Princess...

Chapter 24

Ethan

I closed the bedroom door softly, a smile plastered onto my face but as I caught sight of the rogue gardener down the hallway, my expression hardened and he swallowed thickly. I stalked over to him and towered over the blonde man, bowing his head at my arrival

"Rogue Jet. Just the man I was after." My voice was back to being powerful and full of dominance, my inner wolf no longer distracted by the redheaded rogue

"Alpha Lupus. What can I do for you?" He asked, sounding meek and pathetic, the worst kind of man to be. I chuckled coldly and motioned for him to follow as I walked out of the kitchen and onto the field, him trailing a few steps behind

"Why did Rogue Ace need stitches in her leg this afternoon? Better question, why was she using a tool that could cause her harm?" My inner wolf was basking in the superiority that my voice held, never faltering for a second as the gardener shook like a leaf in front of me. I gave my orders, and even though Ace told me she had coaxed the rogue gardener into letting her do more, I was still livid that he could have given in so easily. Then again, a part of me knew I was acting out for many reasons, I just didn't want to admit it.

"She wouldn't give up, Alpha Lupus. Kept insisting that she needed to help out more and I was so busy today I caved. I didn't know she would hurt herself I swear. I would never disobey your orders like that!" His voice was high pitched as I took a threatening step towards him, having to look down due to the close proximity we were in.

"Let this be a warning, Rogue Jet. If any harm comes to her, I will see to it personally that whoever is responsible gets their punishment." I spat, turning from him and strolling over to Beta Deryn who had been watching the whole encounter from the raised observation platform.

"What was that about now, Ethan?" My Beta asked, focusing on the training that the pack was doing. I took my regular seat in the centre of the platform and buried my face in my hands, rubbing it harshly before sitting up straight and taking a deep breath

"Rogue Ace was injured whilst working. I just want to make sure that the whole pack understands my orders." I tried to play it off with nonchalance but my second in command knows me too well, giving me a disbelieving glance from the side but deciding not to press any further. We watched the pack train and my eyes were drawn to the two newest members; Honi and Jacqui who were sparring over to the right side of the field. They were still in sync, their roles in the pack not tainting their bond for a moment; though I never doubted their dedication.

"So where are we off to at the end of the week?" Beta Deryn asked, now turning to look at me and I noticed the mate mark had been renewed on his neck, looking more prominent than ever. I dragged my eyes away from it and faced the field, ignoring the same pang of jealousy I'd begun to hate.

"Idaho, I think. Though I can't imagine I'll find much there. I know Alpha Idaho very well, and he loves women more than he loves power. He would never banish one, but it's another territory to tick off of the list." Shrugging, I leaned back in my chair and my inner wolf relaxed, acknowledging that there were no threats in the immediate vicinity that I had to take care of. Deryn sighed and ran a hand through the hair that was not currently in his signature top knot, I noticed these things because it was important to know my men; inside and out.

"Why does it matter what pack she is from? If they banished her, only the Moon Goddess has a claim over whether she is to join a new pack. Her old territory doesn't have a choice." My Beta reminded me but I rolled my eyes, he didn't know what I did. She had been hurt at some point, whether out in the human world or in her old pack, and my inner wolf desperately wanted to kill the bastard who would lay their hand on such an innocent woman. I was starting to care for the redheaded rogue and I knew deep down that I couldn't allow it. Caring was a sign of weakness, just as my father had drilled into me from the day I was born, hence why he and my mother were murdered so early in our lives. He could have led as Alpha for many more decades, but they were ripped from my life before he could even see my full potential; his Luna being his only weakness. That was another reason why I was thankful I hadn't found my mate; they could be your downfall, and the pain of your mate being killed was worse than death itself, the lore told me as such.