On Edge

Stefan

I stay watching them, feeling uneasy about how close they are to him, even though I know it’s wrong. However, I still don’t like it.

Ghost doesn’t help with the constant chanting of ‘Mate’ when he sees Harlyn wrapped around a guy, so I push him back, as the last thing I need is Ghost reacting.

I waited, but she seemed too in her world to realise I was here and speaking to her. That she just left me and didn’t even say goodbye.

Maybe this is a good thing. Harlyn won’t leave now, right? I mean, surely, if he’s here, she will agree to stay a few more days. Then, I can figure out how to fix this and tell her everything.

I watch as Harlyn steps back, tears rolling down her cheeks as the pups stay in his arms. This just reminds me of how much I fucked everything up.

Sighing, I wait and watch as he places down the pups. My body runs cold. I hear Ghost growl, and I step back. No. My head shakes. She can’t leave, not yet.

“Harlyn.” My words are loud and almost a growl. She turns now and looks at me. “Maybe introduce him to your mother and everyone once you have said hello?” I need to check something. I need her to stay here.

“I will, thank you, Your Majesty.” Nodding, I turn, despite Ghost’s raging anger, to go back and protect her. I walk to my father, and he steps away from his guest.

“Son?” He looks at me worriedly. “What’s happened?”

“I need you to confirm if this guy looks like Jacub.” I barely speak through clenched teeth.

“Don’t. Are you serious right now? Let it go!” His words are loud.

“I can’t! Just when Harlyn comes in, tell me if Jacub and the guy resemble each other.” My words are louder, and he nods.

“Fine, but there won’t be. You’re just being paranoid.” He thinks that, but I know that I’m not. I stay with him, and five minutes later, Harlyn walks in.

Ghost growls, and I close my eyes.

“You can’t kill him.” I turn to my father. “Look, there’s a strong resemblance, but that doesn’t mean he has anything to do with Jacub. He might not even be related, then you kill a man for possibly being what? His brother?”

“We can’t leave Harlyn with him. Not if he’s linked.” I can’t let her leave with him.

“I need a week or two to check. Yes, he looks just like Jacub. The only difference is the eyes, and he doesn’t have the scar Jacub does, but that isn’t proof he knew him.”

He’s right. “I will ask.” I go to walk forward, but he stops me.

“If he is, do you really think he would say?” He looks at me, waiting. I don’t know, but I don’t like it. How can that be a coincidence that Harlyn gets accepted into a pack, and with the Alpha of it, who looks just like Jacub?

“Why are you so on edge?” He looks at me and then at Harlyn.

“They were play fighting. Nothing Harlyn said stopped them. He whistled, and it was instant. They stopped.” I don’t like that.

He stares at me, shocked. “Those pups are not normal, and if they were raised and trained by someone who plans to use them, whistling would be a way to go.” His words only make me worse. “Let me check; I will see what I can find out; I will get all I need and find out. Don’t do anything. If he’s not linked to Jacub, you hurt her for nothing.”

All I can do is nod, but Ghost isn’t settling. It was the whistle, and of course, Harlyn never had a wolf or did training, so she wouldn’t understand that their reacting to a whistle in that way isn’t good. Different whistles, pitches, and such mean different things.

They are used for training soldiers going into war, not fucking pups. My eyes stay on her, and I can’t settle the uneasy feeling. The way he taught them is wrong.

“I was thinking we should pull our ceremony closer, don’t you think?” Diandra’s words float through my mind, but I keep my eyes on him, watching him for any signs.

“Stefan, please?” I hear her again and turn to her.

“What?” I turn back to where they are and watch them again.

“Our wedding, I want to get it done fast. I don’t want to wait.”

“Hm.” My only response is that I watch him playing with the pups.

“Stefan, can we?” She tugs on my shirt.

“Yeah, do whatever you want.” I brush her off and hear her walking away. I know my father is right. I can’t ask him questions for both reasons.

If he and all this is part of the plan, he will realise I’m onto him. If not, I will push Harlyn away and look like a crazed man trying to make him look bad.

Sighing, I walk over. No one has noticed Harlyn and Wane yet, but she’s sat in a quiet corner. As I reach them, I look from Harlyn to him. His hand is settled on her thigh, and he’s whispering into her ear.

She’s smiling so much I want to hit him.

“Harlyn,” I say, and watch as she looks up and notices me.

“Your Majesty, She replies, smiling at me.

“Care to introduce me?” I ask, waiting for her to introduce him to me.

“Of course. Wayne, this is King Stefan of the Darksun pack. Your Majesty, this is Alpha Wayne from the Moonlore pack.” She smiles at me.

“Your Majesty.” Wayne bows slightly but barely looks at me. His eyes stay fixed on Harlyn.

“Wayne? No last name?” I don’t think that asking that is unusual.

He turns and looks at me. He’s reluctant, why? I stare at him, waiting. “Desonton.”

I nod, so it’s not the same last name. That doesn’t mean he isn’t his brother, as it confirms nothing.