Unknown P. O. V.
His patent leather shoes stomped through the snow, his breath freezing in the air as he exhaled. He pulled the doors open wide.
Immediately his eyes found her; her aging face, neck, and hands were coated in blood and her hair was stained with it.
Bodies littered the dirty floor around her.
“You’ve been busy,” he said, the decaying, coppery smell filling his nostrils.
Her eves narrowed as she stood up. “And you’re late.”
Evelyn’s P. O. V.
I hung out with Li that morning after Adam showered and left for a meeting. She had come up to the room, asking if I wanted breakfast delivered to me.
Instead, I suggested that she show me around.
I had only been through a quarter of the castle at that point. She showed me the kitchens-which there were three of-and informed me that they cooked over three hundred meals a day for the staff that worked in the castle. Nearly fifty people lived
there, but over two hundred made the commute from the village each day to work in the castle.
“Does your father live here?” I asked her.
She shook her head. “We commute every day. I’m just a lady-in-waiting for the Countess. He’s an advisor to the Alpha Superior and he leads the defense council, so sometimes he stays the night; he stays in the barracks when he does though.”
“There are barracks here?” I asked.
She nodded. “Of course. There’s a full-time security detail on staff. That’s where they stay.”
Next, we went into the grand ballroom, which was the very first room I went into the night I arrived. I had only seen it in the dead of night, but it was much prettier during the day when the sunlight was streaming in and bouncing off the crystals on the
chandeliers.
“Is this room ever used?” I asked.
Liu nodded. “Mostly just during the Centennials, when they’re hosted here.”
“The what?” I asked.
“Centennials,” she repeated. “There’s one coming up in a few weeks. They happen twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter.”
“What are they for?” I asked.
Liu shrugged. “Meetings mostly. The Alpha Superiors gather together for a week where they have day-long meetings and then there are galas, balls, and shows at night.”
“How many Alpha Superiors are there?”
“Four,” she answered. “There is one from Africa, based in Nigeria; another from Europe, based in Germany; and one from Asia, based in China.”
“What about the other four continents?”
“Well, they kind of split Antartica between them because there isn’t any pack presence there. But the other three belong to our Alpha Superior, your mate.”
“So, he’s over North and South America, as well as Australia?” I asked. “That’s a lot of people.”
She nodded. “It used to be that Australia was its own republic as well, but they were invaded almost a hundred years ago and were brought under the Devereaux Dynasty.”
“Adam’s dad invaded Australia?”
She shook her head. “No, that was Adam.”
I stopped walking and looked at her. “Why on earth did he invade the country?”
Liu laughed. “To gain more territory. From the stories I’ve heard, he was quite the Alexander the Great up until a few years ago. A lot of people suspect he’s going to try and take over Europe next. That’s why the Winter Centennial is being held here this year.”
“I don’t understand why Adam wouldn’t let Europeans rule over Europe,” I commented.
Liu shrugged. “More territory is more power. His dad was the one who established this pack here in Canada, and as it grew, it became the central North American stronghold. Before he gave up his title and returned to Brighton, he took over South America. After that, Adam did the rest.”
“Why did he give up his title?” I asked.
“Well, that’s just the polite way of putting it,” Liu laughed. “Rumor has it, his rule was overthrown by Adam and after Adam’s mother died, his father just couldn’t fight him anymore so he gave him the title.”
And I thought I had family problems.
Liu continued. “I think we’ll get Europe, though. The Alpha Superior always gets what he wants, according to my dad.”
I shook my head. ” just don’t see Adam being the ruthless, overthrowing type.”
“He’s not as nice to the rest of the world as he is to you,” Liu said. lowering her voice. “My dad said in the old country they called him the Chinese equivalent of fire because of the way he was
taking over the world. But, after he took over Australia, they stopped.”
“Why?”
“Because water will douse a flame, but even the ocean between the countries couldn’t stop him from burning that entire continent with his fire.”
Well, that’s a bit freaky.
“How does he manage running a pack all the way across the world?” I asked.
“Beta Superior Eaton does most of it,” she said. “His father was the ruler over Australia, and Alpha Superior Devereaux used the Beta to help overthrow his own father with promise of a title.”
Damn, these are some ruthless people.
“Oh well,” she said. “They’re probably going to start decorating this room next week for the Gala of Arrival, which is the eve of the Centennial. It will look really pretty once they’ve put all the
flowers out.”
