(Ethan’s POV)

I laughed and then walked right out of Chance’s room. Chance might feel a bit uncertain because of Damien’s new scent and that he was not used to being so close to an Alpha…

So, I couldn’t bare for my boy to feel unhappy and decided to do as he wanted, heading straight towards Eleanor’s room.

“You, you’re not going to just…”

Being outside of the Queen’s room, I guessed what Damien was asking me…

I heard Damien catch up to me and I smiled at him, “It’s ok, she was the one that didn’t like sleeping naked.”

“Ethan!” He stopped me, taking me into his arms, “I suggest you stay out of her room, or you’ll have hell to pay!”

I stared at him for a moment, then rolled my eyes…Wasn’t he just going a bit overboard?

Turning to one of the Queen’s attendants, I said, “Tilda, here, you take him to the Queen.”

Tilda, the maid, took Chance and continued the rest of the way and I watched as Chance disappeared into the Queen’s room.

Sighing, as Chance was gone, I was then suddenly picked up. Oh no, not again!

Last night, after dinner, this man really was insatiable and wouldn’t let me go to Chance for four hours!

Then, I couldn’t sleep for…Well, I don’t know how long!

Now, I just wasn’t ready, I was hungry and…Well, I…

“What’s wrong?”

Hearing him ask so seriously, I really started to think once again that he was completely insatiable!

Then again…I was also at a loss…

I felt great with his arms around me and felt that warmness in my cheeks because of it but…My tummy rumbled…

I sighed, “I’m hungry!”

He sighed too and then started to walk, and I was pretty sure that we were on our way towards the dining room.

Half the time, previously at this time of day, I would still be in my room and even take breakfast in bed, but without him knowing this, that was ok too. I just wanted to do something…Different…

“Mmm.” With a new type of life now and feeling so full and happy, I couldn’t help but mutter something…

“What?”

“Nothing.” I wiggled out of his embrace and he looked down at me very seriously, then I heard and smelt Owen on his way towards us…

Walking into the door that we stopped in front of, I saw Owen just doing the same from another side of the room and I didn’t look at him.

I knew he’d have a few things to say to me but, so I straightened up and took my chair at the head of the table, Damien pushing it in for me…

Yet, what happened next was out of my expectations.

Owen always sat beside me…And so he sat down there again today…

For a second, I thought Damien was going to lose it completely, and with the way Owen looked up at him with a huge amount of confidence, I don’t know how he’s still alive!

Just as I went to say something, Damien did a quick movement and Owen was standing up off the chair, in another quick movement, the chair was kicked away, and Owen was kneeling in front of Damien, holding a very painful expression.

Feeling Damien’s Alpha aura, I knew that if I didn’t act as King, I’d want to be kneeling there too!

It really was quite a savage aura, a terrifying one!

Seeing Owen there lowering his eyes, but breathing heavily, I wondered when Damien was going to let him go…

Should I say something? But…What should I say?

He was my beta but damned…I really liked seeing him kneeling like this! If only it was because I had made him do it instead! I must learn from Damien! I must!

…In the end though, I didn’t have to say anything…Because Damien let him go and got the chair, putting up to the table and put himself into it.

He took my hand and smiled at me, like nothing had just happened.

Scary…But…So handsome!

…Honestly, doing someone like this to the King’s Beta most likely would obtain a punishment…But, on the same note, Damien was indeed my mate and his place was next to me, as well as the Queen. I guess our predicament was a little different because I was not going to get ‘rid’ of the Queen and keep her here…So, Owen’s place was now two chairs down and no doubt, since he doesn’t want to acknowledge Damien, he was probably quite put out…Especially since I had no reason to punish Damien for what he just did…

I ogled my mate with such enthusiasm that I saw his desire well up, kicking my nose in with his turned-on scent!

Insatiable!

Finally, I was able to control myself and I stopped…If I continued to stare at him like that, he’d probably take me now and here!

Seeing Owen standing behind Damien, I slightly narrowed my eyes to this complex relationship and problem…

I should say something, because by right’s Owen was my Beta, but since no one else was here…I decided not to say a word, and simply said, “That chair will no longer be yours Beta Owen, as my destined mate should be seated next to me.”

Seeing my Beta look fierce, but then take another face to try and hide it, I watched him calm down and finally say, “You are going to let him treat me like that!?”

I sternly looked at him, “If the same issue was brought to you, where your Beta sat in your destined mates chair, what would have you done?”

All I could do is put what he had done back at him, to see how he would feel, otherwise…I had nothing else!

Always, I had done whatever I was told by Owen, kicking and screaming sometimes, but lately I’ve been talking back and holding my own against him! A tiny, Omega feeling went through me, stating I was wrong about changing my ways with Owen but Austorious and I as ‘King’ were more thinking it was about time we had Owen stood in his rightful place! I also didn’t want to make our simple knowledge about him to become completely obvious yet…I’m glad that what I had just said didn’t imply any type of war or doubt towards him, as it was more so a common rule and that as a ‘Beta’, he should understand.

Owen put his hand to the one that Damien had held just moments ago, then took a breath and nodded to me.

Even though Owen now looked compliant, I could see it, I could see that he was really angry! When he was like this, accepting whatever I said, he seemed to come across as though I should feel bad for doing it! That even though I might be doing something normal, it didn’t matter to him…Normally in a case such as this, I would give in later and either apologize or be ‘good’ and do whatever he says for a while to get him to feel ‘better’ and go back to normal…But, I didn’t want to do that now!

