The Alpha King's Series

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

BRINLEY.

"Xander," His name left my lips, and panic rose in my chest.

"Brin..." Before Katie could finish what she was going to say. I chased after Xander, His fist tightly in a ball as he stomped down the hall. I grabbed his arm, jerked him back, and stood in front of him.3 "It isn't what you think," I said, shaking my head. "You're pregnant,” I nod, "Yes, I am. But not with Knox's baby,”

Xander's forehead creased with confusion.

"So you didn't sleep with my brother?" He asks. I shake my head, "I haven't slept with anyone other than you."

His lips parted, but no words fell from his lips. I sighed, shaking my head. I pushed my way past Xander and headed back towards the waiting room where Knox was waiting to finish my visit with Katie.

"508,"

I turned to face Xander; as he strolled over towards me, he grabbed my forearm and led me to an empty hallway just away. Xander pushes me against the wall.

"508, there are things you don't know about me. I don't have time to explain it all, but no one can know this baby is mine.” He says, shaking his head. I frowned.

"Why?"

He sighed deeply, “The Mortaga kingdom and the Caputo kingdom have an agreement.” My lips parted, and I licked them. Xander's silver orbs zeroed in on the gesture.

"What kind of agreement?”

"My father and Mark's father agreed for the kingdoms to combine on the marriage of a Caputo daughter and a Mortaga, son,”

I pursed my lips, "So, you're saying if people knew this baby was yours and it's a girl, it would have to marry a Mortaga?" Xander nods. I shake my head. "No."

"Then you must make people believe that Knox is the father,”

"But, I told Katie,"

"She won't tell anyone. I'll make sure of it," He says.

"You won't hurt her," I said breathlessly.

He raises his brow, "Of course not. I'll explain things to both Katie and Kyle," I nodded my head. "What if I have a boy?"

"What about it?" I arched a brow, "Would you claim him?"

Xander's forehead creased, "Of course, I would. But, boy or girl, it's my child, and I will love them Caliana.”

My mouth dropped.

Did he call me another woman's name?

Shit.

"What did you say?"

"I said I would love them," I shook my head. "You called me Caliana?"

He rose a brow, "So? That's your name,”

"No," I say, shaking my head, "My name is Brinley."

His frown deepened, "Your name is Brinley?" I nod

"Fuck," He curses, pushes himself off the wall, and walks towards the waiting room. I follow suit. "Xander?"

Nothing.

"Xander," I shouted, grabbing his arm, but he jerked it away and stormed past the waiting room. Without uttering a word.

Julia stood abruptly and made her way toward me.

"What did you do to my mate?" She seethed. I bit my tongue, and my jaw clenched.

Her mate?

Xander is not her mate.

He's mine.

But I can't say that.

Xander doesn't want anyone to know that I'm his mate or this baby belongs to him.

He's protecting us from the Mortagas. And for that, I am thankful I didn't like the way Mark Mortaga acted towards me at Xander's party or the way he tried to buy me for sex.

I shiver at the thought.

"Julia, I don't have time for this," I tell her, trying to move past her so that I could follow after Xander, but she blocks my way.

"Move," I tell her.

She shakes her head, "No," My palms fist at my sides.

"Julia, this has nothing to do with you. I said Move,"

Julia crosses her arms over her chest and raises her brow.

I rolled my eyes.

"You're pregnant,” She states.

"Thanks for that, captain obvious,"

"Knox sure works fast.” She says.

Knox stands to his feet and starts to stroll toward us. But I hold my hand up for him to stop, and he does.

Thankfully.

I cannot risk people finding out that this baby is Xander's and putting my baby in jeopardy.

"He does," I tell her.

"Then why don't you go back to where you came from and leave my mate alone.”

I glare at her and push her from my path. I didn't say anything as I walked in the same direction as Xander, with Knox right on my heels.

"What was that about?" Knox asks, but I ignore him as I search for Xander.

"Hey," Knox says, grabbing my arm and making me stop and face him.

"I asked you a question,”

I rose a brow, "And I chose to ignore you,"

Knox's ocean blue eyes became cold, dark. "You don't want to take that tone with me,” He warns. "Or, you'll do what?"

"I'll bend you over my knee and spank you."

My jaw drops.

Would he spank me? I'm his brother's mate.

I knew Knox meant it. So he would do just that. And I don't want my day to end with a sore ass, not when I have to find Xander and figure out what I did wrong.

I sigh, "I'll explain everything later. Can you please help me find Xander?" I ask him. His features softened, and he nodded his head.

"You will tell me after we find him?" I nod.

"I've tried mind-link, nothing he isn't responding. We have looked everywhere, and there is no sign of him." Knox says.

Memories of the pond flood my mind.

"I know of a place we can look," I tell Knox and start heading in the pond's direction. Knox groans but doesn't say anything as he follows behind me.

"What makes you so sure he'll be here?" Knox finally says after some time.

