Damien's pov
I felt my chest fill up with pride, smirking as Thomas sat back down.
“Damn!” Lucien linked, making me chuckle.
“Damn is just about right” I linked back, about time my mate put these runts in their place.
“Damien, please get it done, I want to leave now” she said, making the three of them whimper and cry.
“As you wish my Queen” I said, making her look at me and blush a little.
“My King please, don't do this!” The Luna pleaded but there was no way I would disrespect my Queen by showing her mercy.
“Alpha Thomas, Luna Adele, as punishment for your crimes against a pack member and the Luna Queen of this Kingdom, I Damien Knight, King of the Lupine Kingdom strip you of your titles and authority. You will now be recognised as omegas” I said, my Alpha command and authority as King making them shrink in their seats, whimpering.
“And you, Xavier King, for your crimes against your Queen, I banish you from my Kingdom, you are to never set foot in my Kingdom again!” Roman and I growled.
His eyes glowed, his wolf weakening as his connection to the pack broke. He groaned, clutching his chest painfully before screaming his lungs out.
“Get him out of here!” I growled and Lucien grabbed him by the neck, dragging him out, while his mother wailed.
“Well, I believe it's time we leave this awful place. Dear child, I hope you can turn it around, you have a good heart and strong soul, I can sense it” Alari's mother said, making the new Alpha nod respectfully.
“Thank you” she said.
I quickly made it official, the young beta vowing to stand by her and Lucien promised to send an official decree within the next few days.
The pack was notified and as shocked as they were, they could not argue with the King and so they accepted their new Alpha.
“Let us know if the pack gives you any trouble or if you need any help. I will send a few warriors so they can know the crown has your back” I said as we stood at the entrance, ready to leave.
“I will my King, thank you again” she said, looking like she was ready to cry but stood tall.
“You're a great King Damien, your father would be proud” said Alpha Ronald, Lilly's father.
He was good friends with my father, a good but quiet Alpha.
I gave him a quick nod and turned to leave, guiding Alari to our car.
She looked around and made eye contact with her parents, who shrugged in return, making me wonder what was going on.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, hoping she wasn't having second thoughts about leaving.
“Can we wait for a few more minutes? Pearl, my best friend, my only friend isn't here yet. I asked her to come with us, she wasn't treated well eith…” my mate was still explaining when a scream interrupted her.
“I'm here! I'm here! I just had to say goodbye to my parents!” a short redhead yelled as she ran over, carrying an old suitcase.
“It's alright sweetheart, come, you'll ride with us” Alari's mother said with a gentle smile on her face, letting me know she cared deeply for the girl.
“I hope you don't mind, I was going to ask you but… you know” Alari said and I just kissed her forehead.
“You can bring anyone you want love, this is your Kingdom after all” I said, making her smile at me.
We settled into the car and I pulled Alari close to me, needing to breathe in her scent so the small space doesn't agitate me.
“There's a small diner about two hours away, we can stop there for some food and I've made all reservations for the next few days” Lucien said, making Alari look at me with eyebrows raised.
“The pack is a few days away, we'll have to make stops along the way” I said and she nodded, laying her head on my shoulder.
The first two hours breezed by and not once did I feel like jumping out of the car, Roman was as calm and quiet as a mouse.
I got out first and helped Alari out once we pulled into the diner.
It was owned by humans so I didn't have to worry about rumours spreading across the Kingdom.
But the few that were there did look at us like we were aliens, and I knew it was because of the aura we were giving.
And maybe Alari's elven beauty.
“I forgot how much I hate cars, two hours and my feet are swollen!” Alari's mother complained the moment we sat down.
“I've never even been in a car before!” Pearl said, a big smile adorning her freckled face.
“You and me both” my mate laughed and I just smiled, loving the sound of her voice.
“Hello and welcome to Judy's” the waitress said, giving each of us a menu.
“Here you go, can I get your orders for drinks while you decide what to eat?” She asked and I nodded.
“A large coffee for me” I said and she wrote it down.
“Make that three coffees and chocolate milkshakes for these two” Alari's mother said.
“Alright, coming right up” she said and left us to look at our menus.
“There's too many options” Pearl said, eye brows knitted as her eyes scanned through the menu.
“Waffles” Alari said and Pearl looked at her, a sly smile on her face.
“Yes” Pearl said with a laugh.
“Keep it up, I'll shut you up real quick” Alari's mother said, making Valerian laugh, wonder what that was about.
Must be an inside joke.
She came back with our beverages and and the two girls lit up. Looks like Alari likes chocolate, judging from the moan that slipped out after the first sip.
