♚ ♔ ♚

E M P A T H I Z E D

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

As Irina sat on the bed, all she could think about was the conversation she had accidentally overheard between Kaleb and his father. She couldn't even describe what she was feeling at the moment as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She rested her chin on top of them and closed her eyes. One part of her wanted to cry an entire ocean, drowning everyone and everything in her excruciating sorrow. But, the other part told her that it was nothing but a terrible nightmare which she would soon awaken from.

Her heart was aching and she bit down on her bottom lip, suppressing any noise of sadness from escaping her throat. Irina could feel the tears just threatening to fall as her nails dug into her flesh. Kaleb was right. Kin did mean everything to wolves and, to Irina, it was no different. Her family meant the world to her and if she was to lose them, she wouldn't know what to do. She wouldn't know how to live. "I can't lose you all. I won't. I miss you already," she whispered miserably.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and before Irina could reply, the visitor let himself in. The broken girl glanced up only to be met with Kaleb's blank face. He was the last person she wanted to see. Immediately, she looked away and straightened her bent legs. Was he actually going to follow his father's orders this time around? "We're having dinner. My father wants you there," he declared in a flat tone.

She wanted to turn down his offer. After the news she had just received, she didn't have the appetite to eat anything. Not when she was aware that there was a chance of her never being able to reunite with her family ever again. She felt herself growing bitter and just as her lips pried apart to give him her response, she heard the door slam shut. On the other side, Kaleb rolled his eyes and scoffed. "If you don't want to come, then don't. It's not like you'll be missed."

Each one of his words pierced her like a sharp dagger. "It's not like I'll be missed," she repeated slowly. Again, he was dead on. He hit the mark. If her entire family was to die while she continued on with her meaningless life, there would be no one who would miss her if she was to disappear. No one who loved her. Not a single soul because everyone who did love here would all be waiting for her to join them in the land of the dead. And you know what? She wanted to be with them no matter the circumstances because as long as they were together, she knew everything would be okay. Even if it wasn't okay.

Finally figuring what it was she was going to do, Irina climbed to her feet and exhaled. Tonight would be the last night she'd spend in Savage Rogue territory. If she wanted to get away, she had to act as normal as she could. She couldn't wallop or mope around, at least not until she was in the arms of her parents and siblings. "We'll be together soon. I promise," she murmured, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Where is she?" Gideon questioned, not glancing up from the table.

"I told her, didn't I?" Kaleb replied stiffly as he sat down. "If she wanted to eat, she would have walked down here on her own. Besides, the guys are coming over as well. Maybe it would be best for everyone if she just stayed in there."

"Kaleb." His father sent him a stern and pointed look. "Why would you invite them over if you know the princess is here?"

"They were the ones who helped me hunt the deer we're having for dinner. How unfair would it be if they didn't even get to taste their hard work?" his son argued wittingly. Then, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms against his chest.

"You really are a piece of work, Kaleb." Gideon seethed.

Kaleb smirked and shrugged. "This is what you raised me to be, father. It's not my fault."

"Eh ehm." Irina cleared her throat to notify the men she had arrived and the Alpha's eyes softened as he stood up.

"Please take a seat, dear." He gestured to the chair planted on his right. Kaleb was occupying the one to his left and Irina nodded hesitantly. As she was making her way over, she heard Kaleb suck his teeth. It was clear he didn't want her to come but she chose to be thick-skinned and ignored him.

This will be the last time you will see me anyways. After tomorrow, you won't ever have to deal with this burden and I know you will be more than joyous about that, she thought, stealing a quick glimpse of the boy.

"I hope you will not mind but Kaleb has invited a few of his companions over. They're a rowdy bunch and I will understand if you wish to dine in your room," the elder offered kindly. At the words 'your room' Irina felt her heart warm up. It almost sounded nice and welcoming to have something for herself again.

She looked at Gideon and allowed the corner of her lips to curl into a small and grateful smile. "If it's all right with you, I would like to stay here. Perhaps a distraction is what I need for the time being."

