3rd Person POV
“Father, I am quite exhausted,” Reginald complained as his father introduced him to what had to be the hundredth family that night. He could not believe that he had been standing that long and to add salt to injury, his father had made sure that he had at least twenty women he was to dance with.
“You can't be, we've not been standing for very long,” said Alpha Dagen. He could not understand how his son was tired from merely standing when he knew his child could fight hours nonstop on his feet and would be barely tired.
“Father, talk to me. What's the problem?” Reginald knew there was more to this than his father introducing him to countless women even though he tried not to make it look like it.
“Nothing is up son, I just want you to have a good time,” Alpha Dagen winked at his son.
“Father, I'm your heir. If there's a problem, you have to tell me,” Reginald was not taking no for an answer. He'd put up with enough of this madness already.
“When did my son become so smart,” teased Alpha Dagen.
Reginald took his father aside and looked him squarely in the face.
“What's the matter father?” he asked.
“It's your blood, some are saying it's impure,” Dagen finally gave in. He could never win against his children.
“Impure? How so? What does that even mean? They do not think I'm your son? They only have to look at Charlotte to see that she's you and she's my…”
“That's not it, Reginald.”
“So? What's the problem?”
“You are hybrid, you have vampire blood in you,” said Dagen softly.
“I'm barely a vampire, Dad. Mum is more a werewolf than a vampire and so was Mum's mother, my maternal grandfather was a full-blooded werewolf. Where are all these coming from anyway?” asked Reginald, surprised that his legitimacy to the throne could be questioned on such a groundless basis.
“I know that son but the people are very sensitive now. We've had too many wars because of that vampire prince, Ashton. So they are suspicious of anything remotely vampire-blooded. We have to kill these rumours before they fester,” said Alpha Dagen, trying to explain the situation to his son.
“And how do you propose we do this?” inquired Reginald.
“You have to show that you care. You've been away from home too long, you must stay here and attend court, settle disputes…”
“Basically, do all the mundane stuff, huh?”
“You do it in Queen Emily's court,” it was an accusation that Reginald could not deny but then Queen Emily was a very scary woman. She had not been called the cold princess in her younger days for nothing.
“I will be around more often but you have to tell me, Dad. What's with the fashion parade tonight?” Reginald asked his father.
“Fashion parade? I have no idea what you're talking about?” Dagen decided it was best to play clueless.
“No idea? Really? Father, is this how you're going to play it?” quipped Reginald.
“Those lovely women you promised a dance to are getting impatient. You should see them now,” said Dagen, walking away from his son.
Reginald rolled his eyes. His father could be unbelievable sometimes. He rejoined the party and spent the entirety of it from the arms of one woman to the other. He could not believe that he did not have as much as a second to himself. In another timeline, he would have been grateful for meeting so many beautiful women in one night and would have allowed one to grace his bed but he had Lady Lowell. He shook his head, he had to stop thinking of her as Lady Lowell. After all, she was no longer married to him.
As he danced the last that night he wondered what his father would make of his relationship with Xanthippe. He did not know yet if he would be marrying her but he knew that he liked her very much and that she would be worth fighting for.
He thought about what his father had said earlier about staying home more often. Perhaps it would not be such a bad thing if he did. After all, the Blood Moon pack was much closer to the Shadow claw pack than Charlotte's pack was.
When the dance was over, he curtsied to the lady and left at once to join his sister and friend at the end of the hall.
“I swear Charlie, I will kill you,” threatened Reginald jokingly. He could not believe his sister had left him to deal with all those women. She only laughed at him while Harlin looked slightly sorry for him.
“But once upon a time, this would have been a dream for you,” Charlotte winked at her brother. Reginald ignored what she was insinuating and said instead, “Just wait till Dad finds out about your relationship with him.”
“There's nothing to find out. We broke up already,” said Charlotte with a wide smile on her face.
“You've broken up like eight times already. You know you're still going to get back with him,” scoffed Reginald.
“It's for real this time,” Charlotte said but her voice was not convincing.
“What's real this time?” asked Dagen, showing up out of nowhere.
“Charlotte’s relationship with…”
“Reginald! Look! A spider!” said Charlotte pointing to Reginald's shoulder. Reginald gave a shout of terror and began battling with a nonexistent spider. Reginald hated spiders more than anything in the world.
“Charlie! Stop messing with your brother!” said Dagen who could not help but laugh. Charlotte who knew she had been discovered began to sprint, she knew her brother would want to hit her. She did not mind the consequences of her actions. She was only grateful that she had managed to change the topic at the last possible moment.
“Charlie! I swear! If I should catch you!” screamed Reginald as he ran after his sister.