“Make sure to remember that” Roman said, loving her moans as much I was.
We ordered our food and listened to Alari, Pearl and their mother make conversation. I think it was safe to call Pearl her daughter from how she was with her, I swear it was no different from how she was with Alari.
It was quite a refreshing sight to see, not the witch that had broken Xavier's bones over and over.
Our food came out and I noticed the waitress looking at Alari intensely, her gaze almost unmoving.
Alari noticed too, keeping her gaze down, causing her hair to curtain her face.
I glared at the waitress, who quickly left our table in fear.
I rubbed her thigh under the table to take away the sadness I knew she was feeling through the bond. Even outside our world, she was an enigma.
“Stupid human” Pearl growled, her eyes glowing for a moment.
“Calm down, the girl is probably in love with you. You're too pretty to not like” her mother said, winking at her.
“Everyone eat so we can leave this place before humans notice we're different in every way they fear” Valerian said and I nodded in agreement.
We finished our food as quick as we could, not wanting to stay here much longer. She came to collect the dirty plates and returned with the bill, her eyes still glued to my mate.
“Do you have a problem?” I asked, holding back a growl and her eyes went wide.
She looked around the table to find everyone but Alari glaring at her.
“On my gosh, I'm so sorry! I was staring wasn't I? It's so embarrassing! It's just that, you look so pretty, I couldn't help myself” she said, hopping from one foot to the other.
“What?!” Alari gasped, looking up at the girl.
“I really like your contacts, they suit the whole elf look you got going on. Absolutely love anime, I cosplay too sometimes!” She said, getting excited as she kept rambling on.
“Uhm, thanks” Alari said, a small blush tinting her cheeks.
“And as an apology for making you uncomfortable, how about another milkshake? On the house” she said already making her way to the back.
“I think you have a fan and what the hell is cosplay and anime?” Pearl asked, making Valerian laugh.
The girl came back ten minutes later with the milkshake and we left.
“That was unexpected” I said, making Alari laugh.
“Right? I like her though” she said as we settled back into the car.
We were on the road for hours, making small pit stop along the way and finally arrived at a small BnB.
Everyone was tired so we had dinner and went to bed.
The next two days went on in the same fashion, though we made sure to conceal Alari's features when we were in werewolf territories.
We had just crossed the border and we were about twenty minutes from the castle, and the nervous energy coming off of Alari almost made me chuckle.
“Relax love, you'll be fine” I said kissing her hand.
“Damien, I've been rejected my whole life, what if your pack rejects me as well?” She asked, her eyes almost tearing up.
“I know for a fact that they will love you but you don't have meet them just yet, let's just get you settled and when you're ready, we'll introduce you” I said, running my hands up and down her arms.
“Okay” she whispered, leaning in to kiss me.
“Luna, welcome home” Lucien said when the castle came into view and I watched Alari's mouth go slack as she took in the massive building.
“You live here?!” She exclaimed, making me chuckle.
“And now you live here too” I said, watching the shock in her eyes.
We pulled into the drive way and got out, and I almost laughed at the stupefied expression on her face.
“This is one massive pack house!” Pearl exclaimed as soon as she got out of the car with Alari's parents.
“Actually little red head, this is the Alpha's castle, him and his family live here” Lucien said and the two girls turned to him with wide eyes.
“The pack doesn't live here?!” Alari almost screamed and I held back a laugh.
“Some things sure don't change” I heard Valerian sigh and I was glad I never got to redecorating the place.
“Come on, let's go inside” I said, taking Alari's hand and leading her into what would have been her childhood home.
We went inside and her mouth gaped at the much larger interior, with two large staircases leading to the floor above on either side of us.
But right in front of us, were the pictures of all the Kings and Queens that had once ruled this Kingdom and I was hoping she would see the one of the former Queen, the real Queen before my mother.
“Alari look!” Pearl exclaimed with a gasp and Alari looked at her and then looked at what she was pointing at.
I saw her tilt her head to the side before taking a few steps towards the large picture.
Her parents came to stand on either side of her, also looking up at the picture, her mother taking her hand.
“You look just like her” she said, making her daughter look at her.
“Your mother, well, birth mother” she said, trying to make light of the situation but tears just welled in her eyes.
“My… mother?” Her voice cracked as her eyes shifted back to the picture.
“Yes love, it's time we had that conversation you've been begging for all these years” Valerian said, taking her other hand and leading her to my office, well, her father's office, which contained all the documents that would prove the story they were about to tell her.
A story I was eager to hear.