Chapter 23

Shirley

I feel them both waiting for me to respond, though I realize now that Keith has shifted backward, giving me a little space. His actions allow me to feel the fall breeze on my skin, making my head clearer.

“No, of course not,” I tell Ralph, appearing scattered as I brush him off, attempting to hide the “truth.”

“Yes, you are,” he insists, giving a nod. “I saw the paper this morning. There was a story on the front page saying the Alpha King is going to receive his niece.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” I try, shaking my head before I gesture to Keith. “We were just joking around.” I try to laugh him off, looking to Keith for backup. However, the Alpha doesn’t budge as he stares at Ralph as if hanging on every word.

“But your picture was included,” Ralph presses ahead. “Right in the middle of the article.”

Faking surprise, I make my eyes grow wider as I take a step back. “What?” I ask. “But…but how did they -“

“So you’ve been faking your identity this entire time to cover up the truth?” Ralph cuts in, his words growing louder, but not from betrayal - it’s pure excitement. “That you’re actually the Alpha King’s niece?”

“Keep your voice down,” Keith jumps in before I can respond. I’m surprised by his comment, making me look toward him. Just in time, I watch as he scowls at Ralph before he slowly turns to side eye me.

And I swear I feel it again, a hand coming closer. As if it’s hovering over Cicy’s fur, uncertain if it can lower and take her soft tendrils between its fingers. And for a moment I want to lean into it, to give it open permission to explore wherever it wants to go. But I know that I need to hold back, to not give in to such impulses.

So I turn my back on it, feeling that hand inch backward as I don’t acknowledge its existence.

Finally, I press out a sigh, putting my gaze back on Ralph.

“I can’t believe this,” I mutter, glaring toward the ground as I’m shaking my head again. But then I pull myself together once more, fixing my gaze back on Ralph as I keep my features hard. “Fine,” I state harshly. “It’s true.”

I watch as his lips part, the softest gasp entering his mouth.

“I am Anya Ahearn,” I declare quietly yet with my head held high. “Niece of the Alpha King.” Despite Ralph being inches taller than me, I practically look down on him - as if I’ve been true royalty my entire life. And Ralph believes me. His jaw only drops another inch as his gapes at me, and Keith’s stare burns fiercer against the side of my face.

I wonder if I’ve truly fooled him too. As always, he’s so unreadable. He’s still tense, but I’m not sure what the root cause is - left wondering if it’s still from being worked up over discovering Anya is a lie or because of all the new information coming out of the woodwork.

Not lingering on the thought long, I keep up my show by giving an exaggerated huff. “Someone actually figured it out?” I fuss, wanting to growl. “And they had the nerve to put it in the paper? Assholes.”

Once more, my stare drops in feigned anger as I sneer.

“They probably have no remorse either,” I spit out. “And no idea what kind of danger this could put me in.”

Especially with all the she-wolf disappearances lately. I almost say the words aloud, but I realize that the two men before me don’t know that I’m aware of the unsettling events being swept under the rug. If I slip up, they might question me and soon sniff out the truth. I have to tread lightly - keep what I need to say to a minimum.

Mentally nodding at my reasoning, I collect myself as I look at Ralph.

“No one else has said anything all day,” I comment, glancing around as if expecting to find someone else looking in my direction. But they’re only looking toward Keith and keeping a respective distance - after all, none of them were delivered the same newspaper as Ralph’s.

“Maybe they don’t recognize you,” Ralph says with reassurance, gaining back my attention.

“Let’s hope that’s true,” I reply, and then harden my features further. “As long as no one else finds out then I’m trusting you two to not to say anything. My life might depend on it.”

“I promise. I won’t say anything,” Ralph replies instantly, nodding eagerly like a good, little lap dog. However, Keith doesn’t say anything at first, causing me to look over.

He’s scanning me, studying my face as if to see some sort of tell, see my mask slip. I can feel his eyes everywhere, making sure he doesn’t miss a single line or curve as he waits. But he won’t find anything - I won’t let him.

And Keith seems to realize it too, as he finally releases a harsh breath out of his nose.

“You have my word,” he rumbles out, the deep words hitting me in the pit of my stomach. I can barely nod back. But there’s still more work to be done, so I make my head turn back to Ralph.

“And you,” I begin. “I hope this explains why I didn’t accept your advances the other night.”

I can see Keith’s head whip toward Ralph out of the corner of my eye.

“I’m an Ahearn - a she-wolf raised to know what she wants and that still includes you. Even despite this inconvenience,” I tell him. Immediately, I can see Ralph’s eyes shining with enthusiasm.

“But,” I bite out, giving him a stare that could chill a person from the inside out. “But I will not soil my name because of what you ‘want’ - I need more. As long as you are still with your mate then don’t even think about laying a hand on me.”

My words are sharp and cutting, clearly hitting their mark as I watch Ralph lean back. Not even Keith says something as he stands at my side, probably wondering if he has ground to stand on due to our new placement of power.

“If you reject your current mate,” I continue to Ralph. “Then I will be your next mate, and as my mate - I will ask my uncle to give you his blessing as well. Even a higher position.”

The more my words land, the more I can see Ralph exuding disbelief and desire.

“Those are my conditions,” I state. “But if you are unable to meet them -“

“No!” Ralph calls out. “Of course. Anything. I’ll do anything!”

Slowly, a smile comes onto my face, but this time I don’t have to fake it. I’ve been waiting weeks for him to say those words and now he’s practically yelling them at me. Oh, if he only knew what consequences his words have.

“I promise,” Ralph says again. “Please, Anya. Please. Just wait for me. Wait for me.” He stops, holding up his hands as he begins to step away.

“Wait for you?” I ask suspiciously. “Why should I wait for you?”

“Because,” Ralph stammers out, still backing up. “I’ll do it.”

And then he says three words that are music to my warming ears.

“I’ll reject her. Right NOW.”