Cry Me a River |✔️

Chapter 24- An Unknown Voice

^^River in the flower garden^^

"Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world.'"
             -J K Rowling

Chapter 24

River's POV

The sound of crunching was all that filled the otherwise silent dining room as I focused solely on the food in front of me.

Derek and Isaiah whispered quietly amongst themselves as Michael and Keith appeared to be feeling each other up on the other side of the table. They tried for inconspicuous, hands under the royal blue cloth, but it was quite obvious from Keith's blackened eyes and Michael's widened smirk. He seemed amused by how he was affecting Keith as his hand moved slowly below the tablecloth.

Feyona seemed to almost radiant in fury as her eyes focused on me. Why she was angry at me, I didn't know. Alastair was the one that had kicked her from his room in nothing but a thin sheet. I was in a completely different part of the palace when it had occurred. I took no part in it.

Hyde glanced back and forth between people with a smirk and eyes bright with amusement. He seemed to find humor in awkward situations. Though his eyes seemed to always end up back at Isaiah's hunched form beside Derek.

I could understand his fascination with the light-haired man. None in the kingdom could deny Isaiah's beauty but none had the backbone to approach him. He gave off an air of being unapproachable like he was taken. Even without a mate. But Hyde didn't seem to mind. He seemed to quite enjoy the chase.

Derek's eyes would lock with Hyde's every now and then with a flash of annoyance before turning back to Isaiah with a bright smile.

Derek's love for Isaiah was apparent, though it didn't seem to be the same as Isaiah's. Isaiah's love was that of a mate. Derek's love was that of an overprotective brother. It was a sad truth.

A light squeeze on my knee pulled me from my thoughts as I pivoted my head to a bright-eyed Alastair. I felt a smile almost immediately form on my face.

It was so hard to not smile in his presence.

His fingers combed through my blond locks as his eyes met mine in a soft gaze.

"What are thinking about, love?"

"You," I whispered as I pressed my lips against his in a small peck that immediately turned to more as Alastair's tongue swept across my bottom lip in a coaxing move.

"Ugh," Feyona's voice range through the dining room, interrupting the previous silence.

Alastair turned from my lips with a growl. I rubbed small, calming circles on his knee in an attempt to calm him, which seemed to almost work until Hyde burst into a fit of laughter.

"Care to share the joke?" Alastair's voice was rough, an edge slowly forming around the edges.

"Why, Dear friend, the joke is merrily this room," he spread his arms wide, "everyone's so tense. Did you bed my sister while I slept?"

I felt myself tense as my throat grew dry.

He hadn't. I knew that. He had slept with me last night in our new golden room. But my heart couldn't help but freeze in my chest at his words. It hurt.

I felt Alastair's fingers playing with my locks as he took a breath.

"Moron," he growled, "if I wasn't in the presence of my mate, I would have ripped your head from your shoulders long ago."

"Don't want to give a bad impression, Dear friend?" Hyde taunted.

"My love is a flower, too delicate to witness such a gory act." Alastair brought a golden lock to his lips and kissed it as his eyes locked with mine.