Magnus
"You shouldn't be wandering about like that, it's too dangerous!" My beta, Xavier, places a black robe over my shoulders as I stand stark naked in the middle of the room.
Xavier is not wrong; I shouldn't be wandering around so recklessly, especially since the royal palace is so far away from this place, but I couldn't help it. The moment we got to the Moonrise Kingdom, I got high on her scent.
I had to see her as soon as possible, or else my wolf would have eaten me from the inside.
"I just surveyed the territory to see if the king has already sent his spies." I come up with a believable excuse, but as expected, my beta doesn't buy it.
"Funny how you went to look for the royal spies in the royal garden," he scowls, tapping vigorously on my shoulders as if to make sure the robe sits perfectly, while I know he is doing it to mask his frustration.
"Stop with the nagging already, I'm too old to be treated like a child."
"And yet, you keep acting like a child," Xavier frowns again, typing something on his phone. "You know you can't stay in that form for too long. What would have happened had the queen caught you while you shifted?"
"She didn't and she won't," I frown back, clicking my tongue in disapproval. He is right about my powers, too. Crossing the border of the unclaimed territories takes a lot of time, especially when I'm in that tiny wolf form, but it's great for spying and surveillance.
And I know Xavier is worried about me, not only because he was assigned to watch my every move and report back to my older brother, but also because he is my friend, who knows everything about me. Including the secret about my ability.
Some things, however, have to be done one way or another, despite all the risks and dangers ahead.
"But I did find out something else that you and my brother might find interesting," I add, winking at my beta mischievously.
"Oh?" My bait works, and now we are moving away from discussing my behavior right away. "What did you find out?"
I smirk, falling into the soft armchair next to my bed, my arms crossed at my chest authoritatively. "The king has found his fated mate."
***
Lilienne
I close my eyes and massage my pulsating temples, but the mind-numbing ache refuses to go away. No, every time I see this woman, my blood pressure rises instantly, and my head starts to split with the pain her presence causes me.
"What do you want?" I try to stay as calm and neutral as possible, even though I know that Melanie is nearly bursting out of her skin trying to suppress her angry wolf back in the meeting room.
I was having a nice, pleasant meeting with the Lunas of the packs under the Moonrise Kingdom when Kaelen's assistant pulled me out and demanded that I meet Serina to discuss an urgent matter.
"I didn't mean to interrupt your meeting, but Kaelen thought it was a good idea to talk to you while other Lunas are present," Serina replies in a surprisingly polite, yet still unbelievably annoying tone.
I sigh, still struggling with my own composure. Kaelen thought? So why isn't Kaelen here then?
"Alright, let's hear it," I reply coldly, tapping my foot impatiently to let her know the time I can spare her is limited and running out rapidly.
Serina's face lights up, and she takes a step toward me, closing the distance between us. I recoil in surprise, barely keeping my face from twisting in disgust. She, however, still seems oblivious to my emotions.
"Since I am soon going to be a part of the court, Kaelen thinks it's a good idea that I get a beta at my side. And since you're such a good judge of character and have a good rapport with other Lunas, perhaps you can ask them to get me someone from one of the packs?"
I stare at her blankly, my head completely empty from the shock of what I have just heard. Her? Getting a beta at her side? A rogue omega parading around the palace with her own personal beta?
Just me presenting this kind of outrageous idea to other Lunas will instantly turn me into a laughing stock.
I bring my right hand to my lips, covering up a scoff that threatens to erupt. Goddess, I thought this woman was out of her mind, but it looks like her antics have already rubbed off on my husband, too.
"Don't you see how ridiculous your request is?" I'm not sure how I manage to say those words without bursting into laughter. "How do you envision the respected Lunas of other packs asking their high-ranked packmates to serve a runaway rogue? An omega? I'm sorry, but I can't do that."
Serina's eyes are now wide in confusion––clearly, she was not expecting my refusal to be this firm.
I offer her one last smirk and turn on my heels, ready to head back to the meeting room, but I pause and throw one last remark, without even looking back at her.
"And please tell His Majesty that the matters of new people joining the court are a two-sided discussion. If there is something he needs from me, he will have to talk to me himself."
The rest of the meeting I spent in silence, contemplating the short conversation I had with Serina.
What my husband did was embarrassing. Not for him, however, but for me. Had that woman asked me that favor in front of others, even the servants, I would have been destroyed with humiliation.
What is the matter with him? How can he ask me, the Royal Luna, to run errands for his mistress, a lowly omega who doesn't even have a pack?
I press my lips into a tight line, my fingers curling into fists as I march back to my bedroom. I am nearly there, just mere steps away from the door, when a sudden thunder of heavy footsteps forces me to stop, but before I can do anything, a firm hand grips my wrist, and I am pulled into my room, the door shutting with a loud thud.
"How dare you call her a dirty omega?!"