Chapter 122

Dylan POV.

"Let's go meet the alpha!" I stated only to have Lewis quickly launch his feet off the floor and begin running at full pelt. The speed he was going at was just insane and another laugh came from my own jaws.

It felt like I was lighter than air, the fun I was having was unmatched as my stomach gained a light butterfly feeling at the excitement.

It honestly felt like we were flying through the wooded area that surrounded the pack house that we were visiting. I never in a million years would have thought I would do anything like that, but I enjoyed every single moment of the ride.

By the time we got to the entrance of the house, Lewis slowed and I released my tight grip on him. I gently smoothed out the soft blonde fur from the clumps it had formed in my hands, I actually felt slightly guilty because it must have been pulling painfully the entire time and yet, he didn't once complain.

I suddenly felt a thousand pairs of eyes on me, as I quickly jumped off of him. I looked around slowly at the growing amount of people flocking towards the pack house, in hopes of simply getting a glimpse at the beaten queen of the Lycanthrope. I was a joke to them, a spectacle, I always had been really, even before the king had claimed me.

"That was amazing." I internally decided that it was much easier to simply ignore all the looks I was getting, and instead focus on the man in front of me... and so I stated my joy as I watched him shake his wolfs body out which caused his tail to flick along with it, bringing a silent breathy chuckle to rack through my own body. Seeing him like that only made me think of a little puppy that had just been playing, even though he was basically a seven, maybe eight foot wolf. "Seriously, that was really fun... I didn't hurt you did I?"

He shook his wolf head at me and I could have sworn that he grinned slightly, at least I could sort of see him grinning even in his wolf form, which was nice, although I didn't like not being able to talk to him. It was still so strange to me that I had feelings for a wolf, the previous royal beta no less, but the more he did for me the more my heart would beat and flutter in my chest at his proximity.

He quickly ran over to a large tree situated directly next to the main pack house, and ducked behind it. The cringe worthy sound of his bones popping back in and out of place echoed through the area and a slight grimace formed on my face, it was the only thing I hated, I unfortunately, and unintentionally associated that sound with a lot of previous trauma.

Before I knew it, he once again jogged back over to me, and I was met by a human, very shirtless Lewis, who only sported a single pair of loose fitted shorts. His hair was more ruffled and wild than I had ever seen it, and I'd be genuinely lying if I said my eyes didn't widen a fraction out of lust, just at the sight of him.

"So, you seemed to enjoy that way more than I was expecting." He chuckled before grabbing hold of the beanie that rested on my head and pulling it off gently, finally allowing my long dark hair to cascade freely down my back. He leaned in close to my ear and quickly whispered out something that I never would have thought would turn me on, and yet there I was, fighting the butterflies that were going no off in my stomach. "I hated smelling another guy on you."

It was such a possessive sentence and yet, there was a hint of humor laced in his voice which had me chuckling a he quickly interlocked his fingers between my own and leaned in to place a chaste kiss on my awaiting cheek.

"You'll have to get a hat then, so I can just steal yours next time." I chuckled at his flabbergasted expression before gently pulling his arm with me as I walked towards the entrance slowly. "Let's go and get this over with." I thought I was done meeting with high ranking wolves and pleading my case, but here I was, once again walking into the lions den, well the wolfs den, albeit this time I was walking in willingly, it still made my heart hammer in my chest out of nerves.

"Just relax, Gilliard is a good alpha, and he genuinely wants peace. He will listen to your every word before giving his opinions.” Lewis was a good calming influence on me. Even if our relationship never fully materializes, I was grateful to just have him be there.

“Ok…” As soon as I opened the door and walked in, everybody stopped dead in their tracks, a few gasps and lots of mumbles came from the folk who lived in the house while I simply stared at the main entrance and the flowers that rested on the table directly under the stairs, it reminded me far too much of the palace. I swallowed thickly and finally let my eyes dart from one person to the next.

“Your grace…” It was the Luna who had broken the silence made by my entrance, she performed a small bow to which the rest of the pack house followed suit causing me to stifle an eye roll, she smiled which seemed to light up her perfectly painted face, and show off her true beauty.

