Discovering the Hidden Alpha

Chapter 2

The shock must have registered on her face, because he continued without her reply.

“Ten years ago, your brother came into the throne room with your devastated grieving parents and claimed you had been killed in a conflict with Hunters. He had your throne pendant and a witness that verified his story.”

It took a moment for the words to process. She couldn’t believe everyone thought she was dead. What about her note she left? She had explained that she was going to Europe because she had found her Mate visiting the winter palace and he couldn’t leave his family. She entrusted the pack to her brother: Crown Prince Trevyn. She obviously had never found her mate nor did she try, but the rest of the pack didn't know that. Leaving had been the goal. Did her father and Astra really believe her to be dead? Was there really no home left to return to?

“I can’t believe he told everyone I’m dead.” She scoffed lightly. “But perhaps it’s best to leave it that way.”

The tension was back in the air as she said those words. It looked as though the Prince was debating about telling her something. She could see the subtle clench of his sculpted jaw. He took a deep breath and looked her deeply in the eyes, a grim expression on his sculpted features. Whatever he planned on telling her, it wasn't going to be delightful.

“Astra is the Mate of the Royal Beta, Marcos.” He said matter-of-factly.

Hearing her younger sister’s name, a breathless gasp escaped her lips. It was replaced by a small smile. Her kind, loving baby sister had managed to find her mate.

Of the three siblings, she had always known Astra would be the one truly blessed by the Goddess. Even from a young age she had been empathetic and gentle. She had been small since birth, which led to her avoiding combat training. But she had always been gifted with a healing touch and a calming presence in the midst of chaos. In love with the idea of love, Astra had always looked forward to finding her mate. Knowing that she had filled her heart with warmth.

“She was rescued from a private slave auction.” He continued.

Those words made her eyes snap to meet Feran’s gaze. Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. All the buzz from the happiness sank into her stomach like a lead weight. The hairs on the back of her neck began to stand up and she could feel the anger and hurt rising in her quickly.

“I'm sorry, I thought I just heard you say she was found at a slave auction. Surely, there must have been some type of egregious mistake. And how exactly are slave auctions still happening under the Royals’ watch, Highness?” She demanded sharply.

She could see his nostrils flare at her accusatory tone. Perhaps she had gone just a little too far. But soft-spoken, sweet Astra at a slave auction? There must be a mistake. That would have far too many insidious implications for her brother or even possibly their mother. She knew they had wanted to be impressive and powerful, but surely not at the expense of their family.

Across the sedan’s cabin, it was through some type of miracle that Feran kept his temper in check. Perhaps it was still the shock of seeing a long ‘dead’ princess or the tenderness with which Astra had spoken of her doting sister. Either way, his patience was being worn thin. He wasn't the one who had been missing for ten years. It was time for answers.

“Consider this your reminder to watch your tone, Princess. I can imagine after a decade away from the courts it’s easy to forget how decorum is exchanged.” He said through gritted teeth.

The tension was becoming much more palpable within the confines of the vehicle. Dani forgot what it felt like to be around another being with this kind of aura. It was clear that he had a larger presence than her right now. It was like being in a heavy fog or in a steam room. It was meant to be uncomfortable, and it definitely was. The entire atmosphere felt rather stifling. Even though she was masking all her wolf traits, she could feel a slight compulsion to tell him her life story. It wasn't irresistible, but she felt the pull. There was a sternness in his eyes as he looked at her now.

“Why don’t you start by telling me exactly where you’ve been and why you left your responsibilities at home?”

It was at this moment that she had a choice to make. She could lie about everything and make up excuses. Maybe play dumb. But now that she knew some kind of blow back from her decisions had affected her sister, she needed to know what happened. Not to mention, there was a part of her that didn't want to lie to the Prince. Keeping this kind of secret wears on a person. There wasn't anyone who knew why she left except her and her pack doctor.

“I’ve been here. It’s been a safe haven for me since I left home.” She began.

It was obvious from his gaze that he expected her to continue.

“On the night of my coronation, I went through my full exam with our pack doctor. Turns out-” her stomach felt like lead,”-I’m not able to have pups.”

The dawning across his face made it clear that he knew how complicated that could get for a female alpha. At any time, she could be challenged by any female in her family, including extended family and their mates. If they beat her in the Royal Trials, she would have to secede to their viable offspring once they came of age or she died.

“I’m sure you know that my mother’s family is known for being rather ruthless. They're all blood thirsty and willing to do whatever they need to move up in rank. I’m sure it might seem cowardly, but I didn’t want my life to revolve around avoiding assassination. Once word got out, it would only be a matter of time before someone tried to overthrow my rule. I'd never get a chance to be a leader. I knew Trevyn was smart, diplomatic, and strong willed enough to be able to keep them all in check. He wanted to be more active in the pack. He loved the idea of meeting other packs and developing relationships. So instead of formally rejecting my rank, I just……left.” She explained quietly, not quite meeting his gaze.

Her heart thuded loudly in her chest. This was the most that she had felt emotionally in months. Even the feeling of anxiety was an experience in comparison to the numbness that had taken hold of her. The adrenaline was making her pulse pound in her ears loudly. For a moment, she wondered if her heart might explode before Feran could make any judgments on her past decisions.

The Prince took a deep breath. A few. In fact, it sounded like he was…. Sniffing?

“Why is it that you don’t smell like a wolf? Or much of anything, really?” he inquired intently, leaning forward slightly.

“I knew of a circle of witches that had sought refuge in our territory once. I paid them to enchant some jewelry that would mask my wolf completely. It’s been almost 5 years since she decided to hibernate.” Dani admitted, her voice little more than a whisper.

