The Alphas Forgotten Daughter

Episode 17 - Entre's and enemies part 4

Amaris POV

The evening so far wasn't going too bad. I had managed to keep to Sylas's strict instructions. The last thing I wanted to do was invoke is wrath on such an important occasion. His speech he gave me just before the reception dinner swirled in my head.

"Amaris, now you listen to me you little w***e. You stay away from the king and his son, or so help me goddess, I will let him have you, but he'll have to take you with him in pieces."

Although the threat was similar to before, it somehow felt much more deadly. I had resolved to just humour him and do as he said. It made my heart ache though, because although I daredn't look Dacre in the eye or even look in his direction, I could feel the pain and sadness radiating off of him as I played my part of dutiful host to everyone in the room but him. Once the champagne and canapes were done, Sylas gave his little speech. Every word seemed to fill Dacre with hatred. I could feel it coming over me in waves. Sylas and I hung back as the crowd filed into the ballroom-come-dining-hall.

Sylas got dangerously close as he pulled me to the side, out of view of everyone. In doing so, he grabbed my arm, painfully squeezing enough to leave a mark under my sleeve.

"You are not to engage him, but I will not have you appear rude. You speak only when spoken to and you only answer questions you are asked. No small talk, no making conversation. Polite. Seen and not heard. Do you understand me?" He yanked me closer to him, forcing me to look directly in his eyes.

"Yes Uncle." I replied meekly.

"Good." He growled as he shoved me away from him, motioning for me to enter the ballroom. "Now f**k off. Lets get this ordeal over with", he said in a low grumble.

As I turned the corner in the ballroom, the mask went back on. I was once again the good little Neice to the Alpha. A bright smile, straight back, elegant posture and oozing humble confidence. Everything I was not. I walked the length of the banquet tables for what felt like an eternity. As I approached the end of the table I slowed down, unable to believe my eyes. I had slowed enough that Sylas had caught up very quickly and was now striding around the back of the King's chair to take a seat on his own at the head of the table. He shot me a dangerous glance as he noticed what I was frantically trying to rationalise in my head.

The King and his Queen were sitting next to each other on the right-hand side of Sylas and next to my seat, where the Queen should have been sitting, was none other than the Prince himself; Dacre. My fear and confusion must have been visible because, as I hesitated to sit down, the Queen came quickly to my defence. She must have sensed I was trying to figure out why my seating plan hadn't been adhered to.

"Sylas my dear friend," She began demurely, "I hope you don't mind, but I just can't bear to separate from my dear husband, I'm such a romantic old fool!" As she said this she gave a dazzling smile and brought her husband's hand to her chin height and slightly bent to kiss where his wedding ring was. Though the show of affection for her husband was absolutely genuine, I could tell her contriteness towards Sylas was not. Her husband cleared his throat and placed his other hand over hers, kissing her ring finger delicately also as he gave a slightly embarrassed looking smile before adding,

"Yes, please forgive us. I have never been able to refuse my beautiful Luna. She is my one Achilles heel, this Mate of mine." He said with utter sincerity.

It must have taken all of Sylas's self-control not to want to rip out the King's throat then and there. He may have had a temper but he had the sense to try and curb it at least. Despite his anger, Sylas managed a false smile before adding; "Not at all your Majesty, I hope you can forgive my niece for her oversight when making the seating plans!" He shot me a look that said you had better take the fall for this or else. I took that as my cue to begin my contrition, "Please forgive me your majesty," I bowed my head, panicked, I tried to make a good excuse on the fly for doing as Sylas had instructed. I settled with flattery, "I will admit I had selfish reasons for wanting to sit next to you, I'd hoped I might discuss the duties of a Luna." I paused for breath. Suddenly realising that what I was saying was the truth, I had actually hoped to discuss her duties as a Luna. " You see," I continued on, in for a penny in for a pound I guess, "without my mother to learn from, I've had to figure a few things for myself." I glanced over to Sylas quickly to see if I invoked his wrath. He seemed indifferent, bored, even. Good.

I stopped myself from going further. The more I talked, the more I risked angering my uncle. I looked over to the Queen, who still had one hand on the king, but the other hand was now placed on her chest as she looked at me with a soft expression, her head slightly c****d to the side and eyes sparkling with the threat of tears. It hadn't been my intention to pull at her heart strings but I could see I'd clearly struck a chord with her. I was starting to like her even more. My heart ached as I realized that, had things been different, this wonderful woman before me could have been my mother-in-law.

My thoughts were interrupted as a waiter leant past me to place a carafe of wine on the table. I absentmindedly thanked him and stayed quiet as I politely listened to the conversation around me. As though I hadn't even spoken, my uncle began steering the conversation towards things he cared about. Like hunting, money and his pack. The king indulged him in this conversation, making polite responses and giving him a little bit of give and take, but you could tell he wasn't really interested, he was just being polite to his host. He seemed like the kind of man who had more depth than just caring about drinking and money. I did notice, however, that the entire time Prince Dacre kept staring at me. Not that I didn't like the attention, but he was going to cause me a lot of trouble if he didn't stop. Suddenly, as though the universe had answered my prayers, the starters were served. It was a Scottish salmon tartar; expertly crafted by my lovely Kev and his crew.

As the starter plates were being cleared and the conversation began to dip somewhat, the queen seemed to take her opportunity to make more conversation.

"Amaris my dear, I have to ask where you got your hair done? I've never seen such natural looking highlights and low lights in such a vibrant shade of red!" She seemed genuinely curious. I almost forgot for a moment that my hair wasn't something seen as normal to these people. I had always had it and in the moonlight I even had little silvery strands to it as well that made it almost shimmer. She was right though my bright red hair, although natural, did look like something that came out of a box at first glance. I decided to keep with Sylas's request and answer the question. He didn't say I had to lie though. So I shan't.

"It's not dyed actually. I was born on the last blood moon and have had this colour ever since." I shrugged non-chalontly. The queen chuckled in amusement.

"Oh William my love, isn't she just darling!" She turned to me, gesturing with her wine glass, "That hair of yours is a gift from the moon goddess herself, don't be so dismissive of it. I sense great things are going to come from you. My child," Sylas, did not like that one bit. He interrupted immediately.

"Oh, your majesty is far too kind, but we musn't fill her head with false dreams. She hasn't yet shifted and I doubt she ever will, it's just so late, it's never been heard of." He tried to sound sympathetic as he said this but you could hear the sneer in his voice. He had made sure to say it quite loudly too. He loved so much to rub salt into that old wound at every opportunity.

The King cleared his throat loudly, "Maybe not in your pack, Sylas, but my own Grandfather was born during a lunar eclipse at Beltane and he did not shift until his 28th birthday, when another lunar eclipse occurred at Beltane also." He turned to me and winked, "There could be hope for you yet Nighean bheag ruadh"