The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 15

Gabriel

Charles cleared his throat several times. It was ignored, the pacing only growing louder. Until he sighed loudly.

"Gabriel."

His voice was still soft, but there was a bit of resistance to it now that I recognized. The same tone my father had used.

I stopped and stared at my manservant, challenging him in how he was choosing to speak to me. But we both knew that Charles was the only one who could call me out on whatever behaviors he deemed unsatisfactory for the Alpha and King.

My shoulders slumped just slightly and I sighed, looking away from him.

"What?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He asked it lightly, but now that we were only minutes away from the event happening, even I was second guessing myself.

"Yes." The answer slipped out anyway, and a small part of me was surprised. Despite my reputation, I rarely made rash decisions. And if the packs really were looking for flaws, this wasn't going to make them happy.

"Did you shower this morning, my king?" Charles asked, gazing toward the doorway we'd be leaving through shortly.

I frowned. "No. Why?"

His eyes cut over to me quickly and he cleared his throat once more. "There is a certain...smell about you today. That I am assuming you picked up last night."

A flush heated my cheeks and I paused once more in my pacing, dipping my chin to try to catch the scent he was talking about.

It was there – sex, heady, saliva and her. I could smell her on me and thought of her hair, my fist wrapped in it.

"I'll sweat it out." The words sounded more confident than I felt.

Why hadn't I showered?

But I knew the answer; the wolf in me was glorying even now in last night, and the fact that her scent was still rubbed into my skin.

The sound of the crowd outside was rising, their voices louder with anticipation. I glanced at the door and then at Charles.

"We should go."

He nodded, but the weariness was obvious. Charles put up with so much from me.

The doors opened outwards and I let Charles walk out first, bowing his head to my mother, who waited patiently to the right.

The group outside was smaller than had shown up to previous events. Everyone wanted to attend the dances, the events that took place right outside of the palace, but mostly lower pack betas and omegas made it to the outskirts of town. Even now, looking at the maids and men who had to come with the princesses, it was obvious that some of them didn't want to be out here. So close to the forest and the dirt.

In fact the only packs who didn't look annoyed at our surroundings were the Summer pack, who hunted often in the woods, the Crow pack, whose trade relied heavily on foraging, and the Autumn pack.

My eyes caught on Sophia and searched quickly. Valarie stood next to and slightly behind her, but it was impossible for her to hide. She was much taller than her princess and even with her head ducked, hair pulled back into a low ponytail, it was easy to pick her out.

I glanced away quickly, not wanting mother or anyone else to realize that I had an interest in that direction. Instead, I stepped forward to announce the beginning of the event – and my own twist to it.