AN'

uc

fist slammed h

ly crashing to the ground. This coul

wide with horror.

off the apology before it

ous and seething with fury th

brow furrowed. "Are you certain,

command through gritted teeth, my gaz

, leaving me alone at the center of the traini

upposed to h

struck. That fact a

er was

inct. Every punch, every dodge, came from primal force. But today, my m

isn

e King of Alphas

to ca

clothes. My reflection in the mirror showed a man sculpted for power - broad shoulders,

efore your 30th moonrise. For if you remain unmat

adline, the curse that threatened not just m

s 29, only a year left unt

of finding a mate. Every interaction, every inspection, were

t me, finding my mate

door startled me from my th

entered. Her eyes widened at the sight of my bare chest, I cou

arely a whisper. "Your Majesty, I was instr

her a c

onight, Your Majesty?" she ask

None of it mattered. Tonight was about finding a solution, not

d," I ordered, my

. "Of course, Your Majesty. Is there anything else I can help you with?" s

ly. "Get lost. Next time, y

off in

g to seduce me. They thought that since I had

gle one had e

ore your departure to visit the packs,"

knew what my parents were going to say-pray that I find my mate

love

inning room to join my parents. The aroma of roasted boar a

assorted meals. My parents, King Edmund and Queen Daisy, sat at the

r said, her voice laced with rel

t a chair a

laced with worry. "You look troub

up. I spoke coldly, "Mother. T

subject. "Is everything read

plied flatly, "Everything

very promising young man. We've heard he's well-liked within

red calmly, "I don't care about beauty. If she'

Adan. believe me, this time the Moon

e. I pushed my plate forward. "The tea

ce again. Their worry weighed heavily on me-only they

ar and gave Thorne

k's pack. The moment I stepped out, Derek's

. But there was a flicker of tension in his eyes. So

out of t

to greet me. "It's an honor to have you h

t of courtesy and r

ng normal within your pac

me, though his smile faltered for a second. "I can first int

rows furrowed when I noticed

your mate isn't he

a grimace. He hesitated for a moment, his eye

w where she

could see it. The tense glances exchanged be

ower structure. Her absence-especially

ce during an official inspection. you know that will be seen as

speak, but no sound came

nfuriated me. I

k back to the pa

Derek pleaded.

before he finally spoke. "It's Serena. my mate.

h!" I said. "Tak