Chapter 43: Meeting with the Alpha King - Callista's POV

“Together,” I agreed, though the word felt thin against the weight of what we were walking into.

We climbed out of his car just as my parents pulled in beside us. His parents parked on the other side.

I looked up, noticing my father’s face was unreadable as he got out of the car. My mother’s eyes, however, went immediately to my throat, to the mark I couldn’t hide.

“Callista,” she started, and I froze.

Not again.

"Not now, Mom," I said quietly. "Please. I can't do this twice."

She pressed her lips together, but nodded. Alpha and Luna Nightshade rounded Riven’s vehicle to join us. They looked every bit the powerful leaders they were, but I could see tension in their shoulders and the way Luna kept glancing at Riven with a concerned glance.

The massive front doors opened before we ever reached them, revealing a woman in her sixties with silver-streaked hair and sharp gray eyes. She wore a formal black suit that screamed authority, but I had no idea who she was.

"Alpha Monroe, Luna Monroe," she greeted with a slight bow. "Alpha Nightshade, Luna Nightshade. And the young mates themselves." Her eyes landed on me and Riven with an intensity that made me want to step back. "Welcome. The Alpha King is expecting you."

"Thank you, Beta Kensley," Alpha Nightshade said formally.

I glanced at her once, my gaze narrowing. She’s a Beta? But to who?

We followed behind her, and I had to fight not to stare at my surroundings. The entrance hall was enormous, with marble floors and a chandelier that probably cost more than all the pack houses in my home territory. Portraits lined the walls, and I assumed they were of the previous Alpha Kings.

"The Alpha King will see you in his private study," Beta Kensley said as we walked. "He asked that only the young mates enter. Parents may wait in the sitting room."

"Absolutely not," my father said immediately. "They're sixteen years old. They're not meeting with the Alpha King alone."

"Those are his wishes, Alpha Monroe." Beta Kensley's tone left no room for argument. "You may wait in comfort, or you may wait outside the gates. But the young mates will meet with him privately. They are mated now and do not need direct parental supervision.”

My father looked as if he wanted to argue further, but Alpha Nightshade put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “We trust the Alpha King’s judgment,” he said, though his eyes told a different story.

Beta Kensley led my parents and Riven's parents down a side hallway, leaving us standing in the massive entrance hall with two guards who appeared from nowhere.

"This way," one of them said, gesturing toward a grand staircase.

Riven took my hand as we climbed, and I was grateful for the contact. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of what we were about to face settling over me like a physical thing.

The guard led us down a hallway lined with more portraits. These were more recent. I recognized some of them. They were Alphas from various packs, then I saw my father and Riven’s.

We stopped in front of an ornate wooden door. The guard knocked twice.

"Enter," came a voice from within.

It was smooth, cultured, and absolutely terrifying in its calm authority. The guard opened the door and gestured us inside.

The study was smaller than I expected, compared to everything else in his mansion. There were floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on three walls, filled with books and ancient texts. A massive desk sat in front of the windows, and behind it, was the Alpha King.

He stood, turning to face us as we entered. When I saw him at the ceremony, I didn’t realize how tall he was and I had missed the silver streaks in his dark hair. Power radiated off him in waves, making my wolf whimper and want to submit immediately. This was the Alpha King who led for twenty years and commanded respect and fear from every pack in the region.

"Riven Nightshade," he said, his voice measured. "Callista Monroe. Please sit."

He gestured to two chairs positioned in front of his desk. We sat down, and I tried not to notice how the chairs were positioned so we couldn’t easily see each other without turning our heads. I felt like that was done deliberately.

The Alpha King settled into his massive chair behind the desk, crossing his arms over his chest as he did. The silence stretched long enough to make me uncomfortable.

"You've made quite a mess of things," he said conversationally. "Marking each other at sixteen, without approval, a ceremony, or any of the proper protocols that have governed our kind for centuries."

"We had our reasons," Riven said, his voice steady despite the fear I could feel through our bond.

"Oh, I'm certain you did." The Alpha King's eyes glittered with something that might have been amusement. "The question is whether those reasons justify breaking fundamental pack law." He paused. "Tell me, Mr. Nightshade. What exactly lives inside you that made such desperate measures necessary? What did I see that night?”

The question hung in the air like a blade.

Riven's hand found mine between our chairs, gripping tight. And I realized with a sinking certainty that whatever happened next would change everything.

Again.

Riven’s mouth opened and closed several times, unable to find the words to explain the demon without making things worse. The Alpha King’s eyes darted to mine and I could see that calculating look glaring back at me.

“I—” I started, trying to help Riven.

“Perhaps I should ask a better question,” the Alpha King interrupted smoothly, leaning back in his chair. “How long have you known about it, Mr. Nightshade? Since birth? Since childhood? The last few years?” His gaze shifted to me again. “And you, Miss Monroe, when did you discover it?”

"With respect, Alpha King," Riven said, his voice tight with barely controlled tension, "I don't understand what you're asking."

"Don't you?" The Alpha King's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Come now. Let's not waste time with pretense. I've seen the darkness inside you. The black eyes. The unnatural strength. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

My heart pounded against my ribs. He definitely knew.

"What do you want from us?" I asked, finding my voice.

The Alpha King's smile widened. "Now that, Miss Monroe, is the right question."