4: Trick or Sweet

 

ARABELLA

It hadn't been easy sneaking out of the palace without anyone noticing, but I eventually found my way to my car and drove straight to the Monumental Hotel, where the Northern Alpha King was staying.

I was nervous because I needed to return to the Pack before anyone noticed I was gone. I didn't care about whatever trouble would come my way if I got caught, but Sandra needed to be protected. That was the most important thing.

Finding the Northern Alpha King wasn't difficult when I arrived at the hotel.

He was in the lobby, sitting in a booth with his Beta while sipping whiskey. I paused for a moment, taking the opportunity to admire him from the side.

He was ridiculously attractive.

His features were perfectly sculpted, from his sharp jawline to his straight nose and the way his dark brown hair framed his face. His body was just as distracting. His biceps strained against his sheer white shirt as he lifted the glass to his lips, and even his hands looked unfairly attractive wrapped around the glass.

I sucked in a short breath, desperately hoping that my plan would work.

I couldn't exactly walk up to him and propose marriage. Not when I had gotten married just yesterday, and he had been present at the wedding himself.

That would make me look completely insane.

Thankfully, I had another proposal for him, and hopefully, he would agree to it.

Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and walked toward his table. I pulled out the empty chair beside them and sat down without asking for permission.

The man sitting with him stared at me in amusement, while the Northern Alpha King merely looked at me without a trace of emotion on his face.

I reached for one of the sweets lying unopened on the table, tore off the wrapper, and popped it into my mouth.

“Trick or sweet? Or whatever they say. It's Halloween season, after all,” I muttered as I savored the sweet.

“Luna Queen, if I may ask, what are you doing here?” Alpha Kyle of the Northern Kingdom asked, tilting his head as he looked at me.

“I'll be quick because I'm running out of time, but I can't discuss anything with you here.” I glanced around the lobby. “It has to be somewhere private. Walls have ears.”

“And what exactly do you want to discuss with me all of a sudden, Luna Queen?” he asked.

“Like I said, it has to be somewhere private,” I repeated.

“And like I said, I'm not going somewhere private with a newly married Luna Queen. What if someone sees us and rumors start spreading? It could affect my reputation. So, whatever you have to say to me, Luna Queen, you'll have to say it here.”

“What if I told you it was about your sister, Helen?”

His expression changed immediately, growing even harder and colder. “How do you know about my sister?”

“I also have other highly confidential information that could be of great value to you and your kingdom. And it's not just about your sister. There's something terrible coming for your kingdom, and I know how you can prevent it.”

I guessed my introduction had been enough to capture his attention, so I leapt to my feet and confidently gestured for him to lead the way.

“After you.”

He remained seated for a few more seconds, simply gazing at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

“I wonder whether it's appropriate for a woman who just got married to visit another man's room.”

I tilted my head. “Don't tell me you're the type who cares about what people say.”

“I don't. But I have a reputation to protect.” His eyes lingered on me again. “And I don't know what you want.”

“Then don't worry. I won't bite you if you take me to your room.”

“I'm not afraid of being bitten, Luna Queen. I'm simply questioning your intentions.”

“Then take me upstairs and find out.”

He stared at me for a moment before rising to his feet. “Fine. But you'd better not waste my time.”

He held out his hand for me to take, and I accepted it as he led me toward the elevators. His hand felt warm, which didn't match his cold personality at all. And for some reason, a strange tingling sensation shot through me at the contact. But I ignored it.

We walked side by side toward the elevator, and the moment we entered, Kyle pressed the button for the fifth floor.

The elevator was small, and for some reason, my heart began beating terribly fast as I stood beside him in such a confined space. I could barely bring myself to look him in the eyes. He was intimidating.

“You must have quite the audacity, following a man to his room on the very first day you met him,” he suddenly said.

I lifted my head to look at him. “Is that a threat? If so, I'm not afraid of you, Alpha King.”

“Hmm.”

He suddenly leaned closer, sniffing me as though I were his prey. Then he pulled back slightly and looked straight into my eyes, an intimidating edge to his gaze.

But as I stared back at him, my heart only pounded harder, and it wasn't out of fear. It was a strange desire for him that had suddenly awakened inside me, something I had never felt for anyone else except Adrian.

What the fuck was wrong with you, Arabella? You were here to get revenge and convince him to help you, not to end up sleeping with him!