Chapter 72: 73: Royal Treatment

ALEX

I push the stripper off my mate, and he drops to his knees, begging for mercy.

“I’ll let you live…this time,” I growl, relishing getting to play the dominant alpha.

“Yes, my king,” the stripper stumbles as he stands, keeping his gaze locked on the floor.

“Now, get out of my sight,” I spit through my teeth. He flees, disappearing into the depths of the club.

I let him go. I’m not here for him.

I’m here for Ariel.

I pull her off the sofa.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” she says.

“The same thing you’re doing here, I imagine… Well, not the exact same thing.”

She glances around, seeming flustered.

“It’s okay,” I say. “Or it will be once I give you that lap dance.”

I bend down and sweep her feet from under her, lifting her into my arms bridal style.

She meets my eyes, a look of surprise overtaking her features.

“You were serious?” she says after I’ve given her a moment to catch her breath.

“I have to show my queen a good time.”

It’s been a while since we’ve had some privacy. Living at the palace with Ariel’s family has its drawbacks.

I head toward the private rooms at the back with Ariel in my arms, taking long strides to steady myself. She’s not the only one who’s been drinking tonight.

“I can’t believe you’re here…,” she says into my neck.

I look down at her quizzically.

“Oh,” she says, seeming to comprehend the inevitability of my ending up here. “Dom.”

I laugh. “This is one of his old haunts.”

I don’t mention that I used to frequent this place too. After I lost Olivia, and before Ariel came along, Dom used to drag me here in the hope that it would “cheer me up.” It never did.

I wink at the manager standing near a velvet rope as I approach carrying my queen, and he nods in understanding. “Right this way, Your Majesties,” he says.

He leads us into a back room and leaves us there. The walls are the same upholstered leather as the sofa that lines them, and a bucket keeps a bottle of champagne cool on a small table.

I place Ariel down on the couch. I look into her eyes. They appear brighter than before, a little less glazed than when I first found her.

“Do you want anything before the show starts?” I say. I lean in close and press my lips against her ear. “Anything you want, my queen, I’m yours to control tonight!”

“Make me feel like the only she-wolf in the world,” she softly whispers back.

ARIEL

Alex fiddles with something by the entrance of the room.

The lights change a couple of times until he gets the ambiance just right, and then he turns on some music too.

It drowns out the club’s sounds, making it feel like we’re the only two people in the kingdom.

Alex begins moving his body to the rhythm, dancing toward me without breaking eye contact.

I love it when he’s playful like this. I laugh out loud at his mock-serious expression as he continues to entertain me.

He begins to unbutton his shirt, giving me a glimpse of his abs before shrugging out of the whole thing, revealing his chest.

He flings the shirt away, and it lands on my face, sending me into a fit of giggles.

I admire his body as he continues to tease me, disrobing one item at a time.

~He always surprises me...~

And if I thought he wasn’t going to utilize the stripper pole—I was wrong.

Alex clumsily swings around the pole, but his confident expression tells me that he thinks he’s pulling it off like a pro.

Between giggling at his undignified antics and admiring his solid body, I don’t know if I’m more amused or turned on...

As if reading my mind, Alex approaches me now, lust lighting up his eyes.

He stands at the edge of my knees, nudging them apart.

I open my legs so that he can step closer.

“It was very—” I say.

He leans down and puts a finger to my lips, stopping my compliment. Then he grasps my chin and pulls my mouth up to meet his.

The kiss is aggressive and hungry, and I can feel my arousal pooling between my legs.

It’s been so long since we’ve had a proper moment alone—away from duty, family, and crying babies—that he only needs to kiss me once, and he’s already got me wet.

He towers over me, nude except for his boxers. I lean back against the leather of the sofa and open my legs as his hand reaches down and finds my center.

The kiss deepens as his fingers enter me, and a growl escapes his lips as I let out a moan.

He climbs onto the sofa, pinning me beneath him. He grinds his erection against me, not unlike the stripper earlier—but this time, I’m not confused. It feels right.

I reach to pull his boxers down, and he helps me to remove his last item of clothing.

He hikes up my short dress and thrusts his member into me.

I let out a groan at the feeling of our bodies joining.

~Fuck, I’ve missed this.~

He thrusts harder, faster, and my arousal—my desperate ~need~—for him grows.

“Alex…,” I say, unable to get out another word.

He doesn’t give me a break. He moves a hand down to my sex and begins moving in small, diagonal bursts. He makes me feel like I’m walking on clouds.

“Alex,” I say again, my voice rising.

And, without any more warning, I cum in a jolt of euphoria. I gasp in his ear.

“Ohhh,” he says. “Ariel…” At the sound of my climax, he releases into me.

We lie cradled together for a moment, letting the bliss slowly subside.

I reach inside my bra and pull out a few bills I hadn’t thrown at the strippers outside.

