AXEL's POV

"is the host running away from his own party.?" William asked when he found me in the monitor room, "I've searched every nook and cranny of this place for you


"Perhaps the host just seemed to want a moment," I responded with some heat,

"what's got your knickers in a twist?" William asked, taking a seat, "And where is your sister, I've been looking for her."

"she went home early."


"oh? Did she feel unwell?"

"something of the sort." I replied, and groaned, "I'm going to kill him by the way." I said tersely,


"kill who?" William asked in confusion,

"Paris, of course. Who else acts like an idiot and makes my sister suffer in the process?"

William frowned, "what has he done now?"

"what he always does. He tells Ember that he wants to start a new with her. But what does he do? At the first instance of Kate in distress, he runs to her and makes my sister take second place. Alas, I'm not shocked by this disgusting behavior of his, but it still aggravates me to see it happen. And worse, way worse, to see it hurt my sister this way."

"don’t tell me that's why Ember had to go home?"

"There isn’t any other reason."

"so he was here." William said thoughtfully, "How did Ember see him? I thought she had been with Jean."

"I'm in this monitor room for a reason William. I always knew that he was going to make a mess of things. It was truly just a matter of time. I watched him from here and knew from the moment I saw Kate at his side there would be trouble. It hurt me to have to show ember her husband's colors, but if it saves her from being with a scumbag, then I'm all in for that."

"That sun of a gun. It hurt, but for some reason, I was almost willing to believe that he was a changed man. I was almost willing to believe that he would do better this time. He had us all fooled I suppose."

"rest assured, that he never had me fooled, so you can be rest assured that at the moment, I have different ways that he can be killed. Some of them involve making it look like an accident. But to be honest, I want him to look me in the eyes while I make him suffer. Suffer for all the pain he made my sister go through."

"is Ember okay with this?" William asked softly, and I shrugged,

"she said she didn't care what I did to him, but I know her well enough to be sure that she wouldn't be too thrilled to hear he was found unalive somewhere in the middle of nowhere. So I'll just break his leg a bit. "

"Hmm," William said and looked at the monitor,

"I saw Ashley while I was looking for you, but I'm aware they came together, does that she left alone?"

I turned to find William watching, as though considering and reconsidering what exactly to tell me, then he shook his head, "I asked Jean to take her home."

"really man. Jean?"

"I need you here."

"you needed me here? But it was me who came looking for you. Axel, you know how that man feels about her. How we both feel about her. This would be the perfect time for that man to work all of his French charm on her."

I sighed and ran a hand over my face, I hadn't even been thinking about Williams; feelings when I made that choice, I just wanted someone who truly cared for her to be with her, and then there was the fact that had both been together before the incident with Paris,

"sorry man. I didn't really think too much about it."

"I know. I know better than to let this be what bothers me right now. Right now, I should be more focused on how Ember is truly feeling. She must be really swept under in grief. She had wanted to believe that scumbag was changed."

"a leopard doesn't ever change its spot."

"I guess not." he said, and we both fell quiet."

"William, I'm going to need you to push harder on their divorce, she needs it now more than ever. "

"the divorce, or the push?" he asked and I thought for a moment,

"I suppose, both."

"I'll definitely do the best I can. I'll come by tomorrow."

"that'll be great. In the meantime, I'll focus on how to get back at Paris. No way on earth is he going Scott free, even if I decide that he doesn't have to go over to the other side."

"he definitely does need to pay."

"And I'll stop at nothing until he actually does. This time around, he is going to answer to someone for hurting my sister."

Paris's Pov

"you barely said a word all the way home," Kate said when we got home and I looked at her with all of the patience drained out of me,

"What did I ever do to you?"

"Paris, what are you talking about."

"I never really wanted to attend this banquet with you, but you didn't let up, but what did you do? You went ahead and got yourself drunk, went ahead and got yourself, went ahead and made …" What was I about to just say? Went ahead and made ember find me with you?

No matter how pissed off I was, I simply could not throw that at her.

"made what, Paris?" she asked and folded her arms, but I shook my head,

"nothing. We're home now. Let's get in. You still need to get warm."

"you've been nothing but strange since I came home. Even stranger than usual. What's gotten into you? Is it Ember?"

"It's nothing, Kate. Go in and get warm. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

"what? Like, spend the night with me?"

"yeah, sure. Go get warm."

She visibly softened, "alright then. I'll see you soon," she said and got out of the car, and only when she got to the door, did I sigh in relief.

"you're back early," Jackson said when I walked into my office. He was working on some papers,

"Kate got soaked, " I said and dropped into my chair,

"I see. I was worried that you had to run out of there after encountering Ember or something."

I raised a brow, "how did you know Ember was there?"

"I heard some rumors weeks ago about how the alpha prince was interested in her. Pure rumor I believe, but still, I did expect she would be there."

"it would not have hurt to give me a heads up."

He looked at me helplessly, "it was just a personal belief. So did the both of you butt heads over Kate? Or was it she and Kate?"

"the way you have all of the dynamics mapped out is somewhat alarming."

He shrugged.

"Well, you aren't too far from the truth. There was an encounter. She found me carrying Kate to the car. She called me a liar. I hurt her, Jackson. I've really done it."

Jackson was quiet, and simply kept filling out his papers,

"I need a plan," I said desperately,

"a plan, to do what exactly, sire?"

"What else, Jackson? I need a plan to get Ember back." I looked at him as though he wasn’t following and struggled with my impatience. Jackson would simply leave me with my thoughts if I tried to put him in a spot.

"and then what?"

"what do you mean?"

"hear me out, sire. But if you ask me, then I believe the problem has never been Ember's feelings toward you, but rather yours toward her."

"Are you implying that I don't love her?" I asked, the idea to strange to even begin to conceive. I loved Ember. Heaven knew I did.

"not a lack of love, sire. But rather a case of a divided heart. You have a mate sire, one that you are bonded with. So if you ask me, as long as you remain bonded with her, pursuing a relationship with Ember will be hard, because your heart will always be torn between Kate and Ember."

"so what are you implying?"

"that until you are able to reject Kate, it's best to leave Ember alone."