Filed To Story: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
‘Kitten? Do you want me to handle him?’
Dayson’s voice pulled Talia out of her thoughts. ‘No need. Unless he is hostile, let me talk to him. Please.’
‘Feel free to provoke him into hostility. I’m ready to beat him into submission and make this party more memorable.’
Talia bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from smiling. Beta Milo will think she was flirty!
Where were they? Oh, yes, he brought up Jade, the wretched woman who was now doing hard work at the Shadow Fang pack with Omegas, and the WW Magazine published an article about it. But if Talia said she was familiar with that, it might be suspicious. After all, why would the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack bother with gossip about the daughter of a Beta from another pack?
“No. I didn’t meet your daughter, Beta Milo. Is she here? Do you plan to introduce us?” Talia asked.
“I wish,” he said. “Jade could learn a lot from you, but unfortunately, she is being detained in the Shadow Fang pack.”
“Detained?”
Beta Milo nervously looked around. “Pardon my crude choice of words. Officially, she is there doing charity work, but I know that’s not my Jade. She is there against her will. Her agent called to tell me that she missed her latest fashion show, and Jade would never miss those. I tried talking to Alpha Dayson about Jade’s situation, but he refused to answer my calls. Something is wrong. I know it. Please, as a female, you should understand. She is my only child, not used to harsh conditions.”
Talia’s eyes widened when she understood where this was going. “You want me to talk to Dayson about your daughter.”
“If it’s not too inconvenient…”
“What’s in it for me?” Talia cut him off impatiently.
He looked at her in disbelief. “What do you want?”
“Surely you know that Alpha Dayson and I are on good terms. However, our relationship is rather new and fragile. If I’m going to ask for a favor, it won’t come for free.”
Beta Milo swallowed hard. “Can you at least find out why she was detained and her current circumstances? Based on that, we can negotiate further.”
Talia leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “Your daughter is detained because she crossed Alpha Dayson’s bottom line.”
His eyes flashed. “So, you know about it!”
Talia shrugged. “Yes and no. I don’t know because I have never heard of your daughter, but it’s not difficult to deduct that considering her status, if she was detained, she offended Alpha Dayson enough for him not to worry about offending you. I’m sure you heard recent rumors.”
“What rumors?”
“About the females that were imprisoned and disappeared because they dared to insult his Luna. Do you know why your daughter went there? Was it an official function, a social visit, or did she go there to seduce him?”
Beta Milo’s expression stiffened.
Talia made a face. The old guy not only knew, but he probably encouraged her to do her best and get into Dayson’s bed. Bastards! They were all in this together, set to take Dayson away from her!
“Beta Milo,” Talia called. “Are you aware that you are looking at the Alpha of the Midnight Guardians pack? Is my title worthless in your eyes? I wonder what gave you the courage to speak to me openly about going against my ally in order to save a random woman. It would be different if you offered me some compensation, yet you thought I would do it because I am a woman. Is the Silverfur pack so misogynic?”
Beta Milo’s lips were moving, but no sound came out. What came out of him were beads of sweat that covered his body, making him look like he had just come out of a shower. His whole body shook as he bent awkwardly under Talia’s pressure.
“You should think before you talk, Beta Milo. Is your Alpha aware you are here, instigating me to work against the Shadow Fang pack? Do I look like an easy target to manipulate? Is it my age or gender that gives you the courage to look down on me?”
Beta Milo saw dark spots, and he was sure someone had turned off the lights. “That’s not what I’m…”
“What are you trying to do? You are old enough to know that your actions might provoke a war.” Talia sneered. “You are lucky that this is a party, and I don’t want to ruin it for Alpha Maddox and his Luna. Your Alpha will hear from me.”
Talia slid from the barstool and walked out while ignoring all shocked gazes directed her way.
