NYSSA
"The king asked me to show you to the rooms you'll be staying in as long as you're in here," the man who opened the door for us, presumably the butler, stated as the door closed behind us.
Henry turned to face the man, a frown on his face.
"We don't need rooms. We need to see the King now. The issue we came all the way here to discuss is of utmost importance. Kindly lead us to him, if you will."
Henry was using his Alpha's voice, and his authority rang in every word. But the butler's face remained impassive.
"I am afraid that is impossible. You will meet the King when he is ready to receive you. Please, follow me to your rooms," the man stated resolutely, and without waiting for a response, turned around and started to lead us further into the house.
Henry's hands curled into fists, and his jaw ticked with barely repressed anger. I stifled a sigh as I stepped closer to him. I would have preferred not to talk to him at all, but knowing Henry, he was a few moments away from causing a scene.
And I could not let that happen. We came here to ask for help, and not to start a crisis.
"Don't make a scene. Just swallow whatever it is you have to say and let's go. If you piss the King off now, he won't help us," I stated quietly before walking after the butler.
The man gave us no further instructions or information as he led us to our rooms, and tensed silence stretched between us.
"Here. The King specifically asked this wing to be kept clean and ready for you. The Alpha's room is on the far end of the hallway. You will find that it has been decorated and made suited to your taste," said the butler to Henry.
Then he turned to face me. "Your room is directly opposite the Alpha's room, my lady," he said, and I felt a stab of anger at his words.
I didn't want to be anywhere close to Henry, but I also knew that it would be impossible to ask for a change of rooms. When all the guards and escorts had been assigned rooms too, the group scattered, leaving Henry and I to make the walk all the way down the hallway to our rooms.
Henry turned to look at me as I stopped before my door, but I shook my head before he could say anything.
"Don't. Don't say anything. I don't want to hear whatever you have to say. The fact that I came here with you on official business doesn't mean I forgot what you did to me. Leave me alone," I quipped and walked into my room without a backwards glance.
Just to be sure though, I locked the door behind me to avoid any "accidental" walk ins.
Then I walked over to my bed and sagged down on it.
I was in the house of the Lycan King. The man I had only heard of, but never seen. A part of me wondered what he looked like, and if he was as cruel as the rumours said he was.
Was the King going to help us like we came here to ask? If he refused to, there was nothing Henry could do about it. But if he did, would he do it for free?
What if he asked for a price our Pack couldn't afford to pay? What then? We would go back home and watch our people die?
I sighed as I turned on my side, and a slight moan slipped past my lips at how soft the bed was. The room was large and airy, and I liked the pink curtains surrounding the bed.
It made me feel like a princess. And the last time I felt this way was when my parents were alive.
My heart twinged with pain at the thought of my parents. My mother with the bluest eyes and loveliest smile. And my father who had no eyes for other women except her.
I gripped the silk curtains as my thoughts spiralled further. I wish they were here, alive, with me. I wish my mother had been here to hug me when Henry made me look like a lovesick fool last night.
But she wasn't. They weren't. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. My parents were dead, had been dead for years, and thinking about them wasn't going to bring them back.
I was running my hand down the silk curtains, lost in thought, when a knock sounded on my door.
My first instinct was to snap at the caller, but I held my tongue. It was probably Henry, and I was tempted to ignore him.
But when the knock resounded again. And again and again and again, my anger flared.
I stood up from the bed and stormed towards the locked door.
"I clearly told you to leave me…" I stated as I yanked the door open, my voice harsh and angry. But the words died on my lips as I came face to face with the person standing at my door.
It wasn't Henry.
My cheeks flamed with embarrassment as I stared at the girl, and my tongue became tied. Words eluded me, and all I could do was mentally berate myself for jumping to conclusions.
"Hey. Can I come in?" the girl asked. She was composed, and if she noticed my embarrassment, she didn't say anything.
"Yeah. S…sure. You can come in," I stuttered, barely managing to push the words past my lips.
The girl strode past me, and as I closed the door behind her, I took deep breaths to calm myself down.
"Who are you, and how can I help you, please?" I asked. The girl stared at me with raised eyebrows, and her expression was unreadable as I held her gaze.
When she eventually spoke, it wasn't to answer my question. Instead she said: "I don't know what you guys think you're doing, but this is clearly a mistake. The King is not going to give you an audience. It's better if you leave now, than waste your time," she deadpanned.
Her words made me frown. And angry. There was an underlying edge to her voice that rubbed me the wrong way.
So I narrowed my eyes at her. "And who are you to try to tell me what to do?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended.
She smiled at my question, and stalked closer to me.
"My name is Aria, and I am the King's sister."