Rain Vale
Time moved faster than ever. The guards dragged him away in chains like a common criminal as he fought and held on tight to Alvin's body, while I held on to him as my life depended on him, and yet he pushed me away. He tossed me to the side like dirt.
My wing burned down to dust, and surprisingly, the fire didn't spread to other parts of the palace. Everything I owned and valued was burned to ashes; not even a pin was saved, but most tragically, Alvin lost his life.
The maids and guards first stepped in to clean. A new plan was already in place for my new wing, so quick that I couldn't help but think it was a well-carried-out scheme, and poor Alvin was nothing but collateral damage.
The royal Sentinels arrived quickly. They helped me arrange for Alvin's body to be sent back home. Despite the pleas of the head Sentinel and his followers for me to step aside, I couldn't bring myself to leave him, not when I knew Caelan would have stayed.
My night has never been long. I couldn't sleep. It was by the first crow of dawn that they rounded up, and by then the carriage was ready. Alvin was placed inside a fine white casket, dressed in golden princely attire.
His hair had burned and scaled, so his head was wrapped in fine white silk. He looked nothing but sleeping, so peaceful. As the guards carried the casket inside the carriage, I bowed and then walked away.
It was still four a.m. The guards guarding Caelan were up and chatting, while inside the black-painted bars, he sat on the rough, cold floor, his wheels packed to the side and his eyes down on his legs. At first glance, one would think he was asleep, but he wasn't.
"My prince, you shouldn't be here," one of the guards whispered.
"He is my mate," I murmured, my voice hoarse and broken.
"But—"
The other guard held his hand. "It's okay, Prince Rain, you can see him."
I stepped closer, but instantly Caelan turned his back to me. The rumors spreading were that he began the fire. Some said his beta tried to stop him, but he pushed him into the flames. Others said he went feral. But that was not Caelan, not when it involved Alvin.
"Hi," I said, but there was no answer.
I had nothing to say, no justification of what happened, no evidence against the crimes labeled on him… nothing. I was useless.
"Alvin… has been sent home."
I felt his breath hitch. His fist clenched, but he said nothing.
I sat down on the cold floor for another hour, and by five a.m., a guard came for me.
"The king demands your presence."
I nodded. I stood up slowly, then stumbled a little forward, and the guard caught me before I lost my balance completely. My legs felt numb, as if blood had stopped circulating through them.
"I will support you," the guard whispered, then held me.
I was too quick to decline his help, and as I walked away, not once did Caelan turn.
The private chamber of the king stretched before us. I could sense the entire family before the giant door granted me an audience. My legs had long recovered, but I still felt weak. I straightened up, breathed in and out, then wore a neutral look before stepping in.
"Rain…" Victor yelped like the attention seeker he was.
"Greetings, Father," I bowed.
The king was seated at the head of a well-prepared meal. It was too early for breakfast, but dishes of every kind and taste were lavished on the table.
"Come, son. I know you haven't had anything since the unfortunate incident." The king reached a hand to me, but I dared not move, not when it felt like they were celebrating my misfortune.
"Don't be a pussy, Rain. Father is trying hard to understand and mend what you've broken," Marcus hissed.
"What's broken?" I chuckled. "What is it that I have broken that the almighty Aldric Vale has to descend himself so low as to pick up after me?"
"RAIN!" the king growled
"Mind your words, kiddo," Julian snapped.
"The curse you chose as a mate killed his own beta, and you think you've done nothing wrong?" Marcus scoffed. "To say we all warned you not to, Rain. You could have had any alpha. Even his younger brother was a good match, but no… like always, you wanted a show, to display just how omega-ly you think."
I felt the earth spin beneath me. My vision blurred for a slight second. As always, everything boiled down to me being an omega.
"He would never… never hurt Alvin," I whispered, tears streaming down my face for the first time since the fire.
"So you're saying everyone is lying?" the king hissed.
"It's only been a day, and you think you know him so well?" Victor scoffed from the side.
I didn't know him, but I knew him well enough to trust he would do nothing to hurt the one person who looked at him without pity, the one person willing to stand by him without fear of punishment. He was his legs, his movement, his family, and I… I killed him.
"I know Your Highness didn't call me here to feast, so state your condition."
The king's face darkened. His fist clenched on the table, and his knuckles turned white.
"You will renounce him publicly," he announced.
"And if I don't?" I dared.
"Then he shall be executed by sunset… and don't even bother about Moonfang. A letter came in, and they denounce him as one of their own."
So this was the plan: stage a fire, kill one dear to him, make him hate me, then force me to reject him.
"Before anything, I want the truth." I turned to Marcus, who sat high like a horse. "Did you order the fire?"
"Don't you dare accuse me, Rain," he snapped.
"Wow, amongst everyone, he suspects you first… You must have."
"Shut up, Victor," Marcus growled. "You have no evidence."
"I know, and I'm not searching for any."
I bowed and turned towards the door.
"Send for Moonfang to come fetch their alpha… I will grant him rejection," I whispered and walked out.
The air was cold. My body was cold, and so was my heart.
This was family. This was their definition of love.
I've never wished to turn back the hands of time like I did as I stood out in the hallway watching the sunrise.
Alvin wouldn't have died if I had chosen another.