Bounded

12

Chapter Twelve

The decision for the King

-

Third Person’s Point of View

“There is something wrong with this.”

Clayton looked at the files presented before him. The folders all carry what he wanted to see, the added files about the incident were making things harder for him to compose themselves. It was easy to say that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and did not want to marry through the means of power.

Even still, not everyone carried the same views as him.

Many she-wolves wanted to be marked by a Hawthrone, and most especially—him. A number of ladies had already pre-registered about the reaping, a practice that would never happen in his reign. Clayton did everything he could for the realm, and his capability suited his job well. It was easy to say that the man does his job perfectly without a needed help from everyone—let alone any she-wolves who think that they could help him.

Even still, everyone was pressuring Clayton to marry.

It still makes sense when Clayton had already passed the age needed for a King to hold reaping. Not only that, but he was already four years late to marry. He is the first King to do this, which made the people all the more anxious to set possible reaping. Clayton continued to decline any preparation for the reaping, and he was clear about informing the council that he will found his mate.

“Do you think I should marry, Dad?” Clayton questioned his father, reading through the written report from the elder on the reasons why he should marry at his age.

“Of course, you should marry. You do not have the capacity to live on your own for the rest of your life—and your beast can’t always contain itself during your heat.” Blayze answered absentmindedly, looking through the reports with a clear mind.

While it was not his fault that Clayton’s question seemed vague enough, that did not stop Dyci from smacking him lightly in the head. Confused with the sudden violence of his wife, the man looked at his son. Clayton closed the folder, showing the seal of the council flagged over the thing.

Blayze looked at his son with a frown. He heard how many were pressuring the man to stop dreaming about a mate, but since he had taken the position, Clayton was always sure about having a mate. To see him slowly getting discouraged felt off. “That’s a decision that you can never have my advise.”

“Blayze, can you be more understanding of what is going through his mind?” Dyci sighed, slowly shaking her head through the words offered by her husband. “This is not some training that he could learn through experience. You are talking about his future. Not only his—but his future kids.” Clayton offered a look to his mother, asking for her input through this. At this point, both Dyci and Blayze knew that their son would only listen to them. “Clayton, this is something that is pressuring for you. I understand that. However, you needed to trust your aunt in this situation. Rush mentioned that you have a mate.”

But he’s old enough.

His father married at the right age and had found his mother at the right time. Clayton had heard about his mate when he was young, and he thought that he would find it a year before turning 21—or even in the same year that he had turned. Now, already a few years after that, she still wasn’t with him.

He was scared to visit his aunt, like asking her about his mate would alter his fate. Rush mentioned how the future is not always certain, and there are situations that which they could change. He never knew how dire things would change, and if his fate did change through the course of time.

Despite that, Clayton did not want to marry through power. He had heard stories of how the past Kings would hardly even tend to their wives. Having to be raised in a household where his parents fully respected each other and worked in synch, it was his dream to have his own mate.

He was not sure what was happening, but he hoped that there was a reason why he was still unaware of who his mate was. Many struggles had happened to his parents, and his mom suffered most of it. There was a situation where the Mistress of the Enchanted Forest was forced to reveal Dyci’s identity to a deranged she-wolf and was caught captured. To know that the current guardian of the Enchanted Forest is a family does seem reassuring.

He does not want the same thing to happen to his mate.

“We should head back before Somi’s guest arrived.” Dyci sighed, holding her temple. She could already feel that her husband needed more advice on how to properly talk to his own son.

Johnny bowed. “I am afraid that she had already in the palace, Your Highness.”

“What?” She frowned, surprised. “Why didn’t you tell us, Johnny?”

“I apologize. You were in an important meeting. I could never disrupt that issue with the fact that a human guest had arrived in the palace,” Johnny answered quickly.

Clayton only chuckled, not even surprised to hear that. Johnny is not one to see another issue as important as what they have been talking about. The whole issue about the reaping had been on Clayton’s shoulders—and everyone had been paying for it. Johnny is doing everything he could to help the Alpha King to fix it before everyone else dies in the palace walls.

“Do not fret so much, mother,” Clayton carefully muttered, fixing his table. “We have enough time to greet her.”

