13. The Mate Hunt

"So you are telling me that you are going to fake a relationship with Riley? Am I hearing that correct ?" Christian asked, his arms spread out in the air while his expressions showing how ridiculous the idea felt to him. Christian was already in a bad mood for Nicholas had dropped in way too early from his wake up time putting him in a grumpy mood.

"It's going to be fake Chris, just to fool father," Nicholas answered with a shrug. The look in his eyes and face not matching, showing how uncertain he was about this entire thing.

Damien Wonderhood was anything but a fool and Christian knew that better than anyone else. The chain and the locket around his neck was a painful proof of it, Christian's focus slightly shifted, a pained look appearing on his face as all his senses forced him to feel that chain around his neck, the locket sitting against his skin, an ugly proof of how dangerous Damien Wonderhood could be.

"You really think that he's going to get convinced? Do you know how risky this plan of your's is? You can get Immery killed !" Christian retorted, his voice rising with every word making Nicholas flinch. It was partially because of the fear he had within himself towards Damien and partially because he was scared that his brother would have to experience that side of him.

"You need to trust me, brother, it is going to be okay," Nicholas answered his voice gentle trying to soothe Christian's anger. Nicholas could understand why his brother was getting so defensive, he knew this plan was risky.

"I trust you with everything and anything that's between and about us brother, but when it's about Immery, my mate, I am bound to be worried. I won't tolerate even a scratch on her," Christian said, his voice calm but sincere. Nicholas stood there, mildly shocked. Christian had always trusted Nicholas with everything and anything, never questioning any of his decisions but now he was. He was questioning it for his mate, the one he has waited for a very long time.  

"She's my mate too, Chris!" Nicholas exclaimed, his voice strained and tired. He hadn't slept last night. He tried but couldn't. Whatever was happening, was happening very fast. From going on to find his mate with no hope of really finding her to seeing her in front of him.

"It doesn't feel like so Nick," Christian answered with a sigh, he knew that Nicholas was going through an inner ordeal. Christian could see how all of it was affecting him, unlike him Nicholas wasn't waiting for their mate. He was enjoying his princely life--blood slaves, charming the vampire girls with his sex appeal and Riley. It all stopped with Riley's departure, Nicholas's first ever love.

"You haven't even spoken to her Nick, you cannot expect things to fall into place on their own. You need to make the effort. While you both haven't even spoken to each other we have already slept together," Christian spoke, boasting the events of the previous night to Nicholas who raised his eye once he heard Christian.

"You both what ?"

"Well not in that way, we slept on my bed, together. Of course a way lot of pillows in between us. And before you say that I influenced her to let me sleep on the bed I would like to tell you that she invited me over," Christian spoke, a wide smile sitting on his face as he remembered the last night. To him and his back, it felt surreal. He knew it was the beginning of the journey for them.

"You are taking undue advantage of being able to live with her," Nicholas said while rolling an eye at Christian. Only if he could take Immery to his palace.

"Nah..it's because she likes me better," Christian replied, running his hand through his morning messy hair.

"You are stupid," Nicholas said, not trying to hide that he was definitely feeling jealous of his brother and how close he was getting to Immery.

"Well I am quite wise for a four hundred twenty-year-old, but you are clearly jealous," Christian answered with a smirk while Nicholas chuckled. 

"I think I should leave now. I will come back later after the meeting with father to meet Immery ?" Nicholas asked unsure about the meeting with Damien.

"Just don't goof up. I don't understand how your plan is going to work when Riley looks that she's into you," Christian spoke, his cheerful demur changing back to a worried one. He was the one who had seen Nicholas and Riley's relationship, while Riley had rejected Nicholas before leaving him completely heartbroken, he could see the desire and hope of getting Nicholas this time in her eyes.

