Shifters of Grrr 2 (4 page)

"Where are you going?"

I turned to see my mother frowning at me.

"I'm just..."

"Your party's that way." She pointed behind her.

"Sorry, I just..."

"No Henry!" she scowled, her heels scraping as she came up to stand in front of me. "Do you know how it looks to Arabella's parents that you just walked out and disappeared?"

"I don't want to be here anymore. I'm sick of having people watching my every move. I'm sick of
 
Arabella and the Winchesters, I..."

"Don't you dare even think about breaking the Alliance!" she snapped, lowing her voice. "Your ancestors have worked
so
hard in trying to keep the family secret. If you break that, what's going to happen? Do you really think when the country find out what you and your father really are... do you really think the public will want to be ruled by some...?"

I knew what she was trying to say and as usual, she was right. Of course she was. All the men before me had stepped up and done their duty marrying a Winchester woman because, allegedly, that was the only way to produce an heir to your throne and keep the secret.
 

She straightened her dress and cleared her throat.
 

"Whether you propose to her or not, your path is set. It's the only way."
 

She rested a hand on my shoulder, trying to rub it affectionately before turning to walk away.

I watched as she left, feeling the anger boil inside me. I had to let it go but the more I thought about her nonchalance for my feelings and the thought of being forced into a marriage with a woman the more I fell into a deep rage.

I could feel the blood in my veins burning and panic started to fill within me. I'd gone too far.
 

From an early age, I'd been told during the days of turning each month to stay calm, relaxed and poised.
 

I needed help fast and as the searing pain in my head knocked me to the floor, I had the scary image of myself tearing through the halls, killing all those in my path.

"Help!" I shouted a loud as I could, trying to compete against the music but I was alone. No one was there.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to reverse the process.
Calm down, calm down
, I told myself but I couldn't stop the pounding in my head or the pain as I started to change. If someone didn't come soon, people at the party were going to die and I most probably would too.

I thought of Caleb and our brief meeting. How could seeing someone for such a short time result in such feelings? How could a gardener be the first person to ever make me feel like that? Was I gay? Was it him that I wanted and was I really ready to put my family in jeopardy for a man who pulled out our weeds and had also managed to capture my attention?

I held onto the wall beside me and tried to pull myself up. For the sake of everyone in that room, I had to be stronger. I'd marry Arabella and get help and do what was expected of me.
 

"Help me!" I called again, pulling myself along. Two corridors separated me from the party and if I could just make it through the first one, there was bound to be someone in the second. I just had to get there before I turned or before I was barely myself anymore.

I pushed through the pain, gritting my teeth to help bear it as I drifted in and out of consciousness.

I opened my eyes to find myself in a heap on the floor gasping for breath and just as I closed them again I felt a hand squeeze my arm.

"Henry! Henry are you okay?"

I used the small amount of effort I had left to look at the person who'd lifted my head into their lap.

It was Caleb. I saw the blue in his eyes just as the pain soared to yet another level. I couldn't hold off any longer.

"Get help." I rasped desperately. "Get as far away as you can..."

I wanted to say more but my mouth suddenly wouldn't cooperate with my brain and I knew what was coming next, the transformation had gone too far to stop. I was going to turn and the first person the bear in me would see was Caleb. It was my last thought before everything went black.

Caleb

I saw his eyes cloud over and close. I tried to shake him gently but it didn't work and just as I gently put his head back on the floor and placed my jacket under him, he started to convulse and I saw his eyes roll back.
Shit the Prince was dying
!

I ran down the corridor back towards the main house where the party was, my feet slapping the tiles.
Please don't die
!
 
I thought, I couldn't lose him, not before I apologized for just getting up and leaving. Not when I had so much that I wanted to ask and explore with him.

I swung round the corner, bursting through the grand double doors. Several people jumped and looked at me, whilst others moved away quickly.

I scanned the room quickly in case I recognized any faces, but all I saw were suits and figure hugging shiny dresses.

"Help!" I shouted to the sea of confused faces. "Prince Henry's hurt. Quick! Hurry!"

Most of the guests stayed put, not moving in case it was a hoax and as the music stop, I saw several security guards weaving their way through the crowds towards me.

They didn't believe me.

I ran back out the door, knowing that at any moment the guards would have caught me and rushed passed the guests in the hall until I found someone I knew. It was Arabella in the corner laughing with what looked like her sisters.

"Lady Arabella!" I shouted as I neared her. They all looked at me and I saw the disdain in their faces. What could a humble gardener with muddy overalls want with the future Princess?

I could barely speak from panting when I stood by her side.

"Yes?" she asked and I could hear the irritation in her voice.

"Prince Henry!" I said quickly, "He's hurt and I don't know what happened..."

Her eyes widened and she looked at her sisters quickly.

"Where? Where is he?" she demanded.

I pointed behind me.

"Back by the staff accommodation entrance. He's in pain and he collapsed, I think he..."

"Take me there!" she handed her glass to her sisters, turning to them urgently. "Go and get Princess Helena and Alfred. Hurry!
Hurry
!"

They ran off quickly and she followed me as we passed the security from earlier. They spotted us but she gave them the order to stand down and we continued.

