The Alpha King's Hunt

Chapter 26

Valarie

Everyone was rushing around me. Skirts grazed my legs as women passed, men bumped into me, I barely managed to keep my balance.

Someone grabbed my upper arm and wrenched me around.

"What are you doing!?" Sophia hissed, eyes bright with anger. "I've been waiting for you. You need to get to our rooms now."

She turned and took off down the long hallway, hair looking dangerously close to unruly. I blinked and followed quickly at a jog.

"Sorry," I muttered as we entered the rooms and I shut the door behind us.

Sophia took the pins out of her hair and shook it out. She kicked her shoes off, agitated, and glared at me.

"What's wrong with you? Today of all days!"

I watched as she raged around the room and cringed, managing to look ashamed of myself.

"Sorry –" I repeated, but she shut me up with one look.

"You were completely passed out this morning and covered in dirt. I had to ask one of the local maids to help me with my hair this morning – do you know how embarrassing that is!? And she didn't even do a good job!"

With a sigh I ducked into the bathroom to grab a comb. Having her hair brushed was one of the few things that calmed Sophia down, and I didn't even have to say anything – she sat down on the couch as I came back into the room.

"And on the most important day of the Hunt – the actual Hunt where we'll be running with the Alpha on a full moon – you go missing. What has gotten into you Val?"
I was happy to be standing behind her away from her angry gaze. For a few moments I stayed quiet, combing through her hair carefully, untangling knots as I went.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, though I knew I couldn't tell her the truth; that Gabriel had gotten into me. Dug under my skin until all I could think of was him.

"I think I miss home? And with the moon full now, and all of the excitement, it just has me nervous."

It was half-true.

I watched her shoulders droop and heard the sigh.

"Well whatever it is, you need to control it. Just for today. It's the last event Val."

"I thought the Hunt was supposed to be casual?" I asked, confused. "I mean, it's not like you'll be wearing your clothes for most of the night..."

Sophia scoffed and then winced as I hit another knot.

"True. But it's more about appearances than anything else. Everyone knows Daniele is out. And word is Queen Raquel doesn't trust the Blue pack enough to let Morgan have a go at her son. So luckily that only pits me against three others – and I'm absolutely sure I can take on Edith. For a girl from the Dagger pack she isn't exactly impressive when it come to sparring."

I snorted, remembering that Edith had come in close to last during that first event.

"So what's your plan?"

Sophia rolled her shoulders. "I have Caroline and Maggie to worry about. Maggie isn't as fast as I am...but Caroline is, and I'll have to take her head on."

I murmured an agreement and continued working in silence. Both of us were lost in thought. Sophia was planning her strategy for the transformation tonight. I was trying to cope with the fact that after tonight I would have only a few more days in the Kingdom.

And what would happen if Sophia won...? I assumed she would want me to stay on as her maid, but that couldn't happen. I'd have to go back to our pack – my pack – and my family.