Page 211 of The Alpha's Pen Pal

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I replied.

“Enough small talk,” he said, turning serious, the twinkle in his eyes disappearing in under a second. “I understand you have Haven’s adoptive parents in your custody and that they are unregistered wolves, or perhaps wolves using fake names?” he said. “And there are some concerns regarding the nomads near your borders, the nomads who brought them into your territory?”

“That is correct, yes,” my dad said. “Most of us feel it is too convenient that they just happened to find our future luna’s adoptive parents on our borders when we and you could not find them, try as we might,” he added, emphasizing the word “most.”

Sebastian fidgeted but didn’t shy away from my dad’s sharp glare.

“I see,” King Malachi said, his serious eyes turning to Sarina. “Step forward, please, young lady,” he commanded, his powerful aura leaking out, making everyone in the room lower their heads in submission.

Everyone except Haven.

I hadn’t even thought about that. That maybe she wouldn’t be affected by an aura because she was Selene’s daughter and technically ranked above us. All of us, even the king.

I squeezed her hand and glanced around at everyone after she met my eyes, emphasizing my submission to the king to her. Her eyes widened, and she lowered her head too, and thankfully, the king didn’t notice.

“What is your name?” he asked Sarina.

“Sarina Cisneros,” she replied.

“And what pack are you from?”

“None. We are nomads. We travel around and do jobs here and there, helping those who need it.”

“And how did you come to have a transport stone?” he asked. “My councilman here tells me you have one. They are very rare since the witches don’t like to share their secrets with other species, so how do you have one?”

“I got it from my parents.” She shrugged. “They helped out a witch, and in return, she gave them the transport stone and taught them how to calibrate it.”

“And where are your parents?”

“They are in another state, doing their own work, currently. We will meet up again at some point when all of us are finished with our work.”

“And are you working for or with the Wainwrights or Lennox’s family?” he asked her, pushing out the full extent of his aura and alpha command.

“No,” Sarina said, shaking her head. “I’d never collaborate or work with people like that. They are the worst type of people, looking out only for themselves.”

“Then who are you working for?”

“We work for the little people,” she said. “Those who have no voice and cannot stand up for themselves. But we have no ‘boss.’ We’re our own bosses.”

The king nodded and smiled, then turned to my dad and me. “Well, I believe that settles that concern?” he said.

I frowned but nodded. There was no denying the truth in the answers Sarina gave. Not when she was under an alpha command like that. We had to believe her.

“Thank you, King Malachi,” I said. “I’m sorry we didn’t believe you, Sarina,” I added, looking at her.

“I told you she proved herself trustworthy,” Sebastian gloated.

“Yeah, I’m sure she did,” Reid muttered, his eyes flicking to her butt.

A growl spilled into the room, Sarina’s eyes flashing in warning as she sneered at Reid, her lip curling.

“Not. Your. Type,” she snarled, enunciating each word harshly.

“You don’t know unless you try.” Reid winked.

“Not interested,” she said.

I gave an exasperated sigh, shaking my head at my best friend. He really needed to learn how to read a room.

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