Matters of the Heart: King Xavier and Flora

Chapter Three:

King Xavier’s POV:

The closer we are getting to Dark Moon, the more Sylus is pacing up and down in my mind and howling. This is such strange behavior for my usually calm and poised wolf, but I put it down to the fact that we haven’t been back to this side of the Kingdom since SHE was around. We have both felt uneasy about this side of the Kingdom ever since everything happened.

“Sylus quit the pacing. You’re making me feel ill.” I tell my wolf. This doesn’t really help the strange feeling, but he decides to lie down so I don’t crash the car along the way. Thank Goddess!

I take a right turn off the road and we enter onto a dust road going through the thick forest. In the distance, I can see the rolling, green hills and the blooms popping up in between bushes. I forgot how beautiful the landscape is here. My kingdom really is beautiful. We carry on driving for about thirty minutes and eventually there is one more right turn and we enter through the boundary of Dark Moon Pack. I can hear the howls of wolves outside the car who have acknowledged the presence of their king and I smile. Seeing the wolves run around freely makes me miss pack life. The freedom and exhilaration of running around as a wolf is the complete opposite of how calm, collected and together with my wolf and I constantly need to be. I drive a little further and the packhouse, which is seated right underneath the green mountain, finally comes into view. The pack warriors slow their pace as my black SUV slows in the parking space.

“Well, let us go then Sam.” I remark as I open my car door. I look around a bit confused. Where the hell is everyone?

I am not one for big welcomes or anything, but where is everyone? It is just common decency to welcome guests at a pack, never mind your king! Sam and I shrug our soldiers and we start walking to the packhouse. I knock a few times on the door awkwardly and wait. I look around, noticing the pack lands are really silent.

“Sam, did you inform Alpha Richard of our meeting?” I ask looking through the packhouse window.

“Alpha Xavier, I sent out the emails and even got a confirmation response from him. He did say his son would be ready to meet with us and was aware of the reasons for our visit. Maybe we should just let ourselves in and see if we can find someone?” Sam motions to the door. Sam begins fiddling with the door handle.

I enter and immediately smell lunch baking in the oven. Lasagna, my favorite and garlic rolls perhaps? I continue to look around confused by the lack of welcome. The packhouse itself is very quaint and pretty. I begin looking around the house while Sam speaks to one of the Omega’s in the kitchen. I notice some photos on a wall of different people. I recognize Alpha Richard and his Luna. I presume the pup next to him, with the smug face, is his son. I continue scanning over the other photos and notice a few other people. One of the photos has a she-wolf laughing into the camera, with flowers in her hair and bright red earrings on. I gulp at how beautiful she is. I wonder who she is?

“King Xavier, please follow me to the office for your meeting. I will bring beverages for you and Beta Sam shortly.” A short Omega bows and motions for me to follow her up the stairs towards the office. She opens the door and motions for us to sit down before she comes back with some beverages.

This is such a bizarre way to start a visit at a pack. Even Sam seems on edge and unsure. Is this pack guilty? Were they all in on the laundering? What are we getting ourselves into? It is the absolute protocol to welcome guests and here we are sitting in their office without a single word.

Just then, my thoughts are interrupted as I feel someone outside the office door. My wolf’s ears perked up and he began his pacing again. Not this again!

“Xavier, I think it’s our…” Sylus begins in my mind. I shut him off before he says anything.

“Sylus, do not even dare finish that sentence!” I shout back at him and he growls at me.

The most breathtaking woman enters through the door smelling like freshly baked brownies. Her golden, blonde hair falls in natural waves down her round and well-developed bosom. My eyes scan down her short, curvaceous, toned physique and I feel Sylus coming to the surface, but I refuse to let him. Her happiness and a sense of relief are oozing from her stare. I wonder why she is relieved? It takes me a few seconds to register that she is the same she-wolf from the photo.

“Go to mate Xavier, look at how she loves us!” Sylus whines in my mind.

I almost return the smile she is giving me, but a bubbling fear and anger rise inside me instead.

No! No! No! She is lying to us Sylus! She is using magic! She is not our mate! I refuse to allow some she-wolf to trick me and humiliate me again! I refuse her! These she-wolves disgust me!

Sylus growls and whines in pain, but I cannot allow myself to go through this embarrassment again. I need to be the King this Kingdom deserves and needs. Against my wolf, I turn around and stare at the wall in front of me. I can hear Sam asking me what’s going on in mind link and I can feel his stare on me, but I will not answer to anybody. I am the king, not a joke!

The door opens and a young Alpha walks in, “ Ah, King Xavier, welcome to dark Moon. I’m glad Beta Flora was here to welcome you.” He says, before walking to the other side of the table to face me. I can smell the strong scent of booze reeking off of him.

I feel a slight pull when he says her name. Flora. How I just want to take her and…. No! This isn’t real, I tell myself. This is just a trick. It’s magic. Trust this to happen at Dark Moon! The pack is an absolute curse to me! I feel the anger bubbling up in me thinking about HER.

“ Young Alpha, let me get straight to the point. Nobody was there to greet us. I am your King, not some lowly wolf coming for a chit-chat. You reek of alcohol, which is absolutely unacceptable. Your father would be disappointed in how you have conducted yourself and I am concerned for the future of this pack.” I say looking at the young Alpha dead in the eye. He winces and looks down, submitting to my wolf.

