Page 150 of Promised to the Alpha Prince

“Well, it’s not as if they’re going to be welcomed into the royal family if they aren’t of the right pedigree,” said Johannes. “And it probably makes them into freaks. You got a knot on your dick, you scare off betas.”

“But the people they do have sex with would find out,” I said.

“True,” said Johannes, as if he hadn’t thought of this.

“Anyway,” I said, “does it matter? If they go public with this, what will happen? Would it be the destruction of the monarchies in all these countries? Would it mean that there were all sorts of commoners trying to present? Would it be a disaster? Should we pay anyway?”

The King’s eyes widened. “Well… maybe it’d be a better world without the monarchy.”

“You don’t want to be King?” said Johannes.

“Does anyone really want to be a king?” said the King. “It’s very lonely.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“You’re separate and singular and different and put on a pedestal. It’s… I’d stop doing it if I could, but I can’t.”

“You can abdicate, actually,” said Johannes. “You could hand the throne over to Dirk—”

“Well, sure, but that wouldn’t change anything, because I’d still be hounded for the rest of my life and treated like the King, only everyone would be mad at me for not being the King.” He shrugged. “If everyone and anyone could be an alpha, though…?”

“What are you saying?” I said. “That’s not a solution.”

“I don’t even understand why this Corentin person’s debts are the problem of the crown,” said the King.

“I explained that.”

“You know, when I said that you could get some assistance with your omega, I didn’t mean that you needed to be so deeply involved with the other alphas. I told you, you don’t have to be there—”

“I do, though,” I said. “That’s how I operate. And now, I’m invested in him.” I didn’t know how to explain this to the King. He and I were in a very similar position in that we both were pack leaders and we both had omegas that had other alphas, but I could see that we didn’t interact with the roles in remotely similar ways.

“Invested in him or not, whatever he’s done is his own fault, and it’s not the business of the crown,” said the King. “We don’t need to pay off his debts. If you’re making a request for funds, I deny it.”

I licked my lips, displeased with this answer. But one didn’t contradict the King, so I only nodded.

“I’ve been asked for money many, many times in my life,” said the King. “And I can tell you that most people who are making threats don’t go through with them in the end. I think these Banno people—”

“Bannino,” I said. “They’re an influential crime family in Arenze, and the authorities have yet been able to put them behind bars. They are a credible threat, I assure you.”

“Yes, but even if they do what they say? I don’t know that I’d mind.” The King shrugged. Then he leaned forward. “But it’s as I say, Dmitri, it’s preposterous. They can’t change anyone into an alpha.”

“You’re right,” I said, nodding. “It is a preposterous claim.”

The King dismissed us and Johannes and I walked back through the castle to the wing where our quarters were.

“What are we doing about Nik?” he said.

“He isn’t responding to your texts or calls either?” I said.

“No,” said Johannes. “I’m apologizing to him, but I don’t even know what I’m apologizing for. You have fucked up our lives, Dmitri.”

“It seems to me you fucked things up with Nik when you went off with the omega without my permission,” I said to him.

“No, he was angry before that,” said Johannes. “And this again?” He folded his arms over his chest. “Okay, I need to know. I asked Aurelie to find out, but you chased her off, too—”

“Aurelie will be back,” I said in a firm voice.

“What happened? You said you bottomed once and didn’t like it. Were you forced or something? Do you have trauma, because—”

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