Chapter 14: My Princess

Notes | Alpha Order | Inner Wolf | 'Talking in Mind Link'

Warnings | Swearing

.

James smirked. "You'd like to know, wouldn't you?" He sneered aristocratically. "But I don't answer to you. You are below me," His voice was crisp, words concise. James flashed a wild smile at the two males across from him "Mutts." He scoffed lightly and shook his head. "The nerve," James quipped, humor coloring his voice. His unnerving green eyes held a brilliant defiance in them.

"I . . ." Sam trailed off. Bella, the Cullens, they had been correct. James was not human. He was surrounding Loveless, he had her complete trust. His wolf bristled, she needed to be safe.

He stretched his fingers out as his hands began to itch. James let out a breath. The burning in the heart of his chest flared, clawing at its cage - it wanted to play. But now was not the time, nor the place. James would never do anything to hurt his Princess. Never.

"You will," Paul growled. "Tell me!" A tremor coursed through his body, clinging to his spine. His wolf didn't like any of the implications. The fear that gripped him. He didn't know what he was. He could smell the power though. And that was dangerous. He was dangerous.

James cocked his head to the side. "That alpha shit doesn't work on me. I'm not part of your pack." He sneered. His leg bounced with an even tempo - looking perfectly at ease, though he was anything but. James would keep his calm façade in place. If he didn't want others to know where his emotions were - they wouldn't. People would see what James wanted them to see. The burning in his chest flared brighter. The itching in his palms traveled upward, a tingling sensation traveling through his upper body. His temperature heated. He closed his green eyes as they shimmered - the edges tinging orange.

"Okay," Jared whispered as he walked back into the living room. A Peace Keeper was needed. Sam was too close to the situation to be the Keeper at this moment. "Let's not get hot-headed." He tried to soothe his alpha as he glared at James. The other was riling him up on purpose, toying with him. "Peace," Jared whispered to his brothers.

James took a deep breath. His Princess was upstairs, he needed to be peaceful too. He opened his eyes and stared pointedly at Paul. James breathed out slowly as his body cooled and the burning slowed before disappearing. Calm. He smiled as if there weren't five wolves who were ready to try and break him in half. James leaned back in the chair - getting more comfortable. The smirk on his supple lips never strayed. He was the picture of perfect royalty. "A mutt should know his place." The unheard 'which is below me' was evident.

"Okay," Sam raised both hands in surrender. His wolf being angry would rile up his Alpha's wolf. The implication of the imprints in danger would rile the Alpha up. Sam heaved a sigh. "There is no need for such hostility." He tried to keep the peace. His imprint was in the house. He didn't need his alpha phasing. And a lot of this . . . was his fault.

James laughed. "Hostility? No, no. Fact." He smiled aristocratically. "I am here for My Princess. That's all." His hunter-green eyes gleamed with something unknown. A secret they could never place. "Yes, some words are more pointed than others." He waved dismissively with one hand. "But all of this is factual."

"Prin-" Paul stood as he cut himself off. "Your Princess?!" He didn't like that. His wolf didn't like that - at all. He started to shake. It took everything he had to focus on his imprint upstairs. It was the only reason he had yet to phase.

James stood and smoothed out the creases in his blue and white dress shirt. "She is not yours." His green eyes hardened. The heat in his chest flared, burning brighter than before. "And you will calm down." They had no right to claim her. She was not one of them! They threw her away.

Sam stood and placed a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Please," he whispered, eyes searching his Alpha for a moment. "What do you mean the Good Doctor?" Sam's brows furrowed. "It sounds wrong coming from your lips. The way you say good, it's wrong." He and his wolf had so many questions. But that phrase. It was gnawing at his wolf. The good doctor. Why was it said that way?

"I am hoping to be under the impression that you were not dumb enough to send all of Nicole's files to the school." James waited a minute, watching the confusion that clouded Samuel's features. "Correct." The word was snarled passed his lips. "However, that Good Doctor is not the same." He cleared his throat and leveled the other a look. "Still with me?"

Sam nodded. "I think so."

"Doctor Annabella, apparently took it upon herself to have what papers could be sent to the school, sent." James kept a calm appearance. He was anything but, James wanted to burn something. "I'm not happy with that Samuel." James held up one singular finger and pointed at the wolfen man. "I suggest you set a couple of boundary lines with her." His eyes hardened as the burning sensation grew once more. "Or, I will."

Sam frowned. "She what?" His hackles rose as a tremor shot through him. He had done his best to make sure no one knew. To keep it a secret so that Loveless could start fresh and not worry. A steady low growl rumbled in the back of his throat. Bitch.