“So how much is that? That’s got to be over $300…,” I say with a smirk.

“Am I really that cheap?” Alex laughs. “If this alpha gig turns sour, I could always start moonlighting as a stripper!”

“I wouldn’t mind that,” I say, lightly kissing him. “As long as I get to watch!”

***

I wake up in my bed next to Alex, a dull headache the only evidence of last night’s party.

Alex is still breathing heavily into his pillow, and I decide not to rouse him.

~I’m sure he’d prefer to sleep through his hangover.~

I pick my phone up from my nightstand and see that I’ve already received three messages from Amy.

Amy

Bitch!!!!! 😝😍

Amy

The party turned out perfect!

Amy

Thx for being open to some last-minute changes 👰

Ariel

I’m glad you liked it! Your idea was more fun 💖

Amy

What do u have goin on today?

Ariel

Ugh, I’m supposed to have more luna lessons with Maria and Dianne

Amy

Boooo

Ariel

Tell me about it. Idk if I can take any more of their fighting 🙄

Amy

Idk y u bother with that nonsense

Ariel

It comes with the role, I guess

Amy

Nah, u were born a queen. If anyone else can’t see that, point them my way and I’ll explain it to em 👑

Ariel

Thanks, girl 😊

Ariel

But in all honesty I have a lot to learn

I put my phone away and head downstairs, hoping a cup of coffee and a bite to eat will help reduce my headache.

As I near the kitchen, however, the pain in my head only throbs harder. Xavi’s wails echo through the halls.

Natalia looks up and sees me, and it’s too late to turn away.

I enter the kitchen and head straight for the coffee maker.

“Shhh, baby, it’s okay,” Natalia says. “It’s okay…”

Xavi’s crying only increases in volume, a continuous stream of discontent.

“What do you want?” Natalia says, tears in her voice. “Are you tired? Are you hungry? Are you trying to drive Mommy crazy?”

Our eyes meet for a second as I reach for the coffee grinder, and I glance away.

My mind moves to Xavier in the dungeon.

He deserves to be there; there’s no doubt about it.

Still, I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for Natalia’s predicament.

When I escaped from the Hunters, she was happily mated with a baby on the way. And now…

I glance over at her.

She rocks Xavi back and forth, almost smothering him in a tight embrace to muffle the noise.

She meets my eyes again and shoots a glare my way. “What?”

“Nothing. I—”

My mother enters the kitchen wearing pressed clothes and perfect makeup. You wouldn’t know she spent last night becoming sloppy drunk and saying things she ought to regret.

“Oh, do make him stop,” she says to Natalia. “He’s giving me a headache.”

~I doubt he’s the only thing giving her a headache…~

If I feel like shit after last night, there’s no telling what my mother’s hangover is like.

“You know the one nice thing about Ariel…,” my mother says.

~Oh Goddess, she’s still on this?~

She glances at me. “As a baby, I mean. The nice thing about you is you never cried. Not like your sister.”

“Dianne…,” I say, pouring the coffee.

She just shrugs and looks at Natalia. “You’ll quiet him down before the interview, right?”

I’m confused.

~What is she talking about? What interview?~

Natalia rolls her eyes. “I’ll take him upstairs while you two have your ~date~.”

“Drink up, Ariel,” my mother says. “A queen is always prompt.”

I set my coffee mug down. “What? Dianne, what did you—?”

“Oh…” My mother plasters an innocent expression on her face. “Did I forget to tell you, sweetie?”

I clench my jaw. “Forget to tell me what?”

“I scheduled a mother-daughter interview for us this morning. It’ll be sweet. You better hurry, they’re setting up now.”

~What?!~

~It’ll be anything BUT sweet.~

Natalia smirks despite herself, clearly amused by my discomfort.

My heart starts to race, and I can hear the blood pounding in my ears.

My mother offers a hand. “Come on,” she says. “There’s no getting out of this now.”

I exhale sharply, trying to lower my anxiety.

My mother takes me by the hand and leads me out of the kitchen.

I concentrate on my breathing. I see the sharply dressed journalist and the camera already set up in the spot I intended for a quiet breakfast.

And then I see her list of interview questions…

All the surrounding text blurs as my eyes home in on one word:

“HUNTERS”

~I feel like I’m going to be sick.~

~I’m not prepared to revisit those traumatic memories.~

~Just take a deep breath and keep calm.~

Suddenly, I sense my wolf in the back of my mind.

She comes forward and warms my whole body, giving me a sense of comfort.

As she growls lightly and paces back and forth, I feel a surge of confidence.

She’s encouraging me to not back down this time. To say what’s on my mind.

I nod, resolving to trust my wolf.

~She’s right…~

~If I’m ever going to move on from my painful memories, I have to talk about them.~

~Maybe this is finally the time…~

~The time to speak my truth.~