Chapter Three (Give up your betrothed to your sister)

TXUNAMY'S POV 

"Could you please let us have a bit of family time? The domestic help will take care of you until the alpha comes ."

Mom said to Oliver who was still pretty shaken by the several instantaneous happenings. 

He nodded and slowly walked out of the room. The door was shut behind him.

"Now let's sit and know what to do. We have to have this mess sorted out."

She said. It was not unlike her to be the one to handle matters like this, so I sat at one edge of the incredibly large bed, far away from where I could easily reach Riele and probably hit her. Which had never happened.

"Riele, why would you sleep with a man whom you've not properly investigated? Now look where this mess has landed us."

Mom said. That was all the scolding I knew Riele was getting. It didn't matter what she had done or the gravity of the offense she had committed. The scolding was always the same, gentle and polite, she was not allowed to cry during the scolding and this was usually heavily dependent on mom or dad, whoever was doing the scolding.

I took a deep breath and waited to hear what mom would say next. Dad was not speaking at all, matters like this were solely mom's to handle.

"Since the deed has been done, sweetings," mom started, looking at everyone in the room one after the other, "Riele can not bear the shame of carrying a bastard as well as the this royal household can not have an illegitimate child, this means that Riele will have to marry Oliver."

She stopped and looked at me. "You have to give up your betrothed to your sister, Txunamy."

The words rang in my ears and tore at my heart and I sprang to my feet before I could help it. 

"No! That is unfair! How does she sleep with my betrothed and only gets a pat in the back?!"

I asked. For the first time, I was really furious and I was speaking to mom without masking the hurt I felt. 

"No, Txuna, this is what's best. Family comes first, we must always do what is best for the family."

"Don't feed that crap about family, mom! I'm not having it today. When it comes to me and what concerns me, I am constantly made to sacrifice my happiness for family!"

She took one look at dad and then her eyes came back to me.

"You're throwing tantrums, Txuna."

Dad said calmly. 

"No, I am well within my rights to do so and should not be shut up."

I said, burning with righteous indignation.

"But you can't just keep yelling because we have to do everything possible to keep the family together and at peace."

Mom said in a small voice. I didn't want to her hear her talk. She made me even angrier.

"That was my mate Riele just slept with and this is what I get? I am asked to let my fiance go because my own sister slept with him? Why am I the one at the losing end? Why does it happen every single time?"

The question was directed at all of them and I looked from one person to the other. 

It was true. Ever since we were kids, Riele always got away with the things she did and it never mattered if I was negatively affected by her actions or not. 

She was never scolded and she had the leeway to do the things she wanted to do, the same things that I was prohibited from doing.

She was the one who kept friends that she could come home with. She was the one who had all the privileges that was accorded to an alpha's daughter, which made me wonder often if I was not also the alpha's daughter, and the first for that matter!

Though only eighteen, my parents had not been hysterical over seeing her in bed with a man, but I was sure that even at twenty, I'd get cussed out and called a whore if I was caught in bed with a man, and one who was not even my mate!

"You have to calm down and take your seat again, Txuna."

Dad ordered in his rumbling voice. But I was past being the dutiful and painfully respectful daughter. Now was time to rebel and I was not giving up that right I have earned.

"You let her have the things that are rightfully mine either directly or indirectly and you want me to sit here and watch you snatch yet again what should be mine and hand it over to her on a platter?"

"No, no one is taking what is yours. You must be the older and more understanding person in this scenario and let your sister marry the man.'"

Dad said. I got even angrier. 

"You want me to be the more understanding person and let her have my Fiance? Did you not make me go through the mate test and endure gruelling royal etiquette classes all in preparation for when my betrothed will come and marry me? How then am I supposed to just give up and let Riele who has not had any of those trainings have my man?"

I asked. They had no reply for me. Dad looked away and mom just started patting Riele's hair. Riele was done with the pretentious tears now, She had the backing of both our parents now and that was usually all she needed to win every single battle. She had always wanted everything that made me happy and had always had them. 

This time had to be different. There had to be an exception now.

"You two are not saying anything! Riele didn't have to go through the training I was made to endure, but you think the just thing to do is to let her have my man!"

With that, I stormed out of the room and ran up to my room, my vision blurred with tears.