The Alpha King's Invitation

Chapter 3: The Road Trip

Unknown Male POV

I had a lot to do before the other packs got to the Royal Grand Hotel. I had to check in with the border patrol of not only my pack but with the Royal pack’s border as well.

I heard a commotion in the hall, I knew who that was.

“What are you doing in here?” William yelled, barging in.

“I’m working Will. You should try it sometime.”

Even though he’s the next Alpha King he acts like a teenager when we’re alone.

“Oh, I’ll be doing plenty of that after this week. It’s our last week of fun before we’re drowning in work and lots of amazing mated sex.” He said walking over to my liquor cabinet.

I groaned. “Close that, there’s no day drinking till the packs arrive and the week actually starts.”

He scoffed, “You're no fun. What happens if you get a fun perky mate? She’ll probably reject you cause you’re so boring.”

I roll my eyes, “Well if she does then the moon goddess made a mistake didn’t she?”

He laughed, “You know I’m joking. You're fun when you’re not working.”

“Which is never nowadays.” I said opening my emails.

“Come on man. You have to let loose, loosen up so your mate sees what a fun guy she’s getting.” he grumbled laying on my couch, and began eating peanut M&M’s by the handful.

“What about you? How are you so confident that you’ll find your mate and get the Alpha King position?” I questioned getting up.

“Oh, the moon goddess told me I would.”

I grabbed the container from him and went to put it back. I could never get how he was so cavalier about communicating with the goddess.

“You're such a killjoy Cal.” Will whined.

“And I don’t get why you’re so laissez-faire.” I countered.

“Well if it counts the goddess told me your mate’s gonna be there too.” He sighed sitting up.

“Really?” I asked. I guess I could take a little break to talk to him.

“Yeah. She didn’t go into detail but she did say that she’d be there.”

I groaned and collapsed back into my chair rubbing my neck. “Can’t she just bring her to me? Then I wouldn’t have to prepare so much.”

He chuckled, “You’d still work yourself to the bone preparing for her arrival. I know you.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah. Probably.”

“Remember when we got the mate talk?” He asked turning around to kneel on the couch.

I shuttered. “I try not to.”

Will and I had snuck out of the hotel to do something stupid and when we were sneaking back in we heard my parents. Of course, as curious kids we didn’t know what it was so we went to look. Worst mistake I’ve ever made.

I shuttered again. “Thanks for bringing it up though.”

He laughed and got up from the couch. “Hey, can you promise me something?”

I sighed, “What would that be?”

“When the pack’s get here, could you smile?”

I snorted, “Get out of my office.”

He put his hands up in surrender, “But seriously dude.” And he left.

I turned back to my computer but didn’t continue answering emails.

My mate. My fated mate was on her way to me. I’d meet her soon, assuming I could find her through the sea of she-wolfs who will no doubt be clambering to jump into bed with me. But I hadn’t had a good f**k in a while. I guess now, I’m holding out for her.

She better be up to it, I could go all night long if she has the stamina. And not only will she have to handle my s*x drive but she’ll have to handle the responsibility of having to be the Luna of the second-largest, and strongest, pack under the Alpha King. She’ll have to be able to let insults roll off her back and deal with the hard truth that being a Luna isn’t all parties and kissing babies.

I walked over to the cabinet that was still ajar and took a shot of whiskey. Maybe that would help me get through the next four hours before the packs started to pour in. And among them, my mate.

Raelynn’s POV

“You're so much more fun now, why is that?” Xavier asked as I caught a mini marshmallow with my mouth.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I said throwing one for X to catch.

It was weird that on this road trip X and I were really bonding. We laughed, talked, ate snacks and I got a little more comfortable in displaying affection for him.

"Wanna know what I think?" Maya said, her head popping over the head of my seat.

"Oh, the best friend always knows." X chuckled.

"I think it's the weight of her parent's death and the fact she doesn't really have any friends back home."

I had to admit it was creepy how quickly she answered, like she'd been planning this.

"Very interesting." X mused.

I threw a marshmallow at him. "I didn't have any friends cause I had you, Alex, and X. That's three friends. More than enough." I said picking out the peanut M&M’s out of my trail mix.

"You know mom and dad's death has nothing to do with you right?" Owen said next to Maya, "I mean like it wasn't your fault."

I nodded, "Yeah I know."

If I was being honest I had felt lighter since we left. And bit by bit I was able to relax.

"I've always said she's lots of fun once she opens up to you." Maya smiled down at me.

"Or you get her off pack lands." Xavier laughed.

I sat up straighter and stretched my legs out on Xavier's lap, "How much longer till we get there. We've been traveling all day."

I checked my watch, 2:30 pm.

"Should be another hour or two, depending on how fast this thing can go." X sighed.

"We should have driven." Owen said, "I could have had us there by now."

"Fast and the furious much?" I chuckled under my breath.

X snorted, guess he heard me.

"Hey Xavier," Stacy, another one of Rebecca’s friends, asked from across the isle.

"Huh?" He turned to look at her.

