ALPHA (Mackenzie Grey #3)

by Karina Espinosa

“Are you both just going to stand there looking at me, or do I at least get a hug? Pat on the back? Maybe a high-five?” I quirked a brow. They didn’t move.

  “We thought you might have left for Los Angeles again,” Jonah whispered.

  “Nope. There’s no way I’d miss this trip. Not when we’re flying on a private jet to prison,” I smirked.

  He laughed. “Of course that would be the reason.”

  “Well, that and the food.”

  “It’s about time you got here,” Sebastian grunted and it only made me smile wider, which got me an eye roll from him.

  “Aw, were you waiting for me to go in?” I put a hand on my chest and awed.

  “We’re waiting for them to load the plane with our luggage,” Jonah shrugged. “How…how is your family doing?” he asked.

  “They’re great!” I responded. Things were awkward between all of us. I felt like an animal in the zoo with them staring at me like I might burst. “My brother sends his regards. He went back to Fort Hood this morning.”

  “Oh, that’s great. Tell him I said hello next time you speak,” Jonah said, the one dimple on his cheek peeking out.

  “So…” I started. “Where are we going anyway?”

  Jonah’s eyes widened, and Sebastian snarled. The predator in them awoke and I felt their wrath—wondering if they were still mad at me, I took a step back and bumped into Lincoln who took hold of my arm to move me aside. “What the hell—”

  “We’re off to the Northern Highlands—Wester Ross to be exact,” Lucian said from behind me. I whirled around Lincoln and saw the vampire strut our way. He wore the same black clothes he always wore, but this time accompanied by a black trench coat and holding a red umbrella to block the sun.

  “Lucian?”

  “Yes, Pet?”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Besides cringing at this most uncomfortable threesome? I’m off to the UK with you lot, that’s what,” he said as he stopped beside me.

  “You aren’t allowed,” Bash snarled.

  “I got permission,” Lucian grinned.

  “Bullshit,” he growled.

  The vampire tsked. “You see, I was invited by Alexander himself. I can’t disobey the King, now can I?”

  Jonah snorted. “You guys are pretty chummy. I’m sure his feelings won’t be hurt.”

  “Trust me, you’ll want me there,” Lucian said. His eyes narrowing with a sternness I’d only ever seen a handful of times.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Because,” he began and turned those narrowed black eyes on me, “the game will be different. You won’t win with brute strength like you normally do. In the Royal Court your only way of survival is with your wits. And that, Pet, is not one of your strong suits.”

  “Cut the crap, Lucian. What are you talking about?” Bash demanded.

  “Exactly what I just said. You’re entering a world of mind games that none of you are ready for. You think you’re going to arrive and someone attack you out in the open? No. You have to think smarter. All eyes will be on Mackenzie. No one will touch her outright—especially with the King’s orders, but they’re other ways to hurt her.”

  Goosebumps ran up my arms as I looked at three of the ways they could hurt me. Yes, even Lucian would be counted. If I wasn’t so selfish, I would have told them to run and never look back—not that they would. Alas, I didn’t, and it gave me a first class ticket to hell.

  ****

  I slept most of the way to Scotland. The reclinable seats converted into beds and that was all I needed to lean back and shut my eyes. Things were so awkward between me, Jonah and Sebastian. Though I couldn’t blame them, I practically had a diva fit at the funeral and then disappeared for a week—I’d be cautious too. It’s my goal to try and make things better while we’re here—wherever here was. Lucian hadn’t told us exactly where we were going.

  From New York City to Inverness, Scotland, was a six plus hour flight. From Inverness we bordered the King’s private helicopter to Wester Ross which was only a bit over an hour.

  I sat in the window seat of the two-engine Eurocopter that was more spacious and luxurious than I thought a helicopter would be. We flew over vast mountains and terrain covered in bright and vibrant green. The windows were sealed shut, but I could already smell the clean and crisp air. It took all the tension from my shoulders away and I couldn’t wait until we touched ground.

  The rotor blades weren’t so loud and we were able to hear each other well with our sensitive hearing.