With that comment, she led me out of the ballroom, my mind still stuck on the newly-exposed ruthlessness of my mate.
“Next we have what I like to call the West Wing,” she said.
We walked through a set of doors guarded by two burly men and into an office space. I recognized it instantly.
“Why do you call it the West Wing?” I asked.
“You know how the President of the United States’ Office is in the West Wing of the White House? Well, this is where our Alpha Superior’s study is. We’ve got the communications department,” she said waving at a few people in desks in a room on one side of the hallway.
“They cover all kinds of communications between republics. They’re probably extremely busy with the Centennial coming up.”
We walked further down the hallway and she showed me more rooms filled with more people of more departments.
“This is ridiculous,” I said, my head swarming with all the new information.
She laughed. “You’ll memorize it soon enough.”
We walked a little further down a hallway I knew immediately.
“And this is the office of the Alpha Superior.”
I smiled. “I know.”
“Want to stop in and say hello?” She asked.
I nodded and began to lead her down the hallway. The guards eyed Liu warily, but opened the doors for us, nonetheless. We walked down the left side of the hallway into Adam’s office where I saw Adam standing at his desk, alongside a man dressed in a commanding general’s attire. In front of them stood Jace and a boy about my age.
They all turned to look at Liu and I.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “Am I interrupting? We can come back later…”
The boy’s eyes got wide when he saw me and he dropped to one knee, bowing his head. “Your majesty! It’s great to meet you!”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” I said awkwardly.
Jace pulled him up by his arm. “Get up.”
“Okay, Okay… you’re a very scary man,” the boy muttered.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Um, I’m Tyler. It’s nice to meet you,” he said smiling.
“You said that already,” Li said, rolling her eyes.
“Tyler, here, has been sent by the European Committee of Lycanthropes to assist us in preparing for the Centennial. Isn’t that nice?” Adam asked, faking sincerity.
Tyler gave me an awkward, tight-lipped smile as Adam said this.
“What do you do?” I asked.
“Um… I just-like, you know, help set up decorations and… stuff,” he stuttered, laughing nervously.
“He won’t be staying,” Adam said firmly.
Tyler’s eyes went wide. “No, really! I can help blow up balloons… I’ve got very good lung capacity. I can even make balloon animals,” he said confidently.
“Have you ever been to a Centennial gala?” Jace asked. “There are no balloons…”
Tyler gulped hard as Jace was talking to him. “You’re very tall,” he muttered.
“You’ll leave in the morning,” Adam said firmly. “For now, Ms. Wanshan will accompany you to the barracks where you’ll stay the night.”
Liu walked around me and motioned for Tyler to follow her. His shoulders slumped and he dragged his feet across the floor as he followed her out of the room.
“Put a shadow on him,” Adam said to Jace. “Make sure he doesn’t try to send out any kind of communication tonight.”
Jace nodded and left the room.
“General Wanshan, can your Luna and I have the room, please?” Adam asked.
So that’s Liu’s dad…
He gathered a few papers off the desk and nodded at me in acknowledgment as he walked around me to leave. Adam’s arms uncrossed as I began to walk over to him.
“What was that all about?” I asked.
Adam approached me, taking my hands in his. “Nothing for you to worry about, love. I don’t like to mix politics and pleasure.”
My eyebrow cocked. “Is that what I am to you? Pleasure?”
Adam cleared his throat and laughed nervously. “That’s not what I meant..
“Then tell me what you meant,” I said pulling my hands out of his grasp.
Adam sighed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
I crossed my arms and waited expectantly.
“Tyler is here, not to help blow up balloons, but to spy on us,” Adam explained.
“You’re changing the subject,” I pointed out.
“No, I’m answering your first question,” he said.
“Why would he be here to spy on us?” I asked.
Adam took a deep breath. “Well, we’re not really allies with the European republic. They have suspicions that we’re going to try to negotiate a merging agreement between our packs at the Centennial and they sent Tyler to figure that out.”
“He weighs like a hundred pounds soaking wet, I don’t know why you see him as a threat,” I laughed.
Adam smiled at this.
“I think if you send him back, it will reflect bad faith on your part and all their suspicions will be affirmed,” I continued.
“If you’re going to take Europe, you might as well let him stay and just don’t give him any information. That way, when they get here, they’ll be none the wiser and you can do like a surprise attack.”
Surprise attack?
Really?
That’s the best you could come up with.
