The Royal Beta

Ch. 18 - Dante

Thank you all for continuing to read. Hope you're all enjoying summer?

This chapter continues right after chapter 17

A small warning before you continue to read: In this chapter I'll be introducing rogues as a threat. Now I know they're kind of over used as a threat, but I promise there is a reason I'm using them. It's explained in this chapter, so please bear with me.

Enjoy!

Chapter 18 - Dante

Dante kept quiet as he tried to find a reasonable answer to Emma's question of why he hadn't told her about Darrell coming by. Truth was it had been an irrational decision rather than a rational one. If it were up to him, Darrell wouldn't even be behind the camera, let alone in the picture. Hence why Dante had hoped she couldn't smell the boy's filthy odour. It was a less than pleasant smell for Dante. And he wondered what Emma thought of it.

Coming up short with a valid reason, he decided to just be honest.

"Because I am not comfortable with him around you." At first he thought Emma would throw a fit. But she surprised him when she accepted his answer and kissed his cheek.

"I can understand that. I guess you picked up on our friendship?"

"Kind of. The other day when you came home, I was with Fiona when he told her you had come back. Something about his words still irks me." Dante remembered how the boy's words had sounded: "you know how I worry". Something about those words seemed a little too intimate for Dante's liking.

"There is zero competition there, Dante. The only man for me is you."

"I know. Still, this is just the beta in me talking. You know how possessive high-ranked wolves can get."

"I know. Don't fret about it," Emma said. "You think it's safe to go down now? I'm starving." Dante laughed.

"You know, we can always drop our titles, elope and then become ninjas." Dante tapped Emma's nose and shook his head.

"Sounds like a solid back up plan," Emma agreed. She grabbed Dante's hand and took him back to the kitchen. She was a bit nervous to see her father again, Dante could tell by how she fidgeted with the bottom of her shirt.

But luck seemed to be in their favour; the kitchen was empty. Placed on the counter were two plates filled with food. Emma let go of Dante's hand and took the plates so she could heat them up. Meanwhile Dante made himself useful by getting them drinks to go with the meal.

"It smells delicious," Dante said as he took a seat at the dinner table. Emma nodded and came to join him, choosing to sit beside him rather than opposite of him. Dante loved that she chose to be close to him. It made him feel like she needed him, too. And after years of feeling lonely, this was a welcome change. Dante decided to be bolt and placed his hand on her thigh. It wasn't to play games or anything, he just wanted to touch her. Feel that connection they had buzzing in the small space between them.

Unfortunately, Dante didn't have long to enjoy just being in Emma's presence while they ate dinner in a comfortable silence, because sure enough king Geoffrey mindlinked him. Derek had called with some disturbing news. Rogues were nearing the Royal territory. It wasn't just a clan passing by. It seemed like it was orchestrated because they came from all angles, effectively encircling the territory.

Derek was perfectly able to handle such a situation but it seemed like the royal bevy wouldn't be returning home anytime soon. It wasn't safe.

It reminded Dante of Emma who had taken a run a couple of days ago, she had ventured off the territory for a bit and had come back with a slight injury - probably caused by a branch or thorns or something. Dante didn't even want to think about what could've happened if she had ran into a group of wolves. She may have been the royal guardian, it didn't sit well with him that he wouldn't have been with her when she needed him.