The Human Girl Who Tamed Alpha King Chapter 34

*When was she last seen?* I asked.

*After the celebration. She told her father she was tired and returning to her guest quarters, but she never arrived.*

I carefully extracted myself from the chair, making sure not to wake Aurora, who was still curled against Aria's side. Stepping into the hallway, I caught an unfamiliar scent that shouldn't have been on my floor—vanilla and jasmine, cloying and artificial.

Following the trail led me to my private study. The door was ajar, warm light spilling into the darkened corridor. I could hear the soft rustle of movement against hardwood.

I pushed the door open, and rage immediately flooded my system.

Laura stood behind my mahogany desk, her fingers trailing across the leather surface. She'd changed from her celebration dress into a deep red silk slip that barely covered her thighs, the thin straps sliding off her shoulders. Her long blonde hair cascaded in waves down her back as she bent over my desk, deliberately arching her spine to accentuate her curves.

She was examining my bookshelves, running her hands along the spines of rare first editions, pulling out volumes and flipping through them carelessly before setting them down in wrong places.

"Alpha Jace," she purred without turning around, her voice honey-sweet and calculated. "I was wondering when you'd find me."

She slowly pivoted to face me, her movements fluid and predatory. The silk clung to every curve of her body, and she made no effort to adjust the straps that had "accidentally" slipped down her arms. Her green eyes were heavy-lidded, lips painted crimson to match her slip.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in my private study?" My voice was deadly quiet, each word dripping with barely controlled fury.

She sauntered around the desk, her hips swaying with exaggerated sensuality. "I couldn't sleep," she whispered, trailing one finger along my desk lamp. "I thought maybe I could find something... interesting to read."

Her hand moved to my pen holder, fingers dancing across the expensive writing instruments. She'd clearly been exploring, touching my personal belongings, violating my private sanctuary.

"This is my private study," I growled, my Alpha authority filling the room. "You have no right to be here."

Laura stepped closer, close enough that her artificial perfume made my nose wrinkle in disgust. Nothing like Aria's natural, intoxicating scent.

"The elders told me you needed someone who could understand the complexities of pack leadership," she said, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. She reached out to touch my chest, but I caught her wrist before she could make contact.

"Don't," I warned, my grip firm but not painful. "Touch me."

She bit her lower lip, a gesture clearly meant to be seductive. "You're so strong, Alpha. So commanding." Her free hand gestured to the room around us. "I was just trying to understand your world better. To see if I could be the Luna you need."

"By breaking into my personal space like a common thief?" My voice turned arctic.

She tried to step even closer, pressing against my grip. "I'm not common, Jace. I'm pure-blooded, trained from birth to be a Luna. That human girl upstairs—she can never give you what I can."

The mention of Aria shattered the last of my restraint. Phantom surged forward, demanding blood for the insult to our mate.

"Her name is Aria," I snarled, releasing her wrist and stepping back. "And she has more honor in her little finger than you've shown in your entire pathetic display."

Laura's confidence finally began to crack. "But the elders said—"

"I don't give a damn what the elders said." My Alpha voice reverberated through the room, causing her to stumble backward. "You will get out of my study now and stay out of my private quarters."

She scrambled toward the door, her seductive facade crumbling. "The pack needs a proper Luna, someone who can shift, who can give you strong heirs—"

"The pack needs a Luna with integrity," I cut her off coldly. "Something you clearly lack."

The moment she fled the room, I moved to my liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of high-proof alcohol. I began methodically cleaning every surface she'd touched—the desk, the chair, the lamp, the pen holder, the door handle.

The books she'd mishandled went into a pile to be properly cleaned and reorganized. The pens she'd touched went straight into the trash—I'd rather buy new ones than use anything contaminated by her presence.

*Hunter,* I called through the mind link while I worked. *Find Alpha Samuel. Tell him I found his daughter in my private study, going through my personal belongings. And have someone bring industrial-strength disinfectant to my office.*

*Understood, Alpha. Should I escort her back to her quarters?*

*Make sure she stays there until her father deals with her.*

I was still cleaning when the scent of vanilla and jasmine finally began to fade, replaced by the sharp smell of alcohol. Even then, I knew I'd be having the entire room professionally cleaned tomorrow.

At least my important documents were safe in the vault—she'd never have been able to access those. But the violation of my private space, the disrespect to Aria, to me, to the very concept of what a Luna should be, was unforgivable.

Very soon. Just a little while longer until Aria turned eighteen and I could tell her the truth—that she was my true mate, my second chance, the one person meant for me above all others.

A crash from downstairs pulled me from my thoughts. Angry voices echoed up the stairwell, including one that made my blood run cold.