Gideon was shocked with her answer but smiled in return nonetheless. "It is more than okay with me. You could stay here as long as you'd like. Just remember you are always welcomed."

Irina knew what he meant. He was offering her a home because he knew she no longer had one to return to and his amicable gesture convinced Irina that not all Rogues were as vicious or merciless as they were made out to be. But alas, she was aware that she could not accept his offer. Although it was kind of him to provide her with shelter, she didn't want anything. All she needed was her family.

She yearned to be with them and her smile dimmed down. Instead of giving the elder a verbal reply, she simply nodded and lowered her gaze. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard hooting, howling, hollering and laughter. Irina lifted her head up to the doorway where four handsome boys waltzed in. They were shoving each other playfully, not even realizing her existence.

"What's that enticing scent?" a boy with raven-black hair, almost as black as the nighttime sky, asked, inhaling deeply as he sniffed the air. Everyone sent him curious looks and Irina's eyes rounded. Was he possibly referring to her? Her cheeks naturally flushed a crimson red as she scooted closer to Gideon. The man chuckled quietly at her actions before he cleared his throat to capture their attentions.

All four pairs of eyes settled on their leader and they quickly bowed to display their respect. "There is no need for that, fellas. I told you just to greet me with a hello." Gideon chortled as he motioned for Irina to rise. The boys stood tall again and couldn't help it as their orbs wandered over to the beautiful girl standing beside their Alpha. "This is Irina. She is the daughter of a very good friend of mine. I hope you pups don't mind her joining us for dinner."

Irina bowed to the strangers and her eyes had briefly connected with the one stationed at the end. He was strikingly attractive, but wore that identical stale expression she witnessed Kaleb sporting almost all the time. His features were rather youthful but the aura emanating from him seemed to tell the girl otherwise. All of a sudden, she felt chills running down her spine as she tore her gaze away. She could feel them all watching her and grew uncomfortable.

"Irina, these are Kaleb's friends," Gideon began. "This is Holden, Marcus, Peter, and Xavier."

Irina cleared her throat and made sure to avoid meeting their gazes, especially with the boy who called himself Xavier. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintances," she said.

"Now that we've got that over with, why don't you all have a seat so we can get this show on the road?" Irina was the first to plunk down into her seat and the guys were stagnant at what they saw. Usually, Gideon would be the first to take his seat since he was the Alpha and then everyone else would proceed. However, that wasn't the case with Irina. But, because Gideon didn't show any sign of offense, they all let it go and followed suit.

Unfortunately for Irina, Xavier had occupied the seat right next to hers and she could practically feel the ice his body was producing. She didn't dare look his way and, as she peered forward, she caught sight of Holden running his thumb over his bottom lip before he bit down suggestively on it. She didn't like the way he was undressing her with his eyes and, luckily for her, the servants entered with the food.

The six males were drooling as their meals were placed onto their plates but the reaction from Irina was not the same. All she could see was blood and her throat went dry. Her heart was slamming against her ribcage as she gagged. The curdling odor of raw meat invaded her nostrils and her hands flew up to cover her mouth and nose. She was utterly repulsed by the sight and her head was spinning around in circles. No one seemed to take notice of her reaction except for Kaleb and Xavier.

Kaleb's brows pinched together and then a slab of uncooked, raw deer meat was laid out on Irina's dish. Her eyes nearly rolled to the back of her head as she saw Gideon, along with the other three males, devouring their share like it was the most delicious thing they had ever eaten. "I can't." She gasped before pushing out of her chair and bolting out of there.

"Father." Kaleb looked at his dad with a blank but serious face. "You didn't bother telling the chefs to cook her share? Did you think she was going to eat like us? Now she's going to be scarred for life thanks to you." Everyone had stopped eating as they focused on the father and son. Gideon stared at Irina's share and groaned. How could he forget she was a princess?

He felt guilt consume his entire being and just as he was about to get up and go after Irina, someone had already done so.

