Sold to the Alpha With Silver Eyes - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

*Dev*
My fingers brush over the freshly carved stone. Hastings Matthew, dedicated warrior and loving mate. The words seem to light, barely touching the surface of the man he was.
Hastings was a solid rock, constantly grounding everyone who was around him. He had the insight of a future beta that would match me one day as the King. But now there is nothing but a vacancy that I doubt will truly ever be filled.
“It’s so strange,” Leoni says, walking up behind where I crouch before his headstone. “To see him like this.”
“This isn’t him.” I scoff. “They couldn’t even spring for a nicer headstone or memorial service? He should be resting in the hall of betas, not out here—”
“He wasn’t a beta yet,” Leoni reminds me and I shake my head.
“But he would have been.” I mutter. She hums to herself and I look over my shoulder up at her, confused by her lack of confidence in what I say.
“Hastings bit his tongue on many things where I won’t,” she sighs. “I do not trust that your uncle has you in his sights as his successor.”
My mouth drops open at her wild candor. I stand, watching her as her expression remains unmoved, her eyes watching me, gauging my reaction to her words.
“That’s a bold statement.” I finally admit, and she shrugs.
“It was something Hastings and I often discussed. I had assumed he had shared as much with you.” She says, her eyes softening as she looks at his headstone.
“He had not.” I exhale, scrubbing my hand down my face.
“One day I would be happy to sit down and discuss it more with you,” she says, stepping next to me, her slender hand reaching out to touch the marble. “But right now, I am a little busy.”
“Leoni…” I say, placing my hand on her opposite shoulder as I tug her close for a side-by-side hug. “I am so glad he had you, even if it wasn’t for a long time. Hastings was amazing before he found you, but you somehow…made him better.”
A tear drops down her cheek, highlighting the smile tugging up at the corner of her lips.
“That is what the mate bond does.” She looks at me, sincerity in her deep brown eyes. “It compliments you with the only person who can improve you.”
“And now you have lost that,” I say, my chest aching for her, and secretly for my own loss of my mate. She barks out a soft laugh and I look at her, shocked.
“You are so naïve when it comes to such things as love and the mate bond. My soul is complete because I have had him. It does not shatter because I have lost him. I am filled with his memory, overflowing with his wisdom and guidance. Hastings changed me, and I don’t revert back because he is gone. I live for him now. I am happy because I had him.”
I roll my eyes, sighing heavily.
“You and your flowery words,” I tease her, and she grins.
“They say it is better to have loved and lost…” She breaks off watching me, waiting for me to finish the statement, but I don’t. She has to know, doesn’t she? Surely Hastings didn’t keep secrets from her. So she must know I gave up my mate, that circumstances and who I am dictated I reject the poor girl that would have given me the very insight she gained from her bond with Hastings.
“Yeah, yeah…” I groan, “I know, I know.”
“Do you mind taking Eden back to the house for me?” She asks, changing the subject as she turns around and looks at Eden, who is smiling sweetly and chatting with Hastings’ parents.
“It’s supposed to rain any minute,” I tell her, and she grins.
“I know. Which is why I want her back at the house. I plan to stay here and dance with my sweetheart in the rain.”
“You are so very weird,” I mumble, giving her a soft smile as I stick my hands in my pockets. “I will make sure she makes it home.”
I leave her as she whispers to the headstone like Hastings might talk back. His parents look at me, his mother already tearing up as his father squares his shoulders and tries to remain the stoic man he always has been.
“Joan, Michael,” I greet them, taking Joan’s hand in mine as Michael slaps me on the shoulder.
“It was such a beautiful service.” He says, his voice breaking before he clears it.
“I wish they would have done more.” I tell them honestly, the disappointment of my uncle letting not only me but Hastings down seeping into my mood. He swore to me it would be something…more…and he did not deliver. There is no doubt in my mind he is punishing me for not bringing Eden for his ‘questions’ yet.
“This was more suited for Hastings.” Joan says softly, squeezing my hand. “He never was one for making a big fuss. That was always you.”
“Oh, wow!” I snort, unable to fight the laughter bubbling up. “Calling me right out, huh?”
“Are you going to deny it?” Michael asks, and I shake my head.
“No, can’t deny the truth, can I?”
They both chuckle and I glance at Eden as she holds her arm awkwardly, looking around as she is out of place. Joan senses the shift in my attention and releases my hand, dragging me in for a hug.
“Well, we will be heading back to the pack house. Micheal and I plan to leave in the morning.” She exhales, her voice quivering.
“So soon?” I ask, surprised. “You only arrived a few days ago.”
“Hastings has been gone for a week. It’s time we head home and mourn him in our own way and allow Leoni to do the same.”
