A Lover and A Liar

The Alpha King

Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours and hours like lifetimes.

Lifetimes that Julian pictured in his head with his mate by his side and his pup in his hands, just like the loving, happy royal family they were always meant to be. Meant from the Moon Goddess herself.

However, it didn't sound like a blessing to him; no, no it was a curse trapping him to a life he didn't want, with a woman he didn't want. Not enough to want a baby from her at least.

Did it make him a hypocrite to react like this to the news of being a future father? Of his own heir getting born?

Yes. Absolutely the biggest hypocrite there could be, but for the life of him, Julian couldn't force that damned smile on his face, just like he had done for the last couple of years.

This changed everything. Absolutely everything, and he wasn't ready for that.

"Julian," Katherine called. "You look shocked. Don't worry, I was like that at first too." She wrapped her arms around her flat belly, and perhaps that was what finally snapped him out of his head.

"How could you be pregnant when we haven't―" A knock on the door cut him off, and if he wouldn't have been expecting important information, he would have ordered his guard to leave.

"Come in," he said instead, his eyes focused on the door instead of his mate that looked up at him with innocent, happy eyes.

"My King," the wolf said, "Alpha Clark, Alpha Harold, and Alpha Jack are waiting for you at the Council room, and so is your Council."

"Good," was the only thing Julian said as he took the golden crown from his bedside table, placed it on his head, and followed his personal guard outside.

"Julian," Katherine shouted his name, sounding frustrated and almost angry. "What are you doing? You cannot leave this conversation in the middle just like that!"

She was right, Julian knew that well, but he was glad for the space he was given to think this all through, so he was going to take advantage of it. "This is important, Katherine. But I'll come and find you as soon as the meeting is over." Lies, as soon as the meeting would be over, he was going to run out of this suffocating castle, and think.

Think.

Think.

Julian washed the face of every worry he had, putting on his serious-all-in-control Alpha King look, and waited for his guards to open the doors of his Council Room, one of the largest rooms of this castle, that contained of not much decorations except the large oval table in the middle of it, and the velvet armchair all around the table where his elders and advisors, all Council members were already waiting for him. This time only, there were three more armchairs for the three Alphas that had came to visit him, just like they had requested a few days ago.

He spotted Luis too, and if the situation would have been slightly different, he would have smiled at him in affection.

His little brother was learning fast, despite being an energetic, rebellious kid. After all, Julian had been the same too, and so had Estelle. At least until different circumstances had closed them up to themselves, and they had found comfort only in each other.

That was what Julian wanted to do with Luis too. Show him he was as important as the King was, but mostly, tell him Julian was always going to be there for him.

He had offered Arthmael and Evelyn two spots on his Council since the very first day he had taken over the throne, but they had both declined it, something Julian had been well prepared for. Sometimes he envied them and the simple family life they had now. Which was completely stupid because now Julian was offered a life just like that, with Katherine and their unborn child, and he didn't want it one bit. Not when Alina flashed in his mind every time he thought of any future happiness in his life.

"Your Highness," all males and females greeted him in unison as he sat down on the head of the table.

"Good evening." Julian kept his eyes on the three Alpha men in front of him even though the greeting was meant for everyone. "It's nice to meet you again, Alphas." 

All of them were older than Julian, Alphas of some of the largest packs that had really big influences in his territories and his political matters. However, he was more than aware than all three of them had even more influence while King Robert, Julian's father was the Alpha King of this Kingdom. Julian didn't have to hear it from his advisors to know that these men standing in front of him weren't that happy from Julian's Reign. On the contrary, their hard faces showed how against the changes Julian had made they were.

And in all this mess Julian had found himself in, a sense of pride washed over him. If old males didn't want his leadership just because he was young, totally against his dead father's laws and morals and principles, then it meant he had made a few right decision for his people.

"The pleasure is all ours, Your Majesty," Alpha Jack was the one who spoke first, the youngest of them.

"Although unfortunately, we haven't came with good news," Alpha Clark added afterwards, making Julian raise his brows almost in amusement. So they were really going to be blunt and direct about all this? Good, Julian didn't want to lose any more of his precious time either.