"You know that she rejected me over a century back. This is the only way to convince father that I am over the mate discussion and that I am no longer looking for her. I do not understand why father doesn't want us to find her but every fifty years he sends almost all of our soldier to look for her. And if he does that this time, they might find Immery. I will have to do this fake drama with Riley for all of us, and mostly to keep Immery safe," Nicholas told Christian about whatever he was thinking making Christian nod at him.

"Later, brother," Nicholas told with a faint smile before disappearing with a gush of wind.

____________________

"Hey...good morning," Immery groaned out in her sleepy voice as she stretched her arms out, letting them fall over the numerous fluffy pillows on the bed. Christian stood there watching Immery, his back against the door while his arms were folded around his chest.

"Morning," Christian wished her back, admiring her morning face with her messy hair falling all over her face.

"I am going to take a bath, you can go after me...or if you want you can come with me?" Christian suggested with a smug, while Immery looked confused until his words made sense in her head, profusely blushing as she took one of the pillows and covered her face with it. She moved the pillow away, as she watched Christian go towards the bath room.

Immery glanced towards the window a smile appearing on her face almost immediately, the events of the last night playing in her mind. Them going to the club, her dancing and drinking with him to watching him transform into his wolf. Immery looked down at her palms, reminiscing how his fur felt against them, soft and velvety. 

Her life was changing way too fast but she was gladly embracing it. She liked it here, everything about the two brothers was intimidating but she wanted to explore it more.

"You seem lost...something on your mind ?" Immery's trance was broken as she heard Christian, her eyes getting stuck on him as she looked in his direction. Christian stood there in just a towel hanging from his lower body, showing off those packs and down through the finely detailed muscles while he casually dried his hair, shaking his head making his blonde hair fly in the air.

"You are staring now," Christian said with a low laugh while Immery took her eyes off him, biting her lip while Christian went towards the closet.

"So I have certain meetings and some work to do today. You think you will be okay alone in here ?" Christian asked while buttoning up his shirt, letting the towel fall on the ground to put on his boxers.

Immery got up from the bed, wondering what to answer. She did not want him to lose out on his important work by keeping him around her all the time but at the same time, she feared being alone, especially between so many werewolves.

"Yes," Immery answered with a deep breath, she certainly did not want Christian to babysit her.

"Ohkay, then I will see you later for lunch? Or maybe Nick will come to meet you," Christian told as he came out of the closet wearing formals, looking into Immery's eyes to try to read them.

Immery nodded seeing him pick up some papers from the drawer beside the dressing table and leave through the door.

Immery could already feel the room getting cold, it feeling less secure even though Christian had just left. She walked towards the door of the bedroom, opening it to see if he actually left. She closed the door with a sigh when she couldn't find any sight of him.

With nothing else to do she picked up the wet towels that Christian had just thrown on the couch, her nose scrunched in annoyance as she headed to the bathroom.

_______________________

"Good morning Alpha, we finished the calculations for the number of wild animals in our forests," one of the Delta's spoke as he handed the file to Lily who passed it on to Christian. He picked the file up and started going through it, his mind wandering off to Immery. It had been roughly three days since she was here and he had done no work at all, nor was he being able to focus now.

"Do you think we need any more changes? Like fodder points ?" One of the other Delta suggested while Christian nodded, absentmindedly, Lily could see the difference in her Alpha and more so everly her friend.

Christian looked up from the file to find everyone staring at him, expectantly. He eyed Lily once, trying to understand the reason for he was completely zoned off.

"I will study this file and the Beta will inform you about any changes," Christian coughed a little, covering up how he did not even read a word from the file and dismissed the meeting. The Deltas left the meeting room of the town hall, the server omega's following them.

"So what's on your mind ?" Lily asked, her voice having a teasing tone to it while Christian face palmed himself.

"Immery," he whispered out her name. He looked up towards Lily with a smile who returned the gesture. She knew who this girl was and was happy that Christian had finally found her.

"You mean our future Luna," Lily said much to Christian's satisfaction.

"I aspire to make her my Luna, Lily."