  “Look down below, Pet,” Lucian pointed out the window beside me.

  What appeared like a town was below us, we were circling around it, low enough that I could make out some of the storefronts and people milling around. Some were looking up and waving at us. They probably thought we were the King.

  “That is Sheunta Village,” Lucian said. “Sheunta is Scottish Gaelic for Enchanted. It is a small community of supernatural beings that live in harmony.”

  My head whirled toward Lucian. “It’s not just wolves?”

  He shook his head.

  “Do…vampires live here?”

  “Very few. It’s rare, but if you look at the outskirts of town, right by the entrance to the forest, that little cottage, you see it?” he pointed to a small house that was situated on a plot of land with no neighbors nearby. I nodded. “That is my home, Pet. If you find yourself in need of a place to stay, you are always welcome. You understand?” his eyes narrowed, pinning me in place.

  I nodded again. I knew what he was insinuating. If I were to go on the run again, I were to head straight there.

  As I looked back down to the village, we flew over a bridge that connected the town with a gray stone castle protected by a moat. Four towers were situated in each corner, with a large courtyard by the entrance. A fountain stood in the middle between the castle doors and the bridge leading to town. A driveway surrounded the fountain with multiple cars parked. We flew to the back of the castle where green pastures seemed never ending—a stable was about half a mile away with people working around the land. A drawbridge opened over the moat, leading into the castle and the helicopter lowered, hovering over the ground as the landing skids brought us to a halt.

  “Close your mouth, Pet,” Lucian chuckled and I snapped my jaw shut.

  “It’s like Disney World,” I murmured, still looking out the window. Everyone unbuckled their seatbelts as the helicopter door was slid open. The overhead rotor blades were now extremely loud, blasting wind inside. We ducked out of the plane and ran toward the drawbridge, an arm over my face as I squinted my eyes from the force of the wind the blades made. Sebastian and Jonah ran alongside of me. I swallowed the laugh at the sight of them until I nearly tripped when I saw who were beside us. The blood drained from my face as I saw men running—a group of the same wolves in black suits, the gold Celtic triquetra pin on the lapel of their jackets. The same men who killed the Lunas that unforgettable night.

  “It’s not them. Breathe,” Jonah whispered into my ear, dragging me forward with my eyes never leaving the men in black.

  I shook out the ball of nerves that weighed my stomach down and turned in Jonah’s arms, to see Lucian not walking, but gliding behind us.

  “Luce!” I yelled over the noise of the wind. “Hurry up!”

  He waved me off. “Pet, I don’t run,” he grimaced, adjusting his collared shirt and I laughed. What a diva.

  The wooden drawbridge over the moat creaked under the pounding of our feet as we ran into the opening of the back of the castle.

  “The coup has landed,” one of the men spoke into the wrist of his sleeve. “On route.”

  We were marched along a dark corridor, the sound of the helicopter muted. We came upon a ten foot tall, wooden door carved with two wolves on each side, their canines snarling at whoever stood before them. Two of the men pushed the doors open and we walked through a bright lit hallway. Marbled floors echoed with each step. Crown molding bordered the w
alls with paintings hung on either side. I didn’t know much about art—hell, who was I kidding, I didn’t know anything—but some of the paintings seemed familiar. We made a few turns and I was so distracted by the beauty and elegance that I had no idea how to get back to the entrance.

  Another set of carved, wooden doors opened before us and led to stairs going down. The moment we passed through the threshold, I was startled and jumped into Jonah’s arms as the sound of a bagpipe followed by drums, filled the open space.

  “We welcome the arrival of Miss. Mackenzie Grey and her companions,” a man yelled into the room and everyone cheered. Men and women filled the room with song and laughter, in celebration of…me.

  Grasping Jonah’s arm like a life raft, women ran up to grip my face and kiss my cheeks. A horrified expression was clear on my face, but it didn’t stop them from pinching me red.

  “Welcome Mackenzie!” many shouted. I heard my name coming from all over and I felt claustrophobic.

