The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

“I'm not running away. I'm moving on.”

Irvine Welsh

It wasn’t the first tsomeone had referred toby that title, but coming from Alessia’s mouth, it made me

feel like even more of an imposter. It didn’t fit - | knew it, and given the amused expression on Alessia’s face, she

knew it too.

“We could just go inside and talk, you know,” | said, taking her jacket, “That way, nobody has to stand out here

with no jacket.” Although it still couldn't compare to the Canadian cold, the jacket definitely helpedtolerate

the freezing night.

Alessia rolled her eyes. “Please, there are guards everywhere,” she said, “You want the entire castle to hear our

conversation?”

“Definitely not.”

“That's what | thought,” she said, and then she gavea teasing smile, “So, your Queen now, huh?” (3

“I'm surprised you heard,” | told her, “I didn’t see you at the meeting earlier.”

It was weird to think the meeting had only been a handful of hours ago it felt

more like months.

“Oh, yeah,” she shrugged, “I didn’t feel like going. A room full of territorial Alphas fighting over a pack dispute?

No thanks. But the castle has been in an uproar given all the , | kinda wish | wouldn't have missed it.”

“By ,” | said dryly, “You mean Griffin recognizingas his mate and then killing his father in the span of

five minutes? | don’t know if I'd classify that as

.”

I guess so,” she chuckled, “So, how does it feel?”

“How does what feel?” | asked.

“Being Queen, being the mate of the Alpha King - whatever you want to call it. Had | known you were going to

be such a big deal when we talked last night, | would've kissed your ass more.”

| couldn’t stop the laugh from bubbling up. Although I didn’t know Alessia well at all, something about her was

comforting. She wasn’t someone to be trifled with the scar on her face proved that but she wasn’t fake either.

She wasn't afraid to tellthe truth, and in turn, it madefeel like | could be honest with her.

“You want the truth?” | asked her, leaning against the balcony.

She nodded.

“I can’t tell what's coming fromand what's coming from this stupid mate bond,” | confessed, “When Griffin

recognizedas his mate, | was horrified. | know mates are supposed to be a good thing, and for werewolves,

I'm sure they are. But | had a life, things | wanted to do...like go to college.”

“And if you're chained to the King for the rest of your life,” she said, “You never

will.”

“Pretty much,” | said, “And every part ofwishes | could just completely hate him...but | can’t. This mate bond

or whatever it is it’s like my feelings only grow

the more I'm around him.”

“Oh, that's the mate bond for you,” Alessia said, “Not that | would know from firsthand experience or anything,

but that’s usually how those things go. | imagine it’s more subdued for you since you're human, but it sounds

like you're still feeling

it”

“I'm worried,” | said, “I'm worried that if | spend too much taround him, I'm going to forget about everything

else going to college, seeing my family, doing normal human things. I'm worried I'm going to lose myself. I've

seen mated couples before. They pretty much revolve around each other and that’s it. But it’s not like | can do

anything to stop it, I'm trapped here.”

“Well, | wouldn't say you were trapped,” she said with that steasing smile, “I mean, by yourself sure. You

don’t stand a chance of getting away from the King or his pack on your own. This place might be a castle but it's

an isolated fortress

too. Unless you know how to navigate all that forest

which you don’t, I'm

guessing you're screwed. The only other way you're getting out of here is if you leave undetected with someone

else who's allowed to leave.”

She spoke as if she was just thinking out loud but it did getthinking. Alessia was right. | was smart enough to

at least realize | couldn't navigate the forest on my own. | regularly got lost on the way to school, there was no

way I'd make it through a thick Canadian forest alone. If | didn’t die of hypothermia first, Griffin or one of his

pack members would most likely just findand bringback.

My best chance was hitching a ride with someone who was already leaving the

castle - someone who wouldn’t immediately findand reportto Griffin. Someone | could reasonably trust

more than a stranger.

Someone like Alessia.

As soon as | thought it, | was turning to Alessia with frantic eyes. “Alessia,” | said, “I know we don’t know each

other very well but you could be my ticket out of here. You're visiting just like everyone else, which means

you've got to go hto your

pack soon | could cwith you!”

