#16 Bows and Arrows

Zale

“Get her here,” I snarled, “Now.”

Tirian released a heavy sigh,

“I’ll put the word out, I’ll know the second she’s back here.” Tirian agreed.

“I can’t believe she did that.” I dropped my head into my hands and collapsed against the back of my desk chair.

“Really? You can’t.” Tirian scoffed and I glared at him from between my fingers.

“Do you really want to start shit with me right now?” I warned him.

“I saw this coming from a mile away, man, everyone did. Waverly has been pulling this shit her entire life, you’ve just been ignoring it.” Tirian pressed.

“I haven’t been ignoring it, Tirian,” I grumbled, “I see what she’s been doing, I know who her parents are, I just didn’t think she was an honest threat.”

“She’s not a threat, but she is a problem.” Tirian said,

“I never thought in a million years that she would go after Adira,” I shook my head in disbelief, “Did she tell my sisters what Waverly said?”

“No, but she said she doesn’t believe her, whatever she said.” Tirian replied.

“I want to know exactly what she said. If Adira won’t tell me, then you’ll get it out of Waverly.” I ordered and Tirian nodded obediently,

“You got it.”

“She’ll stay a few days in the cells until she confesses and agrees to openly submit to Adira. This is her last chance, if she acts out again, her and the entire House of Frost will be exiled from this pod.” I growled.

“Agreed. I’ll get to work on finding her,” Tirian walked up beside me and laid his hand on my shoulder, “For what it’s worth, I honestly do believe that Addie doesn’t take any stock in what Waverly has to say.”

I nodded at him, silently thanking him for his vote of confidence. Tirian left me alone with my thoughts while I waited for Adira to make it home from her shopping trip.

I was pissed when I heard what Waverly had done. I was right in the middle of making reservations at a nice restaurant for our date night. I needed today to go well. I needed Adira to feel comfortable around my sisters so she felt like she had support here and I needed the two of us to have a magical evening together to build our bond. Waverly Frost was not at all a part of those plans.

At this point, I felt the only way to salvage the day was to up my game for our date night. So, I got to work on finding a nice hotel or B&B somewhere near the restaurant for a night of luxury. By the time I was finished, Balin was linking me about their arrival back home.

I rushed to the front door, but by the time I made it there, Adira had already vanished. Balin gave me an exasperated look as he walked past me with his arms full of bags.

“Next time, you’re the pack mule.” He grumbled.

“Where is she?” I asked, ignoring his complaints.

“She went up to her room,” He nodded his head in the direction that he was heading, using his elbow to hit the elevator button, “You could help, you know?” He grumbled.

I shrugged and smirked at him,

“But, you’re doing such a great job.” I replied sarcastically.

Balin just rolled his eyes. When the elevator doors opened, he was the first to exit, hauling the bags down the hallway. He looked pointedly at Adira’s bedroom door and I knocked on it for him.

“You’re so dramatic.” I muttered just as Adira opened the door.

“Thanks, Balin,” She said, motioning for him to sit the bags down in the sitting room, “Zale.” She nodded at me.

Adira shuffled back into the bedroom and I waited until Balin left to join her.

“Adira,” I began, but she just shook her head,

“Honestly, Zale, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“We have to talk about it, Kyrre.” I argued.

“Why?” She plopped down on the corner of the bed and leaned back on her arms, looking up at me expectantly.

“I want to know what she said.” I said, instead of answering her question.

I sat down beside her on the bed and she glanced sideways at me.

“I know it wasn’t true.” She mumbled.

“I still would like to know.”

Adira sighed loudly and dropped her head back.

“Fine,” She grumbled with her eyes still closed, “She said that you promised to make her your chosen mate if you returned from your search without your mate and that you two have had sex.” She replied in a rush.

I felt my jaw drop open and my eyes widen. Picking up her hand, I tugged at it until she gave me her attention.

“None of that is true.” I said sternly.

“I know.” Adira shrugged.

“I’ve waited two hundred years for my mate, I would never take a chosen one. Dragonhearted don’t even believe in that.” I was disgusted.

“Zale, I know,” She nearly bit my head off, sitting up to glare at me, “You don’t need to convince me of anything.”