Trina looked a lot more glamorous than the last time I had met her, high waisted white pants rested on her legs, and a black short sleeved blouse on her torso, her hair was scraped back into a tight neat bun and her bangs rested either side of her face perfectly, she was really very beautiful, meanwhile, the casual t-shirt and shorts that I was wearing still hung off me like a sack, and my hair was now lying lifeless down my back, after wearing the hat for so long with my hair tucked up, it had inevitably been flattened and kinked in the worst way possible, and my face hadn’t even touched make up since I left the king. So while the Luna stood in front of me, the epitome of Beaty and sophistication my feet wiggled in shoes that were too big for me.

“Luna Trina.” My own head gave a slight curt nod of respect, as I was in honesty unsure about what else to do. I was becoming so used to hating everyone bowing to me, that I couldn’t form a single respectful gesture in response. Why the moon goddess ever thought I would have been a good queen was beyond me.

“Please, your grace, make yourself at home here. You are more welcome than even I am. The pack is yours.” Wow, I was utterly flattered at her words, it takes a lot to open your home to someone, and even more so when that someone is technically a fugitive.

“Thank you. It nice to finally get to see it, and everyone that lives here. I guess my visit is well overdue.” I chuckled awkwardly, how the hell did Lewis and everyone else expect me to lead people if I couldn’t even be formal with someone without feeling awkward?

“Well, I know my mate is very eager to meet you after both me and Lewis haven’t spoken about anything but yourself for a couple of weeks now.” Oh great, once again I was entering a situation where everyone knew anything and everything there was to know about me, but I knew nothing about them. Hell, I didn’t even know the packs name.

“I’m curious too in honesty. I admit I’m a little perplexed at what sort of alpha would help the humans rebel against their own kind.” I smiled kindly and allowed her to lead the way to where the alpha was working.

“I’m curious to get to know what kind of seventeen year old used words like ‘perplexed’” Luna Trina chuckled as we walked up several flights of stairs, before finally stopping at the office.

“I’m actually eighteen now, and I suppose I’ve just gotten used to being formal.” I heard a small gasp come from Lewis who looked at me with nothing but guilt in his eyes. I frowned at the sudden emotion leading him to give me an explanation for it.

“We never got the chance to celebrate your birthday!” He spoke with a sad tone as I simply and sarcastically let out a single breathless laugh.

“I think there have been much bigger issues, than me aging. Don’t worry about it.” I mean I had collapsed on my birthday and had been unconscious ever since. There wasn’t much celebrating that could have been done. I shrugged my shoulders and sighed, taking a small deep breath before walking into the office after knocking on the door gently, with both Luna Trina and Lewis in tow.

“Your Grace!” Alpha Gilliard was quick to stand up from his seat and walk over towards me. “It’s an honor to finally meet you.” He quickly performed a low bow while I unconsciously stuck my hand out to shake his, only instead I made direct contact to his face.

“Well… there goes first impressions.” I chuckled then couldn’t help the wince that raked through my body as he stood up quickly. I thought he was going to hit me back, and so I braced myself for it, but somehow my eyes although squinted slightly, remained on him at all times. “Sorry.” I relaxed slightly when I realized he wasn’t going to retaliate, instead he just stared shocked at my posture.

“Oh trust me, Trina has given me much worse.”he chuckled instantly easing my tensions. Somehow, he sounded extremely familiar. I frowned at him, and quickly let my memories spiral as I tried my hardest to remember where I had heard him before. “For some reason, I thought you would be taller.” Was his only quip, before he laughed and held his own hand out which I took quickly, giving a single respectful hand shake while still frowning.

“How long have you been the alpha of this pack for?” I questioned while the other two wolves in the room stood waiting to see exactly why I was asking this.

“My leadership is reaching eight years now.” Eight years meant even before the new world came in to fruition. So where had I heard his voice? The deep resonating natural echo it had, on top of his friendly tone, everything about it was comp familiar.

“You don’t have a cell phone by any chance do you?” He too was now frowning at my easy going interrogation, but he nodded and reached into the draw below his desk, he pulled out an old flip cellphone and placed it onto the desktop in front of me. I reached for it quickly and unlocked it with ease.

I quickly scrolled through his list of contacts and smiled when I found one that was all too familiar to me. I knew exactly why his voice sounded so familiar, because we had spoken a lot more than once since the smuggling trade began.

“You’re G… I get it, G for Gilliard… you helped me to make and distribute the counterfeit milk tokens.” His eyes widened drastically as he looked me up and down in disbelief.

“You’re R?” He was very confused by this point not that I blamed him of course. “But what does the R stand for?”

“R for Riley, as in Dylan Riley… It’s nice to Finally meet you… Gilliard.”

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