The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 19

"I'd like to know more," I said quietly.

He looked mesmerized for a moment, trapped leaning toward me, before he pulled away and seemed to shake it off.

"Your mother," he said, tilting his head to the right to indicate that we were turning. Small shops were beginning to appear between the houses. Cafes, mostly. "Was it bad, whatever happened to her?"
My throat tightened at the thought of my parent's obvious worry for me. I didn't know the details, but I knew enough. I nodded.

Gabriel look serious, his hands shoved in his pocket. "That's unfortunate. Things have gotten better, but unfortunately, any city has its dangers. It's no wonder your family decided to stay to the north. It's safer there."

I made a face at this and he smiled softly.

"Boring, you mean."
"Safe. Consider what you've gotten yourself into, little one, after only a little over a week here."

I licked my lips at his words and thought of the last night we spent together – his head tilted back, biceps bunched as he held my hair and guided me over him.

A few people nearby turned, looking around, and I hoped they couldn't smell my lust.

The streets were opening up now into four lane roads, some of them lined with busy restaurants. The lamps poured light onto the walkways in golden pools but Gabriel seemed comfortable with just simple clothing and a hat to disguise him. Did he do this often?

"I wanted to show you this," he said as we turned the corner, and he took me by the forearm.

Before us, the main street was closed off for quite a few blocks. People milled about in the middle, in between large tents that lined the edges, shop keepers calling out prices and attractive wares.

My breath caught in my throat. I hadn't seen anything like this before – not so many people in such a tight space, so much sound, so many new things!

"This is perfect."
I slipped through the crowd, looking for anything that Jason would find interesting. I had promised him a few gifts, after all, and was happy I'd taken the little money I had with me.

"You're looking for something?" Gabriel asked, voice raised as he followed me along the tents.
"Yes. My brother – he likes mechanics. Looking at the way things work. I promised him I would bring him something back."

We walked the length of the street, and then turned back on the other side, pausing at tents that were particularly interesting. For Gabriel this was anything involving art. For me, anything involving metal – especially intricate little things I didn't understand.

I bought a few small things, a manual, and had a canvas bag hanging off my elbow as I stood on tip toe to find the King.
He was at a woodworker's table.

His hands ghosted the top of the small figurines and goods as the quiet man behind the counter watched. He ended up purchasing a box a little larger than his palm that the woodworker showed him opened by solving a puzzle on the side. He asked the name of the man and promised him more business, and I wondered if he meant that he would come back like this – like a regular beta allowed to roam the streets – or as the King, sending servants to purchase for him.

My eyes lingered on the table as we left, Gabriel rubbing a thumb over the box.

"What are you thinking?" he asked, glancing at me. I met his eyes and looked away into the crowd, watching all of the people.

"I'm thinking about my dad. How he could do any of that, really. The things he makes are beautiful."
"He hasn't tried for a business in the Autumn territory?"