Beneath the surface: Forbidden love

Kael

''Son, wake up.'' I feel someone shake on my arm.

''Son wake up!'' The voice says louder.

Slowly my eyelids begin to open. They feel heavy, my body feels tired. Extremely tired. I open my eyes and notice that I am in the meeting room. My head lay on a pile of papers on my desk. I sit up against my chair confused. I see my father standing beside me looking angry. I wipe my hand across my face to clear the slight dizziness I still feel.

What the hell happened?

''Son, is everything alright?'' My father asks beside me, looking at me carefully.

''I don't remember anything at all that happened.'' I tell him seriously. I watch as his face turns into a frown.

''What do you mean?" He asks taking a seat in front of me. I keep quiet, trying to remember what happened prior, but it feels as though a big part of my memory is missing.

''I don't know why or how I fell asleep, I don't even remember my last thought before I fell asleep.'' I tell him. My father is quiet, looking a little confused.

''I don't understand son,'' he shakes his head, ''How do you not know-''

''I think I must've been drugged.'' I tell him what I think.

''Drugged!'' He says outrageously, standing up causing the chair to fall back.

Suddenly there's a knock at the door, instantly cutting my father off. I look at him and then turn to the door.

''Come in.'' I instruct. Dimitri walks in.

''Alpha.'' He bows in my direction, ''Your majesty,'' he says to my father. My father and I both nod at him.

''What is it, Dimitri.'' I ask impatiently.

''The other Alphas have arrived, they are waiting for you in the main hall."

_________

''They will pay for what they have done!''

''Cory was one of us!"

''We will have their blood!" Another Alpha shouts from across the table.

It has been exactly one day since Cory's death. Yesterday I sent word to all the Alphas from packs all over the world of what had happened. They all arrived this morning.

Seven packs.

All the Alphas- accompanied by their Lunas and Betas- stand in the large hall. All so angry and ready for blood. I stood on the stage and to my left is Marisela. Dimitri stood to my bottom right.

We were here for two things. The first being Cory.

Although Cory was apart of my mate and my mothers kidnapping, it took me some time to believe and understand that it wasn't he's doing.

But...

I was too late.

The Sirens had gotten to him before I had the chance to speak with him. Although I had treated Cory unkindly the past few days, no one deserved the kind of death that was set upon him.

He was so young.

He was apart of my pack.

And because of that, those Sirens will pay. They were ruthless, so we will show them no mercy and fight for blood.

Which brings us to the second reason for this meeting.

''Those vile sea monsters will bleed!" Alpha Blake sneers. I feel Marisela twitch beside me, her small hand interlaced with my large one.

Tonight is the night we put Cory to rest.

There has still been no word of Maria or her parents. The last thing I was told right after she disappeared, was that she had gone to search for her mother. Her father was still locked up beside his son at the time. We let him out this morning. He said no words to anyone. And just left.

Layla on the other hand, she was broken beyond measure. She was here as well in the meeting. She stood quietly in the corner, listening to everything being said. I would catch her glimpse up at me now and again. The anger and heartbreak evident on her face.

As I listen to all the words being thrown across the room, I couldn't help but feel pride for my people. They were right, Sirens are evil.

Vile sea monsters.

''Silence!" I roar and the hall immediately goes silent, all eyes on me.

''Thank you all for coming given the short notice.'' I begin, they all grunt in understanding. ''It is with great sadness that we have lost one of our own. Cory was young, but he was wise and much older than his years. He had a long life ahead of him, but sadly that was cut short.'' I snarl at the end. "My condolences goes out to his beloved Layla." I look at her as her eyes are on me, listening intently. "He will be avenged."

What I am about to say next, I know it would hurt Marisela, but it is not intentional and directed towards her. I give her a quick glance in her direction. She is looking straight ahead at the crowd of people surrounding the room. Her face stoic and detached. Her hand still laced in mine.

I turn my focus back to the awaiting Alphas and continue my speech.

''Cory will get his justice.'' The men holler. I lift my hand to silence them, and they do so immediately.