  Long shiny curtains of royal blue and glittering white tethered with flowers hung across the ceiling and draped down and around the stone pillars. Musicians and revelers danced across the floor as others watched on and clapped in rhythm.

  The sea of people parted as we walked forward, the music slowed to a mild roar in the background and soon we stopped at a dais where two golden chairs sat. Bejeweled in red stones and diamonds, the King and Queen sat. Without warning, Sebastian and Jonah fell to one knee, their right fist against their heart and their heads bowed. The King rose, revealing a plush red velvet seat and extended a hand to the Queen who stood up by his side. I expected her to be wearing a medieval gown but she wore a beige skirted business suit—that totally threw me off on my fantasy. It felt like I had time-traveled a few centuries in the past. The only thing missing was a jester juggling balls and maybe a turkey leg—which sounded very appetizing at the moment. I was left wondering what to do. Should I bow? Curtesy? I should’ve been given a damn manual.

  I decided on a curtsey—bringing my right foot and extending it behind my left, bowing—nearly tipping over to one side. I wasn’t wearing a skirt so I just extended my arms outward. I looked ridiculous.

  “Rise!” the King commanded and we straightened. He stepped down the dais and strolled over to me. His gray eyes gleaming with something I didn’t want to acknowledge. He was excited I was here—I didn’t understand, I thought we were his prisoners? He stopped barely two feet away from me. His smile stretched from ear to ear, the pearly whites of his canines almost blinding me. The same dark hair I had was slicked back in waves that shone under the lights, with that single unruly curl that fell over his forehead—it reminded me of Superman.

  “Mackenzie,” he garbled in his thick accent, low enough for only me to hear. His hands came up to grip my upper arms. “I’m so glad yer here. Welcome home, lassie.” The King pulled me into his arms and I tensed while the cheers behind us rang and the celebration commenced.

  What. The. Fuck.

  Chapter Six

  We’d been thrown back a few centuries in architecture and customs but everyone wore very modern clothing. Some jeans, a few dresses, sneakers—all pretty casual. The bag pipe and fiddles had me traveling to another time, but seeing everyone greet me like a guest of honor, had me more confused than ever. Where were the dungeons, the handcuffs, and most importantly, the guards? I could go on a killing spree for all they knew.

  We sat at a table overlooking the dance floor where the party was still going strong. I hadn’t had the chance to speak with the King besides the small encounter when we arrived and I wanted everyone to leave so we could talk. If we weren’t here for a tribunal, then we needed to talk about the Lunas. A solution had to be implemented soon.

  “Stop bouncing your leg,” Bash said as his hand clamped onto my knee, a habit I picked up from Emma.

  “Hey! I’m ticklish there,” I murmured as I stuffed another strawberry into my mouth. The buffet of food before us had me stuffing my face nonstop. What can I say, I’m an emotional eater.

  “You shouldn’t be nervous,” Jonah said. “You’re the guest of honor. The whole town is here to see you.”

  “Why? How are you guys not freakin’ out? This is some damn reverse psychology, I just know it,” my eyes narrowed as I scanned the room suspiciously. “They don’t even know me. If they did, I’m sure this would be a whole other kind of party,” I snorted. And I was sure that party would include the dungeons.

  “Probably,” Bash agreed and I elbowed him in the ribs.

  “You’re not supposed to agree with me. Anyway, if we’re gonna be roaming around freely, we might as well—”

  Sebastian clamped his hand over my knee again.

  “What the hell!” I shrieked over the noise of the party.

  He tapped his ear and then placed his pointer finger over his lips, silencing me. I got the message loud and clear. I hadn’t even thought about everyone else and their sensitive hearing. For all we knew, they were listening to our conversation, waiting for a drop of information about me. I had to be more careful.

  “Well I can’t just sit here eating all evening. I’m going to go talk to him,” I said as I stared at the dais where the King and Queen were perched. I had to know if this was my last meal before my execution—if so, they needed to bring me another steak and a strawberry milkshake.

  “You can’t just go up to him,” Jonah said and gripped my wrist to stop me from standing. “We don’t know their customs, we need to be strategic. Remember what Lucian said.”

