William
“Alpha Prince, your presence is highly requested in the hall of banquet. The food is ready and so are the girls they lined up for you to see tonight.”
Lucas, my personal guard and the son of our pack’s omega said after knocking on the door of the lavish room the alpha of the small knitted pack of the BrookeFields pack provided me. This pack is under my father and the alpha king’s domain that I need to visit as he instructs me to. It’s part of the training, he told me but I know the real reason deep down.
I did not respond and just puffed out the smoke of my cigar while looking out at the view from my window. I don’t know but I felt queasy in my stomach the moment I stepped onto the land of this pack.
“I told you I do not want any of this shit, Lucas! I can find my own mate! No need for these alphas and betas to offer me their wives and daughters.”
This is the real reason my father wants me to visit as many places as possible because he wants me to settle down as early as now.
“But our prince, this is a direct order from your alpha king father.” My best friend walked to my side, worried in his face. I know my father told him to convince me to marry already even though I haven’t even met my mate. “They are just obligated to do what the alpha king wishes.”
“I know better than to fall for that trick.” I stood up and brushed a hand over my long hair and went into the table to get myself a bottle of wine. I vow never to cut my hair until I find my only one mate. “They are not helping me find my mate, they are taking advantage of the selection for their own gain.”
“But alpha prince, you still have to see the girls so we could have something to report to the alpha king,” he kept on convincing me. “This is a crucial part of the trip, William.”
I sighed and put the bottle back on the stacks of delicacies. “Fine. Show them to me but I know I will not be able to find my only mate among these thorns.”
I know because I should have sensed her immediately.
“Okay, come on.”
The banquet is being held on the huge lawn of the mansion where I am welcomed with music and ladies who seemed to be worshiping me.
“Alpha prince, please accept this welcoming gift I got for you. It’s a perfume I made with my own hands.”
“Alpha prince, this is the finest ring my jeweler father made specifically for you. There is no one in this world who has this but you.”
I ignored them and sat on the furthermost chair and took a sip from my glass. Even now, I can feel the boredom already. I don’t want to talk to these women who practically sell themselves to me and to my power as the alpha prince.
“Alpha Prince William, I did not bring any gift because I am here to offer myself to you.” An overconfident woman in her provocative red dress approached me. “Sophia Egret is the name, the only daughter of Alpha Killian of Brookefields pack.”
My brows moved. Only daughter? I know Killian has two daughters but the other one died. Is this the one who survived? They should have disciplined her properly at least.
“Only daughter?” I did not look at her anymore. I am more curious about the liquor on the table. “I know he has two.”
Sophia made a forced gentle laugh.
“The other one died, alpha prince so she is irrelevant in this conversation.”
“I am the only one who can tell if it’s irrelevant or not.” I stood up feeling annoyed at these fake gestures. I know what they really want and that is to be married to me when I don’t want any of them. “Enough of these gifts. I would tour the whole mansion. I would conduct a surprise inspection.”
“Surprise inspection?” the beta of the pack, Simon, asked in surprise that I wonder what is wrong with what I said. They will not react this way if they are not hiding anything from me. “But alpha prince, you did not come here to do that. You came to this banquet to pick your wife.”
I put the glass down on the table in a harsh manner and looked at the older man coldly. “Only I know what my real responsibility is, Simon. I don’t have to pick my wife because I will find my mate on my own. Now if I want to inspect the place, I will inspect it.”
He put his gaze down, trembling in fear. “As you wish, alpha prince.”
Everyone in my father’s domain knows how cruel I can be with people who don’t obey my orders.
“But alpha prince, you cannot just leave the banquet,” Sophia blocked my way as if she could do something against what I wanted. “You haven’t touched any food or drink. Please, eat with me first and I could accompany you myself around our mansion.”
Annoyed, I glared at her.
“For an ordinary subject, you sure have a disillusioned mind. Stop thinking the world revolves around you. I can tell just by looking at you now that you have nothing to offer but your body. You have no substance,” I insulted her.
Her mouth opened to say something but she was only reduced in her own red face and unshed tears. I turned my back no longer interested in what she’s going to tell next.
“Alpha prince, Alpha Killian will not be with us for a while so Omega Hephaestus will accompany us,” Lucas introduced me to a fair young man that I reckoned to be too young to hold such a position.
“Alpha prince, at your service.” He bowed his head at me.
“Come on.”
We began touring the third floor down into the first floor where I saw the history of their pack imprinted into the walls.
“Alpha prince, this mansion was built a century ago during the war. The layout of the place has not been changed since,” Hephaestus explained and opened the door towards the yard to show me the garden.
A mansion built a century ago. Hmm… and yet he hasn’t shown the part where I am always excited to see every time I inspect a house.
“Why are we going there when I haven’t seen the basement?” I asked and stayed firmly on my feet in front of the opened door.
I saw the hesitation in his eyes as he gulped his saliva and forced a smile on his face.
“Our basement in the mansion is filled with garbage alpha princes that a man born out of nobility and royal blood should not see.”
His aversion for me to go to the basement only fueled me more to see it with my own two eyes.
“It’s my prerogative to decide what I should see or not. Show me the basement.”
A force is pulling me into a certain place deep beyond the walls that I need to see no matter what.
Hephaestus saw that he couldn't change my mind so he reluctantly nodded.
“Sure, our majesty. This way please, alpha prince.”
As we walked down the stairs into the dark alley where only a stalk of light is guiding the way, I heard someone singing in a tune that I remembered when I was young.
When we reached the basement, the nagging feeling inside me intensified, reminiscent of the times when I was young and waiting for the presents from my beloved mother.
“Alpha prince, this is the basement you wanted to see,” Hephaestus said and opened the door.
The stench of the garbage immediately assaulted our nostrils. He is telling the truth. It's nothing but a garbage disposal site.
I sighed. The unexplainable feeling I felt also disappeared.
Surrendering, I turned my back to go back to the banquet. I was kind of disappointed that my gut feeling is just it, just an empty gut feel.
I was about to go back when my right eye caught something.
“No, wait. What is inside that room?” I asked, pointing to the door on the floor just hidden by a pile of huge trash.
I am sure it’s a door because there is a knob and I can see that it has been opened a few hours ago.
Hephaestus quickly came in front of me to block the door.
“Alpha Prince, that is just another room where the infectious garbage is kept until the day of disposal. Nothing really worthwhile to see.”
I stared right into his eyes gouging the truth in his eyes. The second he blinked, I knew that he’s hiding something.
“Really? Then I have to see it. Open the door.”
“Uhm alpha prince, I do not have the key in this door as it was used to keep the trash and garbage. There is really nothing important to see inside the room, our majesty.”
I clenched my jaws. Fine. There is no key to open it so I’ll make my way inside.
“Then say no more.”
I kicked the door open.
“Alpha prince!” Lucas shouted.
But the room is empty but on the far end is another door waiting for me to explore as the nagging feeling me went back.
I glared at Hephaestus, cold rage pulsating through my veins. “Open it. I want to see what’s inside.”
“But alpha prince…”
I did not hold back myself and hitch his neck in annoyance. “Do it if you don’t want me to cut off your head.”
“Alpha Prince…” he said, struggling under my gaze.
“Do what I said and you will be compensated. Have the courage to disobey me again and you’ll see your head rolling on the floor.”
“I’m sorry, alpha prince. I am going to open the door now as you wish.”
I let him go and put my hands back into my pockets. I cannot wait to see what’s inside or who is inside.
And when the door of the small dark room was opened, I was greeted by the most fragrant scent that I have ever smelled in my entire life.
“No way…” I whispered growling under my breath. “There is no way…”
