The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 23

"What does that mean?"

"It means," Charles said, clearing his throat a bit, "that she is not thrilled with the rumors of your escapades. She has made it clear that she is here only out of duty. I have it on good word that her parents, too, would rather she stopped wasting time and return to their territory. The harvest is a busy time for them."

Both Charles and my mother seemed amused by how offended I was at that.

"Well then she's free to go," I muttered, standing.

"I believe the top two strongest females for you Gabriel would be Daniele or Sophia."
Charles and I shared a glance, knowing that Daniele wasn't really an option. If I did choose her, we would lead a very unconventional life. But she might just be more understanding of my habits if I allowed her a freedom of her own....

Valarie

They had us gathered in the Great Hall once more, and I still couldn't keep my eyes off of the chandeliers. Sophia shifted restlessly just a few feet in front of me. She stood with her hands held in front of her and wore a beautiful white jumpsuit that my mother had made to fit her perfectly. I'd even managed to get her hair into an elegant chignon. She looked sleek and simple and I couldn't find one thing out of place.

The other princesses, however...

Caroline, from the Sturgeon pack, looked as if she'd scrambled to pull everything together at the last minute. The dress she wore was too large on her, the bust hanging in a strange way, and she looked a bit breathless.

Morgan looked immaculate in tight leather pants and a feminine jacket. My eyes narrowed as I glanced at her maids. Could they perhaps have gotten the idea from me...?

Iris was of course absolutely gorgeous. She clearly had quite a few admirers in the crowd – specifically young beta men who were falling over one another to whisper things to her.

Sophia sighed so quietly that I was sure only I had heard it. But she must be thinking the same things I was thinking.

How she managed to look so calm when we'd been kept waiting for over twenty minutes now...

I'd never been to a Hunt before, but I knew from listening in to side conversations what today must be. I hadn't had time this morning to sneak down to the kitchen and see if Ana had any hint of what would happen.

Today, they would be cutting the group by half; six princesses would be invited to either stay and watch the rest of the Hunt or return home. But they would no longer be participating in the events.

Because there were no official score boards, and King Gabriel and his mother were the only two judges that mattered, figuring out who was coming out ahead was all done by word of mouth and rumor.

Sophia seemed more than sure of herself but I shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

And then the doors opened.

Gabriel walked in first, stepping to the side and holding his hand out for his mother to take. Queen Raquel's gaze swept over the large gathering and everyone more or less quieted.

The Alphas made their way to the dais and carefully arranged themselves, murmuring to one another. Gabriel helped his mother take her seat and then turned to the crowd.

"I would like to begin by thanking you all for gathering today."

His voice managed to carry easily throughout the hall, low and dark as his light eyes searched out faces. I looked down quickly, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

"It has been a long two weeks, and the twelve alphas have all participated in the events very obviously to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, with only a little time left of the Hunt, I will need to narrow down my options."

He stepped down and walked before us then, gazing at each princess as he went. Iris tilted her chin higher. Morgan met his gaze directly. Daniele didn't seem to be paying much attention at all, and Sophia only nodded gracefully as he passed us.

My nose wrinkled at the smell of citrus. A glint caught my eye and I glanced at his wrists to see the cufflinks. As I stared, one hand tugged down the sleeve on the other wrist, and I gasped quietly.

His eyes snapped back to me. His face was hard, but not cold like it usually was. Instead I was reminded of the night he'd tied my wrists behind my back and taken advantage of my mouth.

Cheeks blazing red, desire pooling between my thighs, I tried not to rub them together to relieve the ache.

"I've spoken at length with my mother and some of the choice betas of the Alpha pack. They have brought to my attention strengths as well as weaknesses, flaws as well as beauty, and I believe we've come to an agreement on who will be moving forward."

Gabriel returned to the dais, straight-backed, his muscles clearly visible as they moved beneath the fitted jacket he wore. He turned when he reached Queen Raquel's side and began to recite the names of those who would be leaving, one by one.

When Iris's name was called, the princess turned bright pink and sputtered briefly before her two attendants took her by the arms and quieted her. The Crow pack princess – I couldn't remember her name – only looked relieved, shoulders slumping forward.

Mya took it in stride, and the other three whose names were called each managed to keep it together.

As the list got closer to the final six I noticed Sophia straighten with confidence. She would stay.

I was both relieved and devastated.

After the night before, in the garden, a large part of me longed to go home. I wanted my own bed, my own woods, and my parent's soothing voices talking nearby. I wanted to listen to Jason rant about new inventions.

But I also wanted to stay. For Gabriel.

Glancing up through my lashes, I caught sight of him as he paused before continuing his speech. I wondered if it was obvious to others that he was avoiding looking in our general direction.

Was he done with me then, for good this time? Did he understood what I had been trying to explain the night before?

So we would stay. There was a little time left before the moon and the transformations.

I would focus on Sophia as much as I could and avoid Gabriel as often as possible. It shouldn't be too hard. Now that we were in the final stretch he would need to be more hands-on with the princesses. Sophia would want to be alone with him....

She turned toward me and I realized that people were filing out of the Great Hall, Queen Raquel and the Alpha no longer visible on the dais.

"Did you see how magnificent he looked?" she whispered, grinning. "I have to say – the longer I spend around him, the less I feel like objecting to being a playboy's mate. That man can have his way with me if it's what he wants!"

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