THE ALPHA MESSAGE

Chapter 14

Alpha's Message

Kaius’ POV

I paced the corridor, my hands behind my back.

The first servant came and bowed, “the Luna will be with you shortly.”

That didn't stop me from pacing, I was restless inside me.

What if something had happened to her?! What if?!

I didn't know I cared so much about her, not until yesterday. Not until, the witch appeared from nowhere threatening to take what was mine.

Phew! What is mine?!

I couldn't believe I was saying this now. Not after I'd yelled at her and asked her to leave my room multiple times, like she was a curse.

I bit my lips hard as I continued pacing and waiting.

They looked over to where she was supposed to come from, but there was no sign of her.

Anger sat heavy in my chest, burning slow and deep.

She had disobeyed me.

Not just disobeyed, she had walked straight into danger with her head held high, as if my words meant nothing.

As if the walls of this palace, the crown on my head, and the authority I carried were all suggestions she could simply ignore.

Adelaide Harper had gone outside. She had helped the soldiers and she had endangered herself.

Is that all?! Or, there's something more to this feeling?! I thought to myself, as I stood at a place.

It could be the mate bond and Magnus causing all these anger.

My jaw tightened as I walked over to the tall window of my chambers, hands clasped behind my back.

The palace courtyard buzzed with movement, guards changing shifts, servants hurrying, messengers riding in and out.

And yet the one person I wanted to see had not shown her face.

“Where is she?” I asked sharply, not turning around.

The servant behind me stiffened. “Your Majesty… the Luna said she would come.”

I inhaled slowly and exhaled, as though I've been waiting for forever or maybe, she didn't want to see me?!

Was she feeling guilt?! Or, she is angry at me for shouting and speaking to her harshly?!

Eish!

I turned around now, facing the servant.

“She said she would come,” I repeated coldly. “And yet she hasn’t.”

The servant lowered his head. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

I dismissed him with a sharp wave of my hand.

There was silence now, no one dared move or asked me questions when I'm in this state.

Magnus stirred.

She should not have done that, my wolf growled inside me, restless and furious.

“I know,” I muttered under my breath.

But even as anger burned through me, something else twisted inside me.

It was uncomfortable.

I had seen what dark magic could do to flesh and bone. I had smelled it on the wounded soldiers. If anything had happened to her…

My fingers curled into fist at my sides.

Minutes passed and she wasn't out yet.

I turned sharply, finally deciding to go to her myself. If Adelaide thought she could hide from me, she was mistaken.

I took two steps toward the door.

Then I stopped because she was already coming to meet me.

She stood at her door when she saw me approach her, as if she had been there the entire time, or had arrived the exact moment I decided to leave.

For a second, I forgot how to speak.

She wore something simple, no jewels or even heavy fabric, but she looked stunning and breathtaking.

It was a plain dress that clung lightly to her body, sleeves pushed to her elbows, hair loosely tied back.

My throat went dry.

The way the fabric moved when she shifted. The faint flush on her cheeks and the look in her eyes.

Magnus surged violently.

Mine.

“Control yourself,” I warned inwardly.

My wolf pushed hard, claws scraping against the walls of my mind, a low growl vibrating through my bones.

I straightened, trying to calm myself down, my voice steady when I finally spoke.

“Do you know how long I’ve been standing here, waiting for you?”

I pushed the door open and went inside. I wanted to see what she was doing the whole time I was outside, maybe I might get a clue, but everywhere looked clean except for the bed.

Adelaide stepped fully into the room, closing the door softly behind her. “I was coming,” she said quietly.

“That is what you told my servants,” I replied. “Yet you found time to leave the palace.”

Her chin lifted slightly, her eyes looking at me in the softest way possible.

“I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing,” she said. “They were hurt.”

“They were soldiers,” I snapped. “Trained men. Guarded men. You are the Luna.”

“And does that mean I should stop being human?” she asked in a calm but firm tone.

The question caught me off guard.

I took a step closer. “It means your life matters more than you seem to understand.”

Her brows furrowed, looking at me as though I was saying something out of line. “Because of your crown?”

“Because of what you are,” I said sharply.

Silence stretched between us, our gaze fixed on each other.

Magnus growled again, louder this time.

I felt it then, that pull in my chest, it was sharp and demanding. I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to quench the desire.

“Why did you disobey me?” I asked, more controlled now. “You knew I ordered you to stay inside.”

She looked at me. “Because orders don’t erase suffering,” she said. “And because if I have the ability to help, then doing nothing would have been worse.”

“You don’t know the limits of your ability,” I said. “You don’t know what that magic could cost you.”

“Neither do you,” she replied softly.

That stopped me.

For a long moment, I simply looked at her.

She wasn’t shaking. She wasn’t afraid.

She was angry.

I could see it written all over her face, even though she didn't say out loudly.

“I am not trying to disrespect you,” Adelaide continued. “But I won’t apologize for helping people who were dying.”

Magnus howled. She is strong.

I moved closer to her, but she didn't shift back or show any signs of it.

Our eyes locked to each other. We were so close that we could hear our heart beat so loudly in our chests.

I held her hands, my gaze softening and without warning, I kissed her lips.

I drew back immediately.

What did I just do?! Did I just kiss her?!

Wait! This could be Magnus! He pushed me to do this. I lamented, turning away quickly, so she wouldn't look at me directly.

I heard her chuckle behind me, but I needed to take responsibility for my actions.

I dragged in a breath. “You will prepare yourself,” I said. “Tonight is the Alpha and Luna ceremony.”

Her sharp inhale told me she hadn’t expected that.

“Tonight?” she asked.

Wait! She didn't ask about the kiss?! Does it even mean anything to her? I was expecting to hear her scold me or say something at least.

I looked at her now and replied. “Yes.”

“For what reason?” she pressed.

“Because the pack needs to see unity,” I replied. “And because you are my Luna, whether you like my decisions or not.”

I faced her properly now. “Be ready by sunset.”

She nodded slowly. “Very well.”

But I saw the disappointment and distance in her voice.

I stood, looking at her and lost in words.

“Anything else my Lord?!” She asked, looking at me.

What's wrong with me?!

I moved closer to her and as I reached my hand to her face, she slipped, but I was fast enough to hold her.

My hand curled around her waist, holding her place, my lips apart.

We looked at each other for a while, before I finally let her be.

“I should leave now.” I said quickly, turning to leave before anything else happened.

I got to my room quicker than expected and immediately I stepped in, I felt this emptiness in me.

Magnus paced inside me, unsettled.

You should have claimed her! She's yours!

“I did what was necessary,” I muttered.

Yet as the hours passed, that certainty weakened.

She hadn’t looked happy when I looked in her eyes. I saw this cloud of darkness in her eyes.

And for reasons I did not fully understand, that bothered me more than it should have.

By late afternoon, I made my decision.

“Send a letter,” I told Sapphire. “To Adelaide’s family.”

Sapphire blinked. “Her… family, Your Majesty?”

“Yes,” I said. “Her stepmother and her stepsister and also to any of her friends.”

Her lips tightened slightly, but she bowed.

“As you command.”

I dictated the message myself, it was polite, formal and sealed with the alpha's seal.

AN INVITATION TO THE ALPHA AND LUNA'S CEREMONY

It was a gesture of goodwill and a well calculus move.

I felt this lightness sending the message across her family.

Perhaps, it will lighten her mood.

Perhaps, she'll feel happy when she sees her family.