The Alpha King's Princess
The Alpha King’s Princess – Chapter 18

I grit my teeth as the sight of her made me burn with envy. No one could deny that she was an attractive woman and the fact that she had known Candido for so much longer than I irritated me deeply. More than all that, I knew she was all wrong for Candido, the Full Moon Pack, and werewolf society.

She would be a terrible queen, trading petty favors for her ego, sneering at people that needed help if she even imagined that they were a threat to her position, and sometimes just out of spite. I shuddered. It would be like Lilian and Bella had ascended to the throne.

Even if it wasn’t me at his side, he deserved an truly kind woman who cared about him personally, not just as a path to prestige and wealth. Sibyl wasn’t it. It was obvious in the way she’d shown up here and how Candido interacted with her.

Something was strange about their arrangement. Maybe it had been arranged by their parents, but I couldn’t believe that the former Alpha King hadn’t seen the truth of Sibyl’s personality. I doubted that she had only become like this when she got older, either. The former Alpha King a wise man from what I had heard and a great leader. He had established the Full Moon Pack as the biggest and most powerful pack after generations of fighting between the New Moon, Red Moon, and Full Moon packs.

Then, Candido had killed him? I frowned, thinking harder about it. Burned them alive?

No matter what Candido’s relationship with his father was, short of terribly abusive, he didn’t seem like the type to kill his father. Imprison him? Sure, for whatever crimes he’d committed, but not killed. And his brother? Candido valued a sense of family more than most.

Something wasn’t right. I had to add that to the long list of things to look into. Something in my heart was telling me that there was something off about what most people knew about Candido. Nothing added up.

“Don’t you think your staff should treat your betrothed better?” Sibyl asked. “They didn’t even show me to a room or give me a change of clothes. I’m soaked…”

Her voice was coy and pleading, but her eyes were expectant and sly. Her nipples pressed against the front of her dress as she looked up at Candido. She opened her mouth and let her lips tremble. Her eyes turned glossy with tears.

“Candido, I—”

Candido lifted a towel from the staff member’s arms and shook it out silently. He wrapped it around her shoulders, stepping just close enough to pat her face and hair dry. But he said nothing and Sibyl seemed shocked.

I didn’t like how close they were, but I watched Sibyl’s expression. Had this been the first time Candido had done anything like this for her? She didn’t deserve it, but it told me that she and Candido weren’t nearly as close as she kept saying. Every time I got wet in the rain, Candido fussed over me, drying me off and hustling me into a hot shower to warm up. I ran out in the rain sometimes just to get his attention sometimes.

Sibyl stepped closer, leaning up as if to k**s him, but Candido grabbed another towel and placed it on her head, and stepped back.

“Perhaps if you were not such a brat, you could have dried off rather than soaking the foyer,” Candido said. “Why did you ask to be dropped off here?”

My eyes widened. Dropped off? What did he mean by that?

“What do you mean?” She sniffled. “My car—”

“Perhaps one car,” Candido started with his eyebrow raised. “Would have broken down. One. Perhaps even two. But your entire caravan?”

My jaw dropped. I hadn’t expected her to be outright lying like that. Did she really travel with a caravan? As I thought about it, it made sense. I could even believe that Candido paid the bill for her security, but I really hoped her father did.

“I didn’t—”

“What is this about?” Candido asked.

Her lips trembled, and she pressed herself up against him. “Candido, why are you being so cold to me?”

“You lied to me,” he said easily. “It’s not new for you, but this sort of lie is, and I am replaceing myself running out of patience with you. Why are you here, Sibyl?”

“You’re being cruel. I’m going to be your wife. Shouldn’t you be happy to see me? Shouldn’t you be happy I want to see you?”

Candido stared at her. I held my breath, suddenly feeling like this moment was changing in a way that I didn’t necessarily need to be here for, but I couldn’t look away.

“You’re crossing a line, Sibly,” he said firmly. “Last warning. Why are you here?”

She dropped her gaze. “… you’ve never taken me to Silver Dreams.”

I frowned. What did my favorite restaurant have to do with her being here?

“And?”

She lifted her head. “Carly told me that she saw you and Hedy there.”

“And?” Candido asked. “Eventually you will reach your point, Sibyl.”

Her jaw trembled. “You haven’t forgotten, have you? You’re always acting so cold to me. You know how long—”

“I don’t need to be reminded, Sibyl. If that is all you came to say—”

“Why can’t you treat me more like your betrothed?” She asked, getting closer to him. “I’m here… it’s cold and dark—pouring outside, and you haven’t even offered me a room. You don’t even treat me like we’re friends.”

She sniffled and began to cry. “I just want to be with you, Candido.”

Candido said nothing for a while. “Did your father send you here, Sibyl?”

“Of course not!” Sibyl cried. “He doesn’t know I’m here.”

He pulled away. “Even more of a reason for you to go home.”

“But Candido!” She wailed.

I rolled my eyes. The conversation was going about the way I hoped though Candido seemed reluctant to kick her out the way she deserved. He’d have it in hand soon enough. I stood and hurried to my room to grab my science textbook and school laptop, and a few pens before hurrying back as Sibyl’s crying grew louder.

“Can’t I just stay over tonight, Candido?” Sibyl asked. “It’s dark and pouring down outside. They already towed the car away. I’ll be your wife in just–”

“Can’t I just stay over tonight, Candido?” Sibyl asked. “It’s dark and pouring down outside. They already towed the car away. I’ll be your wife in just–”

Candido sighed as I walked down the hall. “I don’t particularly care what is going on in your head. This is ridiculous. I thought we had a better relationship than this.”

“You’re the one always backing away from me,” Sibyl said. “Do you… just not replace me attractive, Candido? You used to call me pretty all the time.”

That stung more than I expected it to. I couldn’t deny that she was pretty, but the thought od Candido calling her pretty irritated me.

“You are pretty when you’re honest,” Candido said, but there was no feeling in his words.

Boots marched out onto the ground floor as I stepped onto the landing, situating everything in my arms.

“Sir, you called for us?”

Candido turned and looked up at me.

Then, Sibyl grabbed his jacket and tugged. “Candido, I… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied, but I really just wanted to see you tonight.”

Candido didn’t turn to look at her. “Go on, Hedy. I’ll be there in a moment.”

Sibyl stiffened and glared up at me.

I met her gaze evenly. I could see the anger at me as she dragged her gaze over me. I wasn’t wearing anything revealing, just my softest, pinkest pajamas. They had been a gift from Candido years ago after I told him that I’d never had a proper set of pajamas.

He’d given me several sets since then. Candido turned back to Sibyl and pulled away before turning to Team Epsilon.

“Please escort Sibyl back to the Red Moon house.”

“But, Candido…” Sibyl simpered. “All the rain and—”

Candido looked at her. “I have things to do, and Hedy needs help with her homework. You’ve irritated me enough, Sibyl. Go home.”

She clenched her jaw and sent one last glare at me before turning and leaving with Team Epsilon, who opened an umbrella for her to escort her to the jeep. The door closed behind her, and Candido turned to the servant.

“She refused the towels?”

The woman nodded with a wince. “She… said she didn’t want towels but to be shown to a room. I told her there were no rooms available as you had not ordered one to be prepared. I—”

“You did well,” Candido said and turned back to the staircase.

“S-Should we prepare a room for her in the future?”

“No,” Candido said. “And if she refuses the basic courtesies offered, do not feel pressured to offer anything else. Feel free to even retract the offers given and show her out by force.”

Candido reached the top of the landing and nodded towards his office. “Shall we? Little girls still need to go to bed on time.”