Chapter 56: I Want You, John.

Bella’s pov.

“So…” king Karl drawled on, cringing as he looked around at the pack members talking and laughing loudly as they ate the breakfast the omegas made for everyone this morning, “this is how you… eat together?”

“This isn’t an everyday occurrence. We usually eat dinner as a pack, I rarely have the time lately to attend but I try my best to be there when I have the time. Breakfast just isn’t for everyone. I usually don’t have the time in the morning and most of the pack members that aren’t here right now work night shifts so we just don’t usually do it,” I responded, picking at the pancakes and sausages on my plate, not having the appetite as the king stared at me.

“Very well,” he grumbled, stabbing his fork in food, definitely not impressed, “if that’s how you run your pack…”

“Brother!” John cut in, gritting his teeth angrily, “that’s enough. Not every pack is the same. And we’re doing just fine. We don’t need your back handed comments, okay? We’re thriving. Our pack is doing good while our members are happy. Is that not good enough for you?”

The king cleared his throat as he looked at John calmly. Not a single emotion showed on his face.

“I will say what I want and do as I please. I am the king, it’s like you keep forgetting that or something, little brother,” he said as he glared at John slightly, Angel watching their interaction with a smirk on her face.

As if she enjoyed it.

Tundra perked up at my thoughts, watching her from my eyes.

‘She does like it,’ she whispered in shock, ‘she likes the way they fight. I’m guessing she thought John would’ve fought his brother for her. And when he didn’t… that made her want him back. That’s why she’s pretending to be on the king's side, demanding we help them get John back to the kingdom. It’s so she can try to get John back… while still being the queen.’

I clenched my fists tightly under the table, trying to keep my anger under control. To keep Tundra under control.

There was a thin rope holding her back, and at any minute she was about to bust out…

Just as I thought I was about to lose it, John's hand landed on my leg, squeezing it gently as if to tell me to calm down.

I took a deep breath before my eyes landed on his face.

He wasn’t looking at me, but I knew he was trying his best to stay calm too.

Obviously he didn’t do too well in the king's presence either.

“And, to make this clear now, big brother. I’ll be driving my one vehicle. I will not be riding with the two of you under any circumstances. Got it?” John said matter of factly. Slight venom in his tone.

“We will follow behind you then. So you can’t get away from this,” the king muttered through clenched teeth, his anger and impatience starting to show through the cracks of his composure.

John nodded his head once but didn’t say anything else.

His silence was an answer.

His hand never left my leg as he continued to eat his food.

Not missing a single piece before wiping his mouth.

“If you’ll excuse us. Bella and I need to prepare for this meeting. We’ll see you in one hour in her office, I have a proposal for you guys… don’t be late,” he grumbled the last part, grabbing my hand and pulling me along with him.

“Yes! See you both in an hour!” I called out while trying to look behind me at the king, knowing he already doesn’t like me.

John pulled me with him all the way to my office, closing it quickly behind him.

“John! What the hell are you doing?! Why would you drag me away like that? Do you not realize how that makes me look?” I shouted totally flustered. Still not understanding why he would’ve done that.

Like come on! I’m the alpha! And my beta was just dragging me out of the dining hall, in front of the royals.

Could it get any worse….?

“I’m sorry. I just had to get out of there, it was suffocating and uncomfortable. The way my brother speaks… the way he acts… I can’t handle it. At all. I feel like I can finally breathe again being so far away,” he sighed, slouching into the couch and putting his head in his hands.

“Well… you only have an hour of that before they come back. So, I guess you better enjoy it!” I chuckled, not wanting to see them just as badly as he doesn’t.

He groaned loudly, glaring at me slightly before getting back up.

“Let’s figure this out now then. I want to propose to him that when he needs me, or when the kingdom is under attack that I will go and help them, even bring some of our warriors but I refuse to move there. This is my home, I won’t leave it behind. He’ll have to accept that or… I don’t know, we’ll end up fighting I’m sure,” he said, looking out the window at the pack, “I’m happy here. And I won’t let anyone take it away from me. Not even my own family.”

“John… I won’t let them take you from me. I just got you back I feel like. I don’t want you to go, I don’t even want you to go there for a week. I know your father is dying but I need you. Is that selfish of me?” I asked quietly, knowing I probably am being selfish, but you know what? I don’t care. I’m never selfish, I always put everyone else before me and for once, I want to be selfish. I want to do what I want. And what I want is him.

“Trust me, Bella. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered, brushing some of my hair out of my face as he smiled down at me.

My heartbeat started racing in my chest, wanting to pull him down and kiss him fiercely.

But I can’t. Not yet. Not until Garrett is out of my life. Not until this mark is erased for good.