The Alpha King's Series

CHAPTER- FORTY-ONE

BRINLEY.

"I want to thank everyone for coming today to the grand opening of the Caputo's orphans home. It has taken a little over a year to complete this project.” Xander says, and the crowd roars, clapping and cheering.

"This orphanage would not be possible without this one person. She has gone above and beyond for this Kingdom, making it a better place, and I'm glad to be able to call her my Mate, Brinley James. Please come up to the stage,”

I climb the side steps with trembling hands and walk onto the stage with my head held high and a smile.

For the first time in my life, I'm happy doing something I love, helping people in need.

Xander motions me to his side, and he wraps an arm around my waist.

"It's my Mate's goal to make the children who have no one feel special and belong. She designed this orphanage, and it was my goal to make her dreams become a reality,” Xander says, turning to face me.

"Brinley, James. Thank you for always being there when someone needs you. You have a heart of gold, and it's full of compassion and promises to make this Kingdom greater than it has ever been. Thank you for being the mother of my child and the Mate I don't deserve. I now know why the Moon-Goddess chose you for me. It's because you make a better man and want to be the best leader that I can be,"

Xander pauses and smiles down at me. Tears have formed in the corners of my eyes from his beautiful speech. My eyes widen, and the crowd gasps when Xander kneels on one knee and pulls out a small red box.

"I've been racking my brains on the perfect way to do this. And I thought about the grand opening of something you've done for this Kingdom. Brinley, James. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

My lips part as tears stream down my face.

"Yes," I shouted, and the crowd laughed. I shook my head, still shocked, as Xander placed the square diamond ring on my finger.

I wrap my arms around his neck, and he lifts me off the ground as he hugs me close to him and whispers in my ear.

"You're stuck with me now, little mate,"

I pull back and look into his silver orbs.

"I'm okay with that,”

He smiles and kisses my lips softly.

"Here you go, King," A young boy says, handing Xander a pair of giant scissors.

I laced my fingers through him as we walked to the front door with a red ribbon across it.

"I think you should do the honors,” Xander says, handing the scissors to me.

"The Caputo's Orphans home is now open,” I say and cut the ribbon, and the crowd cheers. Xander decided to host a party with cater and music and fireworks for the young ones; he said having it at the orphanage was convenient, but I think it was so more kids could find new homes. Either way, I'm so thankful for him.

Everyone has come to congratulate Xander and me on the engagement, and I mutter thank you and walk around to see all the kids talking to grown up and laughing, and my heart melts.

Xander and I are talking with a couple. Well, Xander is doing most of the talking. I haven't heard a word they have said. I excuse myself and walk back into the mansion to get a glass of much need alcohol.

"What can I get you to drink, ma'am?" The cater says with a smile.

"Do you have any form of alcohol?"

She looks around, then back at me.

"I can make you a fruit drink mixed with Vodka. But don't tell anyone," She mutters.

I shake my head.

“l won't,"

She makes my drink and hands it to me, and I take it gracefully, nod once, and start to leave the room.

"Brinley. I have been looking all over you," Sister Mary Danvers says, then eyes my drink. Her eyes slide back to mine, and she raises a brow.

"I wanted to tell you how thankful we are that You have done this for these children and us. It means so much.”

"It was my pleasure. And don't hesitate to ask me for anything,”

Sister Mary Danvers is an elderly nun mid fifty's with salt and pepper hair. Wrinkles were light on her face but still noticeable.

"I won't," She says and hugs me.

I search the crowd in hopes of finding Delores and Kevin. I was ready to give up when I spotted them sitting on a blanket with Gabriella and a small boy.

"Hi," I said as I approached them. Delores jumps to her feet and greets me with a hug.

"Oh, Brinley, I'm so happy for you,"

"Thanks, mama,”

"Sit down, join us," Kevins says.

I nod and sit next to Delores.

"Brinley, this Eric. Eric, this is Brinley,"

"Hi," Eric says.

I smile at that.

"Hi, we've met before.”

Eric nods his head.

"I didn't want to be rude," He mutters.

"You're a polite young man," Delores tells him, patting his knee.

"Brinley, Kevin, and Delores want to adopt me. Isn't that great?”