While it was true that they should not be this worried about meeting a human, Dyci had always been one who sees the importance of such things. Dyci feels bad for not giving the child the proper welcome that she deserved. She managed to change the life of Somi—and probably helped her in her future course in life. The last thing that Dyci could do is to personally welcome the child into their home.

For the Queen Mother, greeting the guest is nothing but basic decency. They may be some more time to see her and personally thank her for making their little Somi back to her happy shell, but it was a shame that she had missed the first chance offered to her.

She seemed to have forgotten who her family was.

“And this woman does not pose a threat?” Blayze asked the young Beta for what seemed like the hundredth time. He could not help himself but get worried, since this was the first person who was openly invited into the palace, and he would be forced to keep his control and instincts away when greeting her.

Johnny quickly replied to the words, assuring the man. “I am sure that she is not dangerous. From what I gathered, she had protected Somi through the party, and if I were not there to pose some scare to the men who tried to get close to her, she would have punched anyone who tried to touch her.”

“I like this friend,” Blayze answered, clearly amused.

All had chuckled while they were on a ride back to the palace. Even if they were used with the comfort of the carriage, they could not bring such type of transportation in the main street. It would raise nothing but suspicion to most humans who would spot them, so cars are needed for them.

“There had been a lot of humans gathering in this area.” Dyci smiled as she looked around. It was good to see that the town was gathering more tourists, which gave more opportunities for the locals to expand their job. “So, humans do gather in places that make them feel safe.”

Clayton was quick to agree. Never did humans venture in this place, as most Alpha Kings from before would have public executions every passing math. It was a huge pain in the ass making sure that the town felt safer, but he was proud to have attained it. Blayze had worked a ton in his years, but this was the most fruitful that the town had gathered.

Of course, both men were aware that Dyci was the one who needed much recognition. None of this would be possible without her help.

“Yes, mother,” Clayton answered. “Humans are frail beings, always gathering to those who are above them. In a way, you can say that there are like a goldfi—ouch!”

“Does not seem frail, does it?” His father grinned, calming his wife.

“Mother is anything but human.” Clayton sighed, feeling the sting to his shoulder.

In a way, he was not wrong about the idea of it. Humans lies in the same status as pups—even a tad lower than them. All of them are feeble, and could easily break. As the palace prospered and the place’s safety grew prosperous, humans began feeling comfortable in the area. The fact that people were visiting the area speaks just how well the werewolf realm was doing.

Goldfish... hmm.

It did not take long before they had reached the palace halls. While none of them could spot any knights through their vision, all could sense their presence hiding around the area. A frown settled on Clayton as he looked behind, already knowing that a storm was soon brewing.

“The weather doesn’t seem too good.” He mentioned, looking at Johnny. “Did Somi mention if her friend needed some ride home? We might need to keep staff to drive her home if she does.”

Johnny, unaware of the sudden change of schedule, shook his head. “I was made aware that she would be staying for the night. Somi prepared some activities for them.”

“In that case, have everyone back to their homes.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Blayze carefully helped his wife down the car, entering the house with their hands linked. Clayton needed more seconds to make sure that everything was just alright by the outside. His senses tried to scan for threats, whilst listening to reports as he did. Upon finding nothing to gather his interest, he slowly walked back to the house.

He had only waltzed inside the place before he stilled.

“Is anyone using any perfume?” He asked.

The omega who was helping him out from his coat shook her head. “No fragrances are allowed in the palace, Your Majesty. Not a single wolf would break any rules.”

Clayton frowned, nose scrunching. “Then why does the palace smell like this?”

“Maybe the Princess’s friend is wearing one?” asked another.

“Is everything alright, Clayton?”

Looking at his father, it seemed weird that he was the only one who could sense it. His father would be quick to distinguish a new scent if it was sprayed in the room. He had not seen anything, but the house smelled nothing but the same perfume his little sister has.

Did they run around with having such a strong scent?

“Please call them in the dining room, Johnny,” Dyci ordered, slowly walking through the kitchen to see through the menu for tonight. Her hands gently pulled on the small paper, checking what the chef had prepared. “I am sure that they are all famished.”

Clayton whipped his head back to look through the forest. With every passing second, it seemed like the weather was going crazy. It was rare for this to happen, so he reckon that his niece might be cleaning something in the forest. “We should be prepared. I don’t think that storm’s going to be an easy one.”

