*Theo*
The window in my office overlooked the garden. Most of the ti, I didn’t pay any attention to it at all, but today, it seed like I couldn’t stop staring outside.
She was gone. Really gone this ti. And I couldn’t follow her as I had the last ti she had run away. No, it was better this way. And even though it hurt right now, I knew I would get over it eventually.
With as much experience as I had at being all alone, I knew from the past that I would eventually forget all about her.
I’d forget the shape of her face, how her mouth curled up at the corners when she smiled, the way her eyes twinkled when she was happy.
I’d forget her scent—that fresh, warm sll of all things lovely and inviting.
I’d forget the softness of her skin and how her lips felt so perfect pressing against mine.
Before too much longer, all of that would fade into the background, and soday, when soone said the na Ciana Black, I’d be able to not feel part of was missing....
Jake knocked on the door and waited for to tell him he could enter. “What is it?” I asked him.
“Just a note that Ciana got safely to her pack. The n you had followed her have reported back. They’re still there to protect her. That’s all.” Jake was looking at like he expected to look sad or disappointed.
“Okay,” I said, acting as if I didn’t even care. The lapel pin in my hand seed heavier now, as if it weighed as much as the rock sitting in my chest.
“Are you all right, Alpha?” Jake asked .
“Yes, of course I am,” I said dismissively.
“Don’t you worry about her? Sure, we have n protecting her, but...”
“I have faith that she can handle Raymond on her own. After all, most of the pack simply just didn’t know the truth. As long as she can prove her identity, she’ll be fine.”
“Alright.” Jake nodded, but the look on his face told he didn’t agree. “Even if she is fine, how about you?”
“What about ?”
He gave a concerned glance, but I was fine. I would be fine.
It really was all for the best that she was gone. Staying here would only put her in more danger compared to her pack, and neither of us needed that.
“Could you go get those files we discussed before?” I asked Jake, trying to get back to business.
“Oh, sorry. I ant to bring them. They’re in my office. I’ll be right back.”
He left the door ajar and headed over to his office to grab them. Since his office was just down the hall, it should only take a mont.
That gave a few minutes to stare at the lapel pin in my hand. All of the images on it reminded of the special tis we’d shared together.
“There he is!” I heard a female voice say. I looked up to see two won standing in the entrance to my office.
I recognized both of them from the consort group. I believed they were friends of Sophia, though I had no idea what their nas were.
“Your Highness,” one with dark hair said, “is there anything we can do to serve you? Could we straighten your office? Or rub your feet?”
“Perhaps we could cook you sothing?” the blonde asked. “We would love to do whatever we can to help you.”
What the hell?
“Who let the two of you into my part of the palace?” I demanded, staring them down.
“Your Highness... Beta Xavier said you might be lonely and it’s our responsibility to—”
Their words caught in their throat as I narrowed my eyes and sneered, “To what?”
Xavier, I should’ve known he wouldn’t just give up. Father must have tasked him to continue monitoring the progress and I should’ve known he wouldn’t give up so easily.
It was as if my words encouraged the two won sohow.
“To... serve you,” the dark-haired one stood up, batted her eyelashes, and gave a flirtatious smile which made want to puke.
“And bring you joy,” the blonde said in a seductive tune as she started walking over and even reaching out her arm, about to touch .
“How dare you!” I gave each of them a cold glare and they both stopped midway.
Panic flashed on their faces as I scoffed, “It seems that you two are tired of living?”
They both dropped to their knees imdiately.
“We’re so sorry!” the one with dark hair cried, “We... were only trying to help!”
“Really, my Prince!” the other one explained, “we were hoping to be of service to you. So far, all we’ve been doing is sitting around and waiting. Beta Xavier said...”
“Get out,” I ordered. “Now.”
Both of them burst into tears and took off down the hallway, clutching onto one another.
Jake ca back in with the files. “Really, Jake, close the door next ti.”
He looked confused and closed the door behind him as he ca over to my desk. “Sorry. Did sothing happen?”