When Owen finally took his chair next to Damien, I heard him whisper, “Poisonous I tell you…”

He might have whispered these words, but both Damien and I heard them and all I wanted to say in return was something about him poisoning my mother!

…I really felt like Owen had absolutely no idea that he was the bad guy at all!

Wanting to wish that he wasn’t acting and think that perhaps everything bad I’ve been told was wrong, I couldn’t help but be even more doubtful instead…I just…Felt it…

Not having evidence, didn’t mean that I didn’t think he was the bad guy now and it really saddened me. Perhaps…Perhaps when I do get the evidence of his treachery, I will be ready to punish him accordingly…That all the memories I have of him being proud of me and being a father figure, a brother...Actually, now that I think about it, maybe that was another one of his acts. Owen wanting me to feel close to him and what not, may have been the first step into controlling me…Perhaps from the very beginning, he had planned to be the real ‘King’, while I was just a stand in without any power…

After that, the meal was uncomfortable and silent.

Damien took my hand, which was becoming a habit, so I had to get used to eating with one hand…But, no conversations were made, but a lot of different glances were.

The Queen seemed to understand and stayed silent too, helping her maid feed Chase and only eyeing us when she thought that we weren’t looking.

…I longed to feed my son, to smile at him and make funny noises…but didn’t…

The atmosphere and silence was practically intolerable, making us all eat a bit faster! Even Chance was being a bit whiny, having a cry over not wanting a particular part of the meal…

Just as we all were ready to leave, Owen finally broke the silence and stated, “I’d like to speak with you, my King. Shall we go to your office or head over to the west wing early?”

I looked up to Owen and sighed, it was a fresh day and I had things to do. This was a normal event and it was already near the time to be doing my usual ‘Kingly duties’.

“Let’s head over to the west wing early.” I said, standing up, seeing Damien do the same.

“I’d prefer that your mate go ahead with his normal duties, as you will with yours.” Owen stated, staring at Damien. It looked like Owen had finally calmed down and was now back to his normal self once again.

Well his normal self of wanting things his way and trying to order everyone around…

I suppose if he’s like this, then he didn’t suspect that my feelings about him had changed, so it was probably a good thing.

Damien went to speak but I put my hand up, “I also would like to speak to Owen alone.”

Seeing Owen look at Damien in triumph, I sneered inside towards my Beta…If we can keep up this charade so that he doesn’t know that we doubt him and want to find evidence to support our theory, then we’ll do it…

Damien looked at me and sighed, “Very well.”

He kissed me, whispering to me to alert him if anything goes wrong, and then left. Leaving me to go in the opposite direction with Owen.

“My King, I apologize for earlier, a simple habit, yet I had made you angry.”

I turn my head to Owen and just nod in reply. It looks like he wasn’t going to make me apologize…Which did surprise me…

Continuing our walk, Owen soon spoke again, “I have only one more pack to wait upon for a response, before you are to head out again. I had first thought that staying close to the palace would be a good idea, but then a pack has specifically asked for you to come and see them…Please advice me, my King, if you are feeling you are unable to do this.”

Frowning, I could only see one answer for him in return. Not only had he stopped acting like I needed to apologize to him, now he had stated easily that a pack wanted to see me in person…

It was obvious that Owen wanted me out there to help get rid of the Elementalist’s…His subtle signs seemed so obvious to me now…He wanted me on his good side when he had asked me this…

“What is the reason that pack wants to see me?” I asked, not letting on that I was eager to stay or go, I remained neutral.

At this point, I noticed he wasn’t very informative to me, not even stating which pack it is and I couldn’t help but dislike this person more…

The more I saw him, the more obvious it was that he was against me!

I really had to be extremely careful now when I’m around him!

“Ah, the History Pack had wanted to show you last time, but…Obviously that wasn’t to be so, but this time, they had suddenly found an something within the pack and are unable to bring it here into the palace…Since it seems it has something to do with the royal line, they had wanted you to see it personally.”

Owen words made me frown again, as it was, I hadn’t seen very much else of royalty, besides the palace. Not many pictures, not many letters or stories…Hell, I hadn’t even seen every part of the palace!

Now that something had finally shown itself! And…Owen might be using that to get me there! Was he willing to let go of this source just to get me outside of the palace?

I stopped walking suddenly and looked at him, who seemed to continue walking and have a strange look on his face…It looked like he was nervous!

Walking again, I couldn’t help but want to know what it was!

If it made Owen nervous, could it be something I could use or learn!?

The History pack was still so far away though…If I was to get into trouble…

Yet, wouldn’t it be worth it? What if information about the Elementalist’s was there!?

I…I guess I needed to take this chance!

“My King?”

“I am willing.” Was all I said, striding easily into the cold room that I hated…

I will go!

As I sat upon the throne, Owen smiled up at me and said, “Very well, as soon as I get a response, I will work out the travelling arrangements. Perhaps instead, I will start the arrangements even if I don’t get a response, as The Drilling Pack would not be our first or second stop anyway…”

I nodded, not showing him anything. But truthfully, I was nearly everything at once and even if I showed him my emotions, he probably wouldn’t be able to figure it out!

I was scared, I was troubled, curious, hoping and willing…Scared for a few reasons, troubled for a few reasons…Ah, it was good that I had learnt how to control these emotions!

…Right now, I was ‘King’ and I was once again ready to do my ‘Kingly duties’!

“Start.” I said, linking my hands together and staring ahead.

“My King, it’s still early.” Owen said.

“I don’t care.” I stated, “Just get the first person here.”

***