Strength to Find Her Way

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Liam POV

"SHE WHAT!??" I scream into the phone. "And why didn't you stop her? You're twice her size and you couldn't keep her in the house for a few hours? How am I supposed to trust you two with her safety if she was able to sneak past you the first chance she got? Make sure it doesn't happen again!"

I slammed the phone down and let out a deafening growl. How could my top guards be such imbeciles? I'd called them there to keep Quinn and Suze safe while I was gone, as it was the only way my wolf and Ethan would let me leave, and those idiots failed me already.

I need to get back to Quinn before my wolf and I both lose our minds. I was just about to mindlink Ethan to tell him we were leaving early, when I realized I couldn't go. Quinn doesn't even know who I am yet. She'll probably be upset when she finds out the guards she snuck past were sent by me.

"Oh, what am I doing?" I asked out loud as I dropped my head to my hands.

'You better not screw this up,' my wolf chastised me.

'I won't,' I promised. Even my wolf didn't have faith in me.

I spent the rest of the day in my office taking care of any work that had backed up with me attending the ball yesterday and any work that might come up while I'm gone this evening. It was nearly four thirty when there was a knock at my office door.

"Come in," I called out to Ethan. I could smell him before he'd even made it to the door.

"So, hot shot, what's your big plan for tonight?" he asked.

I thought for a moment. I hadn't had time to fully formulate a plan. "I'm going to leave it to the fates," I admitted. "I trust the moon goddess pairing us together and I trust it will all work out. We will meet up with her at the ball and from there, we will see what happens."

"You're one ballsy guy," Ethan sighed. "I've got your back though. Better start getting ready soon. We want to beat the girls there and Suze says they'll be arriving right at six."

I had a little under an hour to prepare myself. Physically that wouldn't be an issue. Mentally was another story.

"Yes, you have a point. I'll finish up this report on Blood Moon Pack and then I'll make my way up."

Ethan nodded in agreement and left the room. How lucky he was to not have anything to worry about tonight. His mate already cares greatly for him. She might even love him. He'll probably have her marked by the end of the night. She'll move to the castle without any fuss and they'll have pups before the year is up. If only my life could be that simple. There's still hope though. I can make this work out in my favor. I have the moon goddess on my side.

With new resolve, I brought my attention back to the report in front of me. Blood Moon Pack had had another rogue attack. This was the fifth one this month. I've told Alpha Cedrik to up his patrols and given him one of my top warriors to train new recruits but it seems he isn't heeding my advice. It seems like this is happening more and more in the outlying packs. Rogues coming onto pack lands, wreaking havoc, taking a few prisoners, and then disappearing without a trace. So far it has mostly been in a few of our weaker or smaller packs but they've been picking up at an alarming rate.

I debate going to my father to seek guidance on the issue but he gave me this case for a reason. He wants to test my ability to deal with difficult situations. If I am to become king within the year, I need to learn how to handle these things on my own.

Taking a deep breath and wishing it was the intoxicating scent of my mate that was filling my lungs, I began my work. Maybe by this time tomorrow, I'll have her here with me and this longing for her will only be a distant memory.

Twenty minutes later, I pushed myself back from the desk and stretched my weary body. I'd barely moved all day. It's not like me to sit behind a desk for hours at a time. I'm a man of action, not an office worker. It was all for a purpose though. I would sacrifice anything for my mate.

I bolted up the large marble staircase that led to my wing of the castle. My footsteps echoed through the empty corridors as I jogged feeling slightly refreshed from the exercise. This place was so lonely. It needed a bit of life brought into it. Why have such a beautiful place to live, if it doesn't feel like a home?

As I reached my room, I resolved that I would let my mate give the castle an update. Maybe she would enjoy putting her own mark on the place. The words came into my mind too quickly and made my body shiver. There is more than one thing I'd like her to put a mark on. Ugh being an alpha sometimes can be such a pain. The desire for powerful alphas to mark their mates is much stronger than that of a less powerful wolf. Me being the crown prince makes that so much more intolerable. Patience, I thought to myself as I headed towards the shower. This might need to be a cold one.