The Alpha King

chapter 6

Ryker

I chuckled glancing at Kayden who was mirroring my knowing smile before fixing his expression when Artemis reached his side.

I settled on the bench near the spot she was setting herself listening to Kayden´s instructions while holding the bow and knocking the arrow on it. The way her whole posture and energy changed when she took the stand and let her gaze follow the arrow all the way to the target, her breathing slowing down did things to me as her muscles on her arms and back flexed while she slowly pulled the string back.

I felt so incredibly snuck in my jeans suddenly. That sight in front of me was such a turn on even Khan was getting frantic in my mind, trotting tail high and his steps light yet powerful, giving off the well-known alpha vibe. He was showing off to his mate. I couldn´t help but relate to his set of mind at that moment. Hell, I wanted to present my alpha pheromones to let her know exactly who I was to impress her although she couldn't smell them.

I might have to rely on my hand before stepping out of this school. And if Kayden´s look on his face as he glanced at me told me anything, he knew my predicament at the moment. Which raised a question, how would he? My pupils dilated suddenly as I furrowed at the thought of other males staring at her the same way I was staring at her at the moment. And that didn´t sit well with me.

But then his nostrils flared and he gave me a worried look taking a few steps away from Artemis.

Well, f**k.

Apparently, I released some pheromones unknowingly as I was getting angry because Kayden became cautious, making more space between himself and my mate. I wasn´t concerned about Kayden trying to claim what was mine - we had huge respect toward each other and besides I knew Kayden had found his mate a couple of years ago, so I didn´t see him as a threat. But Kayden didn´t know she was my mate, but I could see the gears in his head turning, trying to figure out why I was suddenly scenting the air like an alpha male in a rut warning off any other males.

Then his face lit up, brows shot up to his hairline and his mouth formed a perfect O as he stared at me and back at Artemis and then back at me. I couldn´t help but smirk at that expression. Kayden pointed discreetly at her and mouthed to me.

“Is she…?”

I nodded.

He smirked and gave me the thumb up which I chuckled in response. I knew when Artemis wasn´t present he would congratulate me properly but for now, he settled for a much more unnoticeable way to say “ way to go bro!”. Then he concentrated on her looking for mistakes in her posture and when he was satisfied that he couldn´t find any, he permitted her to shoot whenever she was ready.

I watched intently as she stared at the target at the other side of the yard taking a deep inhale before exhaling slowly with full control. Her body relaxed slightly and then she released the arrow.

Everyone followed its path toward the target and I grinned proudly when the arrow hit the bullseye. That's my girl.

“That´s more like it. Where was this concentration an hour ago?” Kayden teased my mate who stared at the target and then turned to look at him before glancing at me briefly.

“I don´t know,” Artemis stated like she couldn´t believe she hit the perfect score after according to Kayden failing so many times today.

“It´s because we´re here!” Khan spoke, his chest puffed up and his head held high as he looked at our mate through my eyes. He was as proud as I was.

“Alright, that´s enough for today class,” Kayden announced after glancing at his watch and I watched as the pupils started heading back in the changing rooms while Artemis stayed staring at the yard seemingly deep in thought.

“Arty?”

Kayden poked her shoulder snapping her out of her thoughts. She glanced at him and giving him a smile turned on her heels headed toward the changing room too. I kept my eyes on her the whole time earning a side glare from her but I just smirked in return earning an eye roll.

I let out a chuckle after she disappeared through the doorway sliding it shut behind her.

Kayden approached me and sat down next to me leaning back placing his arms on the backrest and looked up at the ceiling.

“Congratulations on finding your mate. It´s about time too.” Kayden spoke glancing at me with a wide grin.

“I know. I still can´t believe it. After so many years…” I trailed off while staring ahead leaning forward resting my elbows on my knees. It felt surreal.

“Finding her was the easy part. Now comes the difficult part since she is a human, not a wolf.” Kayden brought me back and I turned my head to look at him. He wore a serious expression on his face and I knew he was right.

If she was a wolf, she would have felt the bond too and would have smelled my scent recognizing me as her mate. But because she was a human, I needed to do this the old fashion way. The human way and it would test my patience to no end. Making her fall in love with me slowly, at her pace wasn´t something I thought about doing when I dreamed of finding my mate.

How she would react when I finally would tell her what I am was a bit worrying but I´ll cross that bridge when it was time.

For her, I would wait until the end of time, I would give all the time in the world for her if she needed it to accept me as her mate. I would do anything for her, I would give her anything, including my life.

“It´s going to be a challenge but what kind of alpha I would be if I backed down from a challenge?”

