Conrad POV
One hour. I had to survive an entire hour with Cordelia. I felt safer walking into battle when I was in the military than facing this meeting.
I just kept thinking that I could have dinner with my girl afterward. It was the only thing I could think of to act as a reward for myself to survive this.
I get to afternoon tea and she is sitting at the table with a bunch of strange–looking food. I just walk up, take my seat and barely acknowledge her. I set a timer in my wristwatch so I don’t have to be here in a second more than needed.
“Alpha King. I’m so excited for our first date. I have some special orders that I’m sure will impress you“. She is way too excited for my liking.
I just growl at her. “This is not a date. I’m forced to be here“.
She is grabbing at my arm and moving her chair closer to try and get physical contact with me. I keep pushing her away. “Well you’re here now and it is just the two of us. As we know each other so well let’s skip all the small talk and go
straight to important relationship questions“.
57 minutes left. Goddess this is going to be torture. She just kept on talking despite the fact I wasn’t talking to her.
“Since I’m the obvious choice for Luna Queen and the other candidates are just a formality, I think it is important you know the type of lifestyle we will have and what I expect as your new Luna Queen. No more of this poor people’s food. I was brought up the right way so I have expensive caviar, champagne, duck pate, imported cheeses, and oysters“.
I just wanted some of Mary’s vanilla cake with jam and cream. I have had some of this stuff before and I don’t like most of it. Werewolves have a much higher metabolism so small expensive snacks are nothing over a proper meal. Honestly, it’s just a waste.
I drink two glasses of champagne to take the edge off. I’m not even talking and she is just droning on and on. 37 minutes left.
“I think it is important to have a very large Luna ceremony with no expense spared. I already have the dress I will wear picked out. It will be at least $200,000 as it has actual diamonds and moonstones on it so the entire event will be at least $3 million. We need to invite all the high–status wolves of course. I think it will also be expected that they need to bring a gift valued at at least $10,000 to show that they support me Luna Queen as deserve to be in our presence“.
24 minutes.
“Also we should have at least four children but you will need to hire a team of highly trained nannies to look after them while I look after you. I couldn’t possibly mother them while maintaining my role. Don’t you agree”.
“No“.
“That’s OK. You will change your mind“.
I’m not even listening to her conversation and have completely tuned out. My watch eventually alarms and I just sigh. “Oh
thank the Goddess“.
1/2
“Wait Alpha King. Because this went so well, we can have dinner together with my father“.
“Not a chance“. I yell back and run off.
I sprint through the house desperately trying to find my girl. I run straight into Lewana’s arms when I find her upstairs. She knows what just happened and just holds me. I feel like a child just needing comfort. I pick her up and take her to my living room so we can be alone. She lets me rest on her chest and listen to her heartbeat to ground myself until I feel
better.
Lewana just looks at me with a concerned look while she strokes my hair. “That bad huh“.
“That wolf is a delusion. She’s already planned her Luna ceremony and all four children“.
She just giggles at me. “How did the other ones go. They couldn’t have been worse“.
“I actually had a good time with Valerie so that was a surprise“.
She gets a grin on her face and starts teasing me. “Oh really. So she is my competition then“.
I just roll my eyes at her. “Valerie’s a lesbian. Her family made her come so I can make her straight“.
“Oh Goddess, seriously“. She seems really concerned.
“Don’t be worried moonlight. She was joking about it and said she is loving the free holiday“. I sit up and look at her as I’ve been worried about my other encounter. “Did you talk to Darlina. Was I right“.
Her face drops and she looks at me. “I did. She hasn’t been abused but she has been groomed. She’s the only girl out of all
her brothers and cousins. Alpha Angus has taken an interest in her upbringing and has been telling her from childhood that her way to honor the North and her family is by making a good wife to a powerful Alpha. She’s 14“.
“WHAT“. I look at her in disbelief hoping to see she is lying.
She takes my hand to try and calm me. “I checked with Willow who has been studying the rules of this. They technically didn’t break any. She turns 15 in a month and traditionally you and the Luna Queen would tour the packs for a time before the Luna ceremony. Unfortunately, there is no age of consent in the werewolf world so she was likely told she could
bear children as soon as she went into heat“.
This just absolutely sickens me. Nothing about any of this process should be in modern society.
“I’m going to eliminate her first. She should be exposed to as little of this as possible“.
“The issue with that is the other Alpha’s. If you reject her, Alpha Angus will show her off to other potential suitors as he has turned her into the perfect obedient mate. We will have to have a plan to prevent that before you reject her“.