Henry was still in a heap on the floor by the time we got to him and Arabella took my arm and pulled me backwards.

"Is he dead?" I asked, worried.

She shook her head.

"Just stay here, okay?"

I watched her gingerly walk forwards and just as I was about to follow her, a swarm of people surrounded us and I found myself pushed to the back.

"What's happening?" I asked, trying to get people to explain it to me, but no one answered. I tried to push through the crowd but before I could get any further, Margie stood in front of me blocking my way.

"You've done all you can." She said, guiding me backwards.

"But is he...?"

"I think it's best you go back to the accommodation and..."

"Why isn't anyone calling an ambulance?" I asked, dodging her grip and running back to Henry, but two guards put their hands out.

"We'll handle it from here, thank you."

I felt the frustration building up inside me. Why didn't anyone call for help? Why did I get the feeling that everyone knew something that I didn't.

I moved away, defeated.
 

Whatever had happened to him, was a complete mystery to me, but for some reason, I got the feeling it wasn't the first time something like that had happened and as I walked back to the accommodation I noticed the whole corridor that had once led to the party had been sectioned off and the chilling words I heard above the rushed chatter unnerved me right to the core.

"
Quick Margie, get the chains! We can't stop him any longer
!"

Chapter Four

Caleb

The cool night air made the trees sway back and forwards as I locked my tools away again. I didn't particularly enjoy working in the cold, but extra hours meant extra pay and not everyone had as easy a job as I did. Both my father and grandfather had been gardeners and when we'd moved from America, the different climate in England had excited me rather than put me off and securing the perfect job as one of the palace gardeners was exactly what I needed. I hadn't looked back since and now that I couldn't stop thinking about Prince Henry, I knew I'd never be able to leave there and get back to normal life without seeing him again or checking that he was okay.
 

I thought about the fuss surrounding him as he laid fitting uncontrollably and the look on Arabella's face but the one thing that concerned me the most was the lack of urgency. People were wondering around hissing and whispering and it was almost as though they knew it, expected it even and it unsettled me. What did the other staff know that I didn't? Why was it dangerous for me to stick around and make sure he was okay?

I put the key in my pocket and headed indoors. The palace was quiet and empty as I walked to the back towards the staff accommodation and as I passed the staircase that led to the bedrooms, my mind wondered over to Henry. The look in his eyes, the kiss that we'd shared and seeing him shaking violently on the floor had made me feel bad for running off and leaving him.

I didn't run because I was angry with him, I ran because it was the first time a man had touched me in that way and I'd been afraid of my feelings. I'd always known that I wanted something different but actually putting it into practice frightened me.

Kissing Henry and feeling my cock spring to life had made me realize that I didn't want to hide my true feelings anymore. I was gay and somewhere along the lines I'd known that but it took my first gay kiss to label myself.

I looked around me at the open hall. It was empty and I dared myself to go up to Prince Henry's room and see if he was there. I wanted to apologize to him and I knew that if I didn't do it now, I'd never get the chance.

I climbed the stairs hesitantly in case I came across someone, but I didn't so I hurried until I was in front of his door.

It was shut as I expected and just as I was about to knock, I heard movement from the other side of the door. My first thought was that I'd crept up on him having sex and a pang of jealously stabbed in my stomach. Arabella must have been in there. I listened again, pressing my ear to the door. It was silent and before I talked myself out of it, I knocked.

I heard scuffling behind and the voice of Henry.

"Um, yes? Hello?"

"It's me, Caleb the gardener!" I hissed, not wanting to draw attention to myself for others to find me.

"Caleb?" He sounded surprised and a moment later the door opened and a disheveled Henry gave me a lopsided smile.

"Come in." He said looking behind me to make sure no one saw. He closed it after me as I walked in, his room the same as before.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.

He shrugged.

"I hope so..."

"What happened to you?"

He looked as though he was about to tell me everything but shook his head instead, ignoring the question.

"I'm glad you came actually, Caleb." He sat down on the bed. "I think I should apologize."

"No, I should..."

He motioned for me to sit down beside him. I did and he took a long, deep breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked, "Should I get someone?"

"No. No, I just..." he sighed, "I shouldn't have
kissed
you yesterday. It was completely out of order and out of character for me."

"It's okay..." I began, but he cut me off.

"I'd really appreciate if you kept it to yourself."

I nodded, disappointed as I'd half hoped that he'd turn around and tell me that he'd meant every second of it.
 

 
"I should go." I said standing up. He watched me as I backed away.
 

"Wait! Don't go." He stood up too, coming over to me and rested his hand around my neck, pulling me into his kiss.

I ran my hands along his arms, breathing him in and pressing my body against his.

I felt my cock stiffening and I pushed him back gently until we were back at the bed.

"You're weren't a mistake." He mumbled against my lips.
 

His words made me all the more eager to have him and I felt an intense surge of lust as I tried to undo the belt on his pants, my fingers fumbling quicker than my brain could work.
 

He reached down and put a hand on my now erect dick. I groaned. The first time another man had ever touched me there.

"What if someone walks in?" I asked, stopping to look behind us. He took hold of my chin and turned me back to face him, covering my lips with his then all of a sudden he flopped still onto the bed, his hands fell at his sides and his head broke away from my kiss.