“Even your young Beta was late to welcome us!” I reprimand. I can feel her stare burning the side of my face and my wolf is scratching at me to pay attention to our mate, but I will not because I know the truth. She isn’t my mate. I will ignore her until she realizes that her game will not work.

“This is how things are going to work while I am here. Your pack is under investigation. Someone in this pack has stolen over 20 million dollars from me in the past three years and this person is lurking somewhere in this boundary. As of right now, nobody is allowed out of the boundary without me or my Beta’s permission. We will have access to all files, documents and telecommunications of the pack. We will be interviewing every member of your pack until we find the person who stole this money, do you understand me?” I continue my stare at the young Alpha.

“Yes, Alpha.” He all but whispers back.

“M-may I a-ask w-what will b-become of the p-person who is found g-guilty?” the young alpha asks.

What a strange question, my wolf perks up. I can sense the unease rolling off of him. Before I can answer, Flora, interjects.

“Future Alpha Luke, that is not of our concern. The King has had money stolen from him and we need to find out who has done this as a matter of urgency! Once we find them, we can hand them over and Dark Moon will have its reputation back.” She excerpts.

Her voice is gentle, yet assertive. Melodic, but husky. I feel Sylus purring in my mind at her show of dominance towards to young alpha.

“Thank you, Beta Flora. I am Sam by the way. I am the royal Beta for King Xavier. It’s a pleasure to meet you and I hope you will be joining us in the investigations? We could use someone who knows the pack.” Sam adds.

Sylus growls at the kindness Sam is showing to his so-called mate. I roll my eyes at my blind wolf.

“That is not necessary Sam. We do not need another female from Dark Moon to meddle in my business and life.” I say flatly whilst staring at Flora blankly.

I feel a slight pang in my chest, but I ignore it because it is only magic tricking me. I can see that behind her confident visage is a broken woman begging for acceptance. The stupid she-wolf, so desperate for attention that she will use magic. I will show her a game if she wants one.

“You stupid human, look at her eyes. She is telling the truth. I can feel her wolf, Xavier. Giver her a chance!” Sylus begs, but I ignore his bothersome pleas. Must be strong magic for a king and alpha wolf to resort to begging! Sylus growls at this and is about to say something, but I cut him off quickly.

“Shall we go have lunch then?” I ask and everyone nods before exiting the office.

As I walk past the door my finger brushes against Flora and I feel the all too familiar tingles and my mind takes me back to HER.

(Flashback)

It is my 18th birthday and I know when I walk out the door I am going to be swarmed with gifts, hugs and happy faces. All of this brings me joy, but nothing compares to the absolute happiness I get when I think about meeting my mate soon.

“We will love mate forever,” my wolf hums to me.

Yes, we will love her forever. I have waited 18 years to fall in love. I have dedicated my whole youth to training, learning and shadowing my father, the current Alpha King. I have never touched or looked at anybody because I wanted everything to be dedicated to my Goddess-given mate. I have given everything that I have to become the best king, alpha and more importantly mate and now the time has come.

I jump out of bed and get ready for the day ahead. I zone out a bit while I pick a shirt when I hear the door slowly open behind me. It wasn’t s strong smell, but it was there as I sniffed the air. The smell of Lavender. I knew what this meant, although I did think it was going to be a bit more obvious.

“Mate?” my wolf asks me and perks up its ears.

Just then, I see her walking towards me. Sarah of Dark Moon Pack. She was here on holiday with her parents who do some financial work for my father.

“Hello mate,” she smiles at me and c***s her head to the side.

I grabbed her hand and felt the ever-so-slight tingles. My mom always spoke about the tingles. Just then, Sarah grabbed my waist and pulled her lips onto mine in what was my first kiss.

“Not bad for a first kiss Xavier,” my wolf says. He sounds happy, but also overwhelmed, maybe even confused?

I thought finding your mate is like sunshine’s, rainbows and all that stuff the she-wolves always speak about? Did I make it more than it was? Maybe I overemphasized this whole mate thing? I was expecting groundbreaking things.

“Sarah, is the scent and the tingles also faint for you?” I look into her eyes and search for answers. She closes her eyes and leans against my chest.

“I know they are my Xavier, but please don’t reject me. I have waited my whole life for a mate. I have waited my whole life for you! I know I am only an omega and maybe this is why the bond is there, but weak? I am sure once we have marked and mated it will be stronger.” She whispers against me.

Her words make me feel guilty. Here I was, judging my Goddess-given mate. Just minutes ago I was wishing for her and now she is in front of me and I am doubting the bond. I could never reject my mate. Omega or not. Strong bond or not. She needs me and I need her. Sylus quietly agrees with me.

“I could never reject my mate, Sarah.” I say, before lifting her up into my arms and smashing my lips against her again.

(End of Flashback)

The memory of HER makes my insides turn.

“The tingles and scent with Flora are stronger than Sarah, Xavier.” Sylus growls out.

I shake my head. Strong or not, I will not be tricked into a fake mate bond ever again Sylus.

With this, I take off to the dining room. Time to enjoy my lunch.