The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Gabriel

It was easy enough to find Ana. She was always the center of the kitchen, despite how young she was – she had a natural talent for churning out wonderful food effortlessly. My mother had discovered her and kept her. If Ana mated well, which is what I planned for her after the Hunt, she would breed to be a beta. And it was well-deserved.

Growing up in the palace meant I knew all of the shortcuts, including the servant's hallways. Although it was frowned upon for the Alpha and King to use them, I'd run them as a child. They came in handy on nights when I was a little too drunk or needed to be more secretive about whoever's bed I was sharing. And the servants knew enough to keep whatever they saw to themselves.

The first young woman I saw stared as I strode past, but her older companion gave her a look, and the two kept their eyes on the ground with murmured greetings. I came across Trent, one of the lead hunters and a beta in the Alpha pack, and he grinned at me in passing.

"Got business to attend to?" he asked, and I ghosted him a smile.

The kitchens were unfortunately on the other side of the palace from my personal quarters. I passed enough people on my way there that I knew word would get back to my mother, no matter how faithful the servants were.

The kitchens were empty at this time of date – late afternoon – which was unusual. But prep for dinner had happened just after lunch, and the meats were cooking slowly. I felt my mouth water as I entered the main room and glanced at the ovens.

Lamb and goat tonight – and if I wasn't mistaken, a good amount of onion stew.

Ana was standing before the largest table starting in on a mound of potatoes. She rolled her eyes when she saw me and shooed away the two children who were playing near the proofing ovens.

"The King has graciously decided to grace me with his presence," she said in a flat voice. Then her eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"

I leaned on the edge of the table and shot her a grin, picking up a potato and tossing it back and forth.
"I had a few questions for you....about a certain companion of yours from the Autumn pack."

I saw in her face that she knew immediately who I was talking about, but she played dumb anyway.

"You think I get out of this kitchen enough to get to know anyone?" She glanced up at me and gave in with a sigh. "What do you want? I told her to stay away from you."

I feigned hurt feelings – and they were hurt, a bit. That Ana would tell any female to watch out for me meant my reputation must be on the down and out.

"She's not like the other women," Ana said, serious now. "You know that, or you would've tossed her to the side by now. What exactly are you planning to do? Run away with her?"

My face heated under her scrutiny. What was I planning on doing? No matter the outcome of the Hunt, I couldn't keep her here as a consort – the laws of the pack wouldn't allow that. And if anyone found out that I was unhealthily obsessed with an omega...the uprising wouldn't be underground anymore. Every single tribe would willingly vote me out of the Alpha position.

"I know it has to come to an end," I said, but even as the words come out, I knew I was in denial. Ana was watching me closely, knife paused atop a potato, and I tried to keep my face neutral. "I wanted to show her a night out in the Kingdom before letting her go. You're right – she's more than just some omega from the north."

Ana sighed and put the potato and knife down, smoothing her apron.

"Well, you have good timing. Your mother is holding a small dinner tonight with the princesses. No servants except those serving the food. If you're careful, you might be able to sneak out."

"I'm always careful."
She rolled her eyes at my smirk, but I knew she secretly loved it.

"All right. If you're dead set on this, then let's get a plan going."

Valarie

I had just settled in for the night, having sent Sophia off to the Queen's quarters, when the apartment door burst open.

I pressed a hand to my chest and let out the breath I'd been holding when I realized it was Ana, wearing normal clothing now – loose fit jeans and a t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a braid.

"Ana. You scared me half to death. What're you doing here?"

She glanced around the rooms quickly before hurrying toward the couch I'd been lounging on.

"You're going out tonight," she said shortly, tugging me up.

"What?"
"You're going out into the Kingdom. You need to get ready."

She stepped back and looked at me critically. "Have you bathed today?"

"I didn't have the chance to," I answered, blushing and touching my hair self-consciously.

Ana sighed and started for my rooms. "You still have those pants you wore the first night you came? The leather ones? He had quite a bit to say about them."

"He?"

But of course I knew what he was.

That didn't answer any of my questions though – out on the town tonight? With Gabriel? How?
As if she'd read my mind, Ana glanced back at me. "I'm going to bring you through to a side entrance. You can't take a car, all of Gabriel's cars are too nice, everyone will recognize them. So you're going to walk in. Take the back streets down to the night market."

She stood up from rummaging through my clothing and tossed me a top as well as the pants. I held them up, trying to figure out what shirt it was. One of the ones my mother had made me – a deep emerald color, simple but low-cut. Great.

"This isn't a...date?" I asked.

Ana turned to face me, crossing her arms over her chest, face clouded.

"Honestly? I have no idea what he's thinking."
"Has he done this before?"
She shook her head. "Not with anyone. But he did say he wanted to show you the Kingdom before 'letting you go.'"

The words were like a blow to the gut, although I shouldn't be surprised. Of course it couldn't last; of course he was thinking of ending it. With Sophia doing as well as she was (she'd told me earlier she was currently in the top four of the group), it was better to end things as quickly as possible. She could never find out that I'd mated with the Alpha, her Alpha. The guilt made me nauseous.

So I'd have to let him go, too.

"All right. I'll change – where are we going?"

"Ugh. Sit down. I'm going to try and fix that birds nest you call hair, first."

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