“Doesn’t matter now.”
I didn’t want to explain it all to him, so I just ignored the question and took the folders. Jake didn’t ask more questions, however, his expression looked serious.
“Alpha, I just got so important news about Alvar Pack.”
Ciana’s pack? He had my attention now. I set the files down and studied his face. “Tell .”
He sank down on the edge of one of the chairs across from .
“It seems that the pack is undergoing so sort of alliance ceremony,” Jake told . “One of the n that tailed Ciana there just reported to . He said that he heard about it on a train. It’s so sort of a big deal.”
“Who are they aligning themselves with?”
Jake swallowed so hard I could see his throat moving. “Uhm, we haven’t gotten the final confirmation, but one na that has co up is troubleso.”
“Let guess,” I crossed my arms in front of . “Luther?”
“Yes.”
Of course, it would be him. It seed like every ti there was sothing going wrong in my life anymore, it could all be traced back to that asshole. “What is he doing there?”
“I don’t have a lot of details, sir, but if that’s the case, Ciana’s pack is in more trouble than we originally thought. Even if Ciana can handle Raymond, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to go against Luther on her own.”
Son of a bitch! I should’ve known Luther must be behind all of this. After all, he was the one who told Ciana the news from her pack. He of course didn’t do that out of his good heart.
Jake suggested solemnly, “I think we should probably send so troops there to fix the situation, or else Ciana and the rest of them will continue to be in a ss of trouble.”
“No need to send troops,” I told him, already knowing what needed to be done.
“What do you an no need to send troops?” Jake asked, looking surprised.
“We don’t have enough information about Luther’s group yet. How many of them are there, how many packs they’ve been working with, where is their base? Without that information, even if we win the battle, it won’t solve the cause.”
“Then, let send more n to start the investigation. So of them are already there...”
“I’ve dealt with Luther before. He’s cunning and not easy to handle. Tell Greg and Sherry to co to see .”
Jake’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious!”
My only response was to shrug.
“But... are you sure that’s safe? And what about Ciana? Are you sure you’re ready to see her again so soon?”
I pushed up from my desk to standing. “I won’t be near her. Jake, arrange a new identity for that makes it easy for to travel around the southern packs, but your informants don’t need to know exactly who I am.”
“Yes, Alpha, I’ll get that sorted. However....”
“This is the best way to do it. I’ll have first-hand information. Luther has been after for so ti now, and anwhile I’m after him. This is a great opportunity.”
He nodded, knowing well enough to understand that he wasn’t going to be able to change my mind.
“Very well, Alpha. I am sure that you’ll be able to help Ciana and her entire pack. I just don’t want to see you in a situation you might regret.”
Jake was my Beta, but he was also my friend, and I appreciated what he was telling . “I’ll be alright. Keep inford with everything in the palace. You’re in charge here.”
I left my office and headed back to my private chambers, which was just down the hall a little way. I had only just arrived when Greg and Sherry showed up.
We went straight into my bathroom. Greg was a master of disguise, and Sherry, his mate, knew all of the tricks for making sure a person looked natural, no matter how many changes were made to their outer appearance.
I sat back and let them work their wonder. Greg extended my hair and gave it a totally different style before dying it.
After Greg changed my hair to a light blond, Sherry fitted for colored contacts that made my eyes a bright blue. Just those two changes already made look very different.
Then she applied so products to make my skin a darker shade before she worked on my eyebrows, fake facial hair and minimum makeup that made my chin and nose appear to be different shapes visually.
Lastly, they provided with a casual outfit.
When they were all finished, I looked at myself in the mirror and didn’t recognize the man I was looking at.
“Well, Prince Theo,” Greg began, “what do you think?”
“I have no idea who I’m looking at,” I told them. “It’s perfect. We’ll leave in two hours when it’s dark outside.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
The two of them bowed to before leaving my room. I knew they also needed to disguise themselves.
My gaze fell on the lapel pin on my dresser. After a mont, I let out a sigh, grabbed it, and put it in my pocket.
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