A One Night Stand With The Alpha Kings

Eliza Seven Years Old “This place is amazing!” With a smile on my face, I wander through the pet store. My eyes widen at every pretty animal I see. I wish I could take all of them home, but our place isn’t very big. My mommy and I didn’t get to inherit daddy’s money, so after his death, granny threw us out on the street. We live at a shelter for werewolves without homes now. “Eliza...” my mommy sighs behind me. “Don’t look at the dogs. Those are too expensive. I know it’s your birthday, but you should choose something... less expensive.” “Alright…” I say, and walk further ahead. The walls are lined with tanks and cages, full of exotic creatures of unusual shapes and sizes. I marvel at their beauty and the wide array of colors, making my mommy laugh. “Eliza, the things you find intriguing... that one is a little too dangerous, I’m afraid.” My mommy shakes her head at me as I stare inside the tank of a flying spider. “Really?” “Yes, please pick another one,” she smiles. “We can get you a dog when you get older, but today, I was thinking of something more like a fish.” “A fish?!” I pout at her. “But those are boring!” “Eliza...” my mommy warns. I sigh at her. “Fine... I will pick a goldfish...” But I’m not happy about it. Goldfish are so boring. Why can’t I get a funny animal? Like a horse? An elephant? Granny has lots of money! But... I guess she doesn’t want to share it with us, even if I’m the legiti-something heir to the moon throne. Whatever—I don’t understand. I just want a pet! I skim over the fish tanks and the other animals, stopping when my eyes catch something peculiar. In the corner of the store, I find something unexpected—a small merman swimming back and forth with its bright orange and white tail. He isn’t bigger than a goldfish, and his scales shimmer like diamonds. Gorgeous. He has big orange dots on his otherwise white body. Every color on him is bright, except for his brown hair. It’s short and neat—just like my blonde hair! A big smile spreads over my lips. The sign says, “Koi merman,” and I place my hands against the glass. The merman doesn’t look at me at first, but when I lower myself, his eyes travel to mine and grow huge. Immediately, he swims to the far end of the tank in terror. He must be frightened since I'm so much bigger than him, but I shake my head, hoping he will understand I don't wish to harm him. “No, no! I’m not dangerous! Please don’t be scared! I’m not going to hurt you, little one!” The merman looks at me in suspicion, and I giggle. “I’m really not!” He still doesn't look convinced. I hand him a big smile. “You’re pretty. I like your tattoos—how did you get those? Are they magical?” The merman has a big tattoo of a water dragon on his back, and then there are tattoos on his left arm too. “I like the dragon on your back.” The merman seems to blush. He doesn’t speak or even attempt to communicate, though, and I giggle when I realize he must be shy. And even though it says "merman" on his tank, he looks to be around my age. “That’s okay... you don’t have to respond,” I press my nose against the glass, speaking against it. “My name is Eliza. Nice to meet you.” The merman tilts his head, stares at me, and then he smiles back. He hesitantly swims to the glass of the tank, pressing his small hands to it as if wanting to touch me. His eyes look almost human and very intelligent. Why do they keep him in a tank? I can’t help but feel sad for him. He looks like a person and shouldn’t be locked up in a tank like a pet. He belongs somewhere else—somewhere with people who care about him! Where is his family? “Mommy! Look!” I shout and turn around. “Look! Look!” My mommy looks over at the merman and grimaces. “Oh, Eliza… I think he’s a little too big for us to keep.” “Big?” I furrow my eyebrows, glancing back at the merman. “But he is tiny!” “Mermen grow really fast, Eliza. That one isn’t meant to be kept in a tiny aquarium.” “He can’t come with us?” I can feel my heart breaking, and I look up at my mommy with tears in my eyes. “But look at him, mommy! He is like us—he doesn’t have a home!” My mommy sighs, her gaze softening. Ever since daddy died, mommy has been sad—just like me. We don’t have a home, and we don’t have money. We are broke, but the shelter is a better home than the pet store! I have to convince my mommy to buy the merman! We can't just leave him here! “He won’t grow that fast...” I say, and look back at the merman. He nods his head as if agreeing, and I laugh. “See! He agrees with me! Isn't he lovely? He is just a boy and doesn't have a family.” My mommy snorts in amusement. “Alright, honey...” she pats my head. “We will take him home. But you have to take care of him and make sure he is well taken care of. Do you understand?” I nod and smile at her. I’m so excited right now, and I will be the BEST caretaker of the merman. I will give him a home and teach him everything I can! I can hardly wait and rush to the counter to ask for the merman. The store clerk looks at me oddly, as if he is confused as to why I would want the merman. But after DRAGGING my mommy there, the store clerk FINALLY puts my new friend in a bag. The amount of respect in this place is questionable, but whatever—the merman is mine! I thank the store clerk and quickly run out of the store. The bag is filled with water, and the merman is tucked safely into my chest. I can’t wait to bring him home! We already have an old aquarium at the shelter, but mommy bought food. Then, once we are home, I carefully take out the merman with a gentle hand. “Here you go,” I whisper, and release his tiny little body into the tank. “This is your new