"I do. Do you know what that means?” I ask him, and he shakes his head.

"It means that you and Gabriella are my siblings,”

"Really? You mean I will be the brother of the queen?”

I nod.

"Yes," He says.

"How are you, Gabby?"

"I'm great. Mama and papa say if I do good in school this year, They will take us on vacation,”

I lean and whisper.

"You got this,”

When I pull back, she smiles and nods.

"It's getting late. I will head home and read to the boys," I tell mama.

"Okay, sweetie," Delores says.

I walked over to Xander, and his eyes met mine. Before I reached him, he told the person he was talking with to excuse him for a moment.

"There you are, little mate,”

"Hey. I'm going home to read to the boys and get them ready for bed,"

"But you will miss the fireworks,"

"You stay and have a good time. I'm needed elsewhere, and you're needed here,"

"Are you sure?" Xander asks.

I nod.

"I'm sure I'll see you at home."

When I got home, I fed the boys dinner( MAC N CHEESE), bathed them, and read them a goodnight story.

After showering, I slipped on some night shorts and a baggy t-shirt and climbed into bed with my favorite book.

The Pride And The Prejudice by Jane Austen.

The alarms caught my attention, and I placed the book down and ran into the hall.

Carol came running down the hall toward me, a terrified on her face.

"What's going on? What're the alarms for?"

"The kingdom is under attack,"

"What?"

"Grab the boys. I'll grab the other children. We must go to the saferoom,”

With panic rising in my chest, I run into Dominic's room, grab him and Bane, and set them in the hallway.

Carol comes running with Annabella and Henry on her sides.

"This way," She says, running past me and into the last room on the left.

She opens the closet, pushes the clothing aside, and moves a painting. She enters some code on the keypad, and the wall opens, revealing a secret room.

"Mija gets the kids in," Carol says, her Spanish accent strong with each word that rolls from her tongue.

I move her inside and make sure all the kids are safe with her. Then, I turn to walk out of the door. "What are you doing?"

I face her.

"I have to help. You stay in here with the kids. Do not open this door unless you know it's safe,” I tell her.

"Be careful.”

I nodded and closed the door sealing her in with the kids. I quickly hung the painting, fixed the close, and shut the door before running down the hall and out the front door.

'Sage, I may need you on this,’

Sage growls, “Let's protect our people,’

"let's do this," I replied and ran for the orphanage.

As I got closer to town, I noticed no fireworks, and no one was outside.

"Weird, where is everyone?’

I shook my head.

'I don't know. Something isn't right,’ I tell Sage.

“Agreed. Let's move slowly, stay hidden,” She warns.

I crouch down in the bushes just beyond the orphanage. Half a dozen of men stood in the front of the building shouting.

"You can't stay locked forever in there,” The leader, I think, Says.

"Come on, the mighty Alpha King. If you don't surrender to us, we will have to smoke you out," He says.

No, No, No.

“Brinley, what are you doing?* Sage scolds me

But it's too late. My bare feet are moving on their own, running towards the men. One lit up a shirt and was about to throw it into the window.

"STOP,"

I shouted, breathing heavily from running.

The six men toward me.

XANDER.

"I have to go out there before they burn the whole damn place down," I seethe at Kyle, refusing to let me out.

I knew putting that lockdown system on the orphanage was a good idea, not that I thought we'd ever use it.

"If you go out, there were all dead,” Kyle says.

"We will burn to death if I don't,"

Kyle sighs.

He knows I'm right.

"Is everyone in the safe room?”

Kyle nods.

"I mind- linked Carol and told her just before the alarms went off. She took everyone,”

"You're sure?"

Kyle nods.

He grabs my shoulder.

"They shut up. Maybe they left?"

I shook my head.

"No, Hael is the leader of the rogues. He wouldn't give up that easily,”

I walk to the window, and my blood boils. The six men, including Hael, we're all facing one person. My fucking Mate.

"You said everyone was in the safe room," I scold Kyle.

Kyle frowns.

"Shit. Carol just linked me and said Brinley locked her and the kids in the safe room, and she left," Fuck.

"I'm going out there. Lock up once I'm out,”

Kyle nods, and we head for the back door.

