CHAPTER 99: OLD BASTARDS

***Author’s Note: Thank you SpicyReads and headdermo for the golden tickets 3***

~AMBROSE’S POV~

After Odette ran out of the room I was in a panic. We all watched her relive, I’m guessing, one of the most painful memories of her past life.

"You know, you have to find her. She can’t leave the city without you." Artemasia said firmly to me.

"I wouldn’t dare, she’s mine. She’s my fated mate." Onyx purred with delight hearing me say this out loud.

"You keep saying that. It’s weirding me out. The idea of a vampire princess, her of all people would be your fated mate. The goddess is cruel, isn’t she?" Artemasia snickered at what she thought was the twisted will of the goddess.

"I considerate it a blessing, she’s a power woman, perfect for my future luna. Strong brave, fearless, but kindness sits comfortably under the surface of her rage. I’m not the least bit disappointed in the goddess choice anymore." I answered with unwavering confidence.

"Good to hear, cause you’re her guardian. Or rather, your wolf is. You’ll be stuck with her, even if she wasn’t your fated mate." She had started cleaning up and putting things away after the ceremony.

"What? Her Guardian?"

I knew she was mine to protect. I told you so. Onyx sneered at me his grin annoying and predictable.

The amount of time’s you’ve told me this is getting on my nerves now. I bitched at Onyx.

"Yes, her guardian. Her protector, your fate is tied to hers. I can’t reveal anything else, but the gods work in mysterious ways, and all will be revealed in time." Artemasia acted so detached from the entire situation.

"That’s the best you have for me? A bunch of half assed riddles? Come on." I was getting annoyed by the lack of transparency she was giving me.

"You better go find her, before she runs herself off a cliff." Artemasia mentioned too casually, it sent warning bells off in my head.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean Artemasia?" I snapped at her slamming my hands down on her alter.

She sent me daggers as glares "Exactly what I said, now take that ungrateful attitude out of my house, before I blow you up, Ambrose."

Fucking witches.

I scoffed and stormed out of the room.

Run herself off a cliff?

The warning bells hadn’t silenced since she said that.

Can you sense her? Catch her scent? I asked Onyx.

She ran toward the palace. Onyx responded

"We are on full alert; the vampire princess is missing. Find her. Find her now." I ordered through the pack channel.

"On it, my king." Damon responded first.

"Understood, Alpha, we will find the vampire princess." Others responded in the channel.

I ran up the path toward the palace and tried to pick up more of her scent.

The scent was fading the longer I followed. It was almost like she was out running me. Which was impossible, but her scent was fading.

I ran around the palace grounds for hours. It was dawn when I finally stopped.

I looked up at the high mountains.

There’s no way she hiked up that one, it’s impossible the windstorm stops people from climbing to high.

But where else could she have gone? Is she lost in that windstorm?

Ambrose we have to find her. We can’t lose her. We need her Ambrose.

I know, I know, believe me. If I have to hike up that mountain to do it I will.

If anyone can make it up that mountain and find her, it’s us.

Damn fucking right Onyx, let’s go.

However just as I was about to shift and let Onyx take over; there she was walking down the mountain, not a hair out of place. in perfect condition, like she owned the wind and the mountain was made to bend to her will. She moved not just with the grace of a princess but with the power of a goddess.

She was a marvel.

And I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Relief crashed into me, nearly knocking me off my feet.

She was okay, and she was back.

She knelt down and that when I noticed the little tag along with her. The little white beast blended in with the snow coming down from the mountain.

And just as I expected when I questioned her, she gave me a piece of her mind. And I could barely hold the laugh in when she thought I had a thing for Artemasia. As if. I’m not one to usually out people’s business, but I wasn’t about to let my little princess set my ass on fire because of a misunderstanding.

"I found the vampire princess, she is safe and, in my possession, now." I said into the channel "Emalea, come to my room and prepare a warm bath and breakfast for the princess, serve her milk, instead of coffee, she will need rest, we have an outing after my meeting."

