Valerie's POV

I stood nervous in the king's room. He was arguing with his beta.

"Your Majesty, I don't get why you would let this girl sleep in your-"

"Why can't she? She's my personal maid afterall." The King cut him off.

"Ethan." The short man called, surprised.

"Go away. I want to sleep." The King laid on his bed and the short man stood watching him silently. He turned to me, giving me a cold stare before leaving the room.

I rolled my eyes.

He shouldn't have looked at me like that. I didn't want this either.

I felt very uncomfortable sleeping in the Alpha king's room. So many ugly thoughts ravaged my mind. Thoughts like him transforming in the midnight and digging out my heart out of my chest while I'm deep asleep.

Aish!

I shook my head as if shaking the thoughts from my mind. They've succeeded in making me feel eery. And now I'm scared to close my eyes even though I know I need some sleep.

The past days have been horrible. I stayed awake for seventy two hours, tied to a chair and watching my brother's innocent blood dry on the cold floor of that damn basement.

The ugly short man, Fynn or whatever he was called, had wanted to destroy my pretty face. He didn't hit me anywhere else aside from my face, making my face all swollen and full of bruises and it would take days for me to heal since I didn't have a wolf.

"You'll be sleeping on the couch. Get some rest. Your work starts tomorrow." I heard the King say.

I walked to where the couch was and laid down. I closed my eyes afterwards and sleep took me in no time.

The low growls in the room woke me up. And suddenly there was silence. As if it knew I was awake. I sat up and looked around in fear. I noticed the King's bed was empty.

My eyes darted to the wall clock. It was 12:03 a.m.

My heart beat raced. Could it be...?

No, no, no. It can't be.

That was just my thought. The King wouldn't try to kill me in the middle of the night.

The low growls started again accompanied by low whimpers. The noise was coming from a corner of the bedroom.

I trembled.

What could be there?

I forced myself to my feet despite my panic and tip-toed quietly to the corner the growl was coming from.

I stopped before a door that was left ajar and peeped into the room. It was a closet and the king was in there, lying on the floor and holding a photo to his chest. The low growls were from him. His eyes were tightly closed and tears trekked down his face.

He was in deep pain. I could see it from where I stood.

My heart melted seeing him like that. He was the Alpha king, a mighty Alpha who earned himself the name Alpha of death because of his brutality.

Everyone believed he had no emotion whatsoever. He would kill like it was nothing, tear down packs and alliances like they didn't matter.

But now he was right before my eyes in tears and pain.

I sighed and turned to leave when his next word stopped me on my track.

"Maggie..."

Maggie? Luna Margaret?

I turned again and looked at him. I pitied him. He was in this much pain because he lost his mate.

He moved slightly and I realised the danger of him catching me looking at him in his weak state. I quickly tip-toed back to the couch and laid down.

He walked into the room minutes later and I closed my eyes quickly. It didn't take long for me to sleep off.

I jolted awake at the cold hands that tapped me. It was the king.

"Get up, lazy bone. I'm hungry." He said.

I stood up quickly and bowed my head to him. I rushed out of the room, headed to the kitchen even though I didn't know where it was. The sky was bright and blue and thankfully, I met a guard who directed me to the kitchen.

"Who are you?" An elderly woman whom I met in the kitchen asked.

"Uhm...I'm Valerie. I'm here because the Alpha is hungry."

The woman chuckled.

I didn't know why.

"And who is Valerie?" She asked further.

"I'm the Alpha's new maid." I answered.

Her brows furrowed, "New maid?" She frowned, as if realising something, "The king would have told me if he got a new maid. You're a spy. Guards!"

I shook in fear and panicked as the guards rushed in.

The woman pointed at me. "Take her. She's a spy."

"No, I'm not!" They paid deaf ears to my words and grabbed my hands, pulling me along with them.

"Please, I'm not a spy! You should talk to your Alpha. Or take me to him at least." I told the guards.

"And who are you to see our king?" One of the guards holding me snarled at me before pushing me into the dark cell.

The guard who snarled at me earlier smirked as he locked the cell gate. "Your beauty isn't going to save you, little spy. But if you warm my bed tonight, your punishment will be less."

I scoffed and looked away from him.

"It's a good deal, right? Think about it." He left.

I took a deep breath and crouched down. I was angry and frustrated.

I sighed.

"My life is a total disaster." I mumbled.

I stayed long in the prison before Fynn walked in with the stupid guard. The guard had come earlier asking me to reconsider his stupid offer and I ignored him again.

"I'm sorry, Fynn. She was a new face. I had no idea she was the king's maid."

"Now you know. Open the cell."

The guard quickly did as the short man had said.

"Follow me." Fynn said to me and I followed him to the king's bedroom.

The king was eating and chuckled when he saw me.

"I asked you for breakfast not to be locked up in a cell."

"The woman in the kitchen mistook me for a spy." I told him.

"Don't blame her. Not many people know I changed my maid. Fynn, remind me to introduce her to the castle workers later so that what happened today won't repeat itself."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Have you eaten? Come, join me." The king said to me,

"Thank you, Alpha. I'm full." I lied. There was no way I would dine with the Alpha of death. The food would taste like death.

"You wasted your first day in the cell. Don't blame me if you don't meet your seven days deadline of finding my mate's killer."

"I know. That's why I need to go clubbing tonight."

The king looked up at me. He was surprised.

"It's not what you're thinking, Alpha. I'm only going there to look for someone. Someone who can tell me where and how to find Houston Macduff."

Alpha King Ethan's POV

"She's so hot." Fynn commented. His eyes were stuck on Valerie's dancing body, "She's really a good dancer."

