Filed to story: Sorry Alpha I Am Wolfless Novel
Was this going to be it? Was this going to be the time that we had been waiting on for almost a year? Was that unknown enemy going to make their move? Were we going to find out what all has happened over the last year?
I had asked Athair m貌r about the events of the last year, but he told me it would be best to wait and talk about it with Aunt Glory.. That, honestly, didn’t make things any easier on me. If I had to express the way it made me feel, I would say nervous at the very least, frightened at the very worst.
The whole process of entering the compound was the same as the times we had come here before. We were met at the gate by Breon, however, he seemed to be in a much better mood than I had ever seen him before.
“Good day to you, Queen Riviana. I hope you are well. And you as well, King Joaquin.” Breon grinned as he welcomed us through the gate. This time, knowing what was going to happen, I had my window down and shield up so that we could speak to the man before us.
“Good day to you as well, Breon. How is Juliet doing?” The last time we were here, he had mated with my guard, and she had stayed behind.
“She is doing very well. We were married over the summer. I could not be happier.” Breon, who had slightly bowed his head out of respect for us, had now raised his head, and I was able to see the shining happiness in his bright golden eyes.
“I am happy to hear that.”
Following our little exchange, Breon rode in that same black cart as he guided our vehicles into the garage with a group of soldiers surrounding the SUVs.
“Is it just me, or are there more soldiers than usual?” Joaquin asked of no one in particular.
“That is most likely because of me.” Athair m貌r spoke sheepishly. “As much as I dislike this show, everytime that I come back to the compound, they act like it is a major event.” I saw a pink twinge in his cheeks, and I couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or because he was lying to me.
“That must be very taxing.” I smiled at him, hoping that it was just the embarrassment that made him blush.
“It can be. That is why I do not leave the compound often.”
“That must be boring.” Joaquin laughed, distracting me from the situation. I think he could tell that my worry was making me feel suspicious and distrustful.
I hated the way that this was all making me feel. It wasn’t fair to those around me. I needed to try and keep my emotions under better control than this.
Once we were inside, and the SUVs were unpacked, we had the same process as before. We made our way to the same residence that we had been in before, we settled ourselves in before we were to go and have a nice family dinner with Aunt Glory. Athair m貌r had gone to his residence to get ready as well and would be meeting us there.
The residence was slightly different this time. There were rooms for me, Joaquin, Regan, and Rika on the top floor, just like before. There was a room for Lyla up there as well. Gabriel and Roisin had their room just below mine, fitting for what basically amounted to my personal retainers. On the same floor as Gabriel and Roisin were the council members. The floor below was for guards. The knights were staying in another residential home that was attached to this one but could also be entered from the hallway.
This time, there were fewer floors since there weren’t as many people with us. That kind of saddened me though since I wish my family was here with me. Then again, didn’t I want them here if something bad happened? That was why I had been nervous about bringing the twins with us. What if they got hurt because of it?
Roisin got straight to work preparing the home for us. Gabriel and she were already efficiently doing their jobs. My top guards, the ones that amounted to being family, were the ones that were going to escort me to the room with the Queen.
Before we left, we had discussed a few things at length before coming here this time. Even Athair m貌r contributed to this conversation when he heard what we had been trying to decide. I was to use a taste tester at all times. After what had happened last year, and on the day of my ball, even Aunt Glory was using a tester for every meal. Athair m貌r told me that he had used a taste tester again after coming back to the compound following his visit with us.
“It is the safest thing to do for now. I want all the food for everyone tested, not just yours Riviana.” Joaquin had told me when he made his argument for it. “I don’t want someone trying to hurt Reagan or Rika.”
“I know, I agree.” I nodded at him. “If the food is made in our quarters by Roisin, that is fine, but I will not trust anything else. Especially if Aunt Glory and Athair m貌r are even suspicious of their food from their normal staff.”
“Times are changing here.” Athair m貌r sighed. “You will see how it is later.”
As I remembered his words, it made a pit open in my stomach. It was like nerves and fear were breeding and multiplying at a rapid rate inside me. I knew it was just the unease that I was feeling playing tricks on me, but still it wasn’t pleasant. I was eager to get this done and over as soon as I possibly could.
“I think that we’re all settled now.” Roisin came and smiled at me after getting everything upstairs ready for us. It was now time to change and to head out for our meal with Aunt Glory. We would, of course, be talking before we actually ate. I just hoped that we would be able to settle some of my fears when we talked.
Maybe, just maybe, Athair m貌r was not telling me what all was going on because they were preparing a special, happy sort of surprise for us. Yeah, and maybe I was a giant lizard monster that was blamed for destroying Atlantis or whatever. I knew the truth even if I didn’t want to accept it. Things here had been steadily going to shit since my very first visit here. I had to wonder, was all of this my fault after all? Did I cause this?
Was Grier right that night that he died?
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Riviana
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Vincent, Gabriel, Shawn, Shane, David, Waverly and Pierre were all to escort me to Aunt Glory’s personal study. Vincent, Gabriel, and David were to wait inside with me while Shawn, Shane, Waverly and Pierre were to guard the room from the outside.
Pierre had been the guard that tested for poison at the closing ceremony last time and was ultimately poisoned. He said that he wanted to protect me again and had actually volunteered to be my official taste tester this time as well. He and Waverly, who had also been a tester last time, were both going with us tonight for that purpose alone. They would test anything that me, Joaquin, Reagan, and Rika were going to eat.
Just thinking about that job for them terrified me. I know we had saved Pierre last time, but what if we aren’t that lucky this time around? What if I actually were to lose someone while we are here?
Aside from my guards, the council was joining us for the discussion, but they were going to be dismissed before the meal. They were there just to share in the information.. Aunt Glory had approved of this ahead of time, but I still felt bad that we were usurping the meeting.
Trevor, Landon, Nathair, Kayda, Rahim, and Daciana were all coming with someone that was basically the equivalent of their Gamma. They would test any drinks that were offered to them. This taste testing was going to be a united front from all of us.
Now that we were ready to leave with the order of events decided, there was a knock at the door. That was most likely going to be Athai m貌r. He was going to walk with us to the meeting since he was part of it as well.
“Welcome, Prince Valerian.” Gabriel welcomed him into the residence.
“Thank you, Gabriel. I hope you’re all-?” He stopped in the middle of his sentence like someone had slapped him or he had been overly shocked by something.
“Athair m貌r?” I asked as I stepped closer to the door to find out what had happened.