"I would also like to point out. Isabella Swan." James watched a couple of different emotions pass over their faces. "She is named after her dear Aunt. Doctor Annabella." He sneered at the name. "I would be very careful. I will not be held responsible if she hurts My Princess." He glanced at Jacob. "Or continues to push My Princess."

Jacob frowned. He was going to have to watch Bella, apparently. He'd done everything he could to ignore her . . . But this changed everything.

"James?" Emily called from the kitchen. She broke a tension that she didn't know had built. A soft smile on her lips "Is it possible for you to come here?"

He smirked and bowed slightly before walking into the kitchen. "Ma'am?" His natural Texas drawl slipped in unconsciously.

"Oh!" She smiled, Texas? "I forgot to ask what you'd like to drink?" Emily smiled sweetly as she turned to face him. "And that was just plain rude of me."

James heaved a small sigh. "I'm sorry Ma'-"

"Call me Emily." Her smile stayed in place. Anyone would be able to ignore the scars when she smiled like that. And he was special to Loveless. And James seemed to ignore the scars altogether, to begin with.

"Emily, I'm sorry but I have to be returning home." James smiled politely. He bobbed his head slightly as he read her. She knew of the mutts in the other room. And she knew of the connection between the biggest one and Loveless. She also knew Loveless' past. The Good Doctor had a mighty big mouth.

Her smile dropped. "You can't stay? Nicole seems happier with you around." She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and worried it.

"Yes." James chuckled. "She usually is happier with me." He stated. His cold green eyes stared calculatingly at her.

Emily flinched slightly. That hurt. She frowned softly as she looked down at her feet.

"I need to return before Vic gets home." James placated. He didn't want to hurt her. She seemed innocent. He studied her scars. The wolfen did that. "But I would like to come and pick her up for school in the morning," James stated. It wasn't a question. He wasn't asking. He was telling. And they both knew that. James stared deep into her brown eyes and waited.

Emily's brows furrowed. "For school?"

"Yes." James nodded. "I promised her I would."

Emily pouted. "If you promised, yeah . . . She'd be disappointed if not." She'd only hate us more too. Emily took a deep breath. "We want her to be happy," she whispered as she looked up at James.

"Jame?" Loveless called as she came down the stairs.

"She will be" He whispered to Emily. James twisted around. A bright smile on his sharp features.

Emily stood, wide-eyed at the sudden change in his features and presence. He was dangerous . . . she wasn't sure how much. But, Emily could tell. She'd been around her boys long enough. He was so political - aristocratic. But with her, he was charmingly sweet. Kind. There was a love there. Something for Loveless and no one else.

"Hey, princess." James cooed softly.

Loveless pouted and moved towards him. She stood in front of him for a moment before wrapping her arms around his waist. "You're leaving?" she whispered into his neck. Loveless snuggled closer. She tightened her grip. He was warm - not warm enough, but warmer than her. Loveless didn't want him to leave.

James smirked at a growling Paul over the top of Loveless's head. He squeezed her to him and hummed softly. "I am, princess. But I'll be back in the morning." He murmured.

A smile beamed on Loveless's face. "Chincha?" Her dark blue eyes sparkled brightly.

"Yes." James chuckled and kissed her forehead. "See you in the morning. Sleep well, honey." He squeezed her tightly and let his temperature rise for a moment as he surrounded her. "Later Lovely."

Loveless nodded. She walked him to the door and out to the car. Loveless waved as he drove off.

. .

Seth cocked his head to the side. "She has no clue who or what he really is." He licked his lips and rolled his shoulders. He took a deep breath as James took the tension with him.

Jared nodded. "We need to talk to the Cullens, Paul." His lips were pursed. "Without Bella present." Jared frowned. "She could present as a problem."

"Yes," Paul grumbled out in agreement. He didn't want to see the leeches. But they could be helpful. "I'll contact Dr. Cullen tomorrow." His eyes tracked James as he waved to Emily and hugged Loveless once more before leaving. Paul didn't like him one bit. But the smile James put on Loveless' face was enough to make him pause.

Emily heaved a sigh. I should tell him now. "Paul . . ."

Paul and Sam turned at the sound of Emily's voice. "What Em?"

"James is taking her to school," Emily spoke softly. She kept her head level without trying to seem taller.

Paul froze - along with the rest of the pack. "He's what?"

"Taking her to school." Emily tried again.

"Why?" Sam bit out. His brows knitted in confusion. At this rate - Loveless was never going to like them.

