Rose was yet to wake up. While Alex was being brought up to speed, the King had sat at her bedside. He did not have much else to do and something was still drawing him forward, completing his actions for him. He wanted to soak up these last few minutes - the way the air alone made him feel. Although it had never quite been to this extent, he had always felt this way when he left palace grounds. Everything would be different as soon as they returned - even him. His beta glanced over at him. He knew it, too. Leaving here was like losing a friend. It always made him ache a little.
"We're ready. He's ready." Zachariah caught the King's attention who nodded once in response, pushing himself up from the bed. His decision had been made a long time ago but it was only now that it sunk in. His jaw clenched slightly and he flexed his hands to keep them from balling into fists. He turned to Alex.
"Gather Rose's things."
Alex looked from The King to Zachariah to Rose and everywhere in between, his eyes darting quickly in confusion. "Sire?"
Zachariah's face looked much the same.
"She's coming with us."
"Ah?" This time is was his Beta's turn to voice his confusion. The King sent a look in Alex's direction who quickly ran from the room to do as he was told.
"He plans to kill her."
Zachariah ran a hand over his face, unable to keep up with everything that was going on.
"Rian...He plans to kill Rose as soon as I leave."
Zachariah's hand fell to his side, his gaze softening. The King's voice was enough. "Oh." He stated, nodding. He still didn't agree but his energy was leaving him as the adrenaline wore off and he didn't have the strength to argue. But the man in front of him was still his friend, for a short time at least. "It will be very different."
The King glanced back at Rose's sleeping form. "I know." There was more to be said but nothing came. "Gather what you need," he began instead. "I will meet you at the car."
Zachariah nodded, shifting his eyes over the King a final time. They shared a look. Both of them knew. And with that, he left.
Alex did not take long to return, clutching a small bag that looked near empty. The King narrowed his eyes at it before raising them to Alex. The boy spotted the question and gulped, not answering. His silence was enough. "Follow me down."
He walked over to the bed, taking Rose into his arms. He knew that Rian could still be lurking around. The Alpha was bold but not bold enough to try anything whilst she was with the King. A guard, perhaps but not with him.
Holding her so closely brought a rush of something long not felt through his heart. He pushed it down, turning it off. In under an hour they would be close enough to Royal lands that he would basically be a different man. There was no point in suffering now for something that wouldn't matter a bit to him later.
Someone.
He shook the thought away, turning to Alex.
"Let's go."
With one last look around the room, Alex nodded, turning off the lights and shutting the door behind them.
As the King carried Rose down the stairs and out the front door, Alex felt something weigh heavily on his heart. The girl would wake up in a very different place and a very different life and she had absolutely no say in the matter. In another world he would have protested. In another world, things would not be this way. But this was not another world and around the corner, Alpha Rian was watching. And so, with a signed and sealed letter from the King's beta clasped in one hand, Alex placed the entirety of Rose's belongings into the back of the sleek Royal car.
He watched as she crossed the threshold, stirring slightly as the hold of sleep began to leave her. The King placed her gently in the car, nodding at Alex who held the door open. Once both were situated inside, the King gave him a nod. "Thank you." He stated and there was a genuity in his voice that Alex had rarely heard.
"Take care of her." Alex hardly had to find the courage to say it.
The King felt himself smile slightly. He had made the right decision. Beside him, Zachariah knew it, too.
But he could not promise something he would not see through and so, after staring for just a moment, the King faced forward. "We're ready." He told the driver.
Alex shut the door, taking one last look at his friend who lay on the seat across from the King.
And as they began to drive away, two screams echoed through the night. One from the car and one from the servant's quarters whose window he was standing just above.