The Alpha’s Forbidden Love

CHRIS

Everyone was surprised to see me after disappearing from the palace a few days ago, they must’ve thought something bad had happened to me. Two of my guards who had been with me at the time I was captured had been arrested and locked up in the dungeon where they were tortured because it was believed that they had a hand in my disappearance. As loyal as they were, they had refused to reveal the secret of my whereabouts to anyone, not even to my mother even after being tortured. I went immediately to the dungeon to have them released and taken care of before I headed to the courtyard where my mother was, sobbing.

“What the hell happened to you?” my mother asked, wiping her tears off as I walked into the palace, bruised all over. She ran towards me and wrapped her hands around me and began to cry more, it was like she had been waiting for me for years.

“I had something important to do, Mother,” I said.

“How important was it that you didn’t deem it fit to tell me or anyone? The guards that were seen with you the day you disappeared returned and refused to say a word to me or anyone else,”

“Who did this to you, son?” she asked again.

I ignored her questions and retired to my chambers, my emotions were thrown down in the dumps, and I didn’t wish to speak to anyone. I instructed my guards to prevent anyone from coming close to my chambers yet I persisted, she also invited Kayla hoping that I would open up to them but I didn’t. My doors remained shut from everyone.

Whenever I decided to take a walk around the pack, I wore a frown and didn’t respond to anyone’s greeting. I barked orders at the palace staff, not that it was intentional but I couldn’t control my anger.

They all noticed my behavior change and avoided me. The staff threw a lot to know who would serve me every day. My attitude created a fuss in the pack and they all feared that I was gradually becoming a tyrant.

I heard all the gossip but it didn’t change me from who I had become. Complaints came in from the council of elders but I ignored them, all I wanted was to be left alone.

I wished the rejection she wanted so badly had worked so I wouldn’t have to be so miserable. All I could think of now was her, how she made me feel, and how much she hated me. I knew deep down that she was lovable else she wouldn’t have helped me escape but she was stiff-hearted and allowed hatred to envelop her mind.

I hated the fact that she was a rogue and it wouldn’t be easy to convince everyone to accept her as my mate but I was willing to try. I wasn’t after her because of the throne, the throne was mine after all and no one dared to take the throne from me regardless of whether I had a mate or not.

It went on for weeks and I began to realize the damage I was causing to the pack. I decided to let things go and focus on my leadership duty. I called for a meeting with the elders and representatives of each household to apologize for my recent behavior.

“I know my recent attitude has caused a lot of damage to this pack. I need you to know that it wasn’t intentional, I had a lot going on around me and I poured out my frustration on everyone. I want to apologize to everyone for my shortcomings and for a chance to serve you all better,” I said.

“You have the temerity to call for a meeting just to blab about how stupid you’ve been with controlling your anger. Your apology is not accepted, we don’t need an arrogant leader like you,” Kazmir stood up to yell.

“Step down as leader and we’ll appoint someone else to rule,” Orvyn said.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

I knew it would result in this. Orvyn had been looking for a perfect opportunity to prove to everyone that I wasn’t capable of ruling the pack and this seemed like the best opportunity to carry out his plan.

“I can only step down if I don’t find my mate in a year that was our agreement,” I said. “An agreement is an agreement, Orvyn.”

Orvyn and his cohort frowned and murmured within themselves. My response had taken them by surprise.

One by one, they quietly left the hall until it was left with myself, my mother, some of the elders who weren’t part of Orvyn’s mischief, and representatives from each household.

“We’ve heard all you have to say, Alpha. We appreciate your effort in fostering unity in this pack and we accept your apology,” one of the representatives said.

I was about to speak when a guard stormed in. “What do you want?”

“We have an intruder, a lady from the neighboring pack. She said she has information that would be relevant to the pack,” the guard said.

“What pack?”

“The Lamia Pack, My Lord.”

Lamia Pack, I thought. I knew no one from there nor was I close to the Alpha. We only met at the Council of Alphas meeting held once a year. Who could that be? I asked myself.

Then it struck me. I turned to Lothar who also had an idea of what was going on.

“Uhm, I believe we have a mutual understanding now. You all can return to your homes,” I dismissed them. Then I said to the guard. “Bring her to my quarters. Lothar, come with me.”

We arrived at the quarter after everyone had left. She was brought in, bound with chains.

“Release her and leave us,” I notified the guards.

“What are you doing here?” Lothar whispered as the guards left.

“I’m here for him, not you, Lothar,” she sneered.

“Answer the damn question, what do you want? You made it apparent the last time we met that you wanted nothing to do with me,”

“I’m here to strike a deal. I know you need me by your side to secure your place as the leader. I need you too. Find out the reason why your father kicked my family out of the pack,” she said.

“I told you this already, don’t make things more difficult than it already is for him,” Lothar said.

“That’s fine,” I replied gloomily. I had expected something else to be her reason for showing up here, knowing the risk of being captured and punished. Maybe a reason that was worth risking her life for, not this.

“I’ll find out everything I can. You don’t have to be by my side as my mate, I can rule without one,” I said. “You should leave.”

“What a relief! Before I go, there’s something you need to know. You are going to be killed, don’t trust anyone, not even me,” she said, winking.

“What are you talking about? Who wants me dead?” I asked

“Find out for yourself, mate.”