The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Valarie

I was rushing. It was hard to ignore the murmurs and laughter as I passed by, as well as curious conversations; the laughter I knew were directed at me. As a servant I was at the bottom of the pack, and wasn't helping my cause by stumbling barefoot through the walkways. But my family only had one car and my mother had taken it to make deliveries.

Some females laughed openly, others only shot me annoyed glances as I knocked into them and hurried on down the sidewalk.

In my arms was a bundle of violets, freshly picked from a field just on the edge of town. The Alpha's family would settle for no less, and they shouldn't have to. After all, Princess Sophia was not only beautiful but fair and kind. She kept me on despite the town's gossip about me and my family's low position in the hierarchy.

"Excuse me," I called out as I turned sideways to slip through a small gathering of people.

I glanced down an alley and could see bodies shifting. The messenger would be there, waiting. Waiting for Sophia – who should be dressed and ready by now, but was waiting for the violets.

I reached the side door of the palace and the guard gave me a disapproving look, but stepped aside. "Valarie," he greeted me in a tight voice. I took the back staircase, tight and narrow, and ran up it the same way I did every morning.

It was my job to wait on Sophia. Luckily the princess wasn't high maintenance. But she did wake early, which mean that I had to rise before the sun to get here in time to dress and serve her.

Despite my low birth status in the pack I did everything I could to make my parents proud. No one could say I wasn't timely and focused on my tasks. Sophia was well respected and her beauty was widely talked about in the Kingdom. A large part of this had to do with my constant attention, though you wouldn't know it by looking at me.

The princess and I couldn't be more different. Sophia was petite with honey-colored hair and delicate features. Her looks were deceiving, as she was incredibly strong. But she was known more for making fair decisions when it came to her pack.

Sophia's father had passed away only a few years prior, and the pack had voted to let Queen Moira step up in his place. She had taken a few different mates over the years, but she was the only Alpha.

Over the last year Queen Moira had stepped back and let her daughter make more and more important decisions, knowing that this day would come.

And now I was late for what was almost definitely big news.

A messenger was waiting in the courtyard and Sophia wasn't even dressed.

I slammed through the princess's door panting.

"There you are!" Sophia exclaimed. She was surrounded by three other women who pulled at and fluffed a lavender dress. It outlined her petite body beautifully and showed off all of her best assets, including the toned muscles of her upper arms.

The other ladies glared at me, but the truth was, I was the quickest among them all. I was the only one who would have been able to return with the flowers so quickly.

I reached into the bundle and carefully took out an already woven violet headband, stepping forward and placing it gently on Sophia's head, careful not to mess up the delicate braids pulling her locks back from her face.

Looking down at the princess I couldn't help feeling out of place, as I often did when others were around. I practically towered over Sophia. Tall and lean, staying in shape meant wrestling and training with Sophia. If anyone else in the pack knew what we did in private there was no question I – and my family – would be punished for it.