Kayden laughed at my response and smacked my back brotherly way with a grin.

“I hope your pack is going to welcome her with open arms. You know, not all are so acceptive with the thought of having a human luna.” Kayden lowered his voice dropping his grin and I sighed. My pack didn´t hate humans per se, they just weren´t keen to associate with them and wanted to keep their distance.

I knew my parents would accept Artemis and welcome her into our pack with ease. My mother would absolutely love her but then the image of Jerica popped into my head and I clenched my jaw while fisting my hands. She would be the biggest problem. Not that Artemis wouldn´t be able to handle herself around Jessica, the little I have witnessed so far Artemis was a force to be reckoned with and didn´t need my protection against the pack b***h but I also knew Jerica loved playing dirty. I needed her out of the equation as soon as possible.

I had planned to give this order once I got back but now that I had found my mate things were different. I took out my phone from my jacket´s pocket and unlocked it. I ignored Kayden´s curious look and stood while scrolling through the numbers until I found my gamma´s number and dialled it.

It rang three times before Ayden answered.

“Alpha,” he greeted me and I listened to any background noises to determine if he was alone.

“Ayden, I need you to do something for me.”

“Alright.”

“Take Dominic with you and find Jerica. Take her to the holding cells. It is time to show her that actions have consequences. I have been way too tolerant toward her disrespecting behaviour, but it changes now. Keep her there until I come back. No matter what, don´t let her out. No one is permitted to talk to her. Place two guards in front of her cell.”

Ayden was quiet while listening to my orders.

“Has something happened?” Ayden finally asked and I could hear the concern in his tone.

“I found my mate.”

I heard him starting to cough like he was choking on something and then a short laugh followed with the sound of a slap.

“Finally! Congrats alpha!”

“Thanks. Now, I strip Jerica´s title of the official hunter of the pack, effective immediately. She´s now considered the runt of the pack and has no rights whatsoever.” I growled the last four words staring at the yard while gripping the phone tighter in my hand.

“Understood,” Ayden answered right away and I smiled. Ayden wasn´t born in a gamma position, he fought with teeth and claws to get himself where he was today and I admired and respected him for that. I watched him grow from the small pup into a regular warrior in my pack and the determination to climb higher in the ranks was impressive. I knew then and I know now that Ayden, among my beta Zeke and Dominic, my head warrior, were the three people in my pack I would trust my mate´s life with if I wasn´t there to protect her.

I ended the call and turned around seeing Kayden watching me silently. He wanted to ask the question but wasn´t sure if he should.

“Just ask man, I can see you want to.” I chuckled coming to stand next to the bench.

“What did Jerica do this time to make you throw her into a cell and strip her title?”

“What she has done the past ten years. I just didn´t want to act upon it sooner because…” I paused for a minute averting my eyes from him.

“Because?”

“I don´t know. Guilt, maybe? What happened to her all those years back. The rogue attack, losing her entire pack, her parents…” I tried to come up with some explanation but I knew they were all just excuses. No alpha would tolerate such behaviour from anyone but I guess I felt like a failure as a king to protect those who were supposed to be under my protection.

Kayden hummed crossing his arms shifting his gaze from me to the yard not saying anything. He didn´t need to. By not taking action against Jerica´s behaviour sooner and letting her on believing she had a special spot next to me, it was my fault letting her think she wasn´t going to be held countable for her actions toward her alpha and king. This was what miscommunication looked like. But I learned my lesson.

From now on, the only person who would get away with such behaviour was my mate, but even then I would gladly teach her what was tolerable and what was not. I couldn´t help but smirk at the thought of teaching her a lesson or two when she would act naughtily, behind closed doors, in private in our bedroom.

And of course, then Khan decided it was perfect time to send a picture of our mate bent over on our knee, her exposed ass waiting to be spanked. I groaned closing my eyes trying to think of something else. Anything else, to calm the raging desire in my veins before my c**k would start to live a life of its own.

“f*****g hell!” I growled at him through my mind.

“You´re welcome. Like the thought didn´t cross your mind at all…” Khan snickered while lying in the back of my mind his head held high looking rather pleased with himself.

“So, can you tell anything about Artemis?” I asked sitting back down next to Kayden who glanced at me indifferently as if he expected me for asking him that question.

“Shouldn´t you ask her that rather than me?” he chuckled making me huff out of annoyance.

“Yes, but it would help to know a little about her before I approach her because something tells me she isn´t the easiest person to approach.”

“You got that right. Arty is a cautious person and very independent. She has this wall around her to protect herself against anyone she doesn´t know. She doesn´t trust easily, she learned that the hard way but she is loyal to the fault to people she loves. When you earn her trust, she is willing to go to hell and back for you, but if you break that trust, she will send you there instead.”