She knew that she exaggerated, but she was royally pissed that the man came with a request for Talia to speak up for Jade, a woman who called her Omega just because she was holding a tray with food, a woman who came to seduce Dayson while pretending there was some deal between them. Shameless!
She needed a moment to calm down, so Talia decided to go into the section of the garden that was not set up with tables and chairs and not illuminated with fairy lights. It’s not like she needed lights to see anyway.
Talia found an unoccupied bench nestled between two rose bushes, and she sat there searching for solitude. Looking around, Talia realized that the bench was quite hidden. Should she call Dayson and steal some kisses? Sneaking around sounded exciting, and she could use his proximity. Where was he? Would he let her come out here on her own?
Talia was about to mind-link Dayson when she heard rapid steps approaching. Her head snapped that way to see a child running toward her. It was a boy, about six-to-seven years old, with a head full of short blonde hair. He wore black pants and a white shirt, dressed up for a party.
Talia thought it was kids playing, but his expression showed distress.
The boy zoomed past Talia, leaped over the bench, and squatted between rose bushes.
He was breathing heavily, but he managed to whisper, “Please, don’t tell them I’m here. I will make it up to you.”
Talia wondered who would chase a boy that obviously belonged to this party. Did he make some mischief? Did he see something he shouldn’t have? Or were baddies after him?
Talia’s every next possibility was more dangerous and her head whipped in the direction from where more hurried steps were heard.
Talia looked incredulously at the three girls that came into view; they wore fancy dresses and had neat hair. None of them could be more than ten years old, and Talia wondered if they were also being chased by someone.
The three girls stopped to talk to Talia.
“Aunty, did you see a pretty boy?” One girl asked.
Talia realized that the girls were looking for the boy who was behind the bench. Were they his friends? Should she expose him? She decided against it. “I am here for a while, and I didn’t see a boy.”
The girls exchanged dejected expressions and then continued to follow the path with urgency.
Talia craned her neck to see the boy squatting behind the bench. “They are gone now; you can come out.”
His head peeked out, and then he climbed over the bench.
Talia looked at the little man straightening his shirt with, “Girls are pretty. Men are handsome. They are stupid.” He had black shoes, black dress pants, a white shirt, and a green necktie.
He ran his hand through his hair several times and then turned toward Talia. “Thank you. I will reward you generously.”
Now she was confident that those girls were chasing him.
Talia thought he was adorable, and she wanted to pinch his cheeks. She took a double take at his face that was scratched by the thorny bushes where he hid, and then she realized from where she recognized him. “Are you Ashton, Alpha Cristian’s son?”
Alpha Cristian, Luna Michelle, young Alpha Ashton, General Jordan, and General Allen arrived together, but there was a commotion when Jordan and Lidia Wilkow recognized each other as mates, and the boy left into the area where the youngsters were playing, so Talia didn’t interact with him.
The boy lifted his chin smugly and confirmed. “I am Ashton Pascal, the future Alpha of the Spring Leaf pack. What is your name, pretty lady?”
Talia smiled at the boy, who already knew how to flatter a female. Those manners, combined with the attitude and handsome physique that his Alpha bloodline will provide when he grows up, he will definitely be a heartbreaker.
“My name is Natalia. Come here.”
She helped straighten his shirt and necktie, and then she took a moment to scan their surroundings. No one was there.
“Can you keep a secret?” Talia asked, and he nodded. Talia placed her hands close to his cheeks, and her palms lit up in silvery light, helping the scratches on his face disappear within a second.
Ashton’s eyes widened at the warm and soothing sensation that lingered on his face, and he reached to touch his cheek. “You are a fairy,” he said breathily.
Talia put her index finger over her lips, indicating how that was a secret, and he nodded fervently.
“Why were those girls chasing you?” Talia asked.
“Apparently, it’s a problem when one is this handsome.”
“PFT!” Talia burst into laughter. He spoke with a straight face like it was a totally normal thing. Well, he was cute, and he probably will be handsome… in about a decade.
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.