Alpha King’s Wolfless Mate by Scarlett Higgins

Chapter 97

**Nora POV

My coffee was bitter this morning, but I didn’t care. It perfectly matched how I felt. I hadn’t spoken a word to Blake at all yesterday. I had seen him a few times as he rushed around the castle between tense, quiet meetings in his office, but neither of us had spoken to the other.

Maisi e had given me a strange look when I’d passed her in the garden, but I didn’t speak to her either. She had been in meetings with Blake and I was sure she knew all about whatever had him so worked up. It filled me with jealousy that he would tell others before he told me.

I didn’t want to know what Blake was up to and I certainly didn’t want to find out from anyone else.

I stayed in my old room again last night. It was miserable, I’d hardly slept.

I decided to eat breakfast in the kitchen this morning, mostly because I didn’t want to run into anyone. I looked terrible. I nibbled on a piece of toast, but I had no appetite.

I didn’t look up when the door opened. The staff came and went all morning and they were used to finding me sitting at the island. They wouldn’t bother me. Everyone in the castle knew that Blake and I had a huge fight and they all desperately wanted to stay out of it.

I didn’t look up until someone sat in the chair next to me. When I did look, I found Blake looking at me nervously. I met his gaze steadily. He looked just as tired as I felt. Part of me felt guilty, but I forced it aside. Whatever was going on, I couldn’t help him with it because he lashed out at me instead of talking to me. I wasn’t going to blame myself for that.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.

It was obvious from the strain on his face that it was hard for him to say the words. I doubted that there had been many times in his life when Blake felt the need to apologize. I was glad that he recognized he needed to say it now.

I hated feeling this separation between us. It was so difficult to be under the same roof, but not feeling like I could touch him or even speak to him.

I sighed and sat my coffee cup down.“You should be,”I grumbled. “But I’m sorry, too.”

He nodded.“I know that you’re loyal and trustworthy,”he continued.“I let my jealousy get the best of me and I took it out on you. You didn’t deserve that.”

His hand was resting on the counter and I took it gently. He squeezed my fingers and held on to me.

“We need to get better at talkingthings through,”I noted.

“We’ll work on it,”he agreed.“I’msure with some practice, we’ll be able to talk like a normal couple.”

I looked at him strangely, but he was smiling. He meant it as a joke. I scoffe d and shook my head, but a smile was pulling at the corner of my mouth.“I don’t think we’re ever going to be normal.”

“That’s probably for the best,”hesaid.“A normal woman could never compare to you as Luna.”

His comment surprised me. He sounded like he meant it as a compliment. I didn’t feel particularly successful as the Luna lately, so it didn’t feel like I had earned the praise.

“Is that right?”I asked.

“I’ve seen you at the store and intown,”he started.“You’re so patient and caring when you’re out in the pack. It’s obvious to everyone that you care about them and that you are willing to work for the betterment of the pack. That’s not

something that comes naturally to most Lunas.”

He smiled as he spoke and I could tell that it made him proud.

I smiled bitterly.

“Maybe that’s because I’m not likemost Lunas. You know,”I started. “Growing up, I never quite felt like Ibelonged. No one treated me any differently, despite how weird my circumstances were, but I still felt like I shouldn’t be in the Alpha’s house. It felt like it wasn’t quite right for me to live alongside the Alpha’s child. I never understood why that was. I figured I just wasn’t meant for a high status life and that the feeling would pass once I was old enough to move out on my own and start a normal life.”

“Is that why you were so resistant toCharles’s lessons?”he asked.

I nodded. When Charles had first started teaching me royal etiquette, it had felt like a waste of time. I simply didn’t believe that I would

ever be able to handle it.

It was the same when Blake and I had first gotten married. I didn’t believe for a second that our relationship would last. There was no way a born king like him could end up with someone like me. I didn’t belong in the castle.

“It’s a fluke that I’m still here,”I saidin disbelief.“Maybe that’s why the pack likes me, though. I’m not a royal, so I’m not too worried about following all of the etiquette rules all of the time.”

“This has been bothering you a lotlately, hasn’t it?”he asked.“I’ve noticed that you get this far away look on your face and sl*p into deep thought, but I don’t want to pry. I thought that if something were bothering you that you wanted my help with, you would tell me.”

I squeezed his hand and nodded.“I just can’t stop thinking about my family, and I thought that it wasn’t worth bringing up.”

“What do you mean?”Blake lookedconcerned.

He turned to fully face me. I turned in my seat to face him too, even though I wanted to change the subject or walk away. This was uncomfortable to discuss.

“I can’t stop wondering where Ireally came from,”I said softly. “How did I end up abandoned inthe woods? Who were my parents and what happened to them… did they abandon me or did something bad happen to them?”I sighed.“But what’s the point in dwelling on these questions when there’s no way I can answer them?”

“And you know nothing aboutthem?”he asked.“There are no clues to their identity?”

I shook my head.“I only know the little bit that the Alpha and Luna of Moonery could tell me, which wasn’t much. I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about it lately. It’s just constantly on my mind.”

“You want answers,”Blake saidgently.“That’s only natural.”

I nodded.“I really do. Something is telling me that I have to find the truth. I can’t explain why, but it feels so important.”

“Then we’ll find out the truth,”Blake stated firmly. The expression on his face was very serious and it surprised me.

“What do you mean?”I asked.

“We have every family record youcould possibly need from every family and pack in the kingdom in the library. You may not know much now, but you know enough to start narrowing it down. It will take time, but I’m confident that the answers can be found somewhere in those books.”

He k*ssed my forehead gently and brushed my hair from my face.“I’ll help however I can,” he offered.

I smiled. The thought of actually finding answers filled me with a

heady combination of excitement and nerves. I had no idea what I might find out if I did learn who my parents were. It could do more harm than good, honestly. If they threw me away for some reason, it would be devastating.

But at least I would know.

“Regardless of what you find out,”Blake continued, pulling me from my thoughts.“You are a wonderful Luna and my beloved queen.”

I felt a smile break over my face. It was a cheese thing to say, but I knew that he meant it. Blake leaned forward and k*ssed me.

It was a gentle k*ss, but there was a heat behind it that made my heart rate double.

Blake was right. I wanted the truth, but part of me was scared to find out exactly what it all would mean-for my past, and my future.