"You're not from here, are you?" Irina peered back and saw Xavier approaching her. He had this indecipherable expression currently plastered on his face, which troubled her as she tried getting rid of the foul scent. The odor of flesh was still lingering in her nose and she was not in the mood to converse with anyone. Instead of providing the boy with an answer, she just turned around and inhaled. She wanted to replace the indecent smell with fresh air and she was succeeding in doing so until she could feel his presence just beside her.

"You're her sister." Xavier sighed. His statement surprised the young girl and she immediately opened her eyes to look at him. Then, he turned to her and his eyes were soft. Irina swore she could see a flicker of pain behind them, causing her to gasp lightly. Before she could ask him who he was referring to, he shifted his head away from her and closed his eyes. "I know who you are... Princess Irina." He had whispered the last part so that she would be the only one to hear. Once her title had slipped from his lips, there was no hiding the astonishment from prowling onto her face. Irina had completely forgotten about the dinner incident as she blinked at Xavier.

Fear suddenly clutched her very soul as she swallowed. How did he know who she was? She didn't know what to say and continued to stare at him. "I know who you are because I know Lyra." In his voice, she detected dejection but at the same time admiration and what was it? Affection? Love? Whatever it was, Irina couldn't tell for sure. "She spoke about you often whenever we met. She was right, you do look alike. I could see the family resemblance between the two of you," Xavier narrated, a bittersweet smile gracing his lips. Irina's heart stopped once she spotted the dimple wedged into the right side of his cheek.

"There's no way," she mumbled in disbelief.

Xavier finally glanced at her and chuckled softly. "I'm guessing you know who I am as well?"

Irina stared down at her feet and nodded. "You were the boy my sister told me about." She then mustered the courage to look up at him. "You're the boy she fell in love with."

"Wow, there really are no secrets between you girls, is there?" Xavier shook his head, slightly amused as he gazed off into the distance. "Your sister and I met last autumn. She saved my life in more ways than one and to her I will forever be indebted."

"But you're a Rogue," Irina stuttered. "Lyra never told me you were a Rogue. How did this even happen?"

"I guess she didn't want to tell you that part until we talked to your father about us." Xavier walked over to a bench located a little further from the back door they had come out from. He stared out into the sea of trees and Irina reluctantly joined him. She made sure to put some space in between them as she mimicked his actions. "She means everything to me," he declared. "And you have no idea how much it kills me inside knowing there's a chance I might never see her again."

At those familiar words, Irina felt her heart being squeezed tightly. She thought she knew everything about her older sister but now that she thought about it, it looked like she didn't. But even though Lyra didn't tell her everything about Xavier, Irina wasn't upset. How could she be? She could feel the tears brimming her eyes yet again as she closed them. "I had gone into Collier to check for any new readings at a local bookshop I often went to." The boy paused as he thought back to that fateful day. "I snuck into the kingdom more than I should have but it wasn't like I went in there killing people. It's because I love reading so much that I couldn't resist. Out here there are no books, at least not ones as well-written and articulated as the ones I find in the city."

"My sister loves reading as well." Irina opened her eyes and was able to guess exactly where it was the two of them had first encountered. She sighed but chose to allow him to resume with his story.

"No one ever bothered me because you can't really tell when someone is a Rogue or not unless we're in our wolf forms. I was able to roam the crowded streets as I pleased and when I arrived at my destination, I was a bit stunned to find it almost empty. Usually it was packed but I didn't mind because it meant I would have some peace and quiet. As I was scanning the shelves, I caught sight of a book which instantly intrigued me. I reached out for it and just as I did, another hand had done the same. It sounds cliché but when my fingers brushed against hers, I felt sparks shooting up my arm. It was then that I knew I had found her. My mate. My one true love that was destined for me." The last eleven words startled Irina but she decided to remain quiet.