It’s hard to believe it’s been a week without him. I still find myself searching for him in the mind link, only to find nothing there but a broken connection. My side aches as if I am missing a part of me and I rub it before I look up and give them a sad smile.
“If you don’t come visit soon, I will have to come to you guys and I will complain the whole time.” I tell them. Joan blows her nose and wipes a tear before she yanks me in for one more quick hug. Michael sticks his hand out for a solid shake before pulling me close.
“Protect that daughter-in-law of mine. She was his whole world.” He whispers and I lean back, giving him a curt nod.
“With my life.” I tell him and he takes Joan’s hand in his and the two walk off down the trail toward the pack house.
“Are you okay?” Eden’s voice is soft, her words wrapping around me like a warm blanket on a cold evening.
“Yeah,” I tell her honestly. As I turn to face her, I can see the hesitation on her face, like she is unsure how to act or where to look when she is with me. “Are you?”
“I didn’t know him very well,” she shrugs. “But he seems like he was a great person.”
“The best.” I murmur, walking up to her, my hand gently brushing the small of her back to encourage her to walk. We move in silence, Eden looking over her shoulder a few times before she frowns and looks at the ground.
“Why are you acting so shy?” I ask, tilting my head to get a better view of her face.
“I’m not,” she rushes out, her eyes snapping up and meeting mine before her cheeks grow pink and she looks away, trapping her bottom lip between her teeth like she always seems to do when she is uncomfortable. Which happens to be a lot.
“Is it because you kissed me and we never discussed it?” I tease her and she chokes on her own spit, her hand flying to her throat as she gawks at me wide eyed and her mouth open.
It brings a sly grin to my lips, witnessing how much the memory seems to fluster her. Not that it should bring me any joy at all, but knowing she might have a tiny crush on me warms a spot in my chest I’m not willing to admit yet is where my heart resides.
“I-i-I did not mean to kiss you,” she rushes out, stepping in front of me with her hands out as if trying to stop me. “It was an accident.”
“Ah yes, you were just trying to kill me, and then it morphed into a kiss?” I arch a brow, amused by how awkward the topic seems to make her.
“Yes, well, no…I fell and I’m weak and–”
“That is your excuse?” I ask, and her entire demeanor changes. Her face grows pale, her eyes grow more vacant as she drops to her hands and knees. I stop abruptly, my hands out in an attempt to catch her and help her back up.
“F-f-f-forgive me.” She stutters out and the fear in her voice cuts through me like an icy breeze off a frozen lake.
“Eden…” I whisper, squatting down to be on her level.
“I acted out of turn and I should be punished.” She whispers, the quiver in her voice waking me up to what I just unleashed. Her years of trauma must have keywords that make her shiver to the bone.
“Shit, Eden, no,” I whisper, my fingers finding her chin as I force her to look up at me. Her lips are near blue, her eyes looking anywhere but at me as I grip face and call her attention with a rumbling growl in my chest. “Look at me.”
Her soft brown eyes fill with tears as she meets my gaze, my chest breaking open as I move my hands and cup her cheeks, dropping to my knees.
“Hey, you are not in trouble, okay? You are safe with me. Do you understand?” I ask her.
She swallows roughly, but she nods slightly before her face grows red as she pulls away from me, looking at the ground like she always does when she is trying to escape my eyes.
Her hair falls around her like a safe space she uses for hiding and I stand, reaching down before I scoop her up and into my arms. She squeaks in shock, her arms coming around my neck for fear of falling before she looks at me.
“I can walk.” She says, her voice hoarse, likely from trying so hard not to break down and cry.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t,”
She doesn’t speak again, her muscles tense in my arms as I carry her. The rain patters down, one large drop at a time before the clouds open up and release the onslaught of waters on us.
Eden squeals, pressing her face into the side of my neck, and my heart skips a beat. I can’t help but tuck her in closer, taking more from this interaction than she is getting, but it’s oddly…comfortable. To hold her like this.
“Maybe we should run?” She asks, her lips brushing over my heated skin and I shiver.
“Hang on tight.” I whisper, breaking into a run until we step onto Leoni’s small covered porch.
I don’t want to let her go, but I do so as she lowers her legs and laughs, looking out at the rain like it is the best thing she has seen in so long.
“That was awesome!” She grins from ear to ear, looking at me before her eyes widen again and she hides her smile.
“Do I scare you?” I ask her, unable to keep a smile from my own lips.
“Kind of.” She whispers.
“Why?” I ask her and she frowns.
“I’m a servant and you are a warrior. Servants aren’t supposed to address anyone above them and yet I’ve stayed with you, got sassy with you and…you haven’t punished me once.”
“So?” I scoff, confused by her answer.
“When you realize how low I am, what I am to this kingdom, you will want to beat me too…”