Something stirred within me as I watched my beta's lustful eyes on Valerie. "You have a wife, Fynn. Take your eyes off her."

Fynn huffed, "Sarah will understand. She always does."

"You know that's not proper, right? She's not just your wife but the mother of your precious daughter. She deserves some respect."

Fynn eyed me. "Fine. I'm looking away."

I sipped my wine, watching the eyes of other men drool over the bodies of the strippers on stage.

I couldn't deny how well the strippers danced. They understood their job. But Valerie's body moves were exceptional. Enchanting. She stole the stares of most of the men in the room. I saw the hunger in their eyes for her. They wanted her.

I clenched my jaw.

How dare they want her? I struggled to suppress the urge to storm the stage and drag her out with me, to make them know she belonged to me.

"What's wrong, Ethan? You seem annoyed." Fynn asked, his eyes studied me.

"Nothing." I answered plainly.

He chuckled. "Don't tell me you're seduced by her too."

"Shut up."

"Okay." He sipped from his wine glass.

I noticed how Valerie's seductive gaze has remained on one man since she got on stage.

"Who is he?" I mumbled to myself, looking at the man.

"Who?" Fynn asked, looking behind him.

"Him. There." I said and Fynn followed my eyes.

"Oh, that's the new Mayor."

My gaze shifted to Fynn. "Mayor?"

"Mmhmm." He nodded and continued, "Hugh Grant, he's the youngest Mayor since the origin of New York City."

"He should be in the VIP room, not here." I said, looking at the man.

"Maybe he loves it here. Who wouldn't love the view of all these pretty girls dancing at once." Fynn muttered and turned to look at Valerie again.

"Take your eyes off her, Fynn."

"Shit." He turned to me, his eyes full of annoyance. "But she's way out of your league. You can't have her."

I frowned. "I didn't say I wanted her."

Fynn rolled his eyes and turned away.

"Huh, where did they go?" He asked, looking around.

I looked quickly at the stage and it was empty. The girls were strolling out of stage to meet the men. I looked around quickly for Valerie and couldn't find her.

"Damn it! Where is she?" I asked and stood up.

Fynn followed.

"Find the girl." I mindlinked my guards and they got busy looking around.

Fynn joined them while I remained in the hall. Just in case, she returned.

Time ticked fast, seconds ran into minutes and I heard nothing from Fynn or my guards.

"Any sight of her?" I asked in the mindlink.

"Not yet, Your Majesty."

I forced myself to take a deep breath to calm myself. Valerie better not do anything stupid. Else...

I stilled as another thought flashed in my mind.

Could she be in danger?

The Mayor.

He could be the one she came to meet here. And if he's working for her master, then...

"Check the rooms. The VIP's, make sure you scout the entire building for her and do it quickly. She might be in danger." I ordered in the mindlink.

"Got it, Your Majesty." Fynn responded in the mindlink.

I felt the wetness in my palms as my hands fisted. I was growing impatient. The time on my phone screen told me ten minutes had passed since my last mindlink with Fynn.

Killer stirred within me, his unease collided with mine. Something was wrong. Valerie might be in danger.

I stood up, making up my mind to look for her myself when the mindlink opened.

"Your Majesty, we found her. But..."

"What?" I asked quickly.

"She's unconscious. She was almost raped."

"Where are you guys?"

"Room 102."

I ended the mindlink and rushed to the room. I met my guards standing around the bed where she laid. Her mask was off her face and her make-up was ruined. Her body was covered with white sheet.

My jaw grinded.

"Who did this?" I asked.

"The Mayor." Fynn answered.

"And you let him leave?"

"Your Majesty, he's a politician. We can't do anything to him here and at this time with this much crowd around."

I looked over my shoulder, releasing my aura. My beta and guards bowed their heads to me. They knew they'd offended me by letting the Mayor leave.

"Your Majesty, we will bring the Mayor to you another time." Fynn said.

"Get out. All of you." They left quickly and I went to Valerie. Her neck was red and sore. There were small injuries on her neck caused by finger nails.

The Mayor didn't just try to rape her. He tried to strangle her to death.

Why?

Damn it!

I pulled the sheet away from her body. She was naked. I covered her back immediately.

I growled.

How dare the Mayor?

Killer whined inside me.

"She's not safe. They will come for her." He whispered in my mind.

"Let them come." I snarled.

Valerie belongs to me now. Any one after her would have to pass through me to get to her.

I scooped her into my arms and left some dollar bills on the bed as a payment for the white sheet.

After an hour drive we got to the castle and I asked Liz, the woman who reported Valerie as a spy, to bath Valerie. She was the only one I could trust with Valerie since I couldn't bathe or take care of her myself.

When she finished, I helped her lay Valerie on my bed. I didn't miss the shocking look on Liz's face all through the process. She found it strange that I showed this much concern for a servant girl.

She had questions but I stopped her.

"Ask me some other time, Liz."

She gave me a warm smile and nodded. "It's okay." She patted my shoulder, "Have some rest. I will leave now."

"Thank you." I muttered and she left.

I looked at Valerie. She was a sleeping beauty. I covered her properly with my white duvet before strolling into the bathroom to wash my face. I finished and walked into my closet where I changed into my wine-colored nightrobe.

I was shocked to see a masked man dressed in black standing next to my bed.

An assassin.

I charged at him but he was faster and jumped out my window.

"A man jumped out of my room window now. Find him." I ordered my guards in the mindlink and in the next second the castle alarm blew off.

I ran back to Valerie who was bleeding profusely on my bed. A knife was stuck to her chest.

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.