The Hidden Luna Queen 2

THIRD PERSON POV

Burton slammed the car door shut behind him, relieved that he finally had a moment to breathe.

Those five minutes of conversation felt more like an hour, what with Prince Xaden constantly hounding away at him every time he so much as tried to speak to Maeve. Frankly, it was a miracle he was even able to get her to accept his dinner invitation. Damn it-he cursed silently, watching distractedly as the mansion slowly vanished into the horizon behind him. Kenneth had been right, after all. The prince and Maeve were becoming too close... and that would no doubt prove a recipe for disaster.

But that was not his concern right now-he needed to tell Kenneth about the plans for tonight. He shuffled around his front coat pocket before pulling out his cell phone and dialing the number he'd begrudgingly memorized. After a single ring, there was an answer.

"The only reason you should be calling me right now," the voice on the line said coldly, "is if you've done what was asked of you.'

Burton inaudibly huffed, shoving a hand through his hair.

"It's done," he muttered, sinking into his seat like a ten-ton weight had been lifted from his weary shoulders. "Maeve has agreed to meet you. This evening at seven at your pack, exactly as you requested."

At first, there was nothing but silence on the other end of the line. For a moment, he wondered if the line had gone dead, until

Laughter. Harsh laughter echoed in his ear.

"And here I was, so convinced you'd let me down yet again," Kenneth guffawed, his beaming grin obvious even over the phone speaker. "Of course you wouldn't-not when you know how much is at stake."

At that, Burton could not help but gnaw at the inside of his cheek, debating whether or not he should say this next part. No... that was inaccurate. He knew this part needed to be said, but he also knew that it was possible Kenneth would not be happy to hear it. "There's something else you need to know," he slowly said.

"... What is it now?"

Burton sighed. "... Prince Xaden is accompanying her."

There was a prolonged silence, tense and heavy with Kenneth's unspoken displeasure.

"I tried to dissuade him," Burton rambled, "but this was inevitable. He hardly left her side the entire time I was there. And when I brought up the subject of dinner, he was insistent="

"It doesn't matter," Kenneth quickly dismissed him, his tone curt, making Burton's hand twitch around his cell phone. "All I need is for her to come. And as for Xaden, I'll just have to make do. I won't let something as trivial as an infatuated prince get in my way tonight."

"Then..."

"Tonight will commence as planned."

Before Burton could savor the relief flooding his system, Kenneth continued. "And don't think this means you're off the hook yet," he warned, freezing Burton where he sat. "Until dinner is over and Maeve has finally let me in, you still have your work cut out for you... so I expect you to charm your daughter like never before."

... Of course, how could he have expected otherwise?

A muscle twitched in his jaw, and the words he loathed to say stalled in his throat, but he forced them out. "I'll... do what I can. Tonight, she'll be treated like a princess."

Kenneth ended the call with a swift push of his thumb, and tossed his phone to the leather car seat adjacent to him, with a sharp tsk.

Incompetence, he loathed, and Burton was the very definition of the word.

He'd had all of twenty years to take care of everything. Twenty years to maintain and preserve his perfect specimen, and this was what he was left with-a pregnant girl, used and dirtied by an arrogant boy.

To hell with all of that. Starting tonight, I will be the one pursuing Maeve.

Before long, his black luxury car rolled to a stop where, before him, stood the majestic sight that was the royal palace, in all its golden glory. An omega quickly hurried forward and opened his door, allowing him to step outside and bask in the rich atmosphere.