The White Wolf Chapter 120: Fishing with Mates

His heart hit the floor as he stared wide-eyed and mouth agape. Luckily he was not the only one as Alpha Tinzen’s mate looked horrified at the revelation. Ruhn continued to his his meal as if nothing were amiss.

Those present said nothing as they stared at the siblings. Enzo reached for the words that were not coming. His eyes would not leave her face as she would not look at him.

“What?” The words came from Enzo’s lips but he said them so quietly he was not sure if he had said them at all.

“Congratulations! You must be thrilled!” Bridgett exclaimed with a wide smile on her face. Grabbing her goblet, she toasted the young female before her.

Cynthia smiled at Bridgett but it did not meet her eyes prompting Bridgett to rave about the wonder of arranged mating. She did not speak as the Luna rambled on but just nodded along absentmindedly.

“Are you happy with this?” Tinzen’s mate said looking at her with concern before remembering herself. “I’m sorry, that was incredibly rude of me to ask. Please forgive me.”

“Of course she is happy, she will have everything she needs to be mated to an alpha,” Bridgett interjected scrunching her nose in distaste.

Cynthia did not answer the question that was asked of her and Enzo needed to know. Is this what she wanted? Was she rejecting him?

“Bridgett, you are married to an alpha. Do you have everything you need?” She fired back, as she lost the battle to keep her face composed visibly annoyed with her peer.

“What do you mean by that? Do you not see how wonderfully I am dressed.” Throwing her head back haughtily she proudly sat up straight.

“Dressed so finely and yet your husband does not sit next to you.” Amy pointed out tilting her head in a sweet voice.

“We give each other space besides who would want to be constantly with their mate. He has his hobbies and I have mine.” She dismissively waved her hand as if Amy had said something completely preposterous.

“And what are those hobbies?” Amy pressed smiling but not a smile of happiness but one of sneer.

Bridgett’s face turned red as her mate's infidelity was widely known amongst those in court. “I have done my duty and provided him with an heir. I am not his secretary so I do not track his day-to-day activities. Do not tell me you actually go fishing with your mate?”

Amy smiled sweetly as she wrapped her arm around her mate’s bicep who touched her hand with his. “Of course I do.”

“How endearing for you,” Bridgett mumbled as Tinzen lovingly touched his mate's hand.

The exchange had allowed Enzo to stare at Cynthia without being noticed as the older females seemed to throw daggers at each other the rest of the evening. Or at least Bridgett did and Amy returned with a sweet smile that infuriated her more than any mean look could.

More courses were served but Enzo could have been eating dirt for all he knew as he mechanically placed the food in his mouth.

She was slipping through his hands as every minute passed, and his chest tightened looking for something to say to her.

"Lady Cynthia, are you enjoying your meal?" He asked breaking the silence between them as if it were a cavern for him to cross. Time seemed to feel like an eternity as he waited for her to respond but her eyes eventually found his.

"What?" She asked visibly startled at his forwardness.

"Your meal? Are you enjoying it?" He asked again, he swallowed what felt like rocks down his throat. He reached for his glass needing to wash it down and calm his nerves.

"I am." She meekly responded.

"Good." He nodded in approval. "Have you seen the queen's gardens? They are quite lovely." He asked the question needing to keep the conversation going. The gardens could be a deserted patch of land for all he knew.

"I have not but all of the centerpieces are quite lovely so I am sure the gardens are as well." Her eyes looked at the floral arrangements adorning the tables.

Enzo for once thanked the goddess for the Queen's crazy secretary as the floral arrangements seemed to bring Cynthia pleasure. He would somehow convince Harley to arrange him some flowers to give to her or perhaps he could steal an arrangement and bypass the secretary.

"Perhaps I could show them to you during your stay here?" He boldly asked.

She paused as she contemplated and the conflict was evident on her face. "Perhaps."

It was not a yes but it was not an outward rejection and he would take it. He tried his best to remain nonchalant, thankful none of his friends were seated next to him as they would surely surmise something was amiss.

*I need to speak with you later* Gabe linked Enzo.

*Later* He replied.

*After dinner*

*More later than that* Enzo brushed him off.

*No*

*Yes*

*It's a code red* Gabe told him.

Enzo stopped eating.*Code Red?*

*Yes pertaining to the queen*

*Very well* Enzo glanced at the queen who seemed to be enjoying her dinner, he felt a failure as his duty was to protect the queen.

His conversation with Gabe was the only thing that kept him from staring at her and demanding to know who the male she was betrothed to was. He would challenge them to a duel. It would be to the death as if he lost he would not wish to live knowing she was out there with another but if he won he would claim her as his. Damn the politics.

Dinner finally adjourned and Enzo paused as he saw Prince Dristan whisper in Cynthia's ear as he passed her. She smiled and nodded as a growl formed in the back of his throat.

"Easy there," Luca said as he came up behind him.

"Sorry." He said absentmindedly

"Are you alright?" Luca looked concerned as the crowd exited the room to their evening activities.

"I'm fine, I just need to find Gabe." He shrugged off any concern.

"He is talking with my father." Luca gestured across the room to the old Alpha and royal beta.

"Then I'll go wait for him till he is done," Enzo said before leaving the room and ending the conversation.

He found a bottle of liquor, he did not know what as it did not matter. Filling a glass he went to a balcony to wait for the beta. Starring at the moon he wondered why this was happening to him. What sin had he done to deserve this punishment?

There was something he knew though as he threw back another drink of the burning liquid. He had a lot to learn about the Eastern Kingdom.