Chapter 25 25
Alpha Knox~~
Vivienne's visit was unexpected. I hadn't told her of our coronation, and I wasn't even planning to. Her father had made me vow to crown his daughter Luna, all because he provided me with shelter, food and clothing after tragedy befell me in the past and left me with nothing. And because he seemed to be the only hope I had at that moment, I had to agree to it just for my survival first.
What I didn't expect in the future was Phoebe being my mate. And I had sent them a letter stating that I had found my mate and could no longer continue with the agreement to crown Vivienne, but would do whatever else was necessary as a sign of loyalty for the help rendered. Instead, Vivienne insisted she had to stay with me, especially since they found out that my mate was a rival and wasn't supposed to be in my life.
I had discussed with Levi on how to amend things, and there was no way. Vivienne's father was a werewolf merchant living in the remote land when I became a wanderer. He was mighty enough, but not to pull me down. But what I do not want is challenging him to the extent that he would ally with my enemies, which would make me neglect his help and do to him what I do to others.
After Phoebe left with Vivienne, I had Levi hand over the letter he had mindlinked me about. It was from Vivienne's father, Beta Drogo. “Get me my cell phone…” I told Levi, and he hurried out of the throne room and returned with it. I had left it in the car since I was about to leave when I got a call from Vivienne about seeing what my mate looked like.
As he handed it over, I searched for the man's contact and dialled it. On the third ring, he picked up the call…
“Alpha King!!”
“Let's have lunch together and talk about it,” I told him and hung up the call. He knew so well not to threaten me, because although I leaned on him when I was lost, he had his reasons for taking me in despite knowing how dangerous it was.
That noon, I went over to the restaurant where I had my beta arrange for us. He was already waiting when I showed up, and he got to his feet and bowed. “Alpha, you're looking well.”
I nodded and grabbed a seat opposite him, “Let's grab some drinks…”
“Of course,” he responded, and I mindlinked Levi what to order for us.
When the wine and porridge meat were served before us, we began eating, as well as starting the discussion. “You wrote about your daughter's coronation, and I am shocked because I had sent a letter that I do not want to go ahead as I had found my mate and we are bonded.”
He dropped his fork, looking at me as I spoke.
“You know so well that severing that bond carelessly will lead to my death, and since my mate refuses to sever it, I wouldn't be able to choose a mate,” I added and sipped from the glass of wine.
He sighed and cleared his throat. “Alpha, you don't need to sever our agreement, too. You know so well that Vivienne is my favourite, and making her sad could worsen my sickness. She loves you so much, and if this agreement ended just like this, it wouldn't sit well with me, too.”
I wasn't expecting less, though. I knew how difficult it was going to be to end this.
If Phoebe weren't my mate, then I would have no reason to be against it. Rejecting Phoebe was one thing I didn't want to do, and watching her hurt because I chose another woman despite the matebond would also make my wolf taunt me so much until I go insane.
“After so much investigation, that alpha female is a rival. Isn't she, Alpha?” Drogo asked, and I only scoffed. He didn't know what made me wander and what was behind it. I didn't even let him know that I was royalty when we met, but I only needed his help to create my pack as an alpha. When I offered that he would be the Pack Ambassador, he refused, as the only thing he needed was marrying his daughter.
At that time, I didn't think of it being so hard. But now, it was something I couldn't do.
“I wonder what made you enslave her and her pack after throwing her family into the furnace. But whatever it is, it should be a deep scar that couldn't heal, and you still want to have her beside you instead of healing?” he chuckled and poked the last meat on his plate with the fork, then began chewing it.
As much as I wanted Phoebe to hate me, I also did not want her hurt by anyone except me, who needed that deep hatred from her. If I should look at her family's offence, then she wasn't supposed to live. But she wasn't just my mate, but wasn't yet born when everything happened. So why should she bear the pains of what she did not know?
I grabbed the glass of wine again, sipped the whole contents in it and dropped it back to the table. I gazed at Drogo as much as he gazed at me, and then pulled a smile. “Beta Drogo, I had offered you to be my pack's ambassador, and you refused. Would you want to be the general or regent? As it stands, there's no possibility of your daughter being my Luna…as I do not even need one. Unless she can steal my heart!”
“Then let it be a game,” he proposed immediately. If he knew of my curse, he could have seen enough things to use against me. “If Vivienne steals your heart, then she becomes your Luna. But you must not replace her….
“Until after six months. If she doesn't succeed in stealing my heart, then I fear I won't go ahead. The reason is that I can't marry someone I don't love, and I haven't ever thought of having Luna." I cut him short, grabbed my cell phone and stood up. “Beta, I think we have agreed.”
He stood as well and bowed, “Of course, alpha king. It's now left for my daughter to work hard on getting what she wants.”
I left instantly, and back in my car, I asked Levi, "Isn't the ambassador position a great one? He would get paid the highest after you, so why could he be after his daughter becoming Luna?”
There was silence for some time before Levi responded, “Most alphas marry for businesses and not love. Maybe, crowning his daughter would make you not lose his support at any time.”
“I don't need his support any longer, since he refused to join my pack. How will he help me when he doesn't want to be part of us? I'm not sure if I'm overthinking, but I feel like he has a hidden motive, which he could only achieve if his daughter becomes my Luna. As you know, being an ambassador doesn't open the door to a lot of things.” I elaborated, and that was what I had thought about since Vivienne showed up.
They knew so well how sacred a matebond was, and how risky it was to sever one. Wanting me to sever the matebond so I could choose his daughter as my mate, which would give room to the luna position, was suspicious of him.
I hadn't ever lost guard and wouldn't do that now. Although he was a helper, I wasn't supposed to trust him. “Keep an eye on him secretly and inform me if you find anything odd,” I ordered Levi, and he nodded.