Page 22 of Chased By My Grumpy Alpha
I study his face carefully. The way he speaks about Astra—the acknowledgment of her power but with clear resentment, the hardness in his voice when he says her name—it’s all starting to form a pattern I don’t like. Something about his attitude toward his supposed strongest female doesn’t sit right with me.
“Take me to where she disappeared,” I say.
We walk through the settlement and toward the edge of their territory, where the forest grows thick and dark. “This is where we believe she entered the Wyvern Woods,” he says, gesturing toward a break in the tree line. “Foolish decision, really. That girl never had much sense.”
I move to the spot he indicates, breathing in deeply. Immediately, I catch something that makes my jaw clench—the distinct scent of a masking potion. It’s faint but unmistakable to anyone who knows what to look for.
“She used a scent distortion remedy,” I say, more to myself than to the Alpha.
“A what?” Gareth comes closer, his expression confused.
“A potion that masks natural scent trails. Makes it almost impossible to track someone.” I look around, my irritation growing. My father was right; this female is almost certainly alive, which means I’m going to have to actually hunt her down instead of just retrieve a body.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Gareth says. “That girl was always getting into trouble. She probably just panicked and ran into the woods without thinking.”
“‘That girl?’” I turn to face him fully. “That’s an interesting way to describe your pack’s most powerful female.”
He blinks, clearly not expecting my reaction to his statement. “Well, she was powerful, yes, but she was also...difficult. Always questioning things, never knowing her place.”
The contradictions are piling up now. His daughter’s reluctance to praise Astra, her barely concealed resentment, and now his own dismissive attitude toward someone he claims was their most valuable pack member. There’s definitely something going on here.
“I’ll begin my search at first light,” I say.
“Your search?” Alpha Gareth asks, and I don’t miss the note of alarm in his voice.
“For Astra. If she’s alive, as the evidence suggests, I’ll find her.” I turn away from the forest edge. “And when I do, I’ll get the truth about what really happened here.”
The Alpha’s silence speaks volumes as we walk back toward the settlement. Whatever game he’s playing, whatever lies he’s telling, I’ll uncover them soon enough.
I hate being lied to. And this pack is clearly hiding something.
Chapter Five
Lucian
I stride back toward the settlement with Gareth trailing behind me, his nervous energy practically radiating off him in waves. The scent-masking potion lingers in my nostrils—proof that this Astra didn’t bolt blindly into the woods like some frightened animal. She planned her escape.
“Your Highness,” Alpha Gareth says, quickening his pace to match mine. “Perhaps we should discuss this further over dinner. You must be exhausted from your journey.”
I don’t slow down. “I’m not tired.”
“But surely you’d like to rest before beginning your search? The feast tonight will give me time to gather more information. Harper has prepared all your favorite dishes—”
“How would she know my favorite dishes?”
He stumbles slightly. “Well, she—she researched. Asked around. She’s very thoughtful that way.”
I push open the door to my quarters without responding. Gareth hovers in the doorway, clearly reluctant to let me disappear.
“The feast begins at sunset,” he says. “Harper has been planning it. She’s quite the hostess, you know. Everyone always says—”
“Fine.” The word comes out sharper than I meant it to, but it stops his rambling. “I’ll attend your feast.”
Relief floods his face. “Wonderful! Harper will be so pleased. The preparations should be complete in about four hours, which gives you time to rest—”
“Four hours is sufficient.” I step into my quarters, already planning to use the time more productively than he imagines.
“Of course, Your Highness. We’ll send someone to escort you when everything is ready.”