I shrug, "I don't,” I bit my lip, “I'm hoping he will be, though.”

Knox sighs and takes the lead, "Walk behind me. I don't want branches or anything to hurt you,” I smile at that.

Knox steps in front of me and heads in the same direction as I lead him.

I have to know what I said to make Xander run off the way he did and how shocked he was when I told him my name was Brinley, not Caliana.

Who is Caliana, anyway? What is she to him?

Maybe I'm not the mate Xander was hoping for? He was upset about my age, still is too. I can tell. I may not be as old as he is, but that doesn't mean I don't feel like any other person. I am human, well, half-human anyway.

But that counts.

Right?

Ugh, the pond feels so far. The more my feet move, the further it seems to get. Fear creeps away into my bones, I try to push it out, but it refuses to subside. Finally, the anxiety I'm feeling starts to get the best of me, and my breathing starts to become heavier than before.

"There," Knox says, standing aside. I followed his gaze, and there he was, sitting on the blanket overlooking the pond.

“Like he did when he was with us,’ Sage says. I nod. 'l know," I replied.

'I miss it," She says. “Me too,’ I tell her.

I did miss it more than I wanted to let myself believe.

Xander flexed his arms, and my eyes zeroed in on how the veins rose from his skin. Finally, his long black hair was freed from the ponytail usually kept half in a bun on the back of his head.

Was he planning on a swim?

"What are you doing here?" His voice was deep as he spoke when I approached him.

"I came to see why you left the way you did. Was it something I said?"

He didn't say anything; he glanced at Knox and shook his head.

I bit my lower lip and faced Knox, "Can you give us some privacy?" Knox shook his head.

"You told me when we found Xander you would tell me why you said that to Julia,"

I sighed, "I will explain everything to you later,”

"No," Knox shook his head, "Why did you tell her your baby was mine?"

I parted my lips to tell Knox why I had said that when Xander said, "I told her too."

"Why?" Knox asks, frowning.

"Because of Mark Mortaga,”

"What about him?" Xander stands to his feet and faces Knox.

"My great, great grandfather made a deal with the Mortaga king. They wanted to join kingdoms since the Caputo kingdom is well known and the strongest. However, the Mortaga kingdom is known for having the best warriors. And the only way the Mortaga's would accept was if the firstborn daughter of a Caputo would marry a firstborn son of the Mortaga's.”

"But none of the Caputos has had a daughter,”

Xander nods, "I know. Which is why I told her to tell everyone the baby is yours. If anyone finds out, she's my mate, and if the baby is a girl, she will be forced to marry a Mortaga,” Xander says.

"But you always tell Mark no,”

"I know. But in all honesty, it will be out of my hands.” Xander tells his brother.

"Lucy won't like this,” Knox says, shaking his head. "What about Julia?" Knox adds.

"What about her?" Knox raises his brows, "She's pregnant and claiming to be your mate,"

"She's having a boy,” Xander tells him.

"Are you sleeping with her?" I asked.

"Not anymore,"

"You slept with Julia?" Knox asked.

"I did. I found out my mate was only seventeen, and the more we stayed around each other, the more substantial the bond pulled me towards her. So yes, I slept with Julia to keep from doing something I shouldn't.”

I took a few steps back.

"You don't know her," I said, shaking my head. "You don't know what all she has done to gain the title as your queen. And the baby doesn't..." I paused.

"I know Julia's baby isn't mine,"

My eyes widened " You knew?"

Xander nods, "I did,”

"And you're still with her?" But, again, it was Knox who spoke this time.

"Yes, to protect mine and my mates baby,"

"Who's, Caliana?" I yell.

I can no longer hide the anger that I feel towards him. I get it he doesn't want the Mortaga's to claim my baby, and for that, I am thankful. But I won't forget he called me Caliana, nor will I forget he is choosing to stay with Julia and raise her baby, and he knows it doesn't belong to him. "What?" Knox asked me.

"He called me Caliana, and when I told him my name was Brinley, he stormed out of the hospital," "Because I'm cursed,"

"What?" Knox asked his brother stepping closer to him.

"A curse was placed on all the Caputo men who were in line to be king. My ancestor Lorenzo fell in love with a servant, and he rejected his mate for her. Lorenzo's father forbade him from with her and sent her away to the states. Lorenzo was locked in the dungeons so that he couldn't find her. Gemma moved on after some time and married a powerful Vampire first of his kind, named Hugo. They had a daughter together that they called Caliana. After years of searching, Lorenzo finds Gemma and sees how happy she is with her new life. Then, he saw red and killed the one-year-old Caliana. When Gemma placed a curse on him, all Caputo men in line to be king would have Caliana as their mate. But Caliana would have two mates, and she has never chosen a Caputo. So, Caliana would have to choose a Caputo to break the curse.”

"Why didn't you tell me before?”

I couldn't,” Xander says, shaking his head, "The curse has never skipped anyone,"

"Until now?"

Xander and Knox both stay silent.