Robin woke up in the morning to find Victor gone. He was sad but he felt better. The ache in his stomach was non-existent. He changed the bedsheet and sprayed his room with room freshener, knowing how it might have reeked like an Alpha. His mom came a few hours later.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Much better," Robin said. There was so much he could tell his mom but he didn't know what the consequences would be. For now, he wanted to keep Victor a secret.
"That's good. Your brothers had it a lot worse. We had to sedate them to take the pain away. You didn't use them?" Her mom asked, looking at the toys.
Robin blushed. "I thought my brothers breezed through it. Why didn't you tell me it could get this worse."
"I didn't want to scare you," his mom smiled, ruffling his hair. "I am glad the worst is over."
Robin nodded. He rested for two more days in his rooms, avoiding going out. It took two more suprasants but it wasn't as bad as the first night. Victor didn't visit again, which Robin was disappointed about. He kept his windows unlocked expecting Victor to show up.
The palace was preparing for his Aunt's engagement party. The king of Sarai was to visit and royalty from all over the world were invited to the party. His father wanted to announce the marriage to the world. He didn't understand his father's extravagant celebration of trivial matters. Robin wanted a small celebration if he ever got married.
The palace was decorated with flowers. The maids and servants were busy with party preparation. It gave him the perfect opportunity to sneak into the forbidden section of the palace library. There wasn't much text material he or anyone was allowed to read. Most of the outside politics and information about the outside world was censored in Capital City. His father's personal advisor himself removed certain books from the library. Although Robin had his ways of getting access to those books, most of the time he was playing with fire trying to get them.
Robin walked into the library, reading the boring books on the history of Marcella Dynasty, sitting in one corner. The librarian, a woman in her late thirties, sat in silence reading fiction. She smiled at him when he got in the library. She knew him well, he had spent countless hours in the palace library. But she wasn't a talkative person and Robin was shy, so the only interaction they had included asking about books and friendly smiles.
The woman stopped giving him attention a few minutes later, fully indulging in her book. Robin stood up and cruised around the library in a pretense of finding something new to read but all he wanted was an opportunity to sneak behind the hidden shelves to access the banned books.
He clicked on a concealed button on one side of a shelf, the shelf came loose. He pushed it and slithered inside. He had to be fast. He searched around for books on Dhasur Dynasty. The books weren't organised which made it hard for him to locate what he was looking for. He got his hands on a few books that gave information about other kingdoms. Once he had few books that could give him some information, he shoved them under his robe and exited the area.
The guests for the party were starting to arrive. Robin and Gloria hid away from the hustle and bustle of the palace, at least until it would be time for them to get dressed for the night party.
"What do we know about the Dhasur Dynasty?" Robin asked Gloria. He flipped the pages of the book written by a well-known political writer. Robin had read some of his work before. His insight on world politics was eye-opening.
"It's one of the most mineral-rich kingdoms in the north," Robin answered, reading a passage from the book.
"Is that why father invaded it?" Gloria asked.
"Probably. Plus he wanted to take over the throne before the Dhasur's prince took over his father's place."
"I heard he is very intelligent. If his commander didn't snitch on him our father would have never been able to defeat Dhasur. Apparently, he had formed the perfect war plan. It's a good thing father defeated him before he came for us. He was predicted to be the strongest king of this century," Gloria said.
"What was his name?" Robin asked absentmindedly.
"Oh here are the names," Robin exclaimed, finding a passage in the book.
"Dhasur is under Semi-presidential monarchial governance. The current king of Dhasur is Karlson Thrall…"
"He was killed by father," Gloria interrupted.
"This book was written before the war," Robin said before continuing "King Thrall has five children. Eldest son…" Robin sucked in a breath.
"What?" Gloria asked, peeking into the book.
"Victor Thrall," Gloria read. "That's a sexy name," she giggled. It all made sense to Robin now. How did his father not figure it out? Gloria snatched the book from his hand and read "Second son Arthur and Jhonathan bla bla bla. Victor Thrall joined the army as a young boy. His neighboring kingdoms gave him the nickname Black Death. He is notorious for burning his enemies alive. Sexy. The rest is boring. Why are you reading this?" Gloria asked, looking confused. Robin had stopped listening to her the moment he read the name, Victor Thrall.