BRINLEY.

"Drop it," I demanded the man was holding the firestick.

"And who are you?" The man in the middle says.

Yup, I was right. He is the leader.

"Who am 1?" I repeat his words.

"That's what I said,”

"If you don't drop the fucking fire stick, I will be your worst nightmare. That's who I am,”

He laughs, throwing his head back with it. The man with the firestick in his hand whispers something to him, and his smile drops as he looks at me.

"Drop it, Azel. The future queen has spoken,” He says, bowing to me.

The man name Azel puts the firestick out and steps beside his leader, and bows. Then, they all bow to me.

Fuck.

They know who I am.

“This isn't good, Brinley," Sages says.

'I know," I replied.

"What do you want?" I ask them.

'A lot outnumbers us,’ Sage exclaims.

'We have been secretly training for this. Are you ready if it comes to a fight?" I ask her.

'I'm ready,’

"What I want is for the Alpha King to suffer just as we have,”

I'm going to try and talk our way out," I tell Sage.

'I don't think they want to talk,’ She says.

"What has my mate done to make you suffer?"

He steps closer.

"He killed my mate when she crossed into the kingdom,"

"Why would she come here if she knew he would kill her because she was rogue?”

He clenches his jaw.

"She was pregnant. She needed help from the Dr."

"I'm sorry," I tell him.

"You will be," He says, moving closer.

"I'm sure Xander didn't know, or he would have helped her," I tell him.

He chuckled.

"He is not the sweet man you think he is. He's a killer, just like his father. He killed my Mate, and it's only fair I kill his,”

“Brinley, let's shift,’

Before I could reply to her, the man grabbed me by the neck.

"Killing me won't bring her back," I choke out.

"No. But it will help him know my pain,” he seethes, tightening his grip on my neck.

“Now, Sage,’

The sounds of bones cracking and joints popping out of sockets fill the air around us.

The leader releases his hold, backs away, and shifts into his wolf.

It felt so good and free to be on all fours.

Sage growls at the leader, and just before he launches at me, a black wolf knocks him sideways. Xander.

The five men shift as well, and Xander fights with the leader. I go for the one with the firestick. My teeth sink into the side of his neck, but he shoves me off and bites my leg.

A hiss of pain shoots through my leg.

Six more wolfs come and join Xander and me in our fight.

The brown wolf tries to get me pinned down, but I dodge his launch and go for his throat since I'm smaller and fast.

The metallic taste of blood flooded my taste buds.

The wolf whimpers.

I close my eyes and jerk my head. The brown wolf hits the ground with an audible thud, lifeless. Oh, Goddess. I killed someone.

'He was a bad guy Brinley. He was going to kill everyone," Sage reminds me.

I nod.

'You're right,’

When I looked around, most of the men were dead.

The larger-than-life black wolf walks in front of me.

He shifts back into human form.

"Brinley? You have a wolf?"

I nod my wolf head

"They're all dead,” Kyles comes up to Xander and says.

"Not all Hael got away when Brinley killed Azel,"

"I'll get men on it. We will find him," Kyle tells Xander as he walks away.

"Jerry. Get everyone on this and have it cleaned up. Hael is probably long gone, so it is safe for everyone,”

"Yes, sir,"

Kyle comes back, hands Xander a towel, and heads back to look for this Hael guy.

"Shift," Xander commands and holds the towel up so no one sees me naked.

I shift back into human form, and Xander wraps the towel around me.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a wolf?"

I sigh.

"Because in my pack, my father used wolfsbane to get rid of the omega's wolfs,” Gabriel tells him for me.

Xander's eyebrows dip, causing a wrinkle between his brows.

"Why would he do that?"

Gabriel shrugs.

"Crazy. When I became alpha, I changed that rule,"

"Good," Xander says.

"So, you're not going to take Sage away from me?"

Xander shakes his head.

"Why would I do that? She's a part of you, and Bane is communicating with her as we speak,” "But I thought..." I tailed off.

"I'd get rid of your wolf?" Xander says for me.

I nod.

"Of course not."

He says, moving closer.

"But what I want to know is why you put yourself in danger like that?"

I swallow hard.