“You deserve the truth and an explanation.” I argued.

“I know what the truth is, Zale. I’m a werewolf, I know plenty of Waverly’s. What she’s doing might not be common in the dragon realm, but it’s definitely normal for werewolves. Jealousy, bitter she-wolves, and chosen mates are common occurrences in my world.” She laughed humorlessly.

“Our people who are born here and who’ve never been to the dragon realm, they’re being influenced by the modern world in negative ways.” I sighed.

“It was bound to happen.” Adira shrugged again and I couldn’t believe how calm she was being about this.

“I have Tirian on the lookout for Waverly. When she gets back, I’m having her sent to the cells for a few days to cool off. I’m going to demand that she openly submits to you before she’s released.” I explained.

Adira blinked at me almost like she was in shock,

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” She said,

“I do.” I replied curtly.

Adira mumbled under her breath and her expression told me that she was annoyed.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Between you, your sisters, and Balin, everyone is taking this so sensitively.” She complained.

“We take matters that have to do with you very seriously, Kyrre. I’m not the only one who’s been waiting for you.” I lowered my voice and leaned forward to touch a strand of her hair, playing with it between my fingers.

“Well, I’d rather just move on.” She huffed in irritation.

I chuckled at her expression and nodded,

“I’ll handle it and you won’t have to worry about it again,” I promised, “Besides, I have plans for us that’ll take up the rest of the day.”

She suddenly looked worried and I couldn’t help but laugh at her change of expressions.

“What plans?” She asked skeptically.

“It’s a surprise,” I said, jumping up from the bed, “Pack a bag and change into something formal. We need to leave in three hours.” I instructed.

I walked back into the sitting room and looked at the bags that had taken over the room,

“It looks like you have enough to wear now.” I laughed.

“Not my choice.” She muttered and I threw my head back to laugh harder,

“Oh, I’m sure.”

“Why do I need to pack a bag?” She asked, but I just gave her a mischievous look before slipping out of the room.

I went to my own room to pack a quick bag and change into a nice suit. I dressed in a pair of sleek black pants, a black dress shirt, and folded a black suit jacket over my arm. I grabbed a tie in every color that I owned so I could match whatever outfit Adira wore.

Slinging my leather duffle bag over my shoulder and the suit jacket over my arm, I went back downstairs to check on some things before we left. Tirian met me by the front door where I dropped my bag off.

“Waverly’s downstairs.” He said,

“That was quick.” I replied in admiration.

I laid my suit jacket over the duffle bag by the door and followed Tirian to my office. Inside was the access door to the downstairs cells. There was also an exterior entrance that was more commonly used for the prisoners.

Waverly was in the first cell, which was considered to be the best accommodations. There was a small window with bars over it at the very top of the cell, letting in some natural light, and it was the closest to the heater so it was the warmest and driest. Since it was the nicest, it was used the least, leaving the bed and the toilet in the best shape. It was reserved for instances like this where the person being contained wasn’t necessarily a prisoner, but still needed to be locked up. The cells just got worse the further into the basement you went.

Waverly threw herself dramatically against the bars when she saw me, but immediately hissed in pain and backed away as her skin touched the golden gate.

“What is going on, Zale?” She cried.

“You will address me as Chieftain.” I growled, not a hint of kindness in my eyes or my tone.

Waverly sank away from my glare and whimpered.

“I am not playing around anymore, Waverly,” I said coolly, “You have disrespected my mate, me, and this entire pod.”

“I….” She started to say, but I cut her off sharply,

“Silence!” I roared, causing her to cower away in the corner, “You are done speaking.”

She ducked her head in submission.

“You will not seek Adira out again, you will not tell her lies about us, and you will not speak informally to either of us ever again. You will show Adira the respect she deserves as my mate, as the Lady of the House, and as a woman. If you ever want to leave this cell, you will openly and publicly submit to Adira and if you ever pull anything like this again, you and your entire family will be exiled. Do I make myself clear?”

My voice left no room for argument or disrespect, and my dragon made itself known.

“Speak!” I demanded.

“Y…yes, Chieftain.” She cried out.

“Good. We’ll check on you in a few days and see if you’ve learned your lesson.” I said before turning my back on Waverly and leaving the basement.