|Maxwell|

Sometime after the lunch in ended and Natalie was taken home, I too returned home. Thankfully the day was still young and Ryder and I could do some more research on Natalie and her mysterious ex. Out of all the Alphas' in attendance today only three of the eight don't have mates. Which would seem easy to narrow down who it was, but it was actually the opposite of that.

Some Alphas' would see it as a threat or questionable to ask about their past and latest ex girlfriends or chosen mates. An issues with the Alphas is the last thing I want, so I will not cross that line and ask them. Instead I will have to conduct the research on my own terms and solely through the internet and it's various search engines and news reports.

On top of all of this, when the females took Natalie to the garden the Alphas and I discussed how I will becoming out as Alpha King soon. Which means I will be moving back into the palace soon. I only lived in the palace for a few years when I was younger, but my parents decided to move back into the mansion so it didn't seem obvious we were the royal family.

My parents saw it as a big risk to allow me to continue to grow up in the palace with the possible exposure of who the King was. In which I never understood growing why it mattered who the King was. Yet, through my schooling I learned it was a practice that dated back to the tenth Alpha King. This was during the settlers coming to the new world and they killed many. The King went into hiding and the community followed and never dared expose the King. They feared exposing the King would get him killed since these settlers saw us as witches since we could shape shift. Therefore a span of satan himself, so we needed to be exterminated.

They tried many of times to find the King, but they were unsuccessful in their hunt. Ever since we have remained hidden in plain sight and formed the royal council so no one can distinguish who the King is. That threat is long since gone and it is time for my people to know who I am. I mean how can you trust a King if you can't put a face to them?

My council knows who I am and now knows who their Queen will be in the near future, but she doesn't know that. I think it will be good for the King to emerge with his Queen, it will be a spectacle to behold. A symbol of power and a statement.

I settle into comfortable clothes and take a seat at my desk with a hot coffee beside me. Ryder was already present and flipping through his research from the previous days. He sat at the little living room area I had in my office. The coffee table filled with papers, files, books, pictures, and records.

"Any luck," I ask.

He shakes his head, "no, your majesty. Nothing."

"At lunch today she seemed tense, timid almost. She said one was in the room with us."

"I assumed so, but who?"

"There are three unmated males on my council, so that narrows it down."

He huffs, "did she give you anymore information. Maybe even a little sign? I could be here for days reading old articles from these three different Alphas. As you know unmated Alpha males have quite the love lives. Jumping from one girl to the next."

I growl. "I am quite aware."

I just need to know who he is so I know what I am dealing with here.

"Who do you think it is," I ask aloud.

"Well, I have narrowed it down to two. Desmond and River."

"Why those two?"

"Well the third would be Michael, but he has been with the same girl for three years. He is unmated because his true mate died in a challenge. Desmond and River are young and have had recent break ups according to the internet."

So, we both decided who we were going to look into and dived into the research. You'd think someone could do a simple search, but no. There are a lot of Desmond and Rivers' who are Alphas. When you search them up all kinds of news from the pack pops up. It is hours upon hours scanning and picking through articles in hopes it is that Alpha you are looking for.

"I have to take a break, Ryder. The grounds director of the Palace should be here any moment to help," I tell.

"No need for excuses. I know what you got to do. Just do what you got to do."

And yet, who I thought was the moving director approaching me in the mansion's foyer was indeed not. Instead I am met with a furious mate who is dragging Alpha Desmond behind her.