The White Wolf Chapter 159: Leaving

The room's attention turned to the king and queen. Everyone bowed in response. The look on Alexia and Caspian's faces kept everyone in a low bow, too scared to rise. 

Once Caspian and Alexia moved deeper into the room heads began to raise timidly.

Males looked at Cynthia as she walked through the crowd. Their eyes held interest and intrigue. Enzo fought a growl. 

Alpha Hosier walked up to one of the members of the Eastern Kingdom Court who was standing a few feet away from Enzo and Edmund. 

“It’s been such a hard day but good company is the best medicine.” Hosier clinked his glass against the other alphas. He was visibly inebriated and seemed to be quite messy. 

Edmund leaned over to Enzo and whispered “We must be in the placebo group.” 

Enzo snorted as the alpha stumbled into a waiter, causing drinks to clatter to the floor. Everyone stared as Footman rushed to clean up the mess, and Luna ushered her mate away. 

The room subtly resumed its conversations. “I see an alpha that looks guilty. I’m gonna go poke him.” Edmund told Enzo before disappearing into the crowd. 

Enzo watched the prince go. He was his mother's son. Caspian took after his father but Edmund was just like Judy. 

With Edmund gone, his gaze drifted back to Cynthia. He caught her looking. 

A smile spread across his lips as she blushed. He hid his smile behind his drink. Her smile made his chest and his pants tighten. A distraction was needed. 

Throughout the meal, they stole glances at each other. Speaking to each other with their eyes. Had they spoken with people around them before?

He longed for all to know she was his. To put his arm around her and pull her close. 

Everything came to a halt when Alpha Dennis interjected. The good feelings that Enzo had evaporated and were replaced by anger and protectiveness. 

He grinned his knife as if he were ready to leap in front of the Queen. His eyes darted around the room looking for any attackers. His instincts were heightened with his mate so close to him even unmarked. 

Caspian remained calm as Alpha Dennis persisted. Edmund was able to cut the rogue alpha down with just his words. 

For the rest of dinner, Enzo kept one eye on Dennis watching for any sort of retaliation. 

The room was speaking on the blood moon celebration. The females speculated on the details he knew the answer to but did not care. 

When dessert was finishing Enzo caught Cynthia’s eye. His eyes flashed to the door and back to hers. With a discreet tilt of her head, she nodded. 

He finished the desert and leaned back to allow the footman to retrieve the plate. Alexia left with the ladies in tow as the males bowed in respect to the queen. 

“Shall we have drinks?” Caspian asked rhetorically as the men left the hall. 

Enzo stayed towards the back allowing the alphas to file out. They did not walk far before the sound of bottles could be heard opening. Ice rattled in glasses. 

Enzo stayed against the wall waiting for a few minutes after all the glasses had been filled before he slipped out of the room. 

Hidden away, he stood in a clove outside of the great hall. 

The click of the door had his head swiveling around. Cynthia crept down the hall looking all around. 

She was startled when Enzo emerged from the shadows “You scared me.” She breathed clutching her chest. 

He wrapped his arms around her pulling her close “Come with me.”

She did not resist as he led her away. His eyes were constantly looking for others but he knew the routes to take to avoid suspicion. 

Finally, they arrived at a door where Enzo did not hesitate to enter. Once they were inside, he flicked on the lights and shut the door behind them. 

“Where are we?” Cynthia asked looking around at the barely decorated living space. 

“Someplace no one will bother us.” There was no elaboration as to where they were. 

“This is your chambers, isn’t it?” Cynthia asked looking around. The Barnes’s made her sad. It seemed to be just used as a place to sleep. There was no warmth. No life. 

“It is,” Enzo confirmed. 

Cynthia took in the sight quickly as there was not much to see. Enzo watched her observing the surroundings for any sign of disgust or discomfort but none came. 

“I intend to challenge your betrothed for your hand.” Enzo went straight to the point. 

Cynthia’s head jerked to Enzo. “What?”

“I do not want to lose you and if I have I will fight for you.”

“It could start a war.” She cried. 

“The king has given me his support,” Enzo stated causing Cynthia to stare at him as if he had grown two heads

“He has?” She did not understand how the king to agree to such a thing. There was no benefit for the kingdom just their happiness…

“Yes, and tomorrow I will formally challenge you.” He stepped towards her placing his hands on either side of her with his eyes looking at her seriously. It would be a fight to the death with the winner marking Cynthia. 

She could not believe that he was serious. That he would risk his life in a dual for her. No one ever risked anything for her. She always had to sacrifice what she wanted for the benefit of others. Cynthia’s head shook back and forth “It’s too late.”

“No, it’s not. You’re not mated and marked. I can stop it. We can be together. We can be happy.” He rubbed her arms as his eyes pleaded with her. 

“No, we’re out of time!” She cried in frustration Stepping away from him. 

“What do you mean?” He asked perplexed as there was no mark on her. It was not over till she was marked and mated till then he would fight with everything he had. 

“We’re leaving tomorrow.” She confessed in a whisper.