Chapter 12: Misunderstandings
Outside the old windmill, while Jay and the royal siblings were still talking, none of them noticed or heard Cole as he returning to the campsite. The alpha bear hybrid smiled as he walked back to the campsite with a beautiful red rose in his hand. He had found this flower in the forest and thought Kai might like it. As he walked over to the windmill Cole kept thinking of what he was going to say.
"Uh hey, Kai, I picked this flower for you 'cause it looked pretty and you look pretty? No that's stupid." He groaned as he reached the old door. He sighed and decided to get to over with, like ripping off an old band-aid. He was about to open to door, only to freeze when he heard Jay, Nya, and Kai's voices coming from inside.
"He can't just marry whoever he wants!" Nya exclaimed.
"She's right, take a good look at me, Jay," Kai replied sadly. "I mean, really, who could ever love a beast so hideous and ugly? Prince and ugly don't go together; that's why I can't stay here with Cole." He explained and Cole gasped, thinking they were all calling him an ugly beast. "My only chance to live happily ever after is to marry my true love." He muttered, a hint of sadness evident in his voice, but the alpha didn't hear it. Cole let out a deep, sad sigh as he looked at the rose he had gotten for Kai.
His sorrow soon turned to anger and he threw the red flower to the ground outside the windmill in disgust.
Before he did something he'd regret, Cole began walking away back into the forest with a broken heart. What he didn't know was that the conversation was still going on. As they talked, Kai sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that night since Jay started talking to them. While they were still talking about Kai's feelings, the prince thought he could sense someone outside the windmill but he shrugged it off and thought it was just an animal.
"Don't you see, Jay? This is just how it has to be." Nya stated.
"It's the only way to break the spell." Her brother nodded.
"You at least gotta tell Cole the truth."
"No!" Kai exclaimed in fear. "You can't breathe a word of this to anyone! No one must ever know!
"Promise you won't tell!" Nya pleaded with a warning fire in her eyes. Jay thought about it for a second before nodding and both siblings instantly relaxed.
"All right, I won't tell him, but you should," Jay suggested as he made to leave. "I just know before this is over, I'm gonna need a whole lot of serious therapy." He muttered as he walked away from the windmill and towards his sleeping bag. Kai watched him from the partly opened door and he quickly glanced around the campsite. It seemed that Cole hadn't returned yet and Kai was starting to worry. However, he quickly reminded himself that Cole was an alpha bear hybrid.
Kai sighed and turned to go back inside when he noticed a single beautiful red rose lying on the ground.
He carefully picked it up and sniffed it, its scent was lovely so he decided to put it in some water before going to bed...
When Kai woke up the next morning he saw Nya was still asleep and he could still hear Jay snoring by the fire. He carefully left the windmill so he didn't wake Nya up and the second he was out in the morning sunlight, his body became surrounded by golden dust for a few seconds, and as soon as the dust vanished Kai saw he had returned to human form. The second thing he noticed was that Cole still nowhere in sight. He hoped Cole came back soon.
He had something to say to the alpha bear hybrid.
The prince had been up almost all night debating whether or not to tell Cole how he felt about him. He had decided to tell him. He hadn't said anything to Nya because he knew she would try and talk him out of it and convince him to marry a complete stranger. As Kai was seeing what they could have for breakfast, he saw Cole walking over to the campsite from the hill.
"Hey, Cole!" He exclaimed happily and ran over to him but stop when he saw the furious look on the hybrid's face. "Are you alright?" The prince asked, greatly concerned.
"Perfect, never been better." Cole spat with venom in his voice as he walked past Kai and sat on a log by the remains of last night's campfire.
"I need to tell you something."
"Save it, Prince Kai, I heard enough of it last night." Cole snarled, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. The arguing caused Jay to wake up and Nya to come outside. They both looked at the alpha and omega in confusion, wondering what was causing all the fighting.
"You heard what I said?" Kai gasped, thinking Cole was talking about his curse.
"Every word." He glared. "Who could love a hideous, ugly beast? Right?"
"I-I thought..." Kai trailed off, trying to prevent the tears from coming to his eyes. He had thought Cole loved him, regardless of his terrible curse. Before anyone could say another word, the sound of trumpets, horses, and marching soldiers filled the air and everyone turned around to see a dozen of Flintlocke's guards, Flintlocke himself, and a big, black, expensive carriage coming over to the campsite.
"Ah right on time! Prince Kai, I've brought you a little something." Raph smirked nastily. The carriage pulled to a stop right in front of them and they all stood anxiously. One of the guards opened the carriage door and King Nadakhan stepped out and poor Jay began to cower behind Cole. Nya stood her ground and glared at the king, silently daring him to hurt her brother. Kai watched as the king walked over to him with wide eyes. He knew Nadakhan was big and frightening but he didn't think he was THAT big and frightening.
He soon forced away from his shock, however.
This was the man he'd be spending the rest of his life with. The man who'd break his curse and take him back to his family. The least Kai could do was so a little appreciation.
"Prince Kai," Nadakhan said in a loving voice. Something about it made Kai's skin crawl, but he ignored it.
"As promised, now for your end of the deal." Cole glared and stomped over to the king, ignoring everyone else.
"Here it is monster, now take it before I change my mind." Nadakhan glared as Cole walked over to Flintlocke and snatched the deed from his hands.
"Forgive me, my love, for startling you, but you startled me, for I have ever seen such a radiant beauty before; I am King Nadakhan." He smiled at the omega, who had no choice but to return it.
"Forgive me, my king, for I was just saying, a short, farewell," Kai said, a sad lump forming in his throat as Nadakhan and his men burst out laughing.
"That's so sweet of you my love, but you don't have to use manners around the hybrid, it's not like it has feelings." The king chuckled as he took hold of Kai's hand. The prince looked over to Cole but the alpha had his back turn to them. Jay and Nya could only watch in shock, wondering how things had changed so suddenly.
"No, I guess he doesn't." Kai sighed sadly, remembering how Cole had shot his feels for him down only a few moments ago. If the alpha bear hybrid had been facing them Kai would have clearly seen the sad and hurt expression on his face when he heard Kai say those words.
"Prince Kai, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Nadakhan asked and he got down on one knee, still holding Kai's hand. Kai looked back over to Cole and sighed. He still loved Cole but the bear hybrid had made it clear that he didn't return the prince's love. He turned back to the king and put on the best fake smile she could do.
"Of course I'll marry you." He said and Cole felt as though his heart had been ripped out and torn to pieces.
"Wonderful! Let us return to my palace and tomorrow we shall wed my love." The king exclaimed happily and Kai panicked.
"No!" He cried and everyone stopped, even Cole. He glanced back with hope in his eyes, believing that maybe, just maybe, Kai had, had a change of heart. "I mean, uh, why wait? Let's get married today before the sun sets?" He asked and just like that Cole felt his heartbreak even more if that was possible. Not wanting to hear the happy couple planning their big day, he stormed off back into the forest. He just wanted to get back home, where the world made sense again.
"Oh, anxious, are we?" Nadakhan chuckled. "You're right, the sooner, the better! There's so much to do!" He gasped. "There's the caterer, the cake, the band, the guest list! Captain, round up some guests!" He ordered as he walked back to his carriage with Kai and Nya following from behind. Flintlock and his men were ordered to collect Kai and Nya's stuff from the campsite. Just before Kai got into the carriage he looked back at Cole and saw him slowly walking away.
"Farewell Cole." He called and got into the carriage next to Nadakhan and across from Nya. He looked at Cole and Jayy through the window as the carriage began moving back to Nadakhan's castle, the tears started to form in his amber eyes, but he refused to let a single one of them fall...