"What do they call it when you have s*x on a bus?"

"Desperate." I coughed.

"I don't know. Maybe ask someone smart like Alex." He said and turned back towards me.

She huffed and crossed her arms sulking.

"You know she was giving you a hint right?" I asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm smarter than I look."

"Out of curiosity what is s*x on a bus called?" Maya asked.

"Ray riding me." X winked.

I fake threw up.

"Oh please." Owen groaned behind us.

We started laughing.

After another hour of talking Xavier's head was laying on my lap while I was absent-mindedly playing with his hair.

"Your hands feel good." He muttered.

I looked down and his eyes were closed.

"Are you sleeping?" I asked.

"No. You're just relaxing me." He sighed.

I nodded and looked out the window again.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked after a minute.

"What is it?"

He shook his head, "Nevermind, forget it."

"What?" I said.

He opened his eyes and I was struck with the sincerity in them that I didn't anticipate what he was gonna ask. "If we don't find our mates this week, can I be your new f**k buddie?"

I was shocked, one that he'd ask something like that and two, that he'd ask it so casually.

"I-" I started to say but stopped when he covered my mouth. That was fine, I didn't know what I was gonna say anyway.

"You don't have to answer right now. And I know you have Alex but who knows, he might find his mate this week."

"Don't you want to find your mate?" I asked curious.

"I don't know." He sighed, closing his eyes again.

I took that as a cue to keep playing with his hair.

"I don't like the idea of one day being yourself then the next you're bending over backward to make someone you just met happy for the rest of their life."

I hadn't thought of it like that.

"That's why I want to meet my mate right away." Maya said from behind us.

She made me jump. I had no idea she was listening.

"That way, we can spend the whole week getting to know each other in different settings." She continued, "Like what if he gets angry when he gets cold? I won't know that when we're at the beach, I'll only learn it when we go up the mountain."

She had a point. Was this why they were doing it?

"I get horny when I'm cold." X chuckled, "I think it's my body's way of saying I need another body close by to keep me warm."

"You’re making that up." I laughed.

He opened his eyes, "Am I?"

I considered him for a minute, "Yes. Every winter you jump into the lake naked and then laugh saying you could do it again."

He closed his eyes.

"That's not true." Owen said, "I made that up."

Xavier smiled with his eyes still closed, "But you're right. I don't get horny when I'm cold."

"Shit." I heard and I looked across the aisle and saw Stacy's cheeks go pink.

Xavier and I chuckled.

~.~.

I was still playing with X's hair when I spotted something in the distance.

"Look!" I said excitedly.

Everyone in the bus heard me and they all craned their necks to look out the windows. It was a moment before the bus turned and we got a beautiful view.

There were houses and shops lining the streets, It had a small-town feel but I could see that as we got further into town, it got less ‘small’.

The bus turned right down a busy street and I caught a glimpse of two buildings. The one in front was a white castle with dark blue roofs. As we got closer I could see the solar panels, progressive for a castle. The castle had flags flying at the top of every tower, which there were four.

Behinds the beautiful castle what looked like a large golden rectangle with a tower through the middle. It was huge, had to be at least sixteen stories at least. The top of the tower was lit up and there was a word written below it.

“Royal Grand Hotel.” I read aloud.

“Yeah, that's the hotel we’ll be staying at.” Xavier yawned sitting up.

“Really?” I said practically bouncing in my seat.

“Yeah. They have suites at the top where Alpha’s stay so I’ll probably get one of those.” His voice was disinterested and sort of monotone.

“The castle is beautiful.” Maya breathed as we got closer.

“Yeah, that’s the Royal Palace. People rarely get the opportunity to stay there. You have to be invited to stay by the Alpha King or the Luna Queen personally to be able to stay there.”

I wondered what they would be like. I imagined the Luna Queen in a cream-colored dress with puffy sleeves and a crown on her head. The Alpha King I imagined to be big and intimidating in a dark blue suit with a crown and a scepter.

The bus drove through a tunnel that went under the castle and it finally stopped in a semi-circle driveway in front of the massive hotel. Everyone began to get their stuff together but since I’d kept my stuff together I looked out the window instead.

On the other side of the hotel, facing the castle there were a few clubs that looked like small mansions. There were also a few actual small mansions that seemed to have people inside of them.

“Hey X what’s that?” I asked, pointing to them.

“Oh, those? Those are small pack houses for the omega’s that work at both the hotel and at the clubs next to them.”

“Did you say clubs?” Owen asked, standing up and looking around.

“Let's just get our rooms first, then you can go all club boy.” Maya said, rolling her eyes.

Once everyone had gotten off the bus and found their luggage we walked into the hotel.

It had two guards who didn’t even make eye contact. They were scanning the sea of wolves for any signs of danger with suspicion.

The lobby of the hotel was spacious and had couches and chairs for you to sit on. There was a grand white staircase with black railings that made a U shape. I wanted to explore but then a voice drew my attention.

“Welcome Light River Pack, to the Royal Grand Hotel.”