Four: The Garden.

CHAPTER FOUR:

Anastasia's POV:

 No way.

He… he couldn't know, right?

 I've never even met the guy before now, everything I knew about him was from the media. 

Deny it!  My brain screams at me.

I make myself smile, bowing a little. “Forgive me your highness, but I do not understand your words.”

Thank the goddess I could still remember how to speak like a high-born unlike how I forgot my last name.

Alpha Zayne cocks his head, still smirking. “Liar.” 

My chest tightens, making it hard to breathe as my heart slams against my ribcage.

No, I will not fuck this up for me and everyone involved.

 I mask my anxiety, feigning ignorance.

“You must be mistaken because I truly don't know what you mean, your highness.” 

He scoffs, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Don't worry, it'll be our little secret.” 

“Secret?”

He steps closer and I catch the strong whiff of alcohol. 

“Yeah, the one where you already eye fucked me even though you're here for my brother,” He says smugly.

It takes Herculean strength to hold back the breath of relief that hit me. 

Wait…

That was what he meant?!

What if he was messing with me? I think to myself as my eyes scan his face for a clue or something. 

I'm sure I heard him say, ‘little killer.’  And it had no relation to flirting. 

“And that's why you called me a killer?” I ask, unable to stop myself. 

He smiles. “Well, aren't—”

The ballroom doors burst open. 

“ZAYNE!!”

His smile falters as all eyes turn toward the voice. At the door stood the queen, her face red, eyes blazing with fury. And then I see him.

My target.

Crown Prince, Alpha Reynold.

His expression is calm, a stark contrast to his mother’s, there's a tiny, fond smile on his lips as he meets Alpha Zayne’s eyes. 

I don't have time to keep studying the target as the queen marches forward, with the crown prince on her tail.

She stops in front of Alpha Zayne. 

“What is this behavior?” She snaps at him and for some weird reason, he grins widely.

What a dumbass.

“What behavior, mother?”

She flinches at the word mother. It’s not obvious, not at all. It’s so subtle that she should be awarded for the performance.

“You act like it’s a crime to greet my brother’s visitors,” Alpha Zayne continues, whether or not he noticed, he doesn't seem to show it. “I’ve only come to pay my respects.” 

“In… in this manner?!” She yells, face rumpled in disgust as she takes in his appearance. “You’re barely dressed. You barged in here with whores and you reek of alcohol! Why on earth do you keep tainting the royal family’s name?! Don't you have any respect for the king or the crown prince?!”

There’s pleading and desperation in her voice, emotions I think are enough to make the drunken prince feel remorseful but instead, he laughs. 

He fucking laughs in her face and says, “Keep this up and you just might burst a vein.”

Queen Lauretta gasps at his rudeness. 

Who knew the royal household was literally a battlefield? 

He turns to the crown prince. “And we wouldn’t want that for our mother dearest, now would we?” 

But he doesn't even give the crown prince a chance to reply as he reaches for the omegas he came with and then storms out of the ballroom. 

In his wake is a deafening silence.

“Ladies!” Queen Lauretta breaks the silence, a small smile on her face. “I apologize on behalf of Prince Zayne. He makes mistakes when he's drunk, please do not take his actions to heart.”

She goes on with a long, boring speech she seems to have prepared in advance while I tune out. At least I am no longer the center of attention. Even the small man has forgotten about me. 

When order is restored, the crown prince addresses us next and he’s… kind? Responsible too.

He's nothing like his brother. You can tell it’s why he is loved and respected by all. You can tell by how they all beam whenever he says something or smiles that everyone in this room adores him. 

Well, except Kai and The Guilde’s elders.

He must have committed grievous crimes for him and his family to be in our books. We only ever harm bad people, so it’s best if I don’t buy into his “nice guy” persona.

~~~~~

We can start tomorrow, tonight is for resting,” Rhea says as she wraps a towel around her chest. “I doubt you'll even find anything useful tonight because of the event earlier.”

“You may be right,” I reply with a slight shrug as I slip into my pajama bottom. “But there’s no harm in snooping around. I bet no one would notice me.”

Her frown deepens. “But there are so many people around right now. Anyone could notice you—” 

“I won't take long,” I say firmly. “Nothing crazy for real, just look around and head back. I won't even go too far. It’ll be alright.” 

She makes a doubtful sound and heads for the bathroom. 

“I’ll be careful,” I call out.

I wait until she's in the bathroom before slipping out. 

The blueprint Kai had given us, let me know we were in the Palace East wing—basically the ‘guest house’ of the palace. The king and queen occupy the North wing, and the princes, the West wing. The South wing had no occupants and thanks to the blueprint, we know the reason why. 

I take several turns and all I can hear are the other girls bubbling with excitement in their rooms. There are barely any guards on this side and the one I had seen earlier barely batted an eye when he saw me walking aimlessly.

About seventeen minutes into my inspection. I realized Rhea had been right. 

There's nothing useful tonight, especially not on this side of the palace. 

Then head to your room. 

Except I don't, I keep walking until I somewhat leave the East Wing… And into a garden? 

Not the wild overgrown kind that bordered the outer walls of the palace but a carefully curated one. The scent of jasmine and damp earth fills my nostrils. There are lanterns everywhere, some hidden behind the neatly trimmed bushes that cast a glow across the walkway.

The path doesn't end.

It leads to somewhere. 

A cathedral-like building. Except this was quite smaller than the cathedrals I've seen. Its curved glass ceiling glowed with lights from the lanterns and its stone walls—warm, honey-colored sandstone were adorned with flowers and more lanterns. 

And then I hear it. Noises… 

Weird, muffled noises… but I can make out a man’s voice. I think. 

What is the place?

 I stealthily round the building, crouching a little as the sounds increase. My heart starts beating faster.

This time, I hear a woman’s muffled shriek. Or maybe not. 

But as I reach  the entrance, I pause. Shocked at the sight before me. 

WHAT THE FUCK?!

There are two naked girls with him. 

The girls are both kissing while the one with curly brown hair has her hand around Alpha Zayne’s dick, stroking it.

HOW CAN THEY DO THAT HERE?! 

Out in the open where anyone can walk in? 

The girls stop kissing when Zayne pulls the redhead onto his lap and starts kissing and fondling her breasts and naked butt. 

I feel a strange heat sensation in my belly that makes me panic a bit.

Why am I still here watching?! 

I still don't make a move to leave, not even when his head lowers and he takes one of her breasts into his mouth, sucking it while the brunette peppers kisses all over the redhead’s neck and back. 

Okay, I feel like a creep, gotta get out of here. 

But just as I make a decision to leave, Zayne’s eyes lock with mine. My heart skips a beat. 

Shit.