I couldn´t help but smile at what I was hearing but at the same time, I wondered what had happened in her past. What made her distant and untrusting toward people, why did she build the wall around her? As I was thinking these questions, Khan was growling in the back of my mind showing teeth, his hackles up. He was fuming at the idea that someone had hurt our mate so greatly she had withdrawn from others depending on her strength rather than giving someone else the power to protect her.

“She is headstrong but there is vulnerability inside of her she isn´t keen to show. I have only seen it twice over the years I have gotten to know her. I think that´s because of her parents, especially because of her father. But that is another story and hers to share.” Kayden interrupted my thoughts and I frowned.

Her parents? I didn´t like the sound of that but didn´t push it. I knew that was hers to tell if she ever would trust me enough to let me in. I sure hoped she would, I was her mate. I would protect her, I would lay my life for her and I most definitely would travel through flames of hell a thousand times over if it meant for her to let me into her life.

“Any other questions you have in mind, you´re going to have to ask her. I´ve already shared too much and I know for a fact she would have my head if she knew what I just told you.” Kayden chuckled making me chuckle as well. She sure sounded like a born alpha female, not afraid to put anyone in their places.

“Well, I guess I´ll grab the bull by the horns and ask her out.” I hummed standing fixing my gaze at the door already excited to see her again. I was about to step forward when Kayden stood stopping me. Raising my brow at him I waited for him to explain why he stood in front of me, preventing me to go to my mate and asking her for a cup of coffee and hopefully learning more about her.

“Just a warning, Arty isn´t much of a dating person so don´t get angry if she refuses.”

“Duly noted. Now get the hell out of my way,”

Kayden grinned stepping aside amused about my impatient behaviour. I couldn´t blame him. I remember how he was when he found his mate. The fierce warrior turned into a lovesick puppy in front of my eyes so god damn fast it was unbelievable and I couldn’t help but tease him relentlessly for six months. But I also witnessed the possessive side of an alpha who found their mate. Kayden didn´t trust me to be in the same room with his mate, let alone shake her hand for that matter. That´s how the mate bond worked, it turned even the most reasonable male into a possessive, overprotective prick ever to walk the earth.

I knew I wasn´t going to be any different. The mere idea of another male touching my mate was enough to set me off but I pushed those thoughts at the back of my head. I couldn´t afford to lose my composure before I had the chance to even go out with my mate for the first time.

As soon as Kayden made room for me to walk past him and go find Artemis I bolted out of the training yard and the last thing I heard was Kayden´s s**t-eating laughter and muttering.

“You lovesick son of a b***h. I´m gonna enjoy this.”

I pressed down the threatening growl making its way up my throat, I guess deserved that. I was quite the teasing asshole to him when he found his mate. Shaking my head I approach the lobby sniffing the air trying to figure out if I was too late but much to my relief, I couldn´t smell her scent so she was still in changing room. I saw Zeke lying on one of the couches in the lobby scrolling through his phone and the second he sensed my presence he shifted his gaze in my direction. He pocketed the phone while getting up but the way he looked past me with raised brows I knew what my beta was thinking. But before I could say anything Amaya´s voice interrupted my train of thought.

“Ah, Mr Barrett. I hope your visit with Mr Phoenix was good?” she asked looking up from her computer screen offering a friendly smile. I halted in front of her desk and smiled back.

“Yes, it was quite good. Put me in a much better mood.”

“Where's your mate? I thought you would come with her?” Zeke then mind-linked turning my attention from the secretary to him.

“She is changing her clothes. I´m going to try and ask her to go for a cup of coffee with me. It appears that she isn´t so keen to date anyone.”

“So she is going to be a challenge?” Zeke chuckled through the link putting a smirk on my face while I locked eyes with him.

“And I accept the challenge like a good alpha that I am.”

Zeke merely shook his head with a smile.

“I´m gonna call Ayden to pick me up. I have a feeling you´re using the car rest of the evening and don´t want a third wheel,” he said taking out his phone and unlocking it but before he could select the number I interrupted him.

“Ayden is occupied with Dominic with a task I gave them a couple of minutes ago. Call Riftyn or Dalton.”

Zeke blinked looking at me a little puzzled.

“Do I even want to know?”

“Jerica, that´s all you need to know.”

“About time.” He muttered looking back at his phone and tapping on the name he wanted to call Zeke then turned around walking toward the front door. I could hear three rings before someone answered.

“Hey, Rif! Care to come picking me up from the city?”

