My heart hammers as I watch Chris scan around searching for me. I'm so distracted by the thrill of hiding that I almost don't manage to duck away from one of the palace windows in time to avoid detection.
'You sure do love to push his buttons,' Ember chides.
'And you don't!?' I scoff in disbelief, my cheeks hurting with how hard I'm grinning. After a moment, I finally risk one last look and breathe a sigh of relief to see him sparring. His attention is back on Jace and he's once again all business.
When I first met Chris he was an imposing man but now, after fighting in the war and becoming king, he looks like a god among men. His broad shoulders and barrel chest are littered with faint scars but they only add to his chiseled physique. Every inch of his muscle bound body screams power and danger.
After starting our game of cat and mouse, the surge of adrenaline leaves me wide awake and curious about my surroundings.
But first things first, finding my room.
I follow Derek's instructions, walking through immense marble hallways until I end up at the base of a grand staircase with two palace guards. Neither man wears any expression but their eyes scream boredom as they watch me approach.
"Hi?" I greet, unsure of the proper protocol. The guard to the left eyes me curiously but the one on the right has already dismissed me in his mind.
"Your wing is on the left, second last hallway," he says, not even doing me the courtesy of eye contact.
"Oh um... The Guardians told me this is the way to the royal wing?" I start, trying to talk my way up without making a fuss.
"It is, but the pack's wing is over there," he grumbles, pointing back the way I'd come.
"Right, but I belong up there-"
The guard scoffs, cutting me off mid-sentence and finally turns his narrowed gaze to me. "Listen, this wing is reserved for the King, Beta, Gamma, Delta and head warrior plus mates. I've already met the lot of them-"
"I'm Chris' mate," I snap, cutting him off as I feel my temper flair.
"You?" He asks, raising a brow. Both men study me with renewed interest before exchanging looks. Their scrutiny and unimpressed looks dampen my fire instantly.
"The Queen isn't due till later tonight, we would have been told if she was here," the second guard chimes in.
'Touché,' Ember tuts.
'Mira, Claire?' I call, grasping at straws.
Lord knows Jude and Chloe are either sleeping or indisposed, at either rate, I don't want to bother them.
'You're here!' They squeal in unison, threatening to give me an instant migraine.
'I am, but I came in on the down low, hoping to get a feel for the place before anyone fusses... Only problem is, the guards don't know who I am and don't believe me... Can you come get me?' I plead.
'One problem, we're being hounded by the Master of Lineage...' Claire trails off in an ominous tone.
'The hell is that?' I groan, crossing my arms.
'A nosey mother fucker hell bent on getting up in our reproductive business,' Mira growls. 'It's too late for us, but save yourself!'
'Oh you're shitting me,' I whine. I'm struggling enough as is with being pregnant, the last thing I need is some strange guy up in my business.
CZYTASZ
The Alpha King's Wrath
WilkołakiYou're all just pawns... A cryptic confession eats away at Jess and Chris as they struggle to find balance in a new life they never expected. Haunted by the past, uncertain in the present and threatened by the future, they know there's more going o...