home.” The merman looks uncertain at first, then he smiles and explores his new tank. He is happy, which makes me happy. He is also super cute and colorful, and all my friends will be jealous when I tell them about my new merman friend! “This is the best birthday ever!” My mommy places a hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad that you’re happy... he is a beautiful creature, isn’t he?” I nod, smiling even brighter. “He is, mommy. I’m glad he has a home now.” My mommy kisses me on the forehead. “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.” “I’m going to name him Kai.” “Kai?” My mommy snorts. “Oh my god, because he is a koi fish?” I grin up at her. “Yes!” There is another sigh, but this time, she laughs. “Alright, Kai it is. It’s a great name.” My chest fills with pride. “I think so too. It’s a fitting name for royalty because when granny lets us move into the castle, we will all be royalty—Kai too!” “Kai too?” My mommy averts her eyes. “Oh, Eliza…” she sighs for the billionth time. “I’m sorry, honey, but I don’t think granny will ever let us move into the castle. She never accepted me, a low-rank omega, as daddy’s mate, and that’s why she won’t let you inherit the throne—” “Juliana!” We both turn around when Kayla enters the room. She is a nice old lady, calm, but now she is running up to us. “What are you doing here? You need to flee! Now! Take your stuff and leave!” “What are you talking about?” My mommy asks. “The new queen... your mother-in-law, she... she has carried out an order to have Eliza murdered upon sight and then have the body brought to her! You need to leave—now! Hurry!” My mommy gasps. “Oh no...” she looks down at me. “Eliza, why don’t you go to your room and pack a bag filled with clothes? Take everything you might need. We prepared for this—do you remember that, honey? When we packed only the necessities?” “Yes!” I head for my room. “I will pack only the necessities and Kai too.” “We can’t bring the merman with us.” I stop in my tracks. “What?! But I... I just got him! He is my friend and he is part of the family!” My mommy hesitates. “Maybe you should... free him? There is a river that leads out into the sea, and he is a magical being—he will survive.” I’m hesitant about this. “Do you promise?” I’m given a nod, and then, when I’m still hesitant, my mom hunches before me and holds up her pinkie finger. “Pinkie promise.” I smile and curl my finger with hers. “Pinkie promise!” Later that day, we are standing beside the river, our backpacks filled with the necessities. I look down at Kai, who is in the palm of my cupped hands. “Bye, Kai,” I whisper softly. “I will miss you. Our time together was short, but the river is better than the pet store.” Kai grabs one of my thumbs, hugging it tightly. It brings me to tears. He is so tiny, and I'm afraid something will harm him or eat him after I release him. “How will he survive?" I sob. “He is so tiny!" My mommy crouches beside me and smiles affectionately. “He will be alright—he is a magical being; he can take care of himself.” She places a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Let’s free him so he can go back to the sea through the river.” I nod hesitantly and bend down slowly to release the little merman into the river. Once he is in the water, he looks up at me with his big, wide eyes. I stare down at him, watching him swim a lap around my naked feet before quickly darting away down the stream. It takes all of my inner strength not to burst into tears right there and then. "He was my only friend..." I sob. “You’re strong, Eliza,” my mommy says. “And Kai will be fine—” suddenly, she growls and turns around with cold eyes, glaring into the bushes. “Who is there?!” There is no answer. “If you don’t come out—” A loud shot fills the air, and I scream in terror when my mommy falls into the river. Blood swirls around her body, the water a flurry of bubbles. I stare down at her body, unsure of what to do. I’m too shocked to cry. Too shocked to move. “Mommy...?” I hear rustling in the bushes and scream once I see a man I don’t recognize aiming their gun at me. He is a werewolf, probably one of granny’s guards, and I stand still. I think I’m about to die, but suddenly there is a snarl, and I witness a large gray wolf jump over the man—Kayla! Kayla is tall and muscled, her sleek fur and wolfish body a sharp contrast to her human form. I’m so happy to see her! Relief bubbles up within me as I watch her change back into a human after killing the man who shot mommy. “Eliza!” She says. “It’s not safe here,” she runs up to me, and places her hands on my shoulders. Worried eyes search my face, and then she winces upon seeing my mommy dead in the water. But her determination quickly returns when she looks back at me. “We have to go. Your granny wants you dead and we have to leave the country. I will shape-shift back into a wolf, and you will ride on my back, okay?” I nod shakily and allow Kayla to help me onto her back. She then takes off running, faster than I could have ever imagined. The forest blurs past us as we make our way toward the coast, where a boat awaits us. When we arrive, Kayla helps me onto the boat and nods towards the captain. He visibly relaxes when he sees that we are both safe, having heard of the attack. “I take it this little one is the moon princess, then? The legitimate heir to the Arcadian throne?” He asks. Kayla nods, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Yes, Eliza is the legitimate heir and our only hope of Gloria’s tyranny coming to an end,” she looks at me, smiling. “Once you are older, Eliza, you will have to fight for what is rightfully yours.”