The Alpha King's Wrath

33 OUT!

"You," Percival seethes, locking eyes with me.

Oh shit...

He stands just inside the door, glaring at me, his whole body trembling, but it's the sheer amount of anger rolling off of the aged king's advisor that has all of my attention.

"Get away from that!" He snaps, storming over to me and taking the pot out of my hands.

His livid energy is like a slap to my face, leaving me stunned and stepping back for some space. The enraged male however, keeps step with me, backing me up and setting my heart racing on overdrive.

"How dare you!" he screeches, making me flinch and quicken my steps. My back hits the doorway of the greenhouse, trapping me between glass and the furious man. "Is nothing sacred?! You people have no respect, get out!"

My mouth instantly parches as I struggle to address the furious man. "W-what-"

"OUT!" he screams, flailing his arm that isn't wrapped protectively around the pot.

My body is only too happy to obey, opening the door enough to slip out and tries to shut the door behind me but Percival slams it open, ripping it from my grasp and sending me unceremoniously to the floor on my ass. Gasps and murmurs ring out, shifting my attention to the gathering crowd his commotion has drawn.

"Percival-"

"No!" he snaps, cutting me off before I can begin. "You had no right! NO RIGHT!" Unshed tears fill the old man's eyes as he clutches the pot of seedlings against his chest like the most precious of relics.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

"You didn't care!" he snaps, leering above me, making me crawl backwards as my heart hammers against my chest. "You think you can come here from whatever dark corner you crawled out from and replace her?"

His words hit like a ton of bricks, leaving me reeling in their wake. Other than quick professional addresses after the introduction when he thought I was Chris' mistress, we haven't talked at all. Yet the hate-filled words he's hurling at me, coupled with his raw fury, leave me completely baffled.

"I'm not trying to-"

"You will NEVER be the Queen she was!" he spits, venom lacing his words.

The crowd gasps in unison as Percival's words register more with them than me and the energy around us shifts instantly. Shock and confusion are replaced with anger and judgment as the growing onlookers press in towards me. My stomach drops as I struggle to maintain control of myself against the disorienting hostile energy bombarding me from every direction. I don't recognize their faces, warning me that they are from the royal pack, but I feel every emotion rolling off them and none of them happy.

"This was a mistake, I didn't know-"

"This was a mistake," Percival agrees, once again cutting me off. "You should have never come, you don't deserve the title you've stolen!" Murmurs of agreement ring out as the crowd quickly forms into a mob with a single vision.

"What is going on here?!" Mack shouts, simmering the crowd momentarily. My heart leaps seeing the mob part, making way for Mack as she stares down the angry people, radiating power and authority like a ray of hope.

"Stay out of this, Guardian," Percival clips, never taking his gaze off of me.

"Don't forget your place, advisor!" Mack booms, making the man take a step back before pulling me to my feet.

"You think you can destroy what she built and take her place?" he growls at me, ignoring Mack. The anger and hurt in his eyes is mirrored by the rather large crowd now gathered around us.