Chapter 209
The day after the banquet, Andrew sat at the head of the mansion’s dining table, Princess Aurora to his left and King Frederick to his right. He had decided that since he was going to be spending so much one-on-one time with Princess Aurora that it would be a good idea for him to get to know the princess and her father on a more personal level. So, he set up a private dinner, just for the three of them.
They ate pork chops, grilled salmon, roast beef and gravy, mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and broccoli, Caesar salad, and blueberry pie for dessert. They were several of Lisa’s favorites and had once been Crystal’s favorites as well…before she had been drugged.
Andrew shook off that thought. So long as Princess Aurora and King Frederick enjoyed themselves, that was all that mattered. Still, that did not keep his next bite of grilled salmon from tasting any less bland.
“Thank you so much for arranging this private dinner,” Princess Aurora said, placing her hand gently on Andrew’s arm. “Everything is delicious, and your home is absolutely beautiful.”
Andrew smiled and placed his hand lightly on top of Princess Aurora’s.
“It’s my pleasure. I’m so glad that you are enjoying yourself.”
He turned to King Frederick.
“What about you, King Frederick? I hope that everything is to your liking.”
King Frederick drank his red wine.
“It’s all quite delightful, Andrew. I’m especially enjoying the roast beef, very juicy,” he replied. “However, duty does call, so if you two would excuse me…”
King Frederick wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin and rose.
“By all means,” Andrew said. “Would you like Parker to escort you?”
“No, no, I remember the way from the last time I was here.”
“Are you certain?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want to tie up your servants unnecessarily.”
Andrew shrugged.
“Very well. Just look for the nearest guard or servant if you get lost.”
“Certainly. You two try to not have too much fun while I’m gone.”
Princess Aurora raised her hand to her lips and giggled. Andrew chuckled, but it was more to entertain guests than out of genuine amusement.
King Frederick left the dining room, well aware of Parker’s eyes on him as he walked down the hallway toward the restroom. He took a right out of Parker’s sight, but before reaching the restroom, he made another right and opened the door to a supply closet. Inside waited a mousy-haired, 30-year-old maid.
“Come in, quick!” the maid said, motioning King Frederick into the closet.
King Frederick rushed inside the closet and closed the door behind him. The maid turned on the dim, flickering light, casting shadows upon their faces as they stared at each other.
“Well, Lisa, what is? What’s so important that I needed to meet a maid inside some grungy closet?” King Frederick sneered.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I had no other way to meet you without giving myself away to Alpha King Andrew,” the maid, Lisa, said, bowing her head submissively. “You want Princess Aurora to marry Alpha King Andrew, right?”
King Frederick arched his brow at Lisa.
“Yes.”
“I do, also.”
King Frederick crossed his arms over his chest.
“You don’t have any loyalties to Crystal?”
Lisa shook her head.
“She’s a troublemaker. She has a prison record, and she has caused too much trouble with Alpha King Andrew’s daughter.”
Her dull brown eyes brightened at King Frederick.
“Princess Aurora has potential, though. A union between her, as a werewolf hybrid, and Alpha King Andrew would strengthen the peace between the human and werewolf worlds—and now is the time to strike.”
King Frederick lifted his chin up at Lisa, looking down at her over his nose.
“Why do you think that?”
Lisa’s eyes shifted, as though someone could overhear them at any moment.
“Crystal and Alpha King Andrew’s relationship is on the rocks,” she whispered. “Word among the guards and servants is that they have been constantly fighting since Princess Lisa’s wedding.”
King Frederick’s eyes widened for a moment, but the expression immediately fled his face.
“What about?” he asked.
“Have you heard the rumors that Crystal got Bob Barbier arrested?”
King Frederick nodded.
“They aren’t just rumors. She and a financial lawyer friend got him arrested for murder. Supposedly, it’s caused a lot of tension between Alpha King Andrew and Crystal.”
“Interesting. Anything else?”
“Well…” Lisa leaned in closer, temporarily forgetting the manners that had been drilled into her for years. “According to a couple sources, Alpha King Andrew caught Crystal with that financial lawyer friend in her apartment…and he was shirtless.”
King Frederick stroked his chin in contemplation.
“That holds a lot of promise. I could work with that.”
“It gets worse,” Lisa continued. “Supposedly, they haven’t even talked to each other since the second fight. It’s the longest that they have gone without talking since they started dating.”
“That would explain why Crystal was not at the welcome banquet.” King Frederick’s lips curled into a twisted grin. “Right now would be the perfect time to strike.”
King Frederick reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple hundred dollars, slipping the crisp bills into Lisa’s hand.
“Keep up the good work, and there will be more where this came from,” he said.
Lisa’s eyes widened as her hand tightened around the money.
“Yes, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Now, wait five minutes after I leave before you do,” King Frederick commanded. “We don’t need anyone getting suspicious.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
King Frederick opened the door and poked his head out of the storage closet, looking around to ensure that no one would catch him walking out of it. Then he casually strolled down the hall and back toward the dining room.
As he approached the dining room, King Frederick was met by Parker’s ever-present gaze. The butler bowed to the king but did not reach to open the door yet.
“Welcome back, Your Highness,” Parker said.
“Thank you, Parker,” King Frederick said, straightening his suit as he waited for Parker or the guards to open the door.
“That was quite a long restroom break that you took. I trust that everything went well?”
King Frederick nodded, trying to not panic that Parker had noticed his long absence.
“Yes, of course.”
“Did not get lost, I hope?”
“No, no, not at all. I just had to take a quick phone call after I was done.”
Parker narrowed his eyes at King Frederick. After a moment of scrutiny, he nodded.
“That makes sense. I only wanted to be sure that you did not encounter any issues while you were gone.”
King Frederick smiled, but it was forced.
“Certainly. It is part of your job, after all.”
“Yes, and I do take pride in my job,” Parker said. He leaned a little closer to King Frederick as he added, “I would to anything to ensure Alpha King Andrew’s happiness.”
King Frederick did his best not to react, but he found himself taking a half-step back from Parker regardless.
“Well then, we should not keep him waiting, should we?” King Frederick asked.
Parker nodded and bowed to King Frederick again, his eyes never leaving the man. Then he opened the door and held it wide.
“After you, Your Highness.”
