Page 26 of The Alpha's Crimson Vow

I stop dead, my body tensing as if on instinct. A second passes, maybe two. I can feel her gaze boring into me from behind. Slowly, I turn to face her.

“What are you doing here, your majesty?” I say, the accent I usually fake falling away completely. There’s no point now.

Alice steps forward, her eyes scanning me with a sharp precision. “I’m here for one more night out with my friend before I head back to the kingdom.”

“She’s resting,” I reply, my voice clipped.

She tilts her head slightly, her gaze unyielding. “I just got off the phone with her. She’s getting ready.”

I nod, saying nothing, but Alice takes another step closer.

“And you,” she continues, her voice low but steady. “What are you doing here… your highness?”

The air between us tightens, the tension palpable. Her eyes lock onto mine, unwavering, challenging. I don’t flinch.

“Getting justice,” I answer, my voice firm, unshaken.

For a moment, her expression doesn’t change. But then she blinks, and I know she understands. She knows exactly what’s been taken from me. But I’m not about to read her through exactly how I plan to get it back.

I turn halfway, ready to leave, but her hand snaps out, gripping my arm. Her touch is firm, and when I look into her eyes again, I see something fierce, something dangerous.

“I don’t know what you’re up to, Alex,” she says, her tone low and cutting. Her voice drops further, a warning laced in every word. “But if whatever it is you’re doing hurts her—if you hurt my friend—I will hurt you.”

Her words land hard, and I know she means them. This isn’t an empty threat. It’s a promise.

For a fleeting moment, I feel a strange sense of relief. At least, even when I’m gone, Katherine will have someone like Alice watching over her. And Alice Kassel is not someone to be trifled with.

I lean in slightly, my voice steady as I reply. “I mean her no harm. And I give you my word—no harm will come to her.”

There’s a beat of silence. Her eyes search mine, and it’s like an unspoken agreement passes between us. Finally, she lets go of my arm, her grip loosening as she steps back.

I nod once, acknowledging her. “Your majesty,” I say quietly before turning and walking down the hall.

The tension lingers in the air as I head toward the janitors’ room, my thoughts swirling once again. I can leave now—head back to my apartment.

But Alice’s sudden appearance brings one thing into sharp focus: I need to finish this mission. And I need to finish it soon.

Chapter Eight

Katherine

There’s a quote I remember hearing when I was a kid. Something about time flying when you’re having fun.

I think that quote’s true. Maybe not fun in the purest sense, necessarily—not laughter and games—but when you’ve got some peace. When life feels a little lighter, and dare I say it, when you’ve found a slice of happiness.

The days have been speeding by lately. Two months since that first night with Alex. What started as a calculated move, a date designed to give me space from Frank and Lawrence, has become something else entirely.

Two months filled with dates I stopped pretending were just for show. Nights that I actually look forward to. Sitting in my office sharing dinner with him, laughing over some small, ridiculous thing, or just soaking in the safety of his presence. And it’s hard not to notice the feeling growing inside me.

Tonight, though, won’t be one of those quiet, intimate nights. No cozy office dinners today. Tonight’s dinner is a corporate affair. A chance for the board to mingle with some of our prospective partners for the expansion into Asia—a little less formal, but just as important.

Of course, this is one of those events where the elders would insist I arrive with a date, someone polished, someone who fits the role. And I smile at the thought of Alex there with me.

The day’s work drifts by in a haze, everything ticking along more easily than it usually does. I shut down my computer earlier than normal; tonight’s dinner calls for a little extra time to get ready.

The drive home is quick, only a few minutes, but anticipation bubbles up as I make my way back to my apartment. Alex hasbeen staying over more lately, especially on the nights we go out. It’s… new. A feeling I didn’t even know I wanted but have come to cherish. There’s something about knowing someone’s there when you open the door.

As I step into the building and push open the door to my apartment, a wave of warmth greets me. Not just the warmth of home—but an actual warmth. A savory, sweet scent drifts through the air, wrapping around me. My stomach growls on cue.

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