Chapter 465-Life Of An Alpha King

Chapter 465: 465-Life Of An Alpha King

Ragnar:

"Listen to me, and listen very carefully."

She cupped my face with both hands, and I stared up at her through my teary eyes.

"What’s happening?" I asked, struggling to catch my breath.

"You need to listen to every word I’m saying," she urged, bending down until her face was almost level with mine.

Fear was written all over her face, and I could feel that same terror taking hold of me.

"Don’t make a sound," she instructed, removing one hand from my cheek to press a finger against my lips.

"Not a single sound, do you understand?" she warned, her jaw tightening as she struggled to catch her breath.

I knew it was impossible, but I could have sworn I heard her heart pounding.

"You need to hide," she told me, taking her hands off my face and placing them firmly on my shoulders.

"How?" I asked.

"Just hide. Take your brothers and find a corner of this house where nobody will ever think to look for you."

She turned toward Theodore and Jaguar, who were fast asleep in Grandma’s lap, her arms wrapped tightly around them.

"No matter what happens, Ragnar, you must not come out. Do you understand?" she warned, narrowing her eyes at me.

I turned to look at Grandma before looking back at my mamma.

I was so young, and my brothers were even younger. I had no idea what kind of game we were playing.

Mamma had never played games with me before.

In fact, she always told me that spending time with me was nothing but a waste of hers.

But today, for the first time, she had entrusted me with a responsibility, and I wanted more than anything to do it right.

"You know where your hiding place is, don’t you?" Mother called after me. "I’m not asking you to show it to me. I want to know if you can get there and hide. Can you keep your brothers hidden?"

I swallowed hard and nodded.

Of course I knew that hiding place. I had made it specifically so I could hide from her.

"Then go and hide," she ordered. "And don’t come out."

I glanced back at Grandma before hurrying toward my hiding place.

"Look at that wretched boy. Not once did he even think to ask his mother to come and hide with him."

My mother’s faint voice reached me as she spoke to Grandma, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

I turned around, looking back at her, only to find disappointment written all over her face, as though I had failed her yet again.

Then, all at once, her posture straightened, and every trace of fear vanished from her expression.

She marched toward me, raised her hand, and slapped me so hard across the cheek that I stumbled sideways.

"Enough! What are you doing? He’s just a child! He’s not even five years old yet!" Grandma protested, but Mother silenced her with a sharp raise of her hand.

"When the time comes, is this how you’ll leave me behind and run away?" she screamed at me.

And that was when I realized, once again, that the whole thing had been nothing more than a test.

Her waking me from my sleep, looking terrified, warning me about some approaching danger. None of it had been real.

"What will you do when that bastard Fox King comes to kill us, huh?" she shrieked.

Her voice rang so loudly in my ears that my heart began to pound, and I jolted awake.

I drew a deep breath and tore my gaze away from the distant watchtower.

As I stepped back from the window, my eyes fell on Verity’s desk, and I made my way toward it, running my fingertips over its surface.

"She’s playing games with my brothers," I stated with absolute certainty.

There was no room for doubt anymore. I knew everything I needed to know.

She had come here with a carefully laid plan, cunningly working her way into our family and making herself a part of it.

I planted both hands on either side of the desk and stared at her empty chair.

’Ragnar, this anger will kill you,’ my wolf warned from somewhere deep within me.

’I’m not angry,’ I replied, straightening my back.

My gaze swept across the office as I slowly slipped both hands into my trouser pockets, pushing the sides of my coat back.

I felt as though I had finally accomplished something.

And that was always the most dangerous moment for me, when I could stand with my hands tucked casually into my pockets and feel perfectly satisfied with myself.

I returned to the large window overlooking the rear of the building.

The watchtower was visible only from the window on the side.

"Everybody seems to be enjoying their little games," I murmured, even as heat spread through my body, leaving me restless.

"And then there’s that asshole."

I closed my eyes, remembering the way he had looked at me when he finally found us.

My family and me. The very bastard my mother had spent her life fearing would come for us.

I exhaled slowly and opened my eyes.

’Ragnar, are you okay?’ my wolf asked.

’Yeah, I’m fine.’

A faint, humorless smile touched my lips.

"I’m done playing father to the entire fucking world."

I turned and brought my palm down against the desk, careful not to strike it hard enough to break anything.

"I’m done," I hissed.

Not that I had any intention of breaking the damn thing. Why would I?

I’d only end up hurting myself, and God knew I’d had more than my fair share of that, courtesy of practically everyone around me.

The last thing I needed was to start inflicting damage on myself.

’Are you going to tell anyone? What are you planning to do about Verity?’ my wolf pressed.

I gave a careless shrug and crossed the room to retrieve my coat.

Catching it between my fingers, I draped it over my shoulder, switched off my phone, slipped it into my bag, and picked up my watch before heading out of the office.