The Alpha King's Princess
The Alpha King’s Princess – Chapter 41

The first round ended quickly. They were fast, but they weren’t anticipating how clever Claire and I were on the field together. It was a great start for us. When we stepped off the field, we walked around the stadium before heading back to the hotel room for a team strategy meeting and dinner.

Candido texted me just as we were finishing dinner.

Congratulations on your first win.

I smiled and replied. Would have been better if you were here.

Who says I wasn’t?

I pouted and cast my gaze around, and frowned. Why didn’t you come say hi to me? And where is my present?

Don’t pout, princess. I’m here.

I frowned and looked up, trying to use my instincts to find him.

“Hedy? You okay?” Claire asked.

I turned around and nodded. “I’m good. I just…”

A sense of awareness pricked the back of my neck. I turned again until my gaze fell on someone who was dressed in a plain back suit, half-hidden behind a support beam.

I walked towards the figure, my stomach churning with excitement as I grew nearer.

As I came around the pole, he smiled at me.

“Very good, little one,” he said gently.

I squealed and threw my arms around him and squeezed tight. “Thank you for coming.”

He squeezed me back. “Of course. This is for you.”

I took the bag and smiled up at him as he cupped my face.

“Enjoy your celebration and your night, okay?” I said. “I will see you soon.”

I nodded. “You’re busy I guess?”

“Busy enough. I look forward to your next match.”

I nodded and let him walk away after he pressed a k**s to my temple. I walked back to Claire who wiggled her eyebrows at me.

“Surprise, surprise, seems like that’s going mostly well?”

I didn’t answer, but nudged her. “What about you and Francium?”

Her face turned bright red and we headed up to our room with little else to say.

Our next match was against the previous year’s champions. They were far more prepared than the team before, but we won anyway. The strange thing was that they didn’t even seem upset. They just seemed resigned.

“Is everything okay?” Someone asked. “That wasn’t like you.”

Someone sniffled. “I’m sorry. My mind just wasn’t on the game.”

“What’s wrong?”

“They’re going to kick my grandmother out of the hospital if we can’t come up with more money.”

“That’s bullshit!” Someone cried. “That can’t be legal.”

“If we make trouble, it’ll only be worse.”

I frowned listening to them as they passed up on the way to the locker rooms. I could only imagine that the person from from a smaller pack and at the mercy of a larger pack. The rest of their team members grumbled about Candido not doing anything and all the struggles they’d had to deal with.

Someone’s pack was getting annexed by three different packs because the alpha wanted a bigger pay out. The three packs that were splitting the pack were planning to take over their industry and imposing taxes on the newly annexed people.

If that wasn’t bad enough, some of them were upset about not being able to attend at the capital campus because of the way the other campuses were run. I knew that each campus was meant to be run the same way that the capital’s campus was, but hearing them talk about the financial pressure the leaders of those packs and alphas of bigger packs placed on smaller packs, I was furious.

All of those people were making things harder for Candido to unify the werewolf community, but why was no one telling Candido about it?

“Julia!” I turned at the call of the name, trying to figure out who it was.

A young woman who looked a lot like Francium walked towards us. She smiled and my gaze dropped to the pendant around her neck. It was the charm that every member of Moon Shadow had been given. It was a safety beacon and a communication device that allowed us to call for backup.

This Julia, was a part of Moon Shadow.

“What are you doing here?”

She shrugged. “It’s the only sport event that means much of anything to me.””

“I thought you didn’t play.”

“I don’t,” she said, “But it’s exciting to watch.”

I hadn’t put out any orders about watching the rugby tournament, but maybe Armageddon had. Or, she was the mole inside the organization that had led to the first attack on headquarters. It was possible, but it didn’t explain all the damage at the capital’s campus.

Were other academies experiencing the same thing?

I didn’t know. Maybe.

Could I get her alone and ask?

Would it be safe to?

I didn’t know, but I’d keep my eye out for what she could be up to.

Later that night, I left my room to go on a walk. Living with Claire was nice, but I hadn’t realized how much I liked having my own space. I still hadn’t opened the gift from Candido.

I heard a scuffle down the hall and rushed forward until I heard Julia’s voice.

“Where did you get it from and what were you planning to do with it?”

I frowned, pressing my ear to the door as I peered just over the edge of the glass window. There were a group of young men, sprawled on the ground. She was holding a can in her hand like the one Bella had when she sprayed me.

The can was unmarked, but she was wearing gloves. I couldn’t tell if she was masked, but she wore a hood. On ther other side of the room were two young women, tied up.

“Who the hell are you?”

“We’re not tell you any thing!”

“Fine,” she said, “I’ll let someone else deal with you.”

They twisted, but she forced them onto their backs and sprayed them each in the face until they went silent and slumped on the floor, unconscious.

I put my charm up to my ear as she began to talk.

“This is Artemis in the storage closet on the second floor of the hotel. Three men apprehended, two young women. All unconscious. Requesting pick up and escort.”

I drew back. Artemis was one of our best interrogators. She didn’t have mind control powers, but her partner, Gilgamesh, did.

“Gilgamesh en route for debrief.”

“Team Forest Nine en route for pick up.”

I watched her lower her hand and adjust the charm again before pulled back and ducking around the corner as she turned towards the door and exited. She walked out still hooded and masked and drifted down the hallway to hide herself nearby.

“Armageddon en route for escort.”

My heart lurched. Armageddon was here? I pulled away from the area and down the hall to somewhere no one else could hear me.

“Pandora on standby,” I said.

“Pandora stay nearby for debrief and update.”

I stayed in the area until I saw the men being taken away by Gilgamesh, Julia, and a small group of masked and hooded operatives. I waited and waited until I felt the pinprick of awareness. I looked around, but I didn’t see Candido. I know I didn’t.

“Pandora?”

“I’m here.”

“Meet inside the room.”

I winced and rushed back to the storage room, looking for something to wear quickly. I was lucky that I had brought some plain workout clothes. I slipped into some unmarked sweatpants, a large sweat shirt with a deep hood before pulling my t-shirt up over my mouth and nose. I placed the charm around my neck so it would distort my voice a little before heading back.

The closer I drew, the more aware I was of the presence in the room. I stepped inside. Armageddon was definitely a man. He was taller than I was. His eyes were filled with moonlight and his presence was a bit overwhelming. He grew stiff as I closed the door behind me.

“Moon fell beneath the clouded peaks,” he said, starting the passphrase we had established between each other.

His voice was distorted, but I felt it echoing through me. His presence was so much more potent that I had ever experienced. Even Candido’s presence wasn’t like this. Who was he?

Maybe… Maybe I wasn’t Candido’s mate, but I was Armageddon’s, whoever he was.

“The stars glittered with laughter and all the evils rushed into the world.”

He offered his hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Pandora.”

I took his hand and shook it, jolting at the shock of power that went through me. He growled and went still before darting towards me and pulling me close. I didn’t resist. I didn’t breathe. I wanted…

I wanted something, but I couldn’t say what it was. For a moment, I thought back to dreams of Candido.

He pulled back and turned me around. “You… How old are you?”

“That’s a rude question,” I said.

He growled, forcing me to walk forward and pressing his body against mine. My heart raced, and I shuddered.

“Who are you?”