The Prince's Guard
Chapter 10

Chris’ head pounded, the throbbing closer to when he had his head kicked in. A cold trickle ran down his spine. Why would his head be pounding so bad? Had he been in a fight? He couldn’t remember… shit! Why couldn’t he remember?

He worked his tongue around his mouth, tasting alcohol, something sweet like sugar and musky pussy. He scrunched his nose up… it wasn’t a good taste to wake up to in the morning. He tried to run a hand over his face to wake himself up, finding he was unable to do so. He frowned, cracking his eyes open only to immediately regret it with the blinding light of the sun’s surface.

He groaned to himself.

He pulled at his arms, wanting to sit up. Clanging pierced through his skull. His eyes snapped open for good that time. Ignoring the blinding agony he looked up to find his wrists encased in silver and attached to a ring behind the headboard of the bed. Bile rose in his throat.

The door banged open. “Please let me go,” he begged, struggling with the chains around his wrists, neck and ankles.

“You don’t deserve to be let go. Stupid little Prince. You think you have the right to demand anything?”

He frowned at the large man that filled the doorway to the cell. “I want to go home.” His bottom lip wobbled, “Please,” his voice catching in a sob.

The large man stormed over to him, the chain around his neck wrenched upwards until his feet were no longer on the floor. He couldn’t breathe, he struggled, fighting the big man. “Please,” he choked out.

“Little boys who cry get punished.”

He couldn’t help the tears that were falling from his eyes, he couldn’t breathe! He was so scared. Where was he?

He thrashed his little body around, desperate to release himself, his fingers found the man’s hand. He scratched as hard as he could, spots descending on his vision. He couldn’t speak, he gurgled out, wanting to beg to see his father. His sister… where was his sister? He was training with her… now he was here. Where was here?

He was light-headed, his vision black as he sagged, not able to fight as he felt himself drift into darkness. His feet crashing into the stone floor jolted him. His breath sawed in and out as he clawed for the air he desperately needed. It took a moment for him to realise he was breathing, the tightness had gone.

Pain exploded over his side. He frantically looked around, seeing a foot crash into his side, the pain doubled and he screamed out. Wanting it to stop. “Mamma!”

“Mamma’s not here you pathetic little shit. No one cares where you are. No one cares about you.”

“Ele. Where’s my sister?!” he wept.

“Having worse done to her with every noise you make!”

“No!”

“Want to save her, boy? Be silent!”

“I’m sorry! I’ll be good!”

A foot stamped on his fingers. He screamed, the burning agony cascading up his arm. “Next time you fight back, boy, you’ll be responsible for your sister’s death. Understand?”

“I’ll be good! I’m sor-sorry! Please, please.” He curled up, protecting his small body as much as he could.

“Don’t forget it,” the big man sneered before sweeping from the cell he’d woken up in.

“Help!”

“Help!”

‘Help!’

‘My Prince?’

‘Help me! No, help!’

“My prince!” Someone was shaking him, he thrashed, not wanting to be beaten anymore.

“No, no. I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Ele, Ele!”

“Ah, fuck! Who the fuck did this? Gloves! Get me fucking gloves!”

“I’ll be good! I’ll be a good boy!”

“My Prince! You’re OK. You’re not there! Chris!”

His name snapped his eyes open, seeing beautiful Cognac eyes. “Mate.”

“I know. I’m here. You’re fine.” Chris wrenched at his still restrained wrists.

“Get them off! Jaxson, get them off!” he panicked.

Jaxson looked sympathetically at him before gripping the silver, crying out in pain as he wrenched the chain, pulling the ring from the wall. He retracted his hands into his body, cradling the seared flesh. Chris’ stomach lurched in guilt. “What did you do that for!” He jolted up, the chain connecting his hands long enough he had mostly free movement. He gripped Jaxson’s hands, pulling them for him to see the burns.

Gloved hands began fiddling at the restraints. Chris looked over to see Adam. “Where am I?”

“Alpha house, you came back to your room with… a companion,” Adam answered.

“And where did she go? Who was she?!” Chris swiped gloved hands from the cuffs and snapped them, releasing himself before getting off the bed.

“You could have done that earlier,” Jaxson grumbled.

Chris grunted, yanking on the trousers from the floor before sweeping from the room.

“Your Highness, we will deal with this,” Adam stated, chasing after him.

He swiped his mouth, trying to isolate the smell from the room, tracking whoever had shared the room with him. Jaxson’s scent engulfed him before the male stepped in front. “You need to calm down. I’ll go find her and you can talk to her when you are calm. Nothing good will come with how you feel.”

“You can’t stop me!” Chris swiped Jaxson to the side, much to the howl of his wolf.

He thought the smell led to a door which he crashed into, not bothering to knock or announce himself, or even double-check if that were where the scent led. A squeal caught his attention as the Luna covered herself. “Your Highness!”

“Who chained me up!?”

“We’re so sorry to disturb you, Luna Trisha. Unfortunately, His Highness had an unfortunate night. Would you have any idea what happened?” Jaxson asked professionally.

Trisha looked wildly at the now two males in her room. She quickly pulled on a shirt. “I’m- I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“My Prince, I think we need to discuss this with the person who you brought back with you last night.” Jaxson gestured back out the door, his brown eyes flashing with seriousness. Chris’ jaw hardened, but he relented, realising that the guards probably knew who had done this to him. His panic and anger had clouded his mind. He nodded in acceptance, storming straight out of the door as if it were his idea.

“Your Highness, I understand you were scared, but you need to calm yourself.”

“I wasn’t scared!”

Jaxson glared at him for a long moment, looking around to ensure they were alone, he gripped Chris’ upper arm and yanked him back into the guest room. “How dare-”

“No. Listen. I’m sorry the Moon Goddess decided I was your mate. I get it. I’m fucking disgusted. Alright? But stop trying to hurt me. You’re only hurting yourself and this proved it. You got blackout drunk and it was probably some sex thing. You probably agreed to it, you were so out of it. We can’t protect you when you’re intent on getting yourself killed. Stop being a child.”

“How dare you speak to me in that way!”

“I’ll dare. I bet your father will be devastated with how his son has been behaving on his pack tour looking for the mate he knew about all along.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Yes.”

Chris shoved him, making him stumble. “I’ll do whatever the fuck I like,” he snarled before leaving the room.

He left the Alpha house, stripping the trousers he transformed, scooping the clothes into his mouth before running with all his speed. ’My Prince, where are you going?’ the mindlink came through, he ignored it. Pushing himself harder, overlapping his course to confuse them. He needed time to think, time to process… time to calm the terror the flashback had brought.

After ensuring he had lost his tail, he found a stream, trickling water glinted in the morning sun as it disappeared into the small pool and beyond. He changed back to skin form, dressing before sitting right up to the bank of the river, his legs crossed and back hunched while he stared at the babbling water.

He had been acting foolish. He knew that, he had no qualms admitting that to himself. But what was the alternative? Beg his father to allow him to take a forced mate? That would only raise suspicion.

Unless he went against his father’s order.

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