Chapter 6

Xavier Pov

We were in the car, returning back to the Royal Palace. Mom and dad were at the front sit while Luke was sitting right next to me at back. Having him so close to me made me content. I glanced at him from my peripheral vision. He was playing with a finger and shaking his leg up and down in a nervous manner. Why was he so nervous?

"Luke, are you fine?" I asked him. I waited a few minutes but he didn't reply. He ignored me and kept on staring out the window. I was bored so I decided to play games on my phone. I was so close to winning when my phone started to ring. Frustrated, I cursed in low voice and immediately regretted when Luke gave me a questing look. ′At least, I got his attention now,′ thinking that I looked down at the caller ID. The call was from some unknown number.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey, baby, why didn't you reply to my text." A girl said in a seductive voice. I groaned in frustration. I knew who this voice belonged to. Since I had blocked her number she was calling me from an unknown number. Doesn't she have any self-respect?

"Amelia, why did you call?" I ignored her question and said whatever that came in my mind.

"My name coming out of your mouth is so hot. It turns me-" I ended the call before she could finish the sentence. Luke gave me a disgusted look and started coughing loudly while Mom was giving me a disappointed look. Certainly, everyone in this car heard all of that with their super hearing. Damn! They must have misunderstood me.

The car stopped abruptly and everyone got out. Soon, we were greeted by beta Callum and other guards. Luke stood behind me, looking a little nervous and more afraid. Maybe he was just anxious about new surroundings.

I was going to offer Luke my comfort when Dad pulled Luke behind his back hiding him from others' eyes. His action reminded me of my father trying to protect his child. But who was he trying to protect Luke from? I also took a protective stance thinking maybe he sensed rogue. However, I sensed none.

"Alpha King, Alpha Prince" Callum greeted us looking perplexed. "Is everything fine?"

"Yes, everything's Ok. Apparently, our Lu-Luke here has a pho-bia of s-stranger." Father explained while shuttering. I had never seen an Alpha shutter before. That only meant one thing, he was lying. I raised one eyebrow at him and he gestured me to keep quiet.

"Gather everyone in the hall, we'll be having a meeting" Father ordered. After that, we went inside the palace.

The palace was very big and it housed thousands of werewolf. Luke was looking around with a star-struck face. His expression was similar to a child at Disney land.

"Royal Pack, thank you for coming here in such short notice. I have very happy news to share with you." Father grabbed my hand, "Xavier is engaged. He found his soon to be human mate" He announced proudly, giving more stress on human. The pack cheered and hollered. They look happy but I wasn't. I didn't want to marry that girl, Luna because I was falling hard for the boy, Luke. I felt miserable.

"Pack Mates I have another announcement to make." Father pointed his finger at Luke who was hiding behind my mother again. "Luke will be part of this pack from today." I mentally did a happy dance at his statement. I was snapped back from my though by my father's voice.

"Luke has a phobia of strangers so no one is allowed to approach him unless Xavier or I am there. He will be sharing the fourth floor with Xavier. Everyone who was previously occupying the fourth floor has to move to the third floor. Also, the fourth floor is banned for everyone except King family. Anyone who disobeyed me will be punished accordingly." Father finished giving ordered. I was surprised and the pack seemed puzzled. Father had gone the extra mile to ensure protection for Luke. All of this was so unusual. I saw Luke going toward the stairs with mom.

I remembered the first time I met Luke. Maybe the phobia of strangers must be the reason behind the slap I received. I wanted to follow them but my father stopped me.

"The meeting is finished" He dismissed the pack and turned to me. "Come with me. Xavier, we need to talk"

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"What do you want to talk about Dad," I asked him. We were in his office. He had locked the door so no one could interrupt us.

"It's about Luke." He said. When I didn't reply, he began speaking. "I promised Max that I'll take care of her- ahm- him. But I am always busy with pack business so I want you to take care of him." He stood up from his seat and walked towards me. He put his hand in my shoulder and said in one voice. "Xavier, promise me you'll take care of Luke for me" He was actually pleading me this time, not ordering me like he always did. I guess, he must have been possessed by the ghost of weirdness.

"OK, I'll protect him with my life." It was about Luke so I agreed without thinking twice. I would have protected Luke even if Dad didn't ask me to. After all, this was an opportunity rather than responsibility, to get closure to Luke.

"Son, I am proud of you." He hugged me and warm filled my heart. He was a good father except for the part when he arranged my marriage with Luna.

"I'll go and see if Luke needs anything," I said breaking the hug and heading toward the door.

"He's with your mom, Cara right now." My father informed me. I nodded without turning around and walked toward my room.

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"So did you met your fiancée?"

"Is your fiancée beautiful?"

Cole and Coden asked me at the same time as soon as I entered my room. I shook my head and went to the walk-in closet.

"Nope, I didn't meet her," I replied in a bored tone. I certainly didn't want to talk about her. Besides that, I was very tired because of today's event. First, the car ride to her house then meeting her crying parents and next, news of her disappearance.

Wait, we never searched for her. Oh shit! once Luke came in, everyone just focused on him. We completely forgot about Luna. Damn! She might still be lost, alone and scared in the forest. I cursed myself and ran out of the room towards my father's office, leaving Cole and Coden behind. How stupid could we be? I didn't like her but the thought of her crying and scared made me sick and angry at myself.

I opened his office door but there was no one inside. Fuck! I cursed and ran to my parents' room. I knocked loudly at the door at least a thousand times before it was finally opened by my mother.

"What happened Xavier, why are you panicking" She rushed me inside and offered me a glass of water.

"Luna, we forgot to search for her." I blurted out an entire sentence in one breath. Mom was taken aback by my words at first then smiled a little at me.

"Luna is at home, where she's supposed to be." I was finally able to breathe normally hearing her response.

"Beside you" She added in a very low voice. I bet it wasn't for me to hear nonetheless I did. I couldn't help but feel that they were hiding something from me. Everything that happened today was so suspicious. Then a thought came in my mind.

"Alpha Max is a werewolf. Then how did he have a human daughter?"