimed, wiping at my eyes.

"You are sought after by a very powerful man, and Josh reports he's very protective and fond of you," Nathaniel said, his tone emotionless.

He faced away from me, so I was staring at his back. I knew what my father wanted but he was going to have to try harder than that. "You could say we share an intimate relationship" I replied coldly.

My father looked at me. "So, tell me what he wants," he asked.

I frowned, not understanding. "Tell me what your precious Vampire King wants from our kind," he snapped, his eyes flashing.

"Forgive me if I recall this wrong, but aren't you the one chasing him?" I asked sarcastically.

His jaw ticked again. A definite tell. I decided to keep pissing him off. "We might be chasing him now but he is the one destroying wolf packs and communities with each piece of land he buys, he's killed thousands of wolves and humans alike, and you're simply okay with that?" My father asked, walking towards me and glaring deep into my eyes.

I didn't flinch, but returned his hard stare.

"What's in the past is in the past," I replied.

"A bit hypocritical, don't you think?" He asked, tilting his head.

I grinded my teeth. "What exactly are you implying, father? That M- My Lord is a monster?" I asked faltering for a moment.