Alessia looked atlike I'd grown three heads.

“Are you crazy?” She hissed, “I wasn’t trying to give you ideas, Clark! There's no

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way it would work, and even if | did agree to help you, I'm pretty sure my head would end up on the floor like the

former Alpha King’s did once your mate found

out,

“Not if we succeeded,” | told her. Suddenly, the gears in my head were turning as |

tried to think this is through. “You would just have to smuggleout of here.”

“And how do you suggest | smuggle you out? You're the literal Queen,” she said,

crossing her arms.

1

“Only as of today,” | said, “Speople know about me...but it's unreasonable to

think that everyone would, right? Like whoever drives you to the airport? | doubt word has spread that far. You

could just say I'm part of your pack one of your warriors sent to protect you. Once we make it onto that plane,

you're hfree.”

“And where are you going to go after that?” she asked, “My pack is in California and there's no way you're

staying with me.”

California.

That's where my mom lived. Or that’s where she used to live as far as | knew. It’s not like | had a current address

for her.

“I'll be okay,” I said, “I have family in California. | just need you to getout.”

Alessia scoffed, shaking her head. “Look, | sympathize with you, girl - I do. | wouldn't want to be in your position,

and normally, I'd be all for sticking it to the monarchy but not when it comes at the price of my own head.”

Realistically, it was hard to argue with her. | knew that helpingwas a big risk. for her, and it’s not like | had

much to offer in return.

Guess I'm on my own.

“What is that smell?” she suddenly asked. She sniffed the air with her eyes closed.

“What do you mean?”

“It’s you,” she said, and her eyes narrowed. She walked closer to me, nostrils flared. “It’s the sscent |

caught last night - it’s coming from you but it’s not actually you. God, it smells so good. It smells like mate.”

Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.

Mate? How could | smell like her mate if I'm not actually her mate? It must've been someone | interacted with or

shared clothing with or

Reality suddenly dawned on me. D

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| couldn't believe | hadn't pieced it together before. Last night, I'd shared a bedroom with Lily before | talked to

Alessia. Today, | was wearing Lily's dress that

she had left me.

1 wasn't Alessia’s mate. [2

But my sister was. 6

Granted, it was just a theory but it made sense. Who else had been in such close contact withtoday and last

night? Not even Sebastian had gotten that close and her mate certainly wasn’t Griffin.

“Alessia,” | said, “What if | told you I could you offer something in return? For

helping me?”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Oh? Like what?”

“Like the nof your mate and where they are. | have a pretty good idea of whose scent you keep smelling.” O

She growled. “You know my mate?”

“If you're sure the scent you're smelling belongs to your mate, then | know who it

just the teensiest, tiniest favor in return.”

“Letguess,” she huffed, “You tellthe nof my mate and I let you leave

the castle with me. Tell the driver and anyone else we encounter that you're a part

of my pack.”

q a0

Coercing Alessia’s help felt

manipulative but she was my only

shot out of here, | digr(tknaw het

thatyelhbit Mat east knew her better

than the other forty Alpha kids who

had made an appearance at the

diplomatic meeting. The content is

on novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

a )

And if worst cto worse, I'd

orm )

protect her from Griffin. | wouldn't let

her head up on ine doen She 1

J:

"Enea &r e. I'd throw

yself at his feet and beg his

forgiveness, lock the chains on

)

myself I'd do whatever | needed to

protect Alessia from his wrath. The

content is on novelenglish.net! Read

the latest chapter there!

But it won't cto that. @

You'll get away and nobody will get hurt. It'll all be worth it.

“So, that's it then? | help you and you tellwhere my mate is,” she said. Her face was blank again,

unreadable.

“Yeah, that’s the deal.”

She sighed, looking up at the moon.

« ”

Moon goddess help me,” she

apy . MN

muttered, “I'm only doy thisO {

becaystl6l know the nof my

mate. And | want to stick it to the

, q

monarchy. And also...you're kind of

” .

okay.” The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

I grinned. Relief flooded- | was going to get out of here. | could be in California by this ttomorrow.

“You're pretty okay too, Alessia.”

4

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