"Understood, Alpha King, it shall be done." Emalea responded formally in the pack channel.

After I take her back to the room. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She was perfection in its finest form.

And that perfection was mine. Mine to have. Mine to hold. Mine to protect. And mine to love.

The word love still felt foreign in my own mind.

Before I left, I kissed her forehead. I wanted to kiss more, but this gesture, it felt like more than a gentle kiss. Everything about her felt like more.

"I’ll be back after my meeting."

I left without another word. Shutting the door behind me and leaving her was the last thing I wanted to do. But I had to inform the council of what happened in the ColdMoon Pack.

Walking through the palace’s long corridors I made my way to the council’s chambers.

Entering the room, a quiet fire hit the room when I entered it, I moved with calculated efforts. Displaying my unquestionable authority.

"Let’s get down to business, I’ve got better things to do than talk to you old bastards all day." I groaned. I hated these stupid meetings, too formal, nosey old men and naggy women sitting at a table.

"There are several matters we wish to address in today’s meeting." General Morrison spoke first.

"Well get on with the first thing on the agenda. What’s the status with the rogues?" I asked him.

"We’ve found out they have a new leader. Some unknown shifter has grown in power and they’ve been taking not just wolf shifters, but other species, both the bird shifters and feline shifters are now going missing. We found that they’ve been taken by plane, not boat and not magic. It seems they don’t have a strong enough witch with them to do transportation magic, and they haven’t gathered enough resources to use stones or fae rings or the weylines." General Erikson informed me.

"Do we know the name of this unknown shifter, is he a wolf?" I asked.

"Only rumor of a name, no conformation yet, but when I have more information, I’ll relay it to you right away Alpha King Ambrose." General Erikson answered.

"Good, what do you need to get me that information by the end of the week?" I asked. I needed a name, can’t have a witch cast a spell to find a mother fucker if I don’t know his name.

"I need time, and a few gammas I have intel to suggest they will have a meeting soon and would like to send a team in." he told me.

"Done." I answered. "Also investigate any connection the former alpha of the ColdMoon Pack, Micca. He escaped sentencing during their latest rogue attack."

"I’ll have answers for you by the end of the week, and after the meeting I’ll have more information on the identity of the rogue leader." General Erikson bowed his head.

"Next on the agenda."

"The Vampires have been oddly quiet. We have no word on why, but the slaughters that were happening have stopped. Evacuations have been successful, most of the packs in America have been relocated to other parts of Russia and Africa. We’ve been working with the other shifter species on the refugee efforts." Luna Dawn spoke. She’s been working closely with that mission.

"I knew when I entrusted you with the task of relocating those packs, you’d get it done with measured efficiency." I complimented her efforts.

"I appreciate your recognition, Alpha King Ambrose." She bowed her head. "I am worried about the long standing quiet with vampires. And what they could be planning."

I could hear the hint in her voice, the probing in her tone. She wanted more information from me.

"The Princess is very much becoming an essential asset, and I have big plans for her." I informed them.

"Would you consider informing the council on what those plans could be?" General Morrison the ever vocal power hungry son of a bitch.

"Are you questioning me? General Morrison?" I took on a sharp tone, releasing my alpha aura, reminding the bastard who was in charge.

"No, no, I would never, my king, I simply would like to understand so we can plan the next move." He covered himself smoothly.

Fucking politicians, man. I hate them. Greedy little shits.

"You’ll know when I want you to know, until then, remember your place General Morrison, and that’s beneath your Alpha." I growled. He backdown bowing his head.

"Is that it?" I asked, ready to be done with this meeting.

"There’s one last thing on the agenda, your majesty." General Morrison said without lifting his head.

I let out a displeased groan "Get on with it then."

"There is still the matter of your future Luna." This fucking guy really doesn’t know when to take a hint.

"I have someone in mind, General Morrison, I appreciate the concern, but it’s unnecessary and not wanted."

He smirked. He really thought I was talking about his daughter, didn’t he?

Over my dead body.