Alpha Queen: First of Her Name

Chapter Four

The carriage ride up through the Northern Pride mountains is long. It's full of twisting turns and steep inclines. Currently, our pack Beta, James, leads the carriage while Dad sits inside with me. I sit across from him, brown eyes watching the blur of green trees slowly go past.

We've been inside the carriage for an entire day, and only just met up with the Eastern King and his heir an hour ago. The Eastern royals drive in front of our brigade, their escort of knights tailing behind.

The Western King Maxims decided that Prince Leo was too young to come to meetings like this, so his heir was being replaced by his Beta. The thought of attending this meeting surrounded by King Alphas on the brink of a second Dark War and being the only human in a fifty-mile radius creates a terrible headache for me. I know we're here to discuss eternal peace, but it's between wolves.

Granted, humans and wolves live in harmony with one another, the human king lives in the East near Evergreen. The towns and villages within the Southern Kingdom are mixed with werewolves and humankind alike.

Summerland Kingdom's motto is, "Peace, Harmony, and Tranquility." Mainly because the Southern kingdom was the first to reach an understanding with the humans before the other King Alphas followed. Southerners are known for their extreme kindness and hospitality, but that doesn't block out the dark cloud of judgment hanging over them.

The Southern kingdom and surrounding towns don't believe in uniqueness and differences. It's a flaw that our first King Alpha believed in and since then our kingdom and the citizens within have followed suit.

In front of me, James slows down the carriage. "We've arrived."

Blinking to clear the fog clouding my mind and notice that the trees around us have thinned out in a giant circle. My legs dangle as I hop out of the carriage and stretch my arms above my head with a groan.

Immediately Daniel is at my side with three other pack knights. "Princess." Daniel appraises my form up and down to see me dressed in the blood-red royal robes of Southern royalty. The golden circlet marking me as the Southern Princess gleams even under the cloudy sky.

Ahead of our small group stands Dad with James at his side. Both men stand tall and proud, not paying any attention to the Eastern King and the royal Prince Nicolas who stand nearby. As if feeling my gaze Prince Nicolas turns around. His eyes swiftly find mine and a large grin makes itself at home on his lightly stubbled face. He turns back to his father, the Eastern King, before slowly walking over.

I take a step forward, flanked on each side by knights, and make my way toward the three men idly chatting. Clearing my throat to announce my presence I perform a perfect curtsy, "Prince Nicolas, a pleasure to see you again."

Dark brown eyes similar to my own land on me before the man bows low. "Princess Hope, it's been long." He takes my hand and plants a kiss on the back of it. "You look beautiful."

A soft growl to the side has Prince Nick stepping back slightly with a sheepish grin. "Excuse me, King Alpha Michael." Nick nods toward my father before winking devilishly at me. "I'll see you inside."

We watch as the oldest heir of Pack Evergreen swaggers away. "I never liked that boy."

Giggles escape from behind my hand when I go to smother my laughter. "Dad." The knights, my dad, and James all stare at me. "Prince Nicolas is only being friendly."

"Friendly my ass. The man is thirty and hasn't found his mate yet." Dad wraps his arms around me in a brief hug. "It's absurd." With a smile etched onto my face, I follow after my dad and James as the duo lead us down the gravel pathway lined by scraggy trees.