How could Robin have not seen it? Victor didn't look like an ordinary Alpha. How had he not killed Robin and his family by now? He was here for revenge, wasn't he? Robin stood up. "I have to go."
He exited Gloria's room to go ask his maids to send Victor to his room. He needed to listen to the truth from him.
"Robbie, I have been looking for you," his mother stopped him, looking nervous. "You have to get ready for the party."
"I don't want to go to the party."
She looked uneasy like there was something she wanted to tell him.
"Your father wants to meet you."
"What's going on mom?" Robin asked, feeling something off.
"You will know once you meet your father," she nudged him towards his room and gestured to the maids to prepare him for the party. Robin kept looking at his mother, trying to understand her unease but she kept her gaze away. The maids dressed him in gold accented red robe, reserved for special occasions. His aunt's marriage announcement was special but not special enough for this red robe.
"Why am I wearing this?" Robin asked.
"Stop asking questions, Robin. I told you, you will get your answers when you meet your father."
She never called him by his actual name. He was always Robbie to her. Robin felt his heart beat erratically. He didn't want to go to this party. He had a bad feeling about this.
Once adorned in the red robe, hair braided down his back, his mother took his hands and walked him to his father's study room.
"Are we not going to the party?"
"Not yet," his mother said.
They entered the study where a group of Northeastern men sat on one side of the room and the other side was occupied by his father's guards and advisors.
"Son," his father greeted with a big smile.
"I have happy news for you," his father said. A man stood from his seat, buttoned his jacket, and took his place by Robin's father. He wore a coat jacket, and thick boots, and had a particularly long bony face, with long dirty blond hair tied in a half pony.
"I would like you to meet Dmitry Ivanov. Your mate."
Robin's head snapped at the man so hard he thought he pulled a muscle in his neck. The man smiled at him with his pearly white teeth that made something inside Robin shrivel.
"He recognized you as his mate at your after-initiation party but chose to stay quiet. He wanted to give you some time to explore your adulthood. Such a thoughtful man, isn't he?" his father laughed.
Robin felt queasy. This couldn't be. Why was he feeling this sense of doom, isn't finding your mate supposed to be a happy event?
The man took Robin's gloved hand and kissed it. "Hello, darling."
Robin pulled his hand away.
"Don't be rude to your Alpha, Robin," his father warned condescendingly.
"Why don't you spend some time with Dmitry," his father said with a wide smile. Robin had just started to shake his head in denial when the door opened and the head guard scurried in, panicked.
"Your Highness, there has been an issue," he informed with a bowed head.
"What?" the king snapped. "Can't you see I am busy?"
"Sir, The king of Sarai has been assassinated in his room."
Everyone's eyes widened. "Call my Regent," the king said in a hard voice before walking out of the room.
Dmitry looked horrified at the news, eyeing his companions sitting down, who all looked at each other in confusion. Robin took the opportunity to leave the meeting room. The maids were being hurled into the courtyard by the guards. Marcella soldiers surrounded the palace in an impenetrable shield. Everyone was running, trying to get to a safe place.
"Young master, lock yourself in your room. There is a killer on the loose," one of the guards informed as he walked past Robin.
Robin didn't care if a killer was on the loose or the whole palace was crumbling down to the ground. He was confused and pissed. He didn't want to find a mate so soon. He felt sick to the stomach at the thought of him touching Robin again. Is this how it felt to find a mate? His resolve to be never tied down to an Alpha strengthened. But he had something else in his mind. Victor. Victor Thrall. Robin gasped. Did Victor kill the King of Sarai? Most likely.
He walked out of his room and went to Martha, the head of palace servants. He asked her to send Victor to his room.
"I don't think this is the right time, young master."
"Did I ask you for your advice? Do I need your permission to get fucked?"
She looked appalled at his use of words. It was unusual for him to use such language. It had the desired effect.
"I will see what I can do," she mumbled before walking off.