Chapter 78

"When?" I asked, thrown a little at the consternation in his face. It was hard to fluster Charles, so this must be extraordinary.

"Tomorrow."

"What?"

"There is a helicopter arriving on our roof helipad at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning to fly me to an 11:00 a.m. meeting."

We were silent for a moment, Charles opening his front door and letting me in.

"Hold on," Charles said, flopping down on the couch, but continuing to scroll through his phone. "It's been such a crazy day, I feel like I missed something important here."

I sat close to him, but tried not to look at his phone, giving him privacy. Just a few minutes ago I'd been ready to rip off all his clothes. It was like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over us.

"Yes," Charles said suddenly, making me start. He was nodding and looking at his phone, scowling. "I was right."

"What is it?"

"Look at this headline," he said, handing me his phone.

It was a press release from the Central Capitol's news agency. Rafe Media had published it, but with the talks and the protests the story had gone under the radar. It announced that the Alpha King himself was taking a diplomatic trip to the various states around his realm.

His first stop was going to be in our state, Wolvenhelm.

"Surely not..." I read on, and felt a sense of relief when I saw that he was going to our state capitol city, Lupinton. "Thank goodness, I thought he might be coming here."

"That would be a nightmare," Charles agreed. "Just the logistics of getting him around with the city in the condition it's in would be complicated."

Charles was still frowning. "But..." I asked, sensing there was more.

"But, he's going to Lupinton, and in fact should already be there. What do you know about our state governor, Governor Kruck?"

I shrugged. "I know he was elected in a shady way, and it seemed like everyone I knew supported his opponent. What his policies and ideologies are is hard to say since it seems he sways with the wind."

Charles nodded. "You're right on. 'Shady' is a kind of way putting it. Corrupt is more what I'd have said, with the Alpha King making sure someone was in place who supported his policies. If Governor Kruck seems to vacillate on certain topics its because he will go with his constituency as long as it doesn't conflict with the Alpha King's ideas."

Charles frowned and took back his phone, laying it on the table like it might go off again at any moment with more bad news. "The sudden changes of policy are usually when word has come down from on high that the Alpha King is displeased."

"How can he afford to be so obvious?"

Charles shrugged. "He's pretty unconcerned about it. He's confident the Alpha King will get him out of anything because he knows so much."

"That seems a dangerous way to do business."

"It has it's perks I think."

We sat in silence for a time, Charles pulling me toward him and me snuggling into his side. I could feel him taking deep, relaxing breaths just above my head and I tried to will my scent toward him even more.

"I'm sorry to keep asking," I said. "But if you know all this about him, about him being in the pocket of the Alpha King, surely others do, too. Surely he can't go on like that for long."

Charles shrugged. "At this point Kruck isn't even trying to hide his connections. I think he's convinced himself that it's even his patriotic duty. It's a mindset that's allowed him to do some cruel and horrible things in the name of the government and in the name of loyalty to the Alpha King."

I frowned, thinking more. "Charles, you don't think the Alpha King and our being in Wolvenhelm at the same time has anything to do with each other?"

Charles shifted uncomfortably at the idea. "I've been thinking about that, too, Elena. And I don't like it. I tend to think there are no coincidences."

"But what would the Alpha King want with us?"

Charles shrugged and got slowly up off the couch. "I don't know. Especially now that things seem to be back on track, I can't imagine he'd care about a single city among many in one state, and that state is in itself one among many."

"Maybe he wants to commend you?" I said.

Charles paused and looked down at me in amusement. He offered his hands down to me and pulled me up to a standing position, my body brushing up against him. He wrapped his arms around me and inhaled deeply.

"That's one of the reasons why I love you, Elena. You're so positive. But I hate to disappoint you, my love. He's not that kind of king."

"He does a good job keeping out of the tabloids. I know next to nothing about him."

Charles pulled me closer so that I was pressed against his chest.

"He is ambitious, and ruthless. He is more of a dictator than anything else when it comes to those who serve him. We in the cities honestly are operating under an illusion that we are democratic. Every once in a while we feel him pulling the strings and something strange happens."

Like what's happening in our city? I wanted to ask, but then realize that wouldn't make sense. Why would a king want to overthrow their own states and hand them to another shifter species?

Charles was continuing.

"My father once told me a story about how he destroyed his own wife when he realized the match wasn't advantageous enough for him."

"What do you mean 'destroyed'?"

Charles laughed briefly. "That's the same thing I asked my father and he told me not to ask so many questions."

"I've not heard about a queen," I speculated. "So he's never remarried or had an heir?"

Charles shook his head. "I feel like there were rumors about a child, but they've never gone anywhere, and the Alpha King is too greedy now to share anything with a spouse or child. I'd be worried any of his remaining family would be in constant danger."

The more he told me, the less I liked the idea of Charles being in the same vicinity as such a horrible individual, let alone being summoned by his puppet.

"So what's going to happen?" I asked. "Will this just be another slap on the hand for you? There's no way they can keep us there or arrest us, is there?"

Charles pulled back, brushing his fingers down the side of my face. "I don't know, beautiful."

My breath caught. He was smiling at me sadly, and the idea that he might be in jeopardy filled me with fear, but also with rage.

"You've done nothing except save a city and root out corruption," I said angrily. His smile increased, and for some reason it made me even more angry.

"You think I'm naive," I said.

"I think you are even more beautiful when you're angry. I've always thought so."

"Honestly, Charles. Is there actually a chance we won’t come back?"

"Hold up," Charles said. "I've noticed this a few times now. What's with this 'we' business? There's no 'we' here."

"Oh yes there is. I'm coming with you."

Charles shook his head. "No."

"Uh, yes."

Charles looked at me, both amused and frustrated. "Sorry, Elena. There's no way I'm taking you into that environment. So just in case you never see me again, I think you should kiss me now."