SEQUEL: TWO

Alina glanced anxiously at her father, she had been sitting on pins and needles ever since he scolded her, she could hardly concentrate on her meal, and if she didn’t have to remain at the dinner party, she would have returned to her room.
To make things worse he seemed to look right through her, it has never happened before that her father would ignore her but this time he truly seemed to be angry with her.
Usually, she would have flitted around the dinner party, fully utilizing her father’s influence but she found that she didn’t want to. Far too troubled about the fact that her father was still angry with her.
All she had done was confront Claire on her fault, she was the victim here! She couldn’t understand how that could make her father so upset with her, had Claire said something to him?
She shot a dark look at Claire from her seat across the dinner party hall, she wouldn’t put it past the scheming lowlife, she would…
“You won’t.” Anton interrupted his daughter’s obvious thoughts, a trace of exhaustion in his dark eyes.
Alina snapped out of her dark thoughts with a fearful expression in her eyes, “Dad?”
“You won’t do anything to Luna Claire, as a matter of fact, I forbid you from approaching her, naturally that extends to Lukas as well.”
Alina balked at this, “But we’re childhood friends,” She countered.
“Then I don’t need to tell you to act like an adult in the presence of his mate but regardless my decision is final. Stay away from Lukas and Claire.” He slashed a hand.
Alina quieted down, a wobble on her lips as she looked down at her plates, “Do you not love me anymore?” She asked in a small voice, twisting her hands.
Anton took a few seconds to collect himself, he loved his only daughter but most times, he thought that he did a very terrible job of raising her. He refused to get married again after losing his mate in childbirth and was too busy building his territory to spend as much time as he should taking care of his child and this was the result.
A manipulative and selfish daughter who somehow meant no harm, she just truly believed that she was right in every altercation, and everyone else was at fault.
“I never said that Alina,” He tried to salvage the situation.
“But you just said to never approach Lukas again,” She lifted her eyes to him which were glassy and filled with self-righteous tears.
Anton personally thought that Lukas would really like it if that were to happen, “Indeed,” He put his foot down, it was his duty to prevent the bubbling pot of trouble that was his daughter from interfering in between a newly mated couple with a child on the way.
Alina gasped in genuine disbelief, her father never denied her anything. This had to be that tart’s fault, everything started falling apart right after she latched onto Lukas. However, she couldn’t go against her father’s wishes so although she wanted to pout some more and demand justice, she held back her words.
She would obey her dad because she was a good girl and it would only be a matter of time before everyone would realize the truth she had always seen about Claire,
Anton sighed imperceptibly when his landmine of a daughter let go of the topic, it was one reason he couldn’t entirely hold her to fault, it didn’t matter what he asked of her, she would obey him in the end even after throwing a tantrum.
“Dad, we should go on a vacation,” Alina said after the dinner party had progressed for a little while longer.
People were falling into familiar circles and couples were separating to spend some alone time in the dimly lit hall. Anton was quite popular but that popularity came with an intimidating influence so very few actually dared to approach him, most times, he had to be the one to go over to the people he needed to discuss with.
So at events like this, it was mostly him and his daughter socializing the night away. Anton didn’t mind it, it was the only time he ever got to spend some time with his daughter.
It was also the only reason Alina agreed to go on business trips like this with him. As she was the only werewolf princess present, it was evident that the children of Alpha Kings and Luna Queens weren’t required to attend the annual conference but Alina had insisted on coming along.
Anton couldn’t turn her down, knowing exactly why she wanted to come, just like why she was trying to get him to go on a vacation that would never happen - just so that they could spend more time together.
Anton felt his heart constrict at this, guilt eating him up from within for various reasons. “I’m sorry, love but I can’t get away from work at the moment…”
“We could just spend the time after the conference sightseeing New York, even an hour is fine,” Alina tried to bargain, a fragile look in her eyes.
Anton would have jumped on the chance if he could but after the conference, he would have a private meeting with the chairman which would have to be cut short because he had to fly halfway across the world for a meeting that he could avoid.
“Would you mind if someone else took my place?” He asked with a wince, already knowing her answer.
Alina just smiled and shook her head, “It’s fine, you don’t have to go that far for my sake.”
Her answer made Anton feel like he was chewing on rocks, he would have honestly preferred if she had started bawling in a bid to manipulate him into fulfilling her request. Her forced smile that didn’t touch her eyes made him feel the weight of his age - he hoped he wasn’t about to make a terrible mistake.
-^-
As the night wore on, guests started to head back to the hotel suites.
Usually, Alina would wait till her father was ready to leave so they could return to their rooms together but this time, she rose to her feet when the dinner hall started to empty out.
"Alina? There's something important I need to talk to you about." Her father’s words stopped her.
That was all she needed to drop back into her seat, her expression brightening up somewhat. She wondered if the important topic would involve getting to spend more time with her dad, but even as she thought that, a recent memory surfaced in her mind.
Her father had been speaking to Roman, the sleazy British Alpha King that could never be as great as her dad no matter how hard he tried. And he had mentioned having something important to speak to him about as well but surely that had nothing to do with her.
Her father probably wanted to get his discussion with Roman over with before talking to her, and she didn't mind waiting for as long as he asked. She poured herself a glass of champagne to settle in for the wait.
Just as she predicted, Roman came sauntering over a few moments later. He had lost his crown during the course of the dinner party and his slicked back hair had been tousled up by his hands.
She averted her face when he got to the table, she couldn't stand him and she was aware that he felt the same. It was a mutual hatred.
Anton rose to his feet when Roman returned, "How nice of you to return, why don't we move this to a private room?"
Roman cocked a brow at this, *'Just what did Alpha Costin want to say that required this much privacy?'* He didn't protest however, his curiosity piqued.
"Very well, there are a number of private lounges, we could use that." He suggested, accepting.
They took a few steps from the Costins' table before Anton turned to his daughter, "Come along, Alina." He invited his daughter.
Roman tightened his lips at the possible implications of that, he glanced at Alina for the first time all night, the werewolf princess doing the same. Their shared gazes broke in mere seconds like neither of them could stand to look at the other for too long.
"Of course, Dad." Alina said cheerily, rising to her feet, her champagne glass still in hand.
Her bleached blonde hair was styled in loose curls which were slicked back from her face, glitter all over her body, not just her loud silver dress.
With this, the three of them silently made their way out of the dim dinner hall. If anyone noticed this odd group of werewolf royalty, no one said a word.
Roman stepped into the private lounge first, there were four sofas all facing each other from every direction around a solid glass table. The room had a hanging chandelier which provided little light, most of the lighting came from back lights embedded in the walls, giving it an ethereal glow.