Taking the Alpha King

Chapter 3: Beta

It's literal crickets in the auditorium.

Kline seems frozen on the spot and the few pack members that stand around me that noticed me, are looking at me like I just spit on their baby. Of course, I would never do that, so their looks seem unjustified.

The spotlights above are searching the crowd, but Maverick points them in the right direction, seemingly knowing where I was the whole time. Like a beacon in the dark, the lights are on me, and boy, are they hot. It's hard to tell if I'm sweating or if I'm chilly because I'm hot and cold at the same time.

Maverick is looking at me with a come-on-and-hurry-up look, while Kline looks ready to maim someone. Probably me, since I'm the center of attention now.

“Cayden, come on, we haven't got all day," Maverick says from on stage. That's easy for him to say. He's supposed to be there.

The crowd parts like the sea and for a moment, I think this has to be some kind of joke. No way did Maverick just announce me as his Beta. I must still be in bed, dreaming. Maybe the beer was stronger than I realized?

But then someone nudges me from behind, and it's as good as a pinch. No, this is real life and my king is waiting for me on stage, as well as his disregarded Beta Apparent struggling to keep his wolf at bay.

A nervous chuckle bubbles from my gut, but there isn't anything for me to do except put one foot in front of the other. I catch the eyes of a few people as I walk by. Some are shaking their head in disbelief, while others are trying and failing to hide their whispers behind their hands.

I have no idea what Maverick is thinking, but he's just ignored hundreds of years of tradition.

When I'm within reach, Maverick reaches his hand out toward me. I take in his long fingers and manicured nails, following up his arm to his face, where I find no jokes behind his brown eyes; only genuine hopefulness that I will take his hand.

And I do.

He pulls me up onto the stage with the strength of a true Alpha and without even a grunt to indicate he struggled (because, of course, he didn't).

I look out to the crowd, the lights blinding and even hotter up here than down in the masses. My mouth is dry as I offer a small wave to my fellow pack members. Though I'm not sure my hand worked the way it was supposed to and it probably looked like an awkward twitch.

Someone coughs in the crowd, and it echoes off the walls. I resolutely refuse to look behind me, if only to avoid the deathly glare I can feel on my back from Kline.

Maverick pulls me close and positions me next to him, center stage.

“What do you think you're doing?" I whisper between us with as much rage as I can muster in a muted breath.

“What's best for this pack," he replies with a smile and much more casually than I could have hoped for myself.

“Mother, if you would be so kind as to present Cayden with the badge."

Ever to roll with the punches as if nothing happened, Maverick reaches for his mother as she makes her way to the stage. It's also tradition for the king's mother to present the Badge of the Beta but as I look at Marie, she walks with uncertainty I've never seen from her before. For the first time in my life, my Luna appears to be out of sorts.

Which only leads me to believe that Maverick did this spontaneously. I think back to last night when I asked if he thought Kline was ready for the position and he brushed it off like he hadn't a care about it in the world.

The bastard knew all along he would not anoint Kline.

Marie approaches me with a too-wide smile and a what the f**k is going on glint in her eye. She pauses from pinning the badge to my chest, probably not exactly sure where to pin it on my hoodie. Curse Chronos to seven hells because if I had more than 15 minutes to get ready, I could have worn the suit I had pulled out.

The lack of proper attire for this event is now the highlight of my despair in this entirely unexpected turn of events. To spare not only myself any more social suffering, but Marie, I pull a small part of my sweater just above my heart where she can pin the badge.

It's heavy with the weight of all the responsibilities I have no clue how to fulfill, but when I turn toward the crowd, Maverick leads them in applause.

For a moment, I debate on turning down the position. Turning to Maverick and telling him he's made a mistake. I'm basically an untrained nurse on my best day and a glorified secretary on my worst. I'm not someone who leads people.

I was not qualified for this position. Kline had been training for this since before he was born.

But when I look at Maverick, at the pride in his face, I can't bring myself to say any of those things. Not only would I let my best friend down, but I'd be walking the line of treason. Not that that isn't a valid reason, but if I were to let my friend down, no—my king, I'll banish myself.

“Now, in front of our cherished Ganymede pack members, it's now time to receive the Mark of the King."

“The what?"