Luther’s POV

*****

Beach House, 8:45 PM

Saying he’s been nervous since Celeste’s parents showed up would be a massive understatement.

He was TERRIFIED.

Merely staring into Alpha King Kaelos’ cold silver eyes when the man walked past them at the beach made him feel like he was being judged by a literal god.

Yes, Luther was an Alpha. Yes, he still had that pride and arrogance that came with his status.

However, it was nothing but hot air before an Alpha King who was at the forefront of individuals leading the whole planet toward world peace. A man who’s ruled an entire continent of wolves for decades in times of war.

’You might be the biggest fan of the North American Alpha King,’ his wolf mocked as he walked down the hallway leading to his room.

During the heat of the conversation between Celeste and the Luna Queen, the boys were dismissed. Alpha King Kaelos had stepped out to give them space to truly delve into the whole Vein stuff—so he and the others followed suit.

’Relax, dude.’ his wolf went on just when he got in front of his room door. ’You are overthinking things. Neither of her parents seemed to think much about the whole mate bond thing the way you’re imagining.’

"You think?" Luther grunted out loud, unlocking his door with a click. He’d imagined sleeping on the same bed with Celeste tonight. Basking in her warmth and presence.

That was obviously out of the picture now.

Shutting the door behind him, he walked into the room without turning on the lights. The moonlight trickling through the windows was enough.

"I’m a little worried," he sighed heavily. "Scratch that. I’m super worried. Her parents saw me during the Lupine mating ball. Witnessed their daughter lashing out at me for... For everything I did with Lysandra."

Saying the word ’cheating’ when referring to that incident always left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. Especially when he knew he had literally no control over himself.

But it was still cheating.

"I’m afraid they’ll use that to judge me," Luther admitted, striding to his lamp stand. A bottle of whiskey he saved from last night’s escapade sat there. "I mean, she has three other mates. What’s stopping them from convincing her to focus on them instead?"

’And you say you know our mate?’ his wolf scoffed. ’Again, wuss... Relax. Our mate called you her first love. Own it! You aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.’

Luther’s lips quivered with the ghost of a smile. "You know what?" He grabbed a glass and poured some whiskey into it. "Fuck yeah! You’re absolutely right." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

He downed the entire glass in one gulp, grinning when the burn came.

More.

As he poured more, his mind trailed. "All I need to figure out now," he turned to the balcony entrance, "is finding a way to get those pack elders off my ass. Until I’m able to publicly declare Celeste as my mate at least."

’Ugh.’ his wolf groaned. ’Why don’t you just do what the Alphas of old used to do with stubborn Elders?’

"What’s that?"

’Purging them and their bloodline.’

Luther clicked his tongue.

What did he expect from his homicidal wolf?

"Even if I did do that," Luther finished the next glass of whiskey. "I’d quickly attract the attention of Europe’s Alpha King. Goddess forbid if Luna Queen Janelle gets involved too."

He laughed dryly at the thought, about to pour yet another glass as he walked to the balcony.

That’s when he felt it.

A blood chilling cold wrapped around him like a lasso. Every hair on his body stood on end, his heart beat slowing first. Then it quickened as his eyes swept to the balcony.

Nothing on this planet or the afterlife would’ve prepared him for who he saw standing there casually, back facing him.

"I remember having a similar line of thinking back when all of North America rejected my relationship with my wife." A smooth, deep voice spoke with a hearty chuckle. "Until one day I was defiant enough to declare death on anyone challenging my authority."

No way...

Alpha King Kaelos!

The man slowly looked over his shoulder, silver eyes glowing brighter than the moon itself. "Is this the way you hope to protect my daughter, young Alpha?"

Too disoriented to make a coherent sentence, all Luther could manage was a stutter. "S–Sir?"

His hands shook beside him but he quickly straightened up, keeping his chin high and fists clenched. He couldn’t afford weakness.

Not before his mate’s father and the fucking ruler of the North American wolves.

’But how?’ he thought to himself, his teeth gnashing as Kaelos spun to face him fully. ’How was he able to get in here? If he climbed in—how then was he able to hide his presence? Or his scent?’

In fact, the Alpha King’s relaxed posture told him he hadn’t even been trying to hide anything.

Meanwhile, Kaelos’ lips stretched to a small smirk. "I’m talking about how you didn’t notice my presence all this time." His head tilted slightly, gaze scrutinising. "If I wished to sneak attack, you’d be dead before anyone heard your screams."

Those last words sent so much terror jolting through his body that he thought he was going to shit himself any second.

He swallowed, forcing a smile. "I–I was occupied in my thoughts—"

"An enemy won’t give a bat’s ass about that," Kaelos’ tone became less strict and more... Casual. Pleasantly amused. "Anyway, I’m only messing with you."

Just when Luther was about to let out a sigh of relief, the Alpha King unhurriedly added:

"Whilst I’m curious about what your pack’s elders think about my daughter and if she’s aware... I’m here for an entirely different reason."

The wind blew strands of his shoulder-length black hair across his face, an icy edge in his voice now.

Luther felt like stepping back but didn’t dare as Kaelos advanced with the deliberate calm of a king who’s seen too much bloodshed to crack. Even for a heartbeat.

"I did some digging into your background, young man," Kaelos mumbled. "And discovered you and my daughter indeed dated before the bond."

Fuck.

Bloody hell—he could see where this was going from a mile away.

"S–Sir, I know—"

"You cheated on her." The Alpha King’s words chilled the air around them. Literally. A faint shroud of silver energy coated his body, carrying his hair with it. "Broke my baby’s heart... So tell me with one sentence why I shouldn’t break every bone in your body right now."