Chapter 212

Theodore’s POV

Apparently, it was too much to ask to have more than a handful of hours alone with Violet. Also, apparently, my Beta was more devoted to our country than I was because she was happily postponing her honeymoon to show up when I had half a mind to throw Violet over my shoulder and disappear on our own honeymoon that we still had never had.

Dahlia approached the front door, stepping in front of me protectively to open it. She waited for Violet to disappear up the stairs to get more appropriately dressed before yanking the door open.

“Alpha Nightshade,” Riley Meckles, whose last name I had learned at the wedding, stood on my porch, greeting me with a nervous smile. He nodded to Dahlia. “Congratulations to you and Kincaid.”

“Thank you,” she replied half-heartedly, and I realized she didn’t know about my conversation with him at her reception. “Coming for your things?” With Eva imprisoned, it made sense that Dahlia assumed Eva’s “friends” would no longer be staying with us.

I pulled the door open wider, and Dahlia eyed me in surprise. “Riley, I think you’d better come in.”

He stepped inside as instructed just as Violet came trotting down the stairs in jeans and her own shirt. It was honestly stupid how good she looked, regardless of the outfit.

Violet froze half-way down the stairs when she lifted her gaze and saw Riley. She looked to me for direction as she slowed her pace but continued down the stairs. I had told her about his change in allegiance this morning after we’d woken up and enjoyed round three of very active love-making.

“Dahlia just got here and is therefore in the dark about our conversation yesterday,” I explained to Riley. “How would you summarize the exchange?”

He pulled at his shirt like he was trying to straighten it – or maybe like he was used to wearing clothes that didn’t fit. His nervousness belied his age, and for the first time, I saw him as a scared kid in his twenties just trying to survive.

“Basically,” Riley began as Violet joined me at my side, “I blackmailed Alpha Nightshade into telling me why he built Mel Rimanea. When I was convinced he did it to serve people and not for selfish, power-hungry reasons, I told him a reductive synopsis of my life story and pledged my allegiance to him.”

“Well, that was succinct,” Violet commented, tilting her head to look at me. “Why did your version have to be so long?” she teased. I pulled her closer for a kiss on top of her head even as I shook my head at her.

“And that’s good enough for you?” Dahlia asked me. “After months of spying on you?”

I looked Riley over as I replied, “His life story was relatable. We all just want to help take care of people. We all want a leader who will take care of us.”

A moment passed as Riley nodded, grateful that I believed him.

“Okay…” Dahlia went on, always the practical one. “So, you’re here… to keep living here?” she asked Riley.

Riley swallowed, looking between me and Dahlia. “The other three spies were reunited with their families at the wedding yesterday, all of whom have agreed to harbor them secretly at home, despite their technical rogue status.”

Violet and I exchanged a look. We had briefly mentioned wanting to come up with a formal process for reintegrating rogues with their packs after watching the heartwarming reunions yesterday. Unfortunately, for now, we had bigger fish to fry.

“You didn’t find your family?” I asked, remembering his story.

He straightened his shirt again. “The only family I care about is my Aunt Trish, even if we’re not blood related. If she’s still alive, she certainly wouldn’t have attended an event with the royals who took everything from her.”

I nodded in understanding.

“So, yeah,” Riley glanced between me and Dahlia again. “I was wondering if there’s still a place for me here. But,” he added quickly, “even if there isn’t, I’m still with you.”

He lowered to a knee before me. “My allegiance to you is conditional upon your motivation to serve those around you. As long as you serve others, I will serve you.”

He looked at Violet next. “My allegiance extends to your family.”

Riley looked over his shoulder at Dahlia. “All of them.”

He returned his gaze to mine. “I ask for nothing from you to earn my undying allegiance except that you serve others. I will humbly accept any generosity from you outside of that with deepest gratitude.”

Translation: he needed a place to stay but didn’t want his accommodations to be misconceived as a condition of his loyalty. I respected him for it.

“And how do you feel about the death of your previous employer?” Dahlia asked, not quite as ready as I was to offer him his old room.

“Honestly,” he said as he rose off his knee, “it was a terrifying thing to watch. Despite my hatred of him, despite what he stole from me, I struggle to celebrate his passing out of hope that he could have come around in the end.”

Riley sighed heavily. “But if I had to choose between ending all hope of that possibility by ending his life and allowing him to continue to extort our country and abuse its people, unfortunately, I would choose exactly what happened – as horrible as it was.”

They were the words of a kid who had seen too much too early.

It was Violet who spoke next, who made the final decision. Even in what was technically my home, in my territory, it seemed right.

“You have pledged your allegiance to our family,” she declared. “Now that includes you. So you better take care of yourself, too.”

Emotion welled in Riley’s eyes, and he swallowed, seemingly unable to find any worthy words.

“Now go clean up. We’re making breakfast, and you’re welcome to join us. Then we have two days to prepare for the vote on King Owen’s new successor.”

Two days later, Violet and I arrived at the royal palace with Dahlia, Kincaid, and Riley in tow. It was customary for Betas to attend these sorts of gatherings, but something in my gut told me to keep Riley around, too.

By noon, every Alpha in the country had arrived. Stewards were busy showing each Alpha, their Beta, and any family that accompanied the Alpha, to their rooms. The royal palace, of course, was designed to accommodate that number of werewolves.

Stewards were very nervous, brown-nosing every Alpha they interacted with, unsure who the next monarch would be.

By three, everyone had settled into their rooms and been fed a late lunch. Alphas, without their mates, and Betas gathered in the formal debate hall: a half-circle of plush chairs all facing a raised platform with a podium and microphone.

As the final Alphas settled in, I took the stage, and the room fell silent. “Welcome and thank you to everyone for joining together so that we may determine our country’s next ruler,” I spoke into the microphone.

“In circumstances such as these, it is customary for the surviving monarch,” because technically, Owen’s wife was still queen, “to guide such a discussion. However, my sister-in-law has requested that I take over her duties in this instance.”

I nodded to Owen’s wife, who sat pathetically in the front row, clearly wanting to have nothing to do with any of this.

I took a deep breath. “The process of selecting King Owen’s successor will now begin.”