The Mystical Attraction of Alpha

Ella

“What?” Cora asks, laughing a little as if it’s a ridiculous notion. “What on earth could I have to

pick and choose from?”

“Let’s back up a little,” Roger says, tugging her into the room and gesturing towards one of the chairs around the table. As she settles herself into a seat Sinclair pulls over the little armchair that I’ve been using when I feed Rafe, and I murmur my thanks to him as I settle down in it. As Roger begins, Sinclair swiftly hands me all of the things I need to feed Rafe a burp cloth, a little

–

blanket to throw over my shoulder, etc. – and I smile to myself at his consideration in anticipating my needs without me having to ask.

My Alpha is a warrior, but he’s also a sweetheart. And I’m grateful for him every day.

Everyone waits for me to get settled, but then once Rafe is happily eating Henry begins.

“We discovered,” Henry begins, his eyes moving between me and Cora, “that Xander has fled east to Adalaxia.”

“Shit,” Cora sighs, slumping down in her chair. My emotions match hers. We knew that Xander was on the run that we’d largely decimated any of his martial forces in taking out his priests. But our great fear was that in the time it took us to regroup, that he’d leave the country and find allies who might help him.

And it looks, now, like he did precisely that.

“Is Adalaxia…a good place for him to go?” I don’t know a lot about the neighboring kingdom, especially as I was raised as a human and hadn’t known that overlying the map of the human world there was a hidden world of wolf kingdoms with its own wars and politics. Of course, ever since Damon broke the secret of the of the wolves to the human world those have

maps

increasingly combined to become one, but still – what I don’t know about wolf politics could probably fill its own book.

Which, considering that I’ll likely soon be Queen, is…unfortunate.

But I force myself to pay attention to Henry’s answer

“Adalaxia is a notoriously ruthless wolf nation,” he sighs “They stick even more strictly to what they perceive as the traditions of wolf kind even more than we do In comparison to them we are. nidiculously liberal”

“What does that nean?” Cora asks, crossing her arms over her chest, her face worried and confused

policy, which is that wolves and humans are equal and deserve to be treated with the same respect. They would also,” he continues, hesitating now and looking between me and Cora, “really not

Adalaxians,

at best,” Sinclair finishes for him. “And at worst,

my eyes going wide. “Seriously? Are they also a nation that’s

it’s not a bad way to think of it,” Roger says, tilting his head to the side. “Women

not taught to read or write, they have almost a completely separate culture and stay strictly within their homes.

her face clearly displaying her disgust.

considering how he tried to use Ella as his

along with her. “And they’re staunch nationalists

well. They’re likely to respect Rafe’s claim

And, as such, would see

legitimate.”

I look down at my

so much

out to place a comforting hand on

This would all be

without having to go through a foreign

do it.”

I ask. “Can’t we just…demand that they give him back? Extradition, or

seriously down at me. “If

not.”

a second, confused, and then put all

eyes going wide. Because while all of the other claims to the throne within our country have. been disposed of, and it’s rather a foregone conclusion

hasn’t done it yet Which means, technically, that he doesn’t yet have access to

allow him to

says, sitting up straight and looking easily at Sinclair Can we do like some kind of quick and duty coronation? Slap a crown on you and

by morning?

of this, but there’s no real cheer in it, because I think we all

answer. “It’s more complicated than that,” Sinclair says, running a hand through his hair. First, I have to claim it, and then

of

country, I’d have been king the moment I killed Damon. But,” he