The Russian Alpha's Property

The Note

Stefan POV

Just as I laid the dress out for her to wear, there was a knock at the door. I quickly went to answer it. It was the bell hop. Even here, they knew who we were and messages were transmitted only by calling to the front desk or directly mailing mail to the island. "A message for the Mrs." The bell hop stated. I nodded to him and opened the note. What was hers was also mine. 

If you want the truth about your father, meet me by the gardens in ten minutes. Make any excuse and come alone. 

I crumpled up the paper and threw it in the trash. She didn't need to know anything, just yet but my interest was peaked. Did someone else know about the pack's plan? I certainly hoped not. I walked back into the room where she was getting dressed. "Take your time, princess. I have something to tend to for a few moments before dinner."

I watched as she nodded her head and thought nothing of it. The truth was that she probably thought nothing of it because as the alpha, this was bound to happen time and time again. Duty called no matter where we were. "I won't be long, I promise." I kissed the top of her forehead and bounded out of the room and down to the gardens. There were others there and my two men who had been following our every move while we were on our honeymoon and away from our pack lands were hiding among the shadows. Yet, I could see their outlines. Maybe that was because I already knew that they were there. 

There was another couple there on a bench and I noticed a man out of place as if he were waiting for someone. Oh he was certainly the guy who sent the note. I approached him but made sure to keep my distance.

"Alpha." He said quickly bowing his head.

"What news do you have of my wife and her family?"

His voice hitched as he began and coughed. Clearly, he was foolish enough to think that I would allow my wife to meet him alone. "As alpha, I command you to tell me what news you bring to my wife." When an alpha made a command, those members of the pack had to oblige. This extended to other packs that were tied by alliance to a single pack. 

A large smile formed on my lips when began to speak. "I only know this, the man that claims to be here father is not and her mother is also a fraud. Natalya was born of Russian descent but not of the pack that she believes she came from. There is a small town just outside of Rostov, not far from your pack where there is a small cottage. Ask for Arina. She can give you more information, it's not my story to tell and I'm afraid that if I do tell you the story, I would leave out important information." The man paused. "But I can leave you with two more pieces of information. One, she comes from a pack of rogues but knows nothing more than the life that was painted for her. And two, seek your answers before the heat sets in."

I was stunned by the man's words but I kept a stoic look on my face. I refused to let my enemies, and yes this was now my enemy until proven otherwise, know my weaknesses and curiosity was surely that. Could Natalya really be closer to my heart than I originally thought? Maybe she didn't have to be destroyed and if what the man was saying were true, did I have to destroy her? Thoughts played in my mind that maybe we didn't need to destroy Natalya. Maybe we just needed to destroy the pack that raised her. 

I nodded my head to him. "Very well. That gives us less than a week." Well, I suppose the honeymoon was officially over by the morning. 

After leaving the man's side, I went back to the room and I could hear my men following behind me slowly and always within a good distance not to cause a scene or to set off Natalya. She wasn't used to the attention even coming from the pack that she came from. The she-wolf had no idea. Ah, little one maybe I can keep you, I thought to myself. My wolf Orion howled with excitement just at the thought of that. He spoke up for the first time in ages. 'She's the one. She will bring us power. Give her time.'

I scoffed at him. "We bring us power. No she-wolf will.'

'Don't be so sure.' He warned me. 'She will give us an heir and she's not what she seems.'

Again I scoffed at him inside my head, it was an internal battle most days with him. 'That's yet to be decided.'

'Hurry' Orion warned.

I nodded and pushed through the door to the hotel room. There stood the most beautiful vision of my wife, my mate and hopefully I'd never have to destroy her in the way originally planned. Even if it was her father and this was a dead end, it began the wheels in my head turning on two accounts. One, could I destroy her father in another way. She had other siblings or equally true, I could destroy his pack and his village to the ground. Or two, how quickly could I get her to safety while I found out the truth? There was only one person that I trusted her with that wasn't me. Pavel would gladly take her while I worked through the night. I'd send for him during dinner, tuck in my mate properly and while she was sleeping I could sneak out.

.

Now that I was mentally prepared, I had to make sure that she had a good time tonight. Back in the room, she was ready to go. "Beautiful/" I mused outloud and while I wasn't someone that liked to get my hopes up, I was finding that I was getting my hopes up more and more with the idea that she might not really belong to the father that signed her life away for the sake of his pack. 

"Dinner awaits." I grinned at her and let her out of the room, and down the hall toward the elevators.