The Forbidden Mate of the Alpha King

Chapter 2 WELCOME HOME

　　ELIAS'S P.O.V

　　Nothing was more exciting for an Alpha's first-born heir than their 16th and 25th birthdays. Their 16th birthday was the day that they got their wolf. Then their 25th birthday was the day they took over their pack.

　　For me, my 25th birthday was just going to be another day because I took over my pack 9 years ago when I turned 16. My circumstances were different than most. And not because I was the King. But simply because my Kingdom was without a King for 14 years before I took the throne. My father Ezra, the King before me, was killed by a huntress witch when I was only two years old. Or so we all thought. Which had left the Kingdom in my mother's hands until I was old enough to receive my wolf and take over.

　　Since today was not significant for me like most Alphas, it was supposed to be like any other normal day. But what was considered a 'normal day' for a powerful King such as myself?

　　I sat across the table from a man who was undeniably my father. It was as if I were looking directly at my sister in a man's form, their resemblance was astonishing. His words kept replaying in my head. 'I'm home.'

　　"Where have you been the last 23 years?" I asked my supposed-to-be-dead father, allowing more vulnerability to shine through than I had planned.

　　How could he show up here, of all places, after all this time?

　　"Is this part of the questionnaire process to live in the town?" He asked while whispering more so to himself. "Alright, weird, but I guess I'll answer." He then looked up at me to speak again, thinking I didn't hear him. "After I woke up from my coma at some hospital in New Zealand. I waited around there for a little while. The hospital had said that my family would show up to claim me, but they never did. After a while, I got tired of waiting. I guess I grew restless, so I left. I then jumped around for the next 22 years. Lived in the UK for a bit then decided to give the US a chance. I was never able to settle down in one place for too long. It just never felt like home."

　　I was still in shock, did he coincidently find us after all these years, unknowingly?

　　They say that some wolves have survived the process of having their wolf extracted, but nobody has met a survivor. It was more commonly known that they died after losing their wolves. The process was supposed to be a form of punishment. A form of banishment that I wouldn't even want to wish on the devil himself.

　　"Wait, did you say the town?" Uriah asked when I was unable to form the right words to say.

　　"Ah, yes. I was told by a local that for anyone to reside within the town limits they'd have to apply for residency with either King Elias or his assistant, Uriah. Was I informed incorrectly?"

　　Uriah's eyes shot over to me before resting back on him.

　　"No, sorry. I must've misunderstood the situation at hand."

　　Hell, he and I both did apparently.

　　"I'm sorry, do either of you know me or something?" My father asked. Uriah's words finally registered in his mind.

　　'Imagine his hair as dark as yours, and twenty-plus years younger.'

　　Uriah looked back at me for advice on what he should do. My father was technically a human. And the only way the law allows a wolf to tell a human of our secret is if they were fated mates. But would he still be fated to my Mother after all these years? Their bond did technically break.

　　"You said you wanted to live in the local town?" I asked, changing the subject.

　　He was referring to the town I own. I own multiple acres of property as the King and there is a human town inside of my property. Some wolves chose to live there if they wanted to. However, they are forbidden to shift in town. To do that, they must go to the outskirts of the town, where my pack lands start.

　　"Yes, there is a rental house that I found online and I was interested."

　　Maybe this was fate bringing him back to us? He still doesn't remember his past, but maybe this was my chance to finally have him back.

　　"I'll get the paperwork started. It's yours."

　　"I saw the rent was $975 for the two-bedroom house. Is that correct?"

　　I of course didn't want to charge him, but it would be weird if I didn't. Right?

　　"That's what it's listed for," I said, agreeing.

　　"I don't have a job yet. But I figured once I settled in town, I could find one."

　　I sat there thinking it over for a moment before a brilliant, yet ignorant idea came to my mind.

　　"I have a position open that I think you would do well in." I then said

　　I don't know what I was thinking, inviting a human to be on my land. But he wasn't just any ole human, even if he didn't know that.

　　"You do?" Uriah asked while looking at me dumbfounded for breaking the royal wolf's rules for once.

　　"I do," I replied.

　　I had no idea what I was thinking. Was this too bold of me?

　　"You seem fit. How good are you at protecting people and driving?" I then asked him, ignoring all of the red flags that were waving in my head.

　　"I like to think that I am superb."

　　"Perfect. Would you like the job to be a bodyguard and driver for my Mother? She is a royal so an NDA and background check is required, of course. It also has the benefit of living here free of charge."

　　"It does?" Uriah and my father both asked together.

　　What the hell was I doing? It was one thing to allow non-wolf hybrids like Novalee and Zola to live here. But it was another to bring a normal human here.

　　'Are you sure this is a good idea, Alpha?' Uriah mind-linked me. But it was too late. It was already out there.

　　"It would be perfect until it is time for me to move on."

　　I doubt he will have any desire to leave once he meets my Mother. I bet that all these years he never felt at home anywhere because he wasn't. Now that he is, I pray he will stay.

　　"If you prefer to live off the property it will cost you the rent amount. Or you can live here free of charge since you would be on-call at all times."

　　"Hell, that's a deal I can hardly pass up, now isn't it?"

　　"Welcome home," I said standing to shake my father's hand for the first time.

　　The next thirty or so minutes we went through the application process and the NDA.

　　He may be my father, but he doesn't know that and he would be handling the former Queen. NDAs were given to all outside workers, to legally protect us in the human world as well.

　　After obtaining signatures, I escorted him off the property. Introducing Mother and him would have to wait for another day. So, I let him know that he would start Monday morning, that also being the date when he could move in. Until then, he will be placed at a local B&B, paid for. I couldn't have him here over the weekend. Tomorrow wasn't only my birthday but was a big night for many wolves.

　　Mother had insisted on hosting the mating ball here this year. She just so happened to choose my birthday of all days to host such an event. Clever woman. Always finding a reason to try and push she-wolves in my lap to marry.

　　I didn't need to marry, I was happy with how I was now. No strings. No attachments. I was doing just fine on my own. A mate was the last thing I needed right now. Especially now that I have a new problem at hand.

　　My father was alive after 23 years of being reported dead, and I hired him to be my mother's new bodyguard. Something that she hadn't had in ages. How was I supposed to explain to my grown-ass mom that she not only has to be 'protected' again, but it will also be by my father, her ex-mate, a man who doesn't even remember her?