CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

B rayden stepped aside and let Vincent inside as he glanced at Willow, who looked like a deer in the headlights.

He quickly shut the door and went to her, pulling her to his side, and sat them on the sofa.

“Brother, sit.”

Vince sat in the armchair, all kingly and shit, and smiled at Willow. Then, in a quiet voice so as not to break her, he said, “Welcome.”

Brayden rolled his eyes and held out his hand. “Willow, this is Vincent, my brother. Our king.”

Beside him, she trembled ever so slightly, and he suddenly had the urge to kill every vampire on the planet until she felt safe. Then kill himself. Which was fucking ridiculous, and yet, it was how he felt.

“I’m going to make this really brief, because as a mated male, I know how dangerous my brother is right now. You’re scared, and Brayden is one dangerous vampire.”

Brayden’s eyes shot to his hairline and his mouth dropped open. “Are you fucking serious right now?”

Vincent held up a hand. “Sorry, um, fuck. I should have brought Kate. She said I would mess this up.”

“You think?!” Brayden shot back.

Laughter. The two Moretti brothers stared at each other a moment in confusion before turning to Willow, who continued to laugh.

“Are you okay?”

Tears ran down her face. “You guys are really terrible at this.”

He glanced at Vincent.

“I think she’s delirious.” Brayden nodded in agreement. “Should I get Kate?”

“No!” Willow blurted out. “No. Just one vampire at a time, please. Jesus, I think I’m losing it.”

Ah, yeah, she fucking was. Yelling at the vampire king was not a good start.

“I think you might be doing better than you think.” Vincent said. Willow stared at him for a moment and then nodded. Brayden felt her hand squeezed his, and he did the same back.

“Maybe.” She took a deep breath. “It’s nice to meet you, King Vincent.”

Brayden smiled. Close enough.

“You are safe here. No one will harm you. You are my guest, and as Prince Brayden’s mate, you...oh God, what now?!” The king’s voice raised. “Have I said something else wrong?”

Brayden shook his head, exasperated. “No, but stop talking because you are about to,” he informed him. “We haven’t discussed the mating bond in detail yet.”

Willow groaned beside him.

“She deserves to know, Bray.”

“I know!” he yelled, causing Willow to jump. “Sorry, babe.”

She stood up, pushing him. “Stop. Both of you. Someone had better start talking. I want to know what this mate business is all about. Whatever it is, you need to remember I’m a human with constitutional rights. I’m a US citizen!”

Despite the situation, both the Moretti brothers’ eyebrows shot up and they stared until finally a smirk hit their lips. Brayden tried to hide it by chewing his lips, but he was too late. Willow had seen him.

“You think that’s funny?”

Holding out a hand, he replied, “No, I... well, a little bit.”

“Willow.” The king stood. “My brother has a lot to share with you. I came to welcome you to my court and our family.” He walked to the door. “Show her around, do what you need to do, Bray, but you know the delicacy of our situation. Don’t dally with this.”

“I’ll dally as long as I want to!” I will not do what our father did to mother.

Vincent looked at Willow.

She cannot remain among us as a human, you know this.

I will not force her.

Then she must choose you, and fast. We leave tomorrow evening.

The transition would take longer than that, and you know it.

You endanger her, brother. Turn her. Imagine what would happen if the Russo’s got their hands on her.

He growled at the thought of that happening.

Give me two weeks. She needs time. I will not have her hate me as mother did our father.

You forget how much she also loved him.

I remember how much she resented him. I do not want to see the same look in my mate’s eyes.

“Hello?” Willow asked, not aware of the conversation taking place. He turned to look at the woman he loved. No. He would never force her. He’d wait until she agreed and accepted his offer of immortality.

And if she didn’t?

His stomach turned.

Two weeks. I need two weeks.

You will bring her home with us.

A demand or a question, brother?

Both, if it makes you feel better.

He growled deep in the back of his throat. Vincent never directed him. Brayden knew the rules, and as king, it was Vincent’s right to enforce them. Willow was Brayden’s mate, which meant she was now an unofficial member of the Moretti royal family; a potential mother to future princes. The king was also responsible for her safety.

If the rebellion got their hands on her, they would use her against him. Painfully. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep her safe. Anything, except force her to turn into a vampire.

Okay. I will bring her home.

You have one week.

Two!

It’s too dangerous, Brayden. Don’t be a fool.

I’ll protect her.

Vincent shook his head. “Willow, I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

“Nice to meet you,” she politely replied as the king opened the door.

I’ve never had to say this before, Brayden—

Don’t.

—I am the fucking king. You have one week.

Fury ran through his veins, causing his muscles to tense.

“Bray?” He felt Willow grasp one of his arms.

Don’t challenge me on this, Brayden! You may be the only one able to produce an heir for this family. If you lose your mate and something happens to me, that’s the Moretti line gone. You would never mate again. It is my duty to protect our family.

He glared at his brother.

This is your duty as prince and protector of your mate.

“Leave. Now!” he yelled at the king.

“Brayden!” Willow gasped, unaware of the conversation. Vincent frowned and shook his head.

“You are not our father, and you never will be. Have more faith in yourself, brother.” Vincent closed the door behind him.

Brayden stared at the closed door for a long moment, then turned and pulled Willow into his arms.

For the first time in his life, he felt torn between his obligations as prince, as a Moretti, and something else. Never had he entertained thoughts such as those running through his mind right now, visions of overpowering his brother. But then what? The king was right. They both knew it.

If it weren’t for his stubborn refusal to turn Willow, there would be no issue. But he wouldn’t. Vincent hadn’t spent the same intimate amount of time with their mother as he had. While Vincent was training to become king, Brayden had spent years with her listening to her stories, watching her eyes fill with emotions from her human years and lost possibilities.

Yet both brothers had been given the life-altering task of fulfilling the promise his father had made to his mother on their one thousandth anniversary. Standing side by side, Vincent and Brayden had taken a sword and beheaded their parents. It had been a promise their father had made to his mate, the queen, after turning her a vampire without her permission. She had hated him for it.

Eventually the senior royals had made peace with one another, and their love had flared to life again. Guiliana had given birth to Vincent and then Brayden, neither of whom suspected anything until 1891, exactly one thousand years later. Desperate to gain her trust and love back, their father had offered to give Guiliana back her mortality after a lifetime together, which together they agreed would be one thousand years.

The memory of seeing their heads rolling on the ground after both princes had been tasked with decapitating the royals was forever seared in his eyes. The consequence for his father’s actions. Willow would have her choice, and that was final.

It was true that just by being his mate, he had fated her life.

He squeezed her tighter until he heard her moan.

“Hello! Human under here.”

Releasing her, he held her face. “Willow, I’m so fucking sorry.”

She paled. He watched as the truth they both knew she’d been ignoring came flooding to the forefront of her mind. Her face elongated and mouth fell open.

“Jesus, you’re going to kill me, aren’t you?” Tears poured down her face as she began to shake uncontrollably.