Alpha Prince Mason Landon
I’m sitting in the meeting room with my father, Alpha King Arthur. I have my Beta, Brandon and Gamma, Liam sitting beside me. My father also has his Beta’s Henry, Thomas and Richard on the other side of the table and The Alpha King is, of course, at the head of the table.
We were discussing the winter semester at the academy. Brandon, Liam and I helped with the training. We were going through files of students whom we thought should move up and have a chance to enter the army. We also had a pile for students we thought needed more training. But of course, all of us couldn’t agree with anyone. We’ve been here for what feels like hours. We had 200 files to go through, and we weren’t even halfway through them.
“Okay men, how about we make three piles: the bad, the good and the great? That way, we can at least know who needs another semester of training. Then we can go through the good and great to see who we’d like to move up. This is taking way too long, and we still have classes to attend.” I said, trying to get things moving.
"Or we can just see if they can beat Mason. If they can't, then its more classes for them." Liam chimed in.
"That would only work if Mason could lose, and he can't," Brandon said. I pushed my lips into a line.
"We could make it into students we can stand for another semester and students we can't." Liam shrugged. As much as I wish we could do that, we couldn't. This was the army, and we needed the best skilled.
“Mason, we'll go with your suggestion,” my father said. But before we could agree to anything else, the meeting room phone rang.
“Yes?” my father answered. Whomever it was, was most likely looking for him.
"Kiss ass." Liam leaned over and whispered to me. I just rolled my eyes. I hated being stuck in this damn office.
“Are you positive?” my father asked sternly. His tone pulled me back into the one-sided conversation I could hear my father having.
“I’ll be right down. Do not let her leave.” He told them. My father rose from his chair and all but ran out of the meeting room without saying a word to us. I looked over at Brandon and Liam, who also looked confused. My father is a king, he doesn’t run anywhere.
“Who’s her?” Brandon asked. We all looked at each other and then ran out of the meeting room. I noticed the elevator said “M” for the main floor.
“He must be going to the front desk,” I said. Liam hit the button for the other elevator. I’m feeling anxious now. Who was my father referring to? My mother passed away a few years ago, and he doesn’t have women in his life. Sure, women throw themselves at him, but my father is not like that. The door of the elevator finally opened, we hopped in and I hit the “M” and the “close door” buttons.
“Do you know who your father could have been talking about?” Liam asked.
“I have no idea,” I answered.
“Maybe he has a girlfriend?” Brandon commented.
“Yeah, maybe.” I sighed. I stood there with my arms crossed over my chest, leaning against the elevator wall. Could he really have a girlfriend? Why wouldn’t he tell me? I miss my mother, but I want my father to be happy. As soon as the doors opened in the front foyer, my heart leaped into my throat.
“Who is the pretty young wolf your dad is hugging?” Liam asked, leaning in to whisper to me.
“That’s can’t be his girlfriend? Can it? She looks younger than us.” Brandon asked, standing on the other side of me.
My father was all smiles with her and I definitely understood why. She's gorgeous, with long auburn hair, and I think I see pink there too. There were some freckles on her nose and cheeks. She had plump peach lips. I could see her round, firm ass in her skinny jeans and her top was showing off her perfect cleavage. She had the most beautiful smile. Why was she smiling like that at my father? I walked over to them with Liam and Brandon following. I hadn’t seen my father smile like this since before my mother died.
“Oh son, there is someone I’d like you to meet. This is Ashlyn Knight. She’s the daughter of an old friend of mine. Ashlyn, This is Mason, my son.” My father introduced us.
I reached out to shake her hand, and when our hands touched, I felt a spark. It was faint but I definitely felt something. The tingle lingered even after I had let go of her hand. I’m not sure if she felt it, so I masked my emotions to not give anything away. She also smells amazing, like a garden full of flowers after the rain. Thor, my wolf, hasn't chimed in, but he was purring in my head. I’m not sure what that meant. Usually, a wolf would claim his mate upon their eyes meeting.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mason.” She said, giving me a warm smile, and I felt like I was going to melt. She had the most beautiful smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back at her. Her emerald green eyes sparkled, and I swear I could get lost in them.
“It’s nice to meet you as well, Ashlyn. This is my Beta, Brandon, and my Gamma, Liam.” I introduced my beta and gamma. She greeted and shook both of their hands and I almost growled when the others touched her. What the hell is going on with me? I have to get my shit together. She's not my mate.
“I want her, Mason. I can’t tell if she is our mate, but I feel a pull on her.” Thor growled in my head. “I don’t want anyone else touching her.”
“Thor, you can’t just claim someone.” I scolded him.
“I can and I will claim her, with or without your help.” He growled angrily in my head.
“Ashlyn, why don’t you come to my office and we can get caught up?” My father asked her.
“Oh, my king, I’m sure you have lots to do. I wouldn’t want to trouble you.” She said politely.
“Nonsense. Nothing is more important. And please call me Arthur. We are pretty much family, after all.” He seemed so happy that she was here, and I wondered when was the last time he had seen her. I don't remember meeting her before, she's someone I would never have forgotten.
“Of course, my… Arthur.” She smiled at him while he led her to his office. I’ve never seen him this way with anyone before. While, of course, my mother, but this is different. He’s treating her in a loving way that one might see between a father and his daughter.
“Mason, would you like to come with us as well?” My father asked and they both stopped to look at me.
“You guys go organize the reports and I’ll meet you in the meeting room.” I said, turning to my beta and gamma. Brandon raised an eyebrow at me and Liam was wiggling his eyebrows. I rolled my eyes at Liam and pushed him towards the elevator.
“Just go.” I said, annoyed, before I walked over to my father and Ashlyn.
My father led us to his private elevator that leads to his office. While we were in the elevator, they were both chatting away, while I was stuck in my thoughts. Why would I have these feelings if she wasn’t our mate? Why did I feel a spark when we touched? I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I’m 20 years old, and I still haven’t found my mate. Or even anyone I wanted to have a relationship with. Being a prince, you can’t just date. Most girls only want to be queen and they were just chasing the title I came with. Pulled from my thoughts when the elevator dinged and the doors opened up into my father’s office.
He led Ashlyn to the seating area. It reminds me of a living room. It has two couches, two chairs and a coffee table in the middle.
Ashlyn sat down on a couch. My father took the chair beside her and I sat on the couch that was beside him, across from her. My father leaned forward in his chair and took Ashlyn’s hands in his. His question to her caught me off guard.
“Ashlyn, where have you been all these years?”