Claimed by the Alpha Beast

014: Alpha King's day off

Zach POV

“Justin, no one is to see or touch her until I'm done, you hear me!”

“What do you mean no one is to see her?” he asks gently. “Zach, the girl needs her clients. She was doing this work before you met her. You know, if you ask me, seeing her again is a big risk. And that's if she's alive. We don't yet know for sure if the beast went after her. He most likely didn't. But it's risky to be in the same room alone with her!”

“Just call the brothel!”

I don't want another male going near her until… I don't know.

“Make sure the Matron understands that the Butterfly gets no client except me for now!”

My Beta knows when he's been given an order. He shoulders sag in defeat as he simply nods and takes out his phone.

It is nightfall on Christmas day, and I have to fulfil the promise I’ve forgotten I made long before the holidays. A night feast in my castle for my own pack. My top warriors and elites are all in attendance. As much as I want to, I can't disappear and risk them looking for me, so returning to the brothel is ruled out.

The party doesn't slow down until past 2 AM. By that time, I’ve grown too sick of company to listen to my Gamma deliver news about the dead human.

“Tomorrow, Caleb!” I hold up a finger when he opens his mouth. Pushing past him, I march up the stairs straight to the solitude of my chambers.

➷➹⚛⚛⚛⚛⚛➹➷

The next morning, boxing day, I have just finished taking a shower after training with my warriors. I'm heading to my study to do some work when I spot a familiar figure approaching the double-doors of my house.

An older male with salt and pepper hair. He exchanges greetings with the wolves on sight and is led into the lobby. A few servants are hard at work, cleaning up after last night's feast.

I watch him offer a real smile to the she-wolf at the lobby as I try to imagine what brings him here.

"Happy holidays, Mrs Manson," he tells her.

"Alpha Gareth, what a nice surprise," she beams in return. "I'll let the king know you're here."

She's rushing to the phone when she catches sight of me at the topmost floor. Gareth follows her gaze and look up. I would have asked him to come up to me, but I don't want him comfortable. Just because he's family doesn't mean he gets to show up without prior notice.

I start to hop casually down the stairs to go meet my older, half brother. Our eyes are fixed on each other as I descend towards him. Though his smile hasn't completely faded, the coldness lurks in his expression. The male hates and blames me for all of the nonexistent misfortune in his life.

Out of obligation, he bows when I reach the final landing,

"Your majesty, good morning."

"Alpha Gareth;" I returned. "What brings you here?"

"I'm no longer Alpha," he replies gently. "Your majesty took that from me and gave it to my pup, remember?"

Gareth has a few many reasons to hate my guts. Making his son Alpha isn't one of them. At least, I never thought it was since I didn't entirely remove leadership from his household, and he didn't resist when I made the decree.

Well, that's his problem. I don't have time for bickering and need to end this meeting before it begins.

"Did you make an appointment?" I ask.

He looks at the others who are already dispersing to give us privacy.

"I came because it's urgent."

"Mary didn't mention that you'd be here. I can't see you without an appointment, especially not on a holiday. You raced a long way here. You can rest a little. Rina will get you a drink or breakfast, if you want. Leave after the meal."

I'm about to climb back up when he announces,

"A human was murdered two nights ago.”

“What's that got to do with me?”

"The police are looking for this male." He holds up the photograph of a human male. “He’s a criminal. Wanted. I saw him in the woods last night, and he was not alone.”

“You should be talking to your human friends, not me. Go to the police, if you have news about him."

“I said he wasn't alone, Zach. You should ask, who was he with? I'll tell you who? A creature.”

I hold my breath diligently, waiting for him to go on.

“Something was after him, Zee. Something... unexplainable. There's a wild creature roaming your woods at night!”

The vast lobby is almost empty apart from a few guards on sight. I glance around to see if anyone heard him even though he's speaking very low. The werewolf loitering near the foyer isn't looking our way.

"A creature roaming my woods, you say. What does that even mean? We are all creatures, Gareth. Wild ones. Describe what you saw.”

He looks pointedly at the hallway leading to another study on the ground floor. I don't intend to invite him beyond where we're standing, so I ignore the unspoken request. He should have called before coming. I also refuse to let him think that I take the news seriously.

The awkward silence continues for a few more seconds before he says,

"Yes, we're all wild creatures. But this one is nothing like we've ever seen, Zach.”