  “Where is the vamp anyways?” Bash murmured as he scanned the dance floor.

  “Who knows,” I shrugged. “And I’m not here to make friends. What I need are answers.” I jerked my arm away and stood from the table—all eyes turned to me. My smile stretched tightly across my face as I tried to look inconspicuous—I was failing miserably.

  I cleared my throat, my smile growing wider as I nodded to everyone and ducked my head as I made my way across the dance floor to the King.

  “They’re a nosy bunch, aye?” someone said beside me, a hair’s breath away from my ear.

  I flinched and turned to the dark haired man—his auburn beard a stark contrast. Shining, mischievous eyes gleamed as he watched my cautious face. Stranger danger, buddy.

  “My apologies, Princess. I have nae introduced myself. Andrew Duncan, but please call me Drew,” he said as he took my hand and kissed it, his lips lingering a little too long for comfort—followed by a bow. “It is an honor to be in yer presence.”

  “I’m not a princess,” I blurted as I snatched my hand back.

  He grinned. “Of course ye are. Those eyes don’t lie.”

  My eyes narrowed on the stranger. I didn’t like him. Something about him bugged me as his gaze bounced with an excitement that I wasn’t too sure was about meeting me. They danced with a secret I felt I needed to know, which made absolutely no sense.

  “What do you want?” I cut straight to the point.

  He smirked. “I saw ye across the way and had to introduce myself. Yer quite a beauty, Princess.”

  “Thanks,” I mumbled as I looked around, anywhere but at this guy. Something was bothering me about him—who was he? My stare stopped over at the table where Bash and Jonah were seated. They were watching.

  “Which of the two is yer lover?” Drew whispered into my ear and I snapped my attention back to him.

  “Neither,” I responded without missing a beat.

  He laughed. “I find that hard to believe. A lassie such as yerself should nae be alone.”

  “Well, I am. Not to be rude, but is there something you want?”

  His eyes shone. “Aye, there’s a lot I want,” he leered at my body, “but everything in due time. Go on, lassie, the King awaits,” he winked and backed out—disappearing into the crowd of dancers. I watched him go. He left the room through another set of doors and I stood there like an idiot, thinking he’d come back. What the hell was all that about?

  Th
e clinking of glass shook me out of my stupor and I turned back to the dais where the King was standing, quieting the masses.

  “Thank ye all for coming and greeting our newcomers with open arms and celebration. May we show them the warmth and love of Scotland, and we welcome them like family!”

  “Aye!” the crowd cheered around me. They lifted their glasses and drank, toasting to the King’s words.

  “Mackenzie,” Bash said as he grabbed my arm. He tilted his head toward our table and I noticed Jonah standing, being ushered out of the room. I followed Sebastian through the same door Drew exited as we trailed behind Jonah. One of the men in black who escorted us from the helicopter led us out. His reddish brown hair cut low to his scalp, the creases at the corner of his dark eyes giving away his age. Definitely late forties.

  “Hey!” I called out to the guard, running past my friends to stand beside him.

  “Mackenzie!” I heard someone scold me but I ignored them.

  I stopped beside the guard who barely noticed me. “Where are we going?” I asked.

  He didn’t answer.

  “If you’re not going to tell me then I’m going back to the party.”

  “Yer going to meet the King,” the guard grumbled.

  “I already met him.”

  “In private,” he said.

  “Oh, makes sense,” I nodded. “I recognize you from when we first arrived.”

  He said nothing. I looked behind me to my friends following us, and I knew I was frustrating them but the more information we got the better.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Ranulf,” he said, his face impassive, not once looking at me—not even a bit of side-eye.

  “Ra-what now?”

  “Ra-nulf,” he said slower.

  “That’s…different.”

  “Aye.”

  I sighed. This one was going to be tough to crack. I couldn’t get two words out of him.

  Two guards opened a set of double doors when we approached. The King and Queen were already seated at the head of the long dining table that could fit at least twenty people. Damn, these Scots were living large.