Chapter 46: Don’t Be a Nuisance, Alaina
Theo and Alaina stood in front of the main house to welcome the guests at a little past nine. They were early—too early. Even if the entirety of the journey was in their wolf forms, they still needed at least a few hours to make it to Verlassen.
Alaina was standing next to Theo as they welcomed them. A few feet away from them were three huge wolves. The middle one was significantly taller than the others, with a light reddish coat and sharp chartreuse eyes.
It was pretty obvious he was the Alpha. Without saying or doing anything, he dominated the space and the two behind followed his orders. One of them had a bag strapped to his back while the other looked ready to attack.
"Welcome to Verlassen, Alpha," Theo and Alaina said in unison.
"I will show you to your rooms," she added.
His chartreuse eyes seemed to constrict as he stared unnecessarily hard at her. She felt sweat break out on her palms and couldn’t help but wonder if she had done something wrong.
He turned away, looked at Theo, then started up the stairs with the rest of his men. Alaina laughed nervously as she led him into the castle, taking him to the second floor with Theo by her side.
His footsteps were heavy as he stepped into the main building, his eyes looking from left to right, his nose sniffing the air. It was almost as if he was looking for something.
When they arrived at the rooms, he didn’t even wait for her to speak before barging into the middle one, shifting as he walked in. Just before the door closed behind him, Theo and Alaina were treated with a flash of his bare back.
Alaina unwittingly let out a gasp as the door shut. She looked at Theo with an exasperated look. "He completely ignored us."
"I wouldn’t say that," Theo replied. The Alpha was in his wolf form; there wasn’t much else that could be done in the situation.
"We should leave!" She muttered.
"We can’t, he might have a message for Alpha Keenan. I’ll stay and see," Theo said nervously. He didn’t want to go against Alaina, but at the same time, he couldn’t leave without confirming if the Alpha needed anything.
She pouted and opened her mouth to complain but suddenly, the door opened, and a black-haired man stepped out. He was dressed in casual clothing, but on his chest was a royal insignia.
"Where is your Alpha?" He demanded as he stared at Theo and Alaina condescendingly.
"Be nice, Hilbert," a voice said from the room just as the door shut.
Hilbert tightened his jaw. He was tall and had a scar down the side of his face, closer to his ear. He was muscular and visibly bigger than Theo.
Alaina narrowed her eyes at him. "Our Alpha is busy," she stated before Theo had a chance to speak. "He asks that your Alpha rest. However, should he insist on seeing him now, he will see what he can arrange."
"We shouldn’t be welcomed by riffraff like you. You’re beneath. Don’t think you can speak to me in this manner."
"Who do you—"
Theo squeezed her wrist, and Alaina turned toward him, her eyes blazing with anger. But when she met his eyes, she smiled tightly. She didn’t need anyone to tell her that Keenan would not be pleased if this didn’t go well.
"Apologies," Theo spoke. "I shall inform Alpha Keenan of your presence immediately."
"Do that," he said with a sneer and turned away, walking back into the room.
"Who did he think he was talking to?" Alaina yelled as Theo dragged her away. "Beneath us? Have they lost their minds? They can’t come to our territory and speak to us in that manner. This is our section. Alpha Keenan got us that right."
Alaina was still fuming when she appeared in front of Keenan’s workroom. It was adjacent to his bedroom. She knocked twice before she opened the door and walked in without waiting for orders to come in.
The room was as big as the bedroom, but there was no bed—only two desks on either side of the room. Shelves were holding multiple books, scrolls, and documents. The workroom could easily be called a library.
Keenan was at his desk. There was a frown on his face, but he didn’t lift his head to look at them; rather, he kept scribbling.
"I apologize for the intrusion," Theo said as soon as they barged in. "The Alpha is here, and he requests your presence."
Keenan’s hand froze on his quill, and he lifted his head to look at them. "Did you tell him to get some rest?"
"They wouldn’t listen, Alpha Keenan. They also called us riffraff and said we were beneath them. Who comes to someone’s territory and speaks like that?" She felt more confident as Keenan’s expression darkened. "I can’t believe we have to let people like that in—"
"I don’t recall telling you to welcome them. If you couldn’t handle it, you shouldn’t have tagged along."
Alaina’s face fell as she realized Keenan was not on her side; rather, he was reprimanding her. "Are you saying what they did was—"
Keenan’s jaw tightened. "Don’t be a nuisance, Alaina. If you were in the Alpha King’s presence, would you have a temper because his Royal guard spoke to you wrongly, regardless of whether he came to visit you? Don’t make me explain simple etiquette. Regardless of whose territory it is, it doesn’t make him less of an Alpha, and worse, they are our guests."
Keenan paused and touched his temple while Alaina angrily grabbed the sides of her dress. She was not without shame; her face was red, and her gaze was glued to the ground.
"Theo, tell the Alpha I’ll see him in the drawing room in half an hour. That should be enough time for both of us. He will likely refuse; politely insist."
"Yes, Alpha," Theo said with a bow.
"Alaina, don’t go with him," he added and returned to his work.
