I can certainly get used to cating like this.
“You must be Aakesh,” the Alpha King turned to the Indian boy and I exhaled quietly. I was glad that introductions were starting on the other side of the room.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Aakesh smiled, “I’m honored to be in your presence tonight.” If Aakesh was nervous that he was bearing the full weight of the Alpha King’s scrutinizing gaze, he certainly didn’t show it.
The King continued to look at Aakesh for a moment and then he smiled. “Yes, as am I. Your father and I go way back. I’ve saved his life a few times, you know.” He took a long sip out of his wine glass and then turned his stare to Ezra. “And you must be Ezra of the Lock Heart Pack.”
Ezra wasn’t quite as composed as Aakesh was. He seemed to squirm underneath. the King’s stare, and for the first time tonight, I felt a twinge of satisfaction.
Good.
Now he knows what it feels like when someone is trying to intimidate you.
“Yes, Your Majesty. My father has talked about you quite often,” Ezra smiled but it didn’t meet his eyes, “He thinks very fondly of his visit to the castle five years ago.”
“Doe’s he?” The Alpha King took another sip of wine and swirled the liquid around his glass, “I must confess, I hardly recall him. He was not a memorable man, much like his son.”
Beta Williams left out a loud guffaw from the end of the table.
Ezra’s smile dropped instantly and he gaped at the king like a fish. “Sorry?”
Well, nob*dy could accuse this dinner party of being boring.
The King didn’t acknowledge him, he’d already turned his attention to his next victim: Angel. Although I wasn’t the one under scrutiny, I definitely felt sympathy for the small girl. Angel’s eyes were still on her lap.
“Look at me, child,” the King’s voice was stern but not hostile.
Slowly, Angel looked up, her face flushed red and her doe eyes darting around the room.
The Alpha King grinned widely, his pearly whites on display. “Yes, thank you,” he said, “I prefer to make eye contact with those I’m talking to. You are from the Blue Ecl*pse pack. Angel, yes?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” her voice was as timid as ever but she kept her eyes on the King.
“You are astonishingly beautiful,” The King remarked, and Angel blushed even redder, “That is all an Alpha can hope for when he has a daughter, that she will be beautiful and submissive. If he is really lucky, she will also have a strong mate.”
The delicious roast chicken began to taste sour in my mouth.
Why are you surprised, Clark? You’re in the wolf den.
as submissive baby-
You’ve always known how these people have viewed women makers who need protecting. This is just the first time you’re hearing someone say it so blatantly.
I expected Angel to continue blushing, but for the first time that night, she spoke without prompting. “I have not met my mate yet,” Angel said, “But I hope I will soon. My father said there would be many strong Alphas here, so I’m hopeful that I will meet him. I look forward to pleasing my mate.” She smiled gently and I could tell she meant every word.
There was a part of me that wanted to shake Angel until she saw how insane her own words sounded, but I knew it wasn’t her fault. When you spend your entire life learning that the sky is purple, you’re going to think it’s purple, regardless of what anyone else tells you.
“It’s so charming to meet a female wolf who understands her place,” The Alpha King smiled, “I’m sure you will make a great mate for someone, dear.” Angel practically preened under his praise. O
“Do you feel the same?” The Alpha King turned, his stare falling onto Lily. “As the daughter of a powerful Alpha like Marcus Bellevue, I assume he’s taught you the importance of being a good mate.”
My heart sped up. I was nervous for Lily. She hadn’t expressed a lot of excitement as the thought of meeting her mate and she was far from the docile type.
Please don’t say anything that could get you hurt, Lily.
To my surprise, Lily kept her cool. “Of course,” she said, giving the King the same smile she’d give the elders whenever they tried to give her unsolicited advice. “Both my father and mother have taught me how important a mate bond is. I look forward to the day I get to experience that.”
The Alpha King chuckled. “Yes, yes, I’m sure your father has a lot to say about how serious mate bonds are. After all, we’re all looking at evidence of just how seriously he took his own mate bond.” 17
The Alpha King’s eyes fell to me.
Great.
Guess it’s my turn.
“People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.”
Isaac Asimov
“Clark, is it?”
I’d watched almost everyone deal with the brunt of the Alpha King’s stare, but now that I was the one feeling it, I understood just how crushing it was. It made me feel like I was on stage in front of a hundred people trying to deliver a speech, only I had no idea what th speech was about.
I almost felt a little sympathetic for Ezra almost.
“Yes, Your Majesty.” The honorific felt foreign on my tongue, but the last thing I wanted to do was go back home in pieces because I used the wrong title.
“Tell me,” the Alpha King leaned back in his chair, sipping his wine, “How does it feel to be so fragile?”
“I’m sorry?”
I’ve spent enough time
“Fragile. Breakable. Delicate. Whatever word you fancy around humans to know weak your kind is,” the Alpha King said.
Glad to know he thinks so highly of us.
I felt like I was treading on thin ice. Judging from the way the King had talked to Angel and my general knowledge of male werewolves, I knew they didn’t think highly of humans – let alone human women. We had even less to offer than a female werewolf did, and no matter what, I couldn’t allow my distaste for the werewolf world to show. I didn’t know much about the Alpha King, but I was pretty sure badmouthing werewolves was a one-way ticket to the dungeons.
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