31 A Short Dinner

♔Eustacia (P.O.V)

As I opened the door, the sight in front of me was unexpected.

A small rectangular table is set on the far side of the room, on the other side of the bed. A white cloth is draped over top with four places for people prepared. Two small white large candles sit in the middle of the table, as Tristen begins to light them with a small lighter.

"How was the shower?" Tristen questions, not looking up.

"It was okay," I say, confused. "What's all this?"

He stops for a moment and looks at me, almost like he's trying to figure out what to say.

"I know you just got here, but there are people I really want you to meet," he says slowly.

I haven't even been here a day, and he wants me to meet people?

"Who exactly?" I ask, my voice almost a whisper.

"Eustacia- Eustacia there's something you need to know," he states pain flashing across his face.

"Okay?"

"I- I- promise me you will listen to every word I say," he stammers.

"I will," his reactions slightly scare me, but he can't be any worse than Flynn.

"You're going to meet Nichole and Jakub. They're like my parents to me. I lost my mother a few years ago and my father yesterday," he murmurs.

He lost his father? So he's dead? I can understand I lost both my parents at a young age and losing one of them sent my life into hell.

"I understand."

"No, you don't. I killed him, I- I had to kill him, Eustacia," he sobs, sitting down on the bed he places his head in his hands.

Shock jolts through my body as I take an involuntary step backward. So he killed his father? This huge teddy bear killed his father. If he could do that, what can he do to me?

"Why?" My heart begins to race as fear grips at my heart.

"You don't realize what I am, do you?" He looks up at me, his eyes wet with tears begging to fall down his face. His long brown hair falling down from a bun and draping around his face.

"You're a werewolf, like me?" I question. Although, now that he mentions it everyone refers to him as king.

"I'm a Lycan Eustacia. I'm the purest of werewolf lines. I smell better, I hear better, I see better, and I kill better. I had to kill my father to secure my role as king over all werewolves. That's just how my society works, we kill our leader to prove we can rule stronger than they can," a growl rises from his throat as if he's remembering it.

"So, it's different than an alpha?" I question, the fear subsiding.

He didn't do it intentionally.

"It's very different. Sure, I rule my pack as an alpha does, but I reign over every alpha out there if they align themselves with me. I protect them if they follow the rules I place, and I get an organized werewolf world. Our goal is to keep the peace between supernaturals and humans, at least our race anyway," he states.

"That makes you my queen, our queen. You will rule beside me as my equal, and take your role in society, whatever you choose that to be. The only difference is if someone challenges me and I die, they have every right to take you as theirs if they don't have a mate," he growls loudly, making a fist so tight on his lap it turns ghost white.

"Oh," the thought of someone else taking me as their mate if he died, is repulsive.

"We will talk about it later, I promise. I won't force you to stay if you don't want to, but I want you to meet them at least," he says quietly, putting his head back in his hands.

"I will," I say softly, as I walk over to him and place myself in his lap, which causes him to hug me tightly.

"Thank you," he breathes.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Bam! Bam!

Soft knocking hits against the door, followed by a loud banging noise.

"That would be them," he laughs a husky laugh, kissing me on the cheek he motions for me to take a seat at the table.

I obey and watch as he opens the door letting in two strangers, who must be Nichole and Jakub.

The woman is about my size, even though she appears healthy and doesn't appear a day over 30. She's average height and has the same color eyes Tristen does, silver. Her blonde hair shines bright and flows straight behind her back. She wears a casual plain red t-shirt with blue jeans and surprisingly isn't wearing any shoes, just a pair of solid red socks.

The man, slightly shorter than Tristen is buff and appears to be in his mid 30′s. His brown hair flies in every direction while his silver eyes shine vibrantly. He wears a casual black t-shirt with blue jeans and he too has no shoes, just solid black socks. He carries a large brown take out bag.

"Everyone take a seat," Tristen states.

Nichole and Tristen sit beside me and Jakub between them. Jakub quickly hands out various food from the bag, chicken tenders to loaded hamburgers and fries.

"I'm Nichole, and that mess over there is my mate, Jakub," Nichole politely introduces herself after everything is settled.

"I'm Eustacia," I smile politely, for some reason Nichole flinches at my name, but I could have imagined it with how quick it was.

"Well, what pack are you from?" she questions.

"Nichole, it's a sensitive subject-" Tristen begins.

"No, it's okay," I look at Nichole as I interrupt him. "I'm from Rushing River. I was originally mated to a wolf there, but he wanted nothing to do with me and abused me. That's when Tristen found me, I was being used as a pit wolf," I state calmly.

"Oh, honey, that's awful! Well I'm glad Tristen found you in time and you have a better second chance mate," she smiles brightly while snacking on a few fries.

"I'm thankful for him," I say feeling my cheeks burn red hot.

"What was your rank?" She questions.

"I'm the alpha's daughter. Both my parents passed away," I say sadness filling my heart.

Recognition sparks in her eyes as she hurriedly asks another question, "Eustacia what's your father's name?"

"Theo Van?"

"Your mother's name is Mia, right? Mia Wilson before she married?" she questions, dropping her food on her plate.

"Yes? How do you know that?" No one knows my mother's name. She died when I was young, and I only know her name because of my father.

"Your mother-" she breaks off, tears filling her eyes slightly, "your mother was my sister."

"I didn't know you had a sister Nichole," Tristen says confusion in his voice.

"What does that mean for me?"

"You're part Lycan Eustacia, that explains what confused me about what little Felix told me. Felix is my son, the Duke, and mate to Evelyn, the girl that turned you back. He just didn't know your name."

"That means I have more to teach you," Tristen smiles showing his perfectly white and straight teeth.

First, my father dies. I'm thrown to the bottom of my pack. My mate finds out who I am and keeps it a secret. I find out he's my mate. He lies and uses me. I get stuck in wolf form. Tristen finds me and I find out I have another mate. Now I find out I had an aunt I never knew I had, and I'm a Lycan.

That would explain some things. Like how I survived when he marked Emma. When I was forced to shift. It also explains why all my senses are better than they should be for a normal werewolf.

Life just got complicated, but I have Tristen to help me.

Maybe things will start to look up for me.