She couldn’t believe she'd just said that out loud. It had been terribly quiet since her wolf had decided to go into hibernation. Once she had stopped transforming and using any of her natural abilities, Kaya became a quieter and quieter visitor in her conscience. Until one day, she noticed that it had been silent for a week. Then a month. Now it had been years.

It felt like an eternity passed between the two. So much monumental information had been dropped that both were still trying to process.

“Danika, how have you managed all these years alone, without your wolf?”

The amount of pity and tenderness in his voice and eyes caught her off guard. This wasn’t the outcome she had expected. Was it so insane that she had been managing herself? Sure, it had been lonely. But she had slowly made friends with people around town. Kind of. Granted, it was nothing like the connection she had with her wolf. They were two sides of the same coin. Ever since they had first transformed, every step was synched between the duo. Since Kaya had gone silent she had felt so disconnected from the world around her. Experiences were dull. Meals bland. Little pockets of joy were the best she could hope for. She took a shaky breath.

“It has really sucked, honestly.” She laughed bitterly. “But I luckily happened to find some decent people along my journey. Plus, I've been trained since I could walk to survive, adapt, and overcome.”

There was an old familiar sting coming to her eyes and she blinked rapidly to try to clear it away. But she couldn’t stop the tears as she stared into her lap. It had been ages since she’d had a good cry. However, this wasn’t the particular company she’d like to have whilst in the midst of one. Most days she could remember all the wonderful things she had accomplished on her own and the people around her that actually did care for her. She really did have a lot to be thankful for. But sometimes, when the moon was bright and full, in the deepest parts of the night, her heart ached so badly for her loved ones that she was sure it would simply stop beating.

Luckily for her, the Prince was as tactful as he was dashing. He handed her a handkerchief from his jacket and clasped his large hands together, letting out a gentle sigh. This entire conversation had been entirely different than anything he expected.

“There is nothing I can say that will make your pain stop. It’s something I’ll never be able to relate to. But I can see that Astra’s stories of her brave older sister must be true if you’re here in front of me today. I can't imagine a life without my wolf beside me. You're a stronger person than I am.” The rich tone of his voice soothed her roughed nerves.

He wasn’t completely sure, but he thought he heard a bit of a pause in the sniffles. If there was a chance, he wanted to try to get her to come back with him to the summer manor. The family was there for the next couple of months while winter preparations were made. Marcos and Astra had come with them. Perhaps he could bring happiness to the couple by reuniting the sisters, as well as figure out what exactly their brother was up to.

Dani took a couple of steadying breaths and wiped her face with her sleeve. Her mossy green eyes were still glossed with tears as she met Feran’s deep golden gaze. Thankfully, his eyes weren’t harsh with judgment, only filled with gentle curiosity. He wasn’t rushing her or making her feel dramatic. She had forgotten what it felt like to have a conversation with someone that knew who and what she was.

“ OK, today has been a lot. I don’t think either of us had planned on things going quite like this. So how about I’ll follow you home to make sure you get there safely? I have to tell my brother about you, but I swear for your safety. Can we please have another conversation about some things?” He asked sincerely.

Of course he was going to have more questions. She knew that she was going to have more too. Her poor brain was just emotionally overloaded and couldn’t think of them right then. It had been a pleasant surprise that the Prince had been so reasonable. She had always heard that he was a fair leader. It’s always very unpredictable with royalty. As the King’s personal envoy, it made sense that he would be able to speak so easily to someone in such extreme circumstances. Diplomacy would be a skill he’d been trained in.

“Can I see your phone?” She asked, picking her nail anxiously.

Without hesitation, Feran reached into his coat and handed her his phone. She entered her number into his contacts under ‘Antique Acquisitions’. She couldn’t risk using her name right now. Even if it was just off chance. She was technically still dead and there were quite a few of their laws that she had broken. It would be best if she remained off the radar.

“I usually work during the day until around 5. I know I owe retribution for my actions, your Highness.” Dani told him quietly.

She really wanted to go home now. She could feel all the adrenaline wearing off and the mental exhaustion was taking hold. Especially since she was only functioning as essentially half a being with her wolf hibernating.

Sensing that the conversation had run its course for the day, Prince Feran exited the vehicle. He held his hand out for Dani to take to steady herself. As their hands touched, her thumb ring began to get warm. For a brief instant, she thought she heard the distantly familiar call of Kaya.

It had been so long since she had been around another wolf. She forgot how they were quite social in a familial setting. Perhaps having another wolf so close made Kaya want to reach out. The thought made her stomach flutter. She missed her friend so dearly.She pulled her keys out of her coat pocket and turned to leave.

“We’ll escort you home just because I know it would make Astra happy. Then I’ll get in touch in a few days. Please do try to take care of yourself, Prince-”

“If you don’t mind, I’d much rather you just call me Dani. I haven’t been a princess in a long time.”

Feran held her gaze for a moment. Not many people look him in the eyes for any amount of time. She did it without embarrassment or regard. All the old etiquette training had lost its relevance to her. Considering he tried to escape the royal atmosphere at any chance he got, it was exactly what he enjoyed with those around him. It allowed him to be less formal as well.

“That’s fair. I’d also like to request that you use my name as well then, Dani.” He said with an easy smile.

“I think I can do that. But starting next time, your Highness.” she replied with a little grin, walking away before he could reply.

When she got into her jeep, she could barely get her key into her ignition. All the fear, the adrenaline, and relief came flooding over her at once. She almost started crying again, but realized she just needed to get home. Focusing on the smell and feel of her Jeep, Dani steadied her weary, wounded heart. No one else needed to witness another breakdown today.