7 DAYS TO PROVE MY INNOCENCE TO THE ALPHA KING

Alpha King Ethan's POV

"Your Majesty, please leave. You shouldn't be seen here waiting for a servant girl."

"Who have you assigned her safety to?" I asked my whining beta.

He hesitated before replying. "No one yet."

"Then I'm staying. I can't afford to be careless and lose her. She's the only clue to finding Margaret's murderers."

"Your Majesty, you can't stay here any longer. It's dawn already. We don't know when Valerie's surgery will be over. If the day breaks and more people see you here. It will be a catastrophe."

"Forget it, Fynn. I'm staying."

"Let me stay and watch over her instead. Please, go back to the castle." My beta said and I looked at him. He nodded yes desperately.

"Fine. Let me in on everything that happens here, especially when she wakes up."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I left and arrived at the castle half an hour later. Heads bowed as I strolled the route to the prison quarters.

I became furious, looking at the assassin in the cell. The guards had caught him before he could leave the castle grounds.

"Open the cell." I told the cell guard and he did.

I stormed into the cell in my rage and pulled him up by his cloth only to find he was dead.

"What happened?" I turned to the guard.

"I do not know, Your Majesty. He's been lying down since we pushed him into the cell."

I scoffed and threw the body on the floor.

"Was he searched before being thrown into the cell?" I asked and the cell guard shook his head.

I clenched my jaw and fisted my hands.

Damn it!

I punched my fist at the wall, injuring my hand and scaring the guards around. My eyes burned red as I struggled to control my anger.

It took me a few seconds of repeatedly breathing in and out before I calmed. I turned to look at the guards. My reaction had scared and confused them.

.

"He's dead." I announced and they were shocked. I continued speaking, "Next time, you catch an intruder search him properly before throwing him into the cell. Some of them usually carry pills and small knives to kill themselves in order to avoid exposing whoever sent them."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Call the IT unit to scan his face. When they are done, burn his body."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

I glanced at the dead man for the last time before walking out. I arrived in my office and sat on my chair when someone knocked and I looked.

Liz walked in.

She looked worried and was carrying a tray in her hand. The aroma of my favorite dish filled my nose.

"I knew you won't come down for breakfast so I brought it to you." She said, dropping the tray of food on the table at the other side of my office.

Despite the aroma of a hot half grilled beef pizza, my focus on the document I was reading on my desktop screen didn't break.

"Ethan," Liz called and I looked up at her. She only calls me by my name when we are alone. "How is she?" She asked, concerned.

"I don't know. The doctors were still operating on her when I left." I looked back into my desktop screen.

"You're troubled."

"Of course, I am. The assassin I was supposed to question to get my answers killed himself before I could interrogate him." I sighed, suppressing my anger.

"I cooked your favorite, hoping you would at least take a bite. I hope you do." She said and left.

I looked at the tray but didn't have the appetite to eat. I was too angry to let anything pass through my throat to my stomach.

"I'm sorry, Liz." I muttered quietly. She would be upset when she found out I didn't eat even after she pleaded.

"Are the doctors done?" I mindlinked Fynn.

"Yes, just now."

"Any complications?" I asked further.

"No. The surgery was successful. I'm with her right now."

"Okay, do not leave her side for any reason till I get there."

"Your Majesty, you do not need to come. I will take care of her."

"I won't stay long. I just want to see how she's doing."

Fynn sighed. He didn't like me coming to the hospital to see Valerie and I understood him. But I would go anyway.

I closed our mindlink and went back to reading the pack documents on my desktop when I heard a knock at my door again. I looked up and the head of the IT department walked in with a paper in his hand.

"Your Majesty," He bowed his head before coming closer to me. "I brought you the result of the scan." He gave me the paper and I took it.

"Ardin Maxwell. Born in Atlanta, Georgia. Grew up in Mexico where he joined a gang of criminals who specialised in killing people for money...This address..." I pointed to the spot in the paper, "Is it his current resident address?"

"Yes, but I doubt he lives there."

"Send some men to check it first." I ordered.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He turned to leave.

"One more thing," He halted and turned to me, "Get me a list of all his relatives, friends and gang members and where they live."

"Okay." He turned around and left.

Just when I was about to go back to reading the document on my desktop. My phone rang. I checked and had no idea who was calling. It was a private number.

"Alpha King." I didn't recognise the voice on the phone.

"Who is this?"

"Is that how you greet your Mayor?"

"What do you want?"

"Well, I just want to ask you for one thing that will benefit both of us and our subjects. Hand me the girl you took."

"Why?"

"You don't know her, I do. I bet she's been feeding you with lies."

"That's not enough reason."

"Don't be stubborn, Ethan Hunter. Give her to me. She belongs to me."

"No. She belongs to me now." I countered him.

"Well, I knew you would be stubborn that's why I went ahead to take her from your hospital before asking you. Bye." He hung up.