Xavier's heart felt like it was being torn right out of his chest at an excruciatingly slow pace. He clenched his jaw but an image of a smiling Lyra flashed into his mind. His tensed body relaxed and he exhaled deeply through his nose. "My heart was thumping wildly and when I looked over, I nearly died of surprise seeing your sister dressed as a boy. At first I thought I was wrong. I mean, there's no way my corresponding half could be the same gender as me. Something like that was unheard of. How would we even mate and reproduce?" A dry chuckle ran through the air as the boy looked down at the bracelet enclosed around his wrist.

"But when I stared into those beautiful eyes of hers, a fire in my heart ignited. All of my doubts were eradicated and I honestly didn't care if she was a boy anymore. It was clear that the person standing in front of me was my destiny and I had to accept it. We didn't speak a word to each other but I could tell she was just as comfortable as I was with the silence. I had to leave after, but I always came back around the same time hoping to be blessed with her presence again. Fortunately enough, I was able to reunite with her on the third day. Again, we shared another afternoon filled with nothing but silence and reading. However, instead of departing without another word this time around, I grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a kiss."

Irina's eyes snapped open as she gaped at Xavier. "Y-you stole Lyra's first kiss?"

"In my defense, she stole mine as well. And I couldn't help it. Everything about her was so alluring," Xavier replied sweetly. His expression now was nowhere near the stoic one she had first seen. He looked like a completely different person. "Anyways, it was nothing rated. I just pecked her lips and retreated. Her cheeks were bright red and I could never forget the flabbergasted look on her face. I didn't know how I'd tell my parents about never giving them grandchildren until I followed her back home one night. I wondered why she was going into the palace but didn't think much of it. I thought she might have been a servant working there but I didn't care."

This time he winced at the recollection. "I barely saw her around though and one night, while I was hoping to catch a glimpse of her, I was caught in a bear trap just outside of the palace walls. It was a full moon and I didn't have any control over my transformation. I had to suppress my cries in case I was found and there was nothing I could do. I heard rustling nearby and a familiar scent greeted me. Out from the trees emerged the most breathtaking girl I had ever seen and I was beyond stunned to discover that it was Lyra. Only this time, she was wearing a beautiful gown and looked like, well, a girl. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but as she drew closer I recognized her to be my love.

Then I saw her tiara glisten and placed the pieces together. She was a princess. That's why she was disguised as a boy in the city, that's why she came into the palace and I barely got to see her. A mixture of emotions was whirling inside of me and I was lost in my own thoughts until she spoke up and asked if I was okay. She noticed the contraption snapped around my ankle and did not hesitate to help. After some time, I was freed thanks to her. She showed such bravery and kindness, I couldn't help but fall for her deeper. And if that wasn't enough, she ripped off a part of her dress and tended to my wound. Without thinking, I shifted back into my human form and she was certainly speechless to find me there naked. But, at the moment, all I wanted to do was make her mine and I did."

The younger girl's jaw nearly broke off and her eyes widened. "You mean..." She gulped down hard. She didn't know how to say it and to think her sister had broken her chastity before she was even married stirred some unsettling feelings in her stomach.

"We made love and I told her I loved her with every fiber of my being and my feelings would never waiver," Xavier confirmed without a shame. "She knew I was hers from the start, just as she was mine and said she loved me just as much. You don't understand how happy I felt knowing her feelings for me were mutual. We stayed out in the forest until dawn and it broke my heart having to watch her leave but I knew I would see her again."

"I remember that morning," Irina whispered. "I went to her chambers to ask her about the day's lesson but when I got there, her bed was empty and then she entered through the balcony. Her dress was torn and dirty, her hair disarrayed but she was glowing. She was wearing a wide smile and that whole day, she was jubilant. Now I understand why."

"And now that you do, you must know that I'm dying inside. If she is executed tomorrow, I don't know how I'll live." Just like that, Irina was thrown back into the gruesome harsh world of reality. Xavier was the first person to be blunt with her and she knew he would be the only other person who was hurting just as much as she was. Listening to him narrate his love story with her sister, Irina could tell Lyra did mean the world to Xavier. To think that