"Because . . . James is her friend," Emily spoke firmly but did her best to keep her tone soft - as if speaking to a wounded animal. "If we don't let them see each other - she's going to resent us. Do you want that Paul?" Emily stared directly at him. Her eyes were soft and understanding, Emily knew that it had to be difficult.

Paul shook his head. Lower lip jutting out. No, he didn't want that. "No," he whispered.

"Um." They turned towards the topic of conversation as she stepped into the room. Loveless frowned slightly with all eyes on her. Why were they staring? "Dinner?"

Emily smiled. "I made a hamburger helper sort of casserole, green beans, diced grilled chicken - for your salad, biscuits."

Sam smiled. "Sounds great, Emy."

She smiled at the nickname.

Loveless nodded. "I'll take the salad and a small portion of the green beans."

Emily smiled. She's slowly eating more.

Paul relaxed. It was the sound of her voice. It always relaxed him. It was the imprint connection. It soothed him, each and every time, without fail.

"I'll eat it in my room," Loveless announced.

Emily frowned but nodded in consent.

"Oh," Loveless turned. Her eyes narrowed as they trained in on Samuel. "The next time one of you tells me midnight and the other tries to go back on that and tell me to get home now - I won't come home at all." She held Samuel's gaze for another moment before turning back towards the stairs.

Sam let out a breath and dropped back onto the couch. "I knew this wouldn't be easy . . .But I didn't," He swallowed the lump in his throat. This was his fault. He put her in this situation. Left her in that situation. And had no put everyone in this situation.

"It's okay baby," Emily whispered as she sat down beside him on the couch. She wrapped her arms around one of his and rubbed gently against his bicep. "We know this wasn't on purpose." Emily placed a kiss on Sam's shoulder and rubbed his arm comfortingly.

Paul moved forward and squeezed Sam's unattended shoulder. He waited until their eyes connected. "Breathe." He watched with calculating orbs. A soft smile covered his lips as he saw the tension ease from his pack-mates shoulders. "We are going to keep everyone safe." Paul nodded, short and confident. "We weathered storms before, brother."

"Thank you," Sam whispered as his shoulders dropped. The wolf in him calmed at the order from the alpha.

. .

Loveless paced back and forth. Her tight dark denim skinny jeans made a slight swish with each step. The dark purple sequin tank top shimmered under the lights in the living room. The simple choker from her neck gleamed with each sway against her neck and collarbone.

"Would you please sit?" Paul asked - a slight begging under-laced his voice. Her pacing was making the wolf antsy. He rolled his shoulder - trying to relieve the tension that was building. Paul was doing his best to keep calm. The wolves were all restless and letting himself get worked up would make everything worse. His jaw worked, a crack resounding through the room. Paul was trying to calm down.

It was not working.

"I agree. . ." Emily spoke softly. She placed a gentle smile across her lips as Loveless turned to look at her. "Maybe sit and eat breakfast?" She was bargaining. It seemed to help in certain areas. "You'll know when he gets here." Her lower lip jutted out as she pouted. She was not above coercion. "I made you breakfast."

Her nose scrunched as she looked towards the window once more. Emily wasn't wrong - you would know if someone was coming this way. "What did you make?" She turned towards Emily once more. She was hungry. Loveless had never been able to place it. . .But she was always willing to eat if James and Vic were involved. She liked it when they were proud of her - like parents.

"Oh!" Emily beamed. "Pancakes, eggs, sausage, strawberry muffins. diced oranges." She started listing foods. She was even willing to list foods that needed prep if Loveless would eat. "There's blueberry muffins in the oven, milk, orange juice . . ." Her eyes trained on the younger woman, watching for facial expressions that could better help her understand what Loveless liked to eat. Emily would eventually get it all right. One day. It was fine, they had time.

Loveless's lips pursed. "How did you cook the eggs?"

"Scrambled," Her smile dropped. "Do you not like them scrambled?" Emily questioned. Damn. She knew that expression even before Loveless answered.

Her nose scrunched. "No, I don't." Her lips pursed. "Maybe a muffin . . . and oranges."

Beep.

A beautiful smile slid on Loveless's features as she squealed. She twisted around and slung the door open. Loveless raced down the steps and clobbered the first person she came in contact with. Her arms wrapped around their neck, legs around their waist. "Finally!"

James chuckled from her right side. "Now, you know what I meant when I said she clobbered me!" His eyes sparkled. Glad I can make you happy Princess.

"You're not supposed to hug my man like this." A tinkling laughter filled the air

"I missed you so much, Vic!"

So what did you think?