Page 44 of Claimed By the Alpha

A lush red fur was placed on top of it and Derek took his seat.

“So, this—” I paused, pointing at the throne, ignoring the angered glares the guards gave me.. “—is you now?” Was I being disrespectful? Maybe by their standards, but I couldn’t care.

I wanted to see what my own brother was capable of, push his buttons, dare him to overstep, hurt me. Show his true colors or something.

Because the only explanation for him abandoning me was that he had to be the bad guy. The other reason hurt me too much. Telling me he just hadn’t cared about me in the way I thought.

“It would be easier if you remembered,” he laughed, intertwining his hands. “I’m Alpha King Derek Monroe of this Realm.”

“Realm?”

The corner of his lip twitched and with a sigh he continued. “We live outside of the normal world, the one we grew up in. Yes, there are some supernatural creatures there, most of them are descendants of those who were exiled from here years ago.”

“So, there are different worlds?” Yes, this was definitely a trip. This couldn’t be real.

“Basically, yes.”

“And still, you didn’t come for me?” I pushed again, hating what he had done to me.

“Stop questioning me, Joanne.” His face remained impassive, giving me nothing.

I needed to try something else. “My mate’s paranoia is rubbing off on me,” I joked, waiting to see what Derek would say.

“Who?”

“You know, Liam.”

His jaw ticked and with that he gave himself away. He was lying to me, he knew Liam. He knew more than he was telling me.

Shrugging my shoulders, I stepped closer. “There is just one problem, the marking won’t stick.”

He scoffed, ran his fingers through his curls and averted his gaze. Now I got you brother.

“He isn’t allowed to mark you,” he mumbled, shifting on that massive throne.

“And why is that?” I asked, tilting my head to the side, daring his guards to speak up again.

“You are promised to another, your true mate. Liam isn’t him, so you have to reject him.”

“No,” I said.

The corner of his lip lifted. “Yes, Joanne. You will do as you are told. You wouldn’t want to stay with the one that killed our parents, right?”

There it was. He knew. He knew Liam was behind it. He might pretend he didn’t know anything about the crash, but this proved the opposite. He knew everything, meaning all that he had done wasn’t forced on him. No, he decided to leave me. He chose to sit there all high and mighty.

My dear brother, what has become of you?

“Oh dear brother. You know a Monroe never does anything they don’t want. Have you forgotten what Father taught us?”

A growl rumbled in his chest, and he rose from his throne, stepping down until he leaned over me.

“I know exactly what he taught us!”

Heat radiated from his body but I wouldn’t let him hurt me this time. I had to figure out a way to control mine. Isaac’s icy smoke never harmed me, so why did Derek’s fire?

“Then why do I have a feeling you shouldn’t be sitting on that throne?”

We all have these moments in our lives where we say something we shouldn’t. And this was mine. I had poked the fire beast too many times, pushed him beyond his limits, and now I had to sit on the blisters I had created.

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