Adam hummed. “Smart plan.”
I shrugged. “I’m the beauty and the brains.”
He laughed. “Indeed you are.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about the Centennial earlier?” I asked.
“Liu just told me about it a few minutes ago.”
Adam sighed. “I’d forgotten about it honestly with everything that’s been going on this week. Plus, I’ve been too busy kissing you to tell you much of anything.”
I felt my cheeks blush. “Right…”
“Speaking of…” Adam said, beginning to walk towards me.
“No way, you have work to be doing,” I said, backing away.
Adam smiled, biting his lip.
“I’m serious!” I laughed.
I felt myself run into his desk and with no where else to go, Adam bent down and lifted me by the back of my thighs onto the desk.
“Someone is going to walk in here,” I said as his hands slid up my thighs.
“I don’t care,” he whispered.
As his lips met mine, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, tangling my hands in his hair. His hands slid under my shirt and I gasped at the cold touch.
With the gasp, his tongue slipped past my parted lips and the taste of his mouth invaded mine. I sighed, feeling the explosion of senses. My fingers gripped his hair as I pulled him in closer.
His hands pressed against my stomach, pushing my back down onto the desk. My heart started to race as the kiss deepened.
“You should be working.”
I broke the kiss and sat up immediately hearing her voice. Victoria stood in the doorway, looking less than amused.
“What are you doing in here?” Adam asked angrily.
I grabbed his wrists and pulled his hands out from under my shirt. Adjusting the hem of my shirt, I was trying my hardest not to look as flustered as I was.
“Just making sure you’re doing your job,” she said, eyeing me.
I licked my lips and ran a hand through my hair.
“Get out,” Adam growled.
I put a hand on his chest and hopped down from the desk.
“No, I’ll go. I’ll let you get back to your work.” I said.
I walked away, feeling Victoria’s glare on my back the entire way towards the door. I took a deep breath as I exited the office and began to walk back to the room.
“Evelyn.”
I turned to see Victoria walking behind me.
“What?” I asked, shoving my clenched fists into my pockets.
Her eyes narrowed. “You won’t be here for very much longer, so don’t get comfortable.”
I smiled. “Funny… I could say the same to you.”
With that, I turned and walked away.
My blood was boiling. I wanted to give that woman a piece of my mind… and my fist.
Who was she to judge?
One thing was for certain, I didn’t plan on going anywhere, anytime soon. I had just gotten out of the shower when Adam returned to the room that night.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said.
I shrugged as I sat down on the couch with a book I had borrowed from Xavier a few days earlier.
“It’s fine, I know she annoys you as much as she annoys me.”
Adam came over to stand in front of me and took the book from my hands. He placed his hands on either side of my thighs as he knelt down.
“I wasn’t talking about Victoria, love.”
I gave him a funny look.
Adam sighed. “God, I’m not good at this…”
“What?” I asked.
He laughed nervously. “I’m apologizing for referring to you as pleasure.”
I took a deep breath.
“Hear me out.” he said. “I’m used to this being a one-man show and… I need to accept that it’s not any longer. You are not ornamental or merely here for my pleasure. You are here to help run a pack-to be a Luna-and it’s time I started treating you as such.”
Adam grabbed my hands. “Can you forgive me?”
I gave him a long hard look and smiled. “I guess so.”
He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. After pecking my lips he laid his forehead against mine.
“I’d like you to plan the Centennial,” he whispered.
“Are you sure?” I asked him, looking into his eyes.
He smiled. “Yes.”
Adam kissed me deeply before pulling away and standing up. “I need to shower,” he sighed.
I stood up as well. “I’m gunna go lay in bed.”
“Sounds promising,” he said, winking at me while unbuttoning his shirt.
I laughed. “I meant to sleep,” I clarified.
“Sure.
As he went into the bathroom to shower, I pulled the pillows from the bed and pulled back the covers.
Adam soon joined me in the bed, gently running his fingers along my back, lulling me to sleep.
Waking up the next morning, I found myself face to face with Adam’s muscular chest, my legs tangled around his. A knock sounded on the door, waking him up as well.
He sighed and gave me a half-awake smile.
The knock sounded again and he groaned. Pulling himself out of the bed, he made his way over to the door and opened it.
“Dad?”
“Hello, son.”
Hearing this, I sat up quickly. I made eye contact with the older man standing in front of Adam.
“And you must be Evelyn.”