"I assume you are well informed with the current situation, and how it is getting out of hands, my King," Alpha Harold continued, sat down in the middle of both the other men, and the oldest of them, the Alpha with the biggest pack on the Kingdom, of course except Royal Blood Moon Pack. "The Rogue King is attacking one pack after the other, taking the warriors and only increasing the number of his army and the influence he has over these territories. How much longer until he reaches our packs? How much longer until he takes over my leadership, or Alpha Clark's, or Alpha Jack's... or even yours?"

Julian took a deep breath, but he didn't let it show that the Alpha's words affected him. "You're right, Alpha Harold. The so-called Rogue King's influence has grown a lot, despite our efforts to put an end to this, unfortunately," he admitted something everyone already knew. "But my trackers are so close to finding his identity and his hideout. Once we do that, things will be easier for all of us. All I want from you and the other Alphas is cooperation and loyalty."

"Cooperation and loyalty?!" Alpha Harold said the two words as if they were the strangest things he had ever heard, when in fact he owed them to Julian. "We have always done that, and all you have done is staying hidden here in your castle with your lovely family while the Rogue King takes over your territories!"

Julian saw dark immediately, but somehow he managed to take hold of his wolf that demanded release and revenge.

"Careful, Alpha," it was Vincent who threatened, his hard eyes glued to Alpha Harold. "If you keep talking I'll have no other choice but to get rid of you myself."

Julian wanted to smile at his protectiveness. Vincent had taken care of him since he was a little boy, asking for his father's affection. He had always been his rock, his mentor, his protector, and now his Prime Advisor. Julian had been willing to look past the friendship Vincent had had with Robert for these very reasons.

"It will not be necessary, Vincent." Julian raised his palm to stop him, but his eyes showed how thankful he was. "The Alpha will show respect from now on, right, Harold?"

Harold's eyes darkened a shade as well. Even the King couldn't call them by their first names, but it was not like he could do anything about it. "I will show respect once I see His Highness is deserving of it," he stated bluntly. "You claim to be different from our past Kings, and instead you're only showing weakness. We cannot accept that for our Alpha King!"

"Harold!"

"The packs are being invaded and you're organizing a ball for your mate's pregnancy. The irony of that is immense!"

Julian blinked a few times in shock. What ball? What had Katherine done without his permission?

"You cannot expect us to stay silent when our weak King―"

Julian slammed both hands that had turned into claws in the hard surface of the wooden table, so hard, it shut him up immediately. He walked around the table and reached the Alpha, wrapping one claw around his neck and forcing him to stand up. "Is this what you want, Harold? A King you're afraid to look in the eye, a King that might kill you every second he wishes to?"

Harold didn't answer. No one did, a heavy silence had fallen in the room. This was exactly the side of himself Julian hadn't want to show to anyone. The side of his Alpha nature, his wolf that was eager for domination. But perhaps he would have to show it once or twice to people like this that took kindness for weakness, balance it out with his funny and chill out personality.

"Your Highness―"

"Do you want me to cut your throat out for disrespecting your King?"

As his body trembled and he lowered his eyes in fear, Julian realized he had gotten the message, so he let him free of his grip.

"If you want this version of your King, Harold, then fine, I will be this to you. But I don't plan on inflicting fear and pain to my people, those times are gone now," Julian declared in a strong voice. "As for our current situation, I'm not hiding in my castle, as you implied. I'm getting ready for a big war, and for protecting my people. As for my advisors' words," he flashed a look to Vincent, "I've sent lots of my warriors to protect the boards of lots of packs, including yours, and Clark's, and Jack's." The two other Alpha had bowed their heads too. "Everything is under control. But do not blame me if you aren't capable of protecting your own packs. You're their Alphas for a damn reason! Do not make me regret the decision of letting you be the heads of the most important packs of my Kingdom despite being my father's allies. I've forgiven lots of things you've done, such as wanting my brother and my sister-in-law dead, but I haven't forgotten them. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Our Highness," all spoke in unison once more.

"Excellent," the Alpha King said. "The meeting is over."