LUCAS’ POV.
A week before our court proceedings, John came to meet me in my room. I had just stepped out of the shower, only to hear him knock.
Funny that he still had some of his manners intact.
“Come in.” I said, wrapping my robe around me, and he came in.
“I got your message. Today. Didn’t think you’d actually carry on with it.” He said, leaning against the door.
“Is that what you’re here to say?” I asked, and he smiled, looking down at a paper he held in his hands.
“They told me my presence would be needed for the court stuff. How funny. The wife wants a divorce, and the husband is notified by the court, and not the wife herself. Is this how you push people around? Well, I’ll show up.”
“Did you come here to say you’ll show up?” I asked, spraying perfume on myself.
“Is this really the best you can do? Buying the judge you’re hiring is not something hard for me. It takes quite a while for these kinds of things to actually take place.”
“Trust me. It will be done quickly. You just do as you’re told, and don’t worry about any of it. You’re forgetting something here. I’m also a Granger just as you are. You’re lower than me, John. I’m a son, you are a grandson. Raymond might have your back, but Mira, Will and Genevieve will have mine because if they have to choose between me and you, they will choose the brother they were left with to protect. No matter how dirty you play, I will always find a way around it because I’m not one of the helpless and powerless people whose lives you destroy. If you have nothing to say, you can get out. I have an appointment.” I said, and he looked at me, his features tight.
“Go, Granger.” He mocked, without a smile, and left my room.
When he left, I leaned against my desk. Nothing had to go wrong. Everything had to go according to plan. Already, luck was on my side, and I had discovered the reason I didn’t die, and the reason I wouldn’t die.
Of course, from the start, Emily and I hadn’t recognized each other as mates, but since we already did, maybe we didn’t have to hide it. After all, mates were fated to be in love, and share an unbreakable bond.
No one would be against us, once John was out of the way.
After dressing up, I went to Tray’s house, where the both of us discussed more about the divorce stuff, and our odds of winning.
We even played chess, trying to better analyze the moves John had against us, and at the same time, have a laugh to reduce the stress.
At night, John and I had dinner with the elders; I guessed they were more anxious because the trial was only a week away.
“John, Lucas.” Genevieve began.
“Yes?” We both replied.
“What are you both fighting over?” She asked, and John chuckled.
“A girl. My girl.” He replied.
“She’s not yours. Before you introduced her to me, we met, and had a thing for each other. There’s the fact that you cheated, and she broke up with you. She called off the engagement, and ended things with you. She would have walked out of your life, only if she hadn’t smashed the sculpted Alpha to pieces. Emily was done with you, before she even thought of accepting me as a friend, not to talk of a lover. She’s not your girl.”
“My wife.” John retorted.
“Whom you forced into marriage with you.” I completed.
“You know what? We’re still at the table!” Mira shouted, hitting the table, and making the dishes jump.
“What happened to you both? Don’t you remember how close you used to be?” Will asked, “you both have always relied on each other right before John could walk. Nothing could separate the both of you, and you were more like real brothers. You can’t tell me a single girl came from nowhere, and sparked all this enmity.”
“Ask Lucas. Why would he take the girl I love? Forget that I forced the marriage. She’s mine already, so tell him to cancel going to court. Besides, I found her first.”
“Stop whining, John.” I blurted out. “You’re not a kid anymore. Grow up. Don’t just think of yourself. Think of others too. Does Emily want to be with you? No. Also, Emily and I are mates.”
“Is that true?” Raymond asked, looking up from his plate.
“Well, I think they’re lying.” John said, rolling his eyes.
“Okay… How’s she mated to you both? I’ve heard of stuff like this before, but I’ve never actually seen it.” Mira said, looking from me to John.
“I’ve witnessed it before.” Genevieve added, pushing her spoon lazily into her spoon.
“That does explain your strange attraction towards her.” Will said. “I know you to be a man, who doesn’t want anything to do with ladies. You used to hate even the sight of them. Now I understand how she managed to catch your attention.”
“You don’t know they’re telling the truth.” John snapped. “They might have cooked this up.”
“Well, time will tell.” Raymond grunted. “Just stop this act, and leave the court stuff out. Let’s solve this among ourselves.”
“If we could solve it, we would have solved it tonight. Maybe we should go to court, so I can claim my bride.” John replied, stubbornly.
“I agree with him. If you want to see me get married, and have kids, then we have to go to court first.” I replied, and John snatched the container of salt off the table, and tipped quite a generous amount into his soup, before slamming it down onto the table.
Just like that, the days counted down as the week flew fast, and so did Emily’s nervousness. Each time I talked about the trial, she’d place her hand on her chest, and give a sigh.
She told me mentions of the trial made it feel like something awfully cold, racing through her chest, a pang to her heart.
On and on, the days flipped by like the pages of a book, bringing us to the morning that would either shape or break our future.
The day of our trial.