Conrad POV
I woke up in a better mood today. I have a date with Briana at morning tea, and then I have Lewana all to myself for the afternoon. Honestly more relieved that Cordelia is out of the way. I go through my suits and opt to go more casual today. Lewana doesn’t like all the fancy stuff either and I want to be ready for her.
I have breakfast in my room again as I am avoiding the pack kitchen like the plague as I know Cordelia is constantly looking for me. The Alphas are constantly trying to suck up also. It’s making the pack and the pack house feel very tense and uncomfortable to be in. Have to keep remembering to keep the peace and they will eventually start leaving.
After breakfast, I go to the balcony and see Briana waiting for me. She is a wolf in her mid–20s with dark blonde hair like Jace. She is just staring at the floor when I arrive which throws me off as the other candidates have been greeting me.
I look down at her with concern. “Are you OK“.
She looks up startled. “Yes. Perfectly fine Alpha King. I have been looking forward to our meeting“.
She is speaking too fast and looks around nervously. She is clearly hiding something and is uncomfortable.
I turn her chair so she is facing me and she just sits frozen in fear. I try to speak to her as gently as I can. “You don’t want to be here, do you“.
She starts nervously laughing. “Of course, I do. Why wouldn’t I want a chance to be with the Alpha King“.
I can see in her eyes that she is lying but decide not to press it. Darlina needs to be the first eliminated based on her age. Whatever is going on here will have to wait another week.
The meeting goes very strangely. She talks positively about herself but then explains why the other candidates will be better. Comments like “I would love children but can’t give you as many as Darlina“, or “I have a lot of knowledge, but probably not as much as Valerie“. She is clearly trying to make sure I don’t pick her.
In the end, I’m just confused. She clearly doesn’t want to be here but she didn’t deny it either. If all these she–wolves have been forced to come here then what the hell is going on in my Kingdom. Why do none of them have a choice? Have I really been that blind to she–wolves abuse?
I head to the kitchen for some lunch and see Mary in a state. When she sees me, she just looks at me frazzled holding back tears in her eyes. She quickly turns trying to hide her face.
“What’s wrong Mary“, I say very concerned.
“I can’t do it with all these wolves. They all have special requests and think I should cater to them because they are so important“. She is practically in tears.
I look at her a bit suspiciously as I only know one region to be like that. “Is this all wolves or just some”.
She just looks at the floor and lowers her voice. “I don’t want to talk badly about other Alpha’s. I will just handle it”.
I mind–link Liam to tell him someone made Mary cry. He literally races over and as he bursts into the kitchen he yells “WHO MADE MY MARY CRY“.
Chapter 20
Mary just runs crying into his arms for a hug and he just holds her for a minute. She composes herself and looks up at Liam. Through her sobs, she says “I’m OK really. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for my boys“.
Liam is upset at this. “Don’t think I won’t interrogate everyone here til I have answers. It will be easier if you just tell us“.
She looks over at me and I just give her reassurance. “You are part of my family Mary. Not just my pack but family. My job is to protect you and not worry about them“.
“It’s Alpha Anthony and his witch of a daughter“.
Both Liam and I growl together. “Cordelia“.
“She keeps saying I make poor people food and I am ruining everything for you. She was boasting down here this morning that you are talking about the children you want to have with her and that you planned her Luna ceremony. She said when she is my Luna Queen she will banish a useless fat old wolf like me. She also keeps saying I can’t cook with carbs, dairy, or
fats that aren’t avocados anymore. What kind of food is that for my boys“.
I just go over a hug her. She starts gently crying in my arms. After everything that Mary has done for me, I feel awful. I didn’t realize that by hiding in my room to keep the peace I was letting Cordelia and her father harass my staff and family. Worst than that, she was telling everyone I will pick her and my staff was probably just agreeing as they were worried about my decision or upsetting me. Probably why they aren’t reporting any issues.
I was going to have to face her as a problem rather than wait for her to leave like I normally do. I asked Mary to make Liam and I’s favorite lunch. She gets very excited at this and gets her freshly made bread, cooks some bacon, and gets her secret stash of cookies out. As soon as we are done I order her to only cook meals for myself, Liam, Lewana, and the
humans. Everyone else can eat the food provided by the other commercial kitchen.
