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I had hoped for a few more minutes together before parting ways.
But before I could see myself out the door, Zephy cornered me by the threshold and peered up at me.
“The next time I see you, it will be at the rehearsal dinner,” she reminded me.
I offered her a half-smile. “I know. And then we won’t be able to spend the night together.”
She pouted lightly. “You should change the law,” she told me, and I raised an eyebrow.
“Perhaps I will do that today in the cabinet meeting!” I suggested.
“You have enough to do without changing the laws today!” Aradia piped in from behind us, and I rolled my eyes.
“Mind your business, Aradia,” I growled, but the enchantress was not perturbed by my warning. I lowered my voice to ensure the enchantress didn’t listen. “You do know where to find me if it gets to be too unbearable,” I went on softly.
Zephy’s smile grew. “I have a strong suspicion that my mother will be keeping an even closer eye on me than Aradia,” she admitted. “But my parents do need to sleep sometime.”
“Good to know!” I laughed, kissing her forehead, and bid them both goodbye, making my way into the hallway where the staff was already in full working mode, preparing for the upcoming festivities. The charged excitement was palpable, and it was barely dawn.
Inhaling, I smiled internally. It was going to be a busy day, but the end result would be fully worthwhile.
The day had finally come.
I was going to be the official Alpha King of Ironhelm.
* * *
“All other matters are irrelevant today,”I informed the cabinet as opening addresses were concluded. “Our only focus over the next two days is that of the wedding. I don’t need to tell you how displeased I was about the security breach.”
“That wasn’t our doing, Alpha!” Yasmir cried, paling as if I’d personally insulted him. “This is the act of some cowardly sub-group.”
A murmur of consensus rocked through the floor, but I wasn’t moved by their proclamations.
“And it happened under all of your noses,” I grumbled. “I find it hard to believe that you knew absolutely nothing about this.”
“Alpha, we have all been questioned by the Royal Guard and cleared. If we hadn’t been, we wouldn’t be here,” Hampstermeyer reminded me.
“I’m well aware of the steps that have been taken,” I barked. “That doesn’t mean that I’m satisfied that the threat has been eliminated. Someone has come after my bride-to-be and this kingdom. An attack against Zephyrine is an attack against me.”
A soft pause grew heavy as they struggled for a proper response that wouldn’t anger me more.
“But surely the risk has been diminished now, Alpha?” Sepher insisted, looking hastily from fae to fae for reassurance.
“I’m counting on each one of you to ensure that’s so, because if anything goes wrong tomorrow, I will hold you personally responsible,” I warned them. “A threat like that should have never transpired under your noses in the first place.”
They didn’t like my words, but they understood them clearly. “I will not tolerate a single mishap tomorrow. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Alpha,” came the collective response.
“Very good. In that case, the cabinet is adjourned. I have a union to prepare for, after all.”
I beamed and rose as Ryland took my side, waiting for the cabinet to file out.
“Was I too hard on them?” I asked the head guard.
He chuckled. “Not hard enough. It’s good for them to be on alert. The Council of Ministers has been working day and night to figure out who was responsible for the attack. The more eyes we have on this, the better.”
He paused and delicately added, “It’s no secret that we’re concerned that something else might be planned for tomorrow as well.”