“We should.” Blayze agreed, eyes squinting on the view. “Maybe something happened.”

Whilst the three were discussing the possible disturbance that happened in the forest, Johnny had easily walked in the steps, following a distinctive scent than most. As the door opened, he quickly dodged the pillow thrown in him. He did not even look for the room as the laughter and screams were happening in the game room.

He had known these people enough to have expected something like that to happen. Not only that, but Fate is also someone who would think of something this childish. While he was happy that Somi found some friend, he was not thrilled to have another addition in the group who would always love to poke fun at him.

“Johnny, you’re finally back!” Maverick screamed with a smile. His hands throw up before inviting the man. “Come and play with us!”

He showed a small smile before bowing to the man. “I apologize, but your mother has summoned you all for dinner.”

Fate paled upon hearing the words, unaware they could come back so soon. Eyes looking at the large window, she finally took notice of how time had passed. Her small worries came back, now in full force as the worries who had plagued her before had come back. She was having some fun with the kids to remember that she was in the palace. With everyone walking out of the room, she was forced to walk through the halls with the strong scent of something delicious downstairs.

“You seem worried,” Somi whispered, nudging her friend slightly. Her hand slowly covered her mouth, already feeling the exhaustion of the day. She doesn’t really plan on joining them, but since her brothers were hogging her friend—she had no other choice but to.

Fate fiddled with her hands, slowly nodding through the accusation. “Well, I feel like I will have those dramatic scenes on the TV where they’re like, you don’t suit to be our daughter’s friend.”

“Don’t you have a large house? I am sure that you can not just buy massive houses without some dough, Fate.” Somi questioned.

Fate chuckled, holding her mouth.

She was caught there.

It was all excuse, as she hardly have anything to reply as to why she was nervous. Her fox felt relentless on the inside, and it was hard controlling her eyes not to shift back in the fox’s control.

“No one will bite you here. From what my brothers had shown you, we might have everything around here—but we’re just like every family out there.” She informed me.

Fate could sense how Somi wanted her to calm down, to see that there was no need to feel a burden to what is coming to her. Fate had been in her position from before, and she could now understand how that seemed more to add on the anxiousness that the other person feels inside. Somi’s continuous need to talk did seem to simmer down the animal, and it made Fate some room to breathe. Both of them were calming down, talking with nothing but things that made Fate comfortable when they reached the dining room.

Seeing the room's shade of hue was indeed calming, as everyone seemed at ease on the other side of the door. Maybe nothing will happen here. Fate continue to calm herself, making excuses that the kids were nice and sweethearts. There was no way that she would be shunned nor be disrespected in the household.

“You’re finally here.” A soft voice greeted me, making me first see the Queen Mother. Despite the age that had flown through her, she looked younger than what Fate had expected. She really did look like a woman who was meant to be a Queen. “We apologize for not greeting you when you arrived. Work had caught up to us.”

She hopes that it had taken them longer, though.

“Oh no, that’s alright!” Fate replied with a soft smile. “I understand that situation fully, and I enjoyed the time to even noticed the time.”

“That’s good.”

Without proper announcement, the other connecting door opened to reveal the two men who she was much more fearful to meet. Her breath hitched the second she had spotted someone. While she was not aware of his features, it was easy to know that it was the Alpha King.

His brown hair perfectly replicated his father’s, even those piercing blue eyes mimicked the King Father. She had heard many rumors about the man, and how many wanted to be his wife—or concubine, if he was willing. When she was surprised to see Maxwell, never would have thought that Clayton would be the one who would make her feel like a stupid woman.

“Good evening,” Clayton greeted her, offering his hand. She almost flinched, feeling her wolf react to the low voice.

She wasn’t sure if she was willing to accept the offer, despite knowing that it would seem disrespectful if she didn’t. Slowly gathering her control, Fate offered a smile and hold onto him.

For that split second, she was thankful that she had drunk a vial of inhibitor. The rush that spread in her hand upon only touching his seemed automatic. If she was in her perfectly healthy state—and not even slightly sedated, Fate was sure that her eyes would have flashed before the man.

“Mine,” He growls.

Fucking hell.

She should have known better than anyone that her grandmother would jinx something like this!