''This is war, and they took the first step by killing one of our own. Those evil, soulless creatures will die. They will all die.'' I finish.

"What about your mate?" One alpha asks.

"She is one of them is she not?" Another shouts. I could feel my anger begin to boil, but I control it as best I can.

"Yes, the princess is a siren, but she is on our side." I tell them. "If the need comes, she will defend our people for she believes that sirens are pure evil beings."

Everyone starts to bang on the table in approval. They all cheered and started to chant. They- We are all thirsty for blood. And blood we will have.

I feel Marisela slip her hand out of my own. from the corner of my eye, I noticed her wiping her eyes. I knew in that moment I hurt her, but my wolf was mad and so was I. He had lost a pack member, and I had lost a brother.

With all the commotion going on right now, no one notices when Marisela leaves the room.

I knew I had to go after her, but I couldn't bring myself too. My wolf needed to be here for his pack, but my human side fought to go after Marisela.

It was a battle between man and wolf.

However, the Wolf is always the dominant one.

As the meeting dragged on for a couple more hours, I decided to call it a night and continue tomorrow morning. I stayed in the room till the last of the Alphas walked out, leaving Dimitri and I alone.

''Kael.'' Dimitri speaks quietly beside me. I don't respond, but he knew I was listening so he carries on.

''This isn't Marisela's fault.'' he says.

''It wasn't Cory's fault either and look where that got him!'' I snap turning to face him.

''Marisela is not like any of them.'' he says and it only angers me more. Like I didn't know that already.

''But she is a Siren.'' The words leave my mouth before I could comprehend what I had just said. Dimitri looks taken aback by my statement, almost disappointed.

''You don't mean that.''

''Of course I don't Dimitri!'' I look away, feeling the tension rise within me, ''but my wolf is so angry.'' I walk to the large window to my left that had a view of the courtyard.

There were men training on the field, some had shifted into their wolf form. They were training for the upcoming war. Preparing themselves for what was to come.

''Look, I get it,'' Dimitri says as he stands beside me looking out the window. ''But this isn't her fault, you cant let out your hatred for her kind on to her.''

''No Dimitri,'' I sigh in frustration, ''You have no idea how it is to fight your wolf over your mate. My wolf loves Marisela, and I love her too, but you have no idea how frustrating it is when my wolf looks at her, and all he thinks about is he's hatred towards her kind. I know she is not like them, but I am failing to understand how the Prophecy made her and I mates in the first place. Our species are too different. We are at war!'' I yell, ''and yet I am mated to my enemy.'' I walk to the nearest table and throw it against the wall smashing it into small pieces.

''I love her Dimitri. I hate seeing her this way, it is breaking me and I don't know what to do. I am conflicted between fighting this war, or fighting for my mate.'' I say defeated, falling to my knees. The room is quiet.

I, an Alpha. A King, have never felt so powerless in my life than I do now.

A few moments pass, before I hear Dimitris footsteps walk towards me. I hear him kneel beside me, His arm goes around my shoulder in comfort.

''But, that's the thing Kael,'' he sighs. I could feel his eyes on me on the side of my face, ''you shouldn't have to choose whether to fight for her, or against her.'' I slowly turn my head to face Dimitri. '' You need to fight with her.''

It took me a second to understand what he was saying. Everything he said was true.

I shouldn't be fighting against her, I should fight with her.

She of the sea and He of the moon will one day meet.

Marisela and I are meant to be together. The moon goddess paired us together for a reason. Marisela is my mate. We are supposed to fight this war together and not apart.

Guilt.

I messed up. I hurt her.

I knew I should've gone after her. I shouldn't have stayed behind. I shouldn't have said what I said during the meeting, but it was too late now.

What's done is done.

I knew who she was. I knew what she was, and yet I chose to let out my anger and hatred towards her kind, forgetting that she is nothing like them.

She's pure. She's good. She's kind. Everything that they are not.

And yet I judged her. I hurt her.

Goddess what have I done?

I need to find Marisela.

I need to fix this.