Dimitri’s POV
“My King,” I heard Alpha Ezekiel’s voice behind me.
I turned around and smiled.
“Alpha Ezekiel,” I said politely. “Are you enjoying the party?”
He nodded and took a small sip of his drink.
“Very much so, my King,” he said, smiling at me. “Everything is just amazing. The food is great. Please give my thanks to your cook.”
I nodded, keeping a small smile on my face.
“Thank you, Alpha,” I said. “Daniel will be thrilled to know that you liked his food.”
Alpha Ezekiel smiled again and looked around the room.
“Where is our lovely Queen?” he asked, looking back at me. “I was hoping she would grace us with her presence tonight.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly but forced myself to keep smiling. Why did he want her here? Was he the fucking traitor? Did he want to hurt my mate? Oh, I was going to rip him to pieces.
“Our Queen isn’t feeling well,” Will answered instead of me. “She is resting, but she will attend the second challenge tomorrow.”
Alpha Ezekiel looked at Will and his eyes widened a little.
“Is she okay?” he asked. “Is she sick?”
His voice sounded like he was genuinely concerned, but his interest in her pissed me off. Why was he concerned? Why did he care? Was it just because she was his Queen and the worry came from the loyalty he felt, or was there more to it? Did he want her? Did he know who she was? Was he planning to take her…
Calm down, Dimitri. Will mind-linked me and interrupted my thoughts.
I gulped and forced myself to take a deep, slow breath.
“She is more than okay, Alpha,” Will said, smiling at him. “She just needed some time to rest.”
Alpha Ezekiel nodded and looked back at me. I forced myself to smile.
“Please take good care of her, my King,” he said, bowing his head at me. “She is important to us all.”
I tightened my jaw and pushed myself to keep smiling. I was sure it looked more like I was baring my teeth at him, but there was nothing else I could have done. I wanted to grab him by his neck and ask him what he knew about the traitor. I wanted to rip him to fucking pieces. I wanted to kill every single one of them only to make sure that she was safe. I wanted them all gone.
But I couldn’t do any of that. I had to remain calm and collected.
“Of course, Alpha,” I said, hoping my voice sounded as calm as I intended it to be. “She is in very good hands. She is safe.”
“That is very good to know, my King,” he said, giving me another small smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find my Beta before he talks someone’s ear off.”
Alpha Ezekiel bowed again before he turned around and walked away.
I drank my whiskey in one sip.
“You need to calm down a little, Dimitri,” Will said quietly. “They will figure out that something is going on if you continue like this.”
I felt a wave of anger wash over me. Will was right, but his words still pissed me off.
“I know,” I mumbled, looking around the room. “It’s just so fucking hard, Will. I want to kill them all just to make sure that she is safe.”
Will sighed and gave me a small nod.
“I understand, Dimitri,” Will said quietly. “I would want to do it too if this was about Ali. But that won’t help. We need to remain calm and focus on finding the man who is really guilty.”
I took a deep breath and gulped.
“Keep your eyes open,” I said, narrowing my eyes at Alpha Lucius. “Let me know if you notice anyone acting suspicious.”
Will nodded and looked around.
“Kendrick is talking to Alpha Theodore,” he said.
I grabbed the whiskey bottle and poured myself another glass.
“I know,” I said, glancing at them. “They’ve been talking for a while.”
Will narrowed his eyes slightly and shook his head.
“Everything they do looks suspicious,” he mumbled, taking a small sip of his drink. “I can’t even believe that one of them is bold enough to go against you.”
“They are hungry for power, Will,” I said, tightening my jaw. “All of them would give everything they have to be in my position. All of them want the power that I have.”
But none of them fucking knew that I couldn’t give a crap about my power. None of them knew that I only cared about my throne because it was my father’s legacy. None of them knew that my mate was the only fucking thing in this world I truly cared about.
“But why now, Dimitri?” Will asked, furrowing his brows. “They could have attacked when you were taking over the Kingdom. You were more vulnerable then than you are now. What changed?”
My stomach twisted. The only logical answer to that question was that I had found my mate.
“Maddie,” I said, gulping down my whiskey again. “I am more vulnerable now, Will. I have everything to lose now. They know that.”
I loved my Kingdom and my pack. I loved being a King, helping my people, and guiding them. My father had been preparing me for this role ever since I was a child. I was born to be a King and I hoped each and every day that my father was proud of me.
But I would choose Maddie over my throne and I was sure that my father would do the same if he was put in a position where he had to choose. He was the one who taught me that mates always come first. He loved my mother more than anything else in this world. I wondered if she loved him just as much as he loved her.
Will shook his head and tightened his jaw.
“Fuckers,” he muttered, taking another sip of his drink.
I gulped and focused my attention on Alpha Theodore and Kendrick. I couldn’t hear what they were talking about. The room was packed with guests and members of my pack. Everyone was talking, smiling, and having a good time.
“I am going to mark Ali tonight,” Will said, making me look at him.
I raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Congratulations,” I said, raising my glass at him. “Will her parents come here to get to know you?”
Will shook his head. “We talked about it. I will go to her pack when things cool down a bit here.”
I nodded and looked back at Alpha Theodore. Kendrick wasn’t with him anymore.
“I am really happy for you, Will,” I said, trying to find Kendrick in the crowd. “Ali is a great girl.”
“She is,” Will said softly. “I am so in love with her. I can’t wait to mark her. I can’t wait to make her mine.”
I smiled and glanced at him. I remembered that feeling all too well. Will was lucky. I had to wait nine months until I could finally sink my canines into my mate’s neck.
“Take tomorrow off,” I told him. “Spend the day with your mate. I will see you tomorrow night at the second challenge.”
“Are you sure?” Will asked and I nodded.
“I am completely sure, Will,” I said. “You will want to stay in bed with her.”
I looked at him and smirked a little.
“Trust me,” I added, making him chuckle.
“Well, you don’t have to tell me twice,” he said, grinning at me.
I shook my head and looked back at the crowd. My eyes fell on Alpha Lucius and Kendrick. The fuckers were talking to each other and they both looked very concerned about something.
I tightened my jaw and forced myself to hold back a growl that tried to escape me.
I wished I could hear them talking. I wished they would say something that would justify me killing them on the fucking spot.
