The Hidden Luna Queen 2

"Kenneth-" Burton feebly tried to interject.

"That the quiet, unimpressive girl we'd known for twenty years was engaged-to-be-mated to Prince Xaden, and was carrying his child out of wedlock."

And, suddenly, Burton found himself locked in Kenneth's line of sight.

the royal family?"

"The girl-" Kenneth drawled with a growl, his icy eyes suddenly taking on a dangerous glint, "that you promised me." Time slowed down as he loomed closer and closer. "When were you going to tell me about this little development? Hmm? That you were whoring out your daughter to "I-I have done no such thing. This was all just an unfortunate blunder."

"A blunder, you say?" Kenneth was now mere feet away from Burton, resting his palm against the edge of the office door, which stood wide open.

Burton eyed the door, small drops of sweat dripping down the back of his neck.

"Now I understand why you were so nervous the last time I called you. Because you-" Kenneth slammed the office door shut with such force that the wall shook, "-let her go. And you lied to me about it."

Burton staggered back, trying to maintain space between himself and the enraged alpha before him. "N-Now, let's not exaggerate. I was just trying to buy some more time-"

"We had a fucking deal," Kenneth spat, jabbing his pointer finger in the other alpha's face, which had long since drained of color. "I keep your dirty little secret, and you give her to me once she comes of age. So... enlighten me, why in bloody hell is she engaged to that f*****g prince and carrying his bastard of a child?"

Burton's mouth opened and, again, failed to find the words. Something-anything-that might be able to justify his disastrous shortcomings.

"It would do you well- Kenneth warned, "to answer the questions I ask you."

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

"I swear to you-" Burton blurted out, "I did everything within my power to keep things perfect for you. I went twenty years without an incident, but...'

That stabbing darkness in Kenneth's eyes only intensified, and Burton found himself rambling to save the skin on his back. "M-My daughter, Sarah. It was her birthday, and I'd managed to convince Prince Xaden to come and meet her. She-She was turning eighteen and he was looking for a luna. It was supposed to be the perfect pairing, but Sarah... I-I don't know what got into her, but she decided to mess things up and sent Maeve to a-"

"By the Goddess," Kenneth muttered, leering down at the dark-haired alpha before him. "If you continue with this nonsense, I will tear out your tongue."

"I'm telling the truth, for fuck's sake-he was supposed to be here for Sarah, not Maeve. You must believe-"

"You" Kenneth growled, the sound rumbling deep within his chest as his eyes took on a sharp glint, "are in no position to tell me what I should and shouldn't believe. What I know to be true, without a single shred of doubt, is that my unique specimen now lies in the hands of the crown. Precisely where it was never meant to be."

He let out a humorless laugh, shoving his hand through his hair, further disheveling the silver locks. "I'm going to be fucking ruined. And it'll all be your fault."

All of a sudden, Burton's demeanor shifted. "No, it's not," he insisted. "She would not dare to expose the truth of what she is. After all, she knows nothing-only that she is illegitimate, and that in itself is a secret she will take to the grave."

"And you believe a little threat from Daddy is enough to silence her?" Kenneth jeered.

"Yes. I have ensured her discretion. No matter where she goes, and who she is with, she'd rather hide the truth than risk-" Kenneth scoffed. "You are a bigger fool than I made you out to be. For your information, they could barely keep their eyes off each other tonight. If he doesn't already know, he soon will... and, even so, it solves nothing-guarantees nothing. I want what I am owed, Burton. You will not weasel your way out of this."

"What am I supposed to do?" Burton all but shouted, drowning in utter helplessness. "Prince Xaden will not let me within a hundred miles of my own daughter, and if I so much as even look at her the wrong way, I will lose everything!"

Kenneth, however, was completely unfazed by his plight. "Yes, and one way or another, whether it is by my hand or royal intervention, you will get your comeuppance for failing me."

Burton set his jaw, steeling himself as best he could. "It doesn't matter anyway. The bloodline is useless," he spat out his confession, watching as Kenneth's face darkened. "For years, I've ran every test I could and ended up with nothing. Investing in her was a complete waste of our time. Let the crown have her."

"Well, test-her-again," Kenneth ordered. "If there is any time to test her, it is now-while she's "

"It's out of my hands," Burton quickly shut him down. "I cannot defy the crown's wishes. If you want her so much, you take her."

Kenneth's gaze leveled with Burton's. "Yes," he said coldly. "So it seems I have no choice but to pick up the slack. And since you've rendered yourself completely useless, I think it's about time I do what I should have done years ago."

Burton's eyes widened, his heart dropping with a thud. "Y-You cannot mean-"

Kenneth grinned, cruel and twisted. "Everyone will know the truth about Maeve's mother, and what you sought to do." His sharp teeth glinted in the lamplight like fangs, despite not being in his wolf form. "You can imagine how King Arlan will take that news."

In that split moment, Burton saw his life flash before his eyes. All of what should have been, and everything that he ended up becoming.

This couldn't be it.

This couldn't be the way Burton's legacy ended.

"What... what must I do?" he pleaded, close to collapsing to the ground at Kenneth's feet.

Kenneth stared down at him. "Arrange a meeting with your daughter on my behalf. If I am to fix this, I need to get as close to her as possible. If you cannot complete even this simple task, I will personally see to it that you are FINISHED."

His voice, loud and commanding and so very threatening, bounced off the mahogany walls and seeped through the cracks of that feeble office door. It floated through the air into the hallway outside where someone stood mere feet away, eavesdropping on the two alphas' conversation.

Victoria went still as she listened.

After taking a few minutes to smoke a cigarette outside, she had been on her way to clean up and prepare for what was meant to be yet another restless night.

That was, until she heard the commotion bursting from her husband's enclosed office.

So... he was involved in some sort of plot involving Maeve?

The thought almost made her scoff, but she quickly remembered where she was and shut her mouth to avoid detection.

More important than that, he was with an important guest. Someone sturdy, strong, and completely unshakable. Someone who knew how to command a room with his formidable nature, as well as with his charisma and charm.

He was not an alpha to be trifled with.

And he was someone she'd wanted to meet with for quite some time now.

Alpha Kenneth... she thought to herself, peering towards the office door with eager anticipation. One way or another, you will help me get my daughter back.