I watched amused as my beta made his way through the door into the parking lot when the alluring scent of jasmine and ginger hit my nose causing my eyes to close for a minute. Inhaling deeply I savoured the smell before forcing my eyes open and turned around in time to see Artemis walking toward me with a frown on her face.

“I hope you´re not waiting for me, Mr Barrett.”

Now it was my turn to frown. I didn´t like it when my mate used my last name when addressing me and I sure as hell didn´t like the frown adorning her beautiful face.

“What if I was?” I asked trying to sound as casual as possible shoving my hands into my jacket´s pockets. Something about her glare made me bristle my hackles preparing to a fight and at the same time submit. I wasn´t sure if it was the eye colour or the way she carried herself or the combination of both but I had to fight the sudden urge to avert my eyes and expose my neck to her. This woman had me by the balls and she didn´t even know it.

Artemis halted a couple of feet from me crossing her arms with a huff.

“Then I would say you are waiting in vain because I ain´t going nowhere with you mister.”

“Maybe you should warn her not to play too hard to get, it excites us more!” Khan growled playfully in my mind and I had to press down a smile as I took in this 5”5 tall woman in front of me who wasn´t afraid to take on an alpha. She sure was confident and I love it.

“Not even for a cup of coffee?” I asked with a  subtle smirk and when I saw her brow raised I lifted my hands taking one step back just for the gesture.

“No strings attached.”

“Yeah right….for now maybe.” Khan huffed flopping down burying his snout between his front paws.

Artemis seemed to think her options and for a minute I thought she did it just to make me sweat. Although she tried hard to keep her gaze on my face I could see that she was sneakily trying to check me out. Internally I was ecstatic because it confirmed my suspicion that she wasn´t as immune to the mate bond as I originally thought. My first suspicion had come when I watched at the training yard her interaction with Kayden and then with me. Artemis disguised it well but the small nervousness still was there if you knew what signs to look for. And now despite playing like she wasn´t interested the least, she was drawn to me at some small level and I took it no matter how small it was, it was still there. Which meant I had hope to win her over if I played my cards right.

“If I say yes, do you promise to leave me alone after that?” she asked. I bit my tongue from snapping at her there was no way I was going to leave her alone. Somehow I managed to simmer down my anger and control Khan who was going berserk in my head demanding giving him the reigns. But I forced him to back down reminding him we couldn´t afford to lose s**t in front of her. Khan wasn´t happy but withdrew in the back of my mind for now.

“If that´s how you feel after this day, yes.”

Saying that pained me for no end but I couldn´t say no either because then she wouldn´t go out at all with me. I had one chance to make her feel like she wanted to be with me more than one time and I wasn´t about to f**k it up. My answer satisfied her because she then put a charming smile on her face and walking past me she motioned me to follow.

“Let's go then, Wolfman.”

I chuckled taking my car keys and with a few long strides reached her opening the door for her.

“We´re taking my car little archer, I know the perfect place.”

Artemis was about to argue but I quickly put an index finger on her lips preventing her to say anything.

“This was my idea, let me treat you. I assure you I will drive you back here later. I am a man of my word.”

She looked sceptical but relented and nodding stepped through the door glancing over her shoulder waiting for me to tell where I had parked my car. Reaching her side I placed my left hand on the small of her back guiding her to my car and couldn't help but smirk when I saw her expression.

“You have a ford mustang?” she squealed, looking at the dark grey car in front of her. I merely chuckled, unlocking the doors and moved to open the door for her again. I couldn´t help but lean in and whisper low in her ear.

“Yes, I do. Get it, little archer.”

Artemis gave me a pointed look as she climbed into the seat, but I could see she was fighting back a smirk that caused my heart to make a double flip in my chest as I closed the door and rounded the car getting behind the wheel.

As I started the engine Artemis buckled herself and turned to look at me, watching how I reversed the car before turning it toward the main road.

“So, where are you taking me?”

“Wait and see, I guarantee you'll love it.”

“There aren´t that many coffee shops I haven´t visited since I live in this city so I am sceptical you can find something to impress me.”

There was an obvious challenge in her tone of voice and I chuckled darkly, giving her a side glance.

“Oh trust me, you haven´t visited this place.”

The place I had in mind was the so-called underground shop, meant only for werewolves in the city. If humans were allowed there, it was because they were mated to a werewolf.

Artemis furrowed her brows but didn´t argue further and settled to watch the passing buildings and people while I tried hard to keep my cool about the fact that my mate sat right next to me. Resting my right hand on the gearstick, I could feel the warmth emitting from her leg and I had to fight the desire to place the hand on her tight.

For now, I happily settled for the fact she was with us.