Alpha King's Mate

30. Tour

My alarm goes off and I jolt awake. For the first time in a long time I get right out of bed and rush to my closet. Zac groans from behind me and rolls over to press the snooze button, which I forgot about.

"What's going on?" He moans, and I look back at him with a huge grin.

"My parents are coming today!" I chirp and slide several hangers to my right. "What should I wear? I don't want to show off but at the same time I was to look like a princess, you know. My mother will want the full royal package, literally. She always read stories about castles and princesses to my sister and I, when we were little."

"About that, I think, tonight we should have a formal dinner- with everyone..." He says. "Very formal."

"Very formal?" I question and freeze. "Who exactly is everyone? Is this- like a ball?"

"No," he tells me and sits up. "It would be you, me, my mother, Lou, the Duke and Duchess, Caroline, Greg Bolton, his wife, Mackenzie, Lola, your mother, and your father. We would have dinner, socialize, no dancing or anything."

      I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god."

     "I hope you aren't intimidated by balls, we're going to eventually throw one for you when you're officially a member of the pack." He tells me and walks over to me.

     "I mean, they make me a bit nervous, but I have to get used to that, I suppose, as Queen." I smile.

     He stands close to my body and places his hands on my waist. "It seems like you're getting more comfortable with that title."

     "It's growing on me." I say and pucker my lips a bit. He chuckles and leans down to kiss me. It is short and sweet, I would have liked it to go on a bit longer, but I will have to bear.

***

     I look behind me to check that the coast is clear. Turning back to face forward, I try my best to suppress a grin, but cannot. I smile a big smile and do a little twirl. I watch the elegant light blue dress float up and spin with my body in beautiful motion.

     My pearl necklace feels cold against my skin, but a good kind of cold. The tan pumps on my feet are low enough where it is extremely unlikely that I will fall in them, which is why Tilly picked them to go with this dress.

     I asked Tilly to head to my parents' bedroom to stock their closets with a few formal outfits each, just in case what they've brought with them isn't up to the standards of dinner with the Duke and Duchess.

     I feel a bit guilty not inviting her to dinner, god knows I want her there, but I'm not sure putting her and Riley into the same room as Mackenzie and Lola would end well. Anyway, they can always come to dinner tomorrow, which I'm hoping I can spend in my sweatpants, as much as I love this dress.

     I glance at the time and rush out of the bedroom. I make my way down the long hallway and make my way to the stairs. At the top waiting for me is Anne, the head of the palace staff. She bows her head when I approach her.

"My Queen." She greets me.

"Anne." I respond. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes," she says and turns her clipboard to face me. "Everything is accounted for. The cleaning crew is finished, dinner is prepared, the King's favorite pianist is rehearsing, the candles are lit in the ballroom and the dinning room, the flowers are arranged and the table has been set. All of the staff has been made aware of the daily schedules for the Mother and Father of the Queen. The bedroom has been readied and the guards have taken on new rotations."