*Omario POV*
It’s been just over eight months since Terrence and Mom left. They do call from time to time, they even send photos of them all over the world, but it’s not the same. We really miss them.
Teresa and her mate Duncan, have really proved themselves as worthy Betas. Besides the elders who don’t seem to agree with any of our decisions, our people are happy and our kingdom is really thriving.
“Good morning, Omar,” my puffy, almost hundred kilograms mate says with a yawn the moment she opens her eyes. She stretches her arms and tries to get off the bed.
I catch her just on time, bringing her back to the bed. I really believed that pregnant women got tired a lot, until I met her. She is heavily pregnant with swollen feet but I swear she has more energy than most people.
“Morning Beautiful. Where do you think you are going?”
She looks at me with the same cute disapproving expression.
“For the hundredth time, Omar, I am pregnant, not sick. The doctors told you that.”
I can’t help but smile because this has become our daily ritual. I try to make her rest and she resists me.
“The doctors also said you need your rest. Our pup is due any day now,” I remind her and I can’t wait.
She rolls her eyes at me. “We also have a kingdom to run. With Teresa on maternity leave, I have to help you clear as much work as possible because soon, it will just be you and Duncan.”
“And we can manage.”
“I can’t just sleep the whole day!” she exclaims.
“You can get everything our pup will need,” I suggest, already knowing what her response will be.
“We have everything until he is ten years old, thanks to you. What more can I possible add!”
I shrug my shoulders. “There must be something.”
She frantically shakes her head.
“No, there isn’t. Even the baby and toy shops don’t have the stuff we have here!”
Okay, fine, maybe I did go overboard with the whole castle wing preparation, deco and toys, but this is my first pup and I can’t wait to be a dad.
“You can…”
She gets off my grip, off the bed, heads towards the shower and comes out in her usual elegant gown.
I can’t help but gasp. My mate is everything!
She rolls her eyes at me and giggles before taking my hand.
“Telly and I are going to sort out the well in the south border today.”
“I am sure…”
“I was not asking,”she interjects.
“I am coming along then.”
She looks at me as if I am crazy.
“Absolutely not! You have a meeting with your backstabbing elders.”
“You need to be there too.”
Abi conveniently forgets that she also needs to attend the irritating meetings and always makes other arrangements on those days.
“I cant promise to stop Nina from wiping them out.”
“And I will,” Nina says and I have no doubt that she would. Things did get really heated the last time they met with the elders. The cowards all left shaken but it still does not stop them from plotting against us.
“Abi, I really don’t want you going far from home without me and the doctors.”
She sticks her tongue out at me. She thinks I am overreacting but there is a lot Titan and I decided to keep from her and Nina. The elders are really not happy with us because they no longer have avenues to steal money from the kingdom as before and Abi has openly called for the people to suggest new names for their positions.They were really disappointed that Olivia’s pup did not turn out to be mine but it has not stopped them from trying to poison Abi. Duncan and I have already executed four kitchen staff who have tried. They all got paid huge amounts of money we could not trace. Unfortunately, none of them told us who hired them because their families were threatened.
There’s also the worrying visions Rufus has about the birth of our pup. I can’t tell Abi that either.
Unfortunately for me, Abi is really headstrong. Unless I tell her everything, which will stress her, I can’t really stop her from leaving my side.
An hour later, I watch her and Telly leave with a heavy heart. Telly knows what to look out for but she is an old lady and can’t really protect Abi should the need arise.
“The guards will be with her all the time, Your Highness,” my Beta says, reading through me. I did not even notice him come to join me.
“And..”
“The back-ups and the doctor will be out of sight but close by. They know that they have to be discreet.”
I nod my head. “Thank you, Duncan.”
He gives me a warm smile. “Our royal pup will come and she will be here all the time.”
“I can’t wait. Any news from Pious?”
Pious is an extremely efficient private investigator.
Duncan passes a sheet of paper and I am not surprised at what I see on my elders banks statements.
“It all adds up. The huge amounts withdrawn from the top four is exactly the same amounts from the executed staff. The fifth one was transferred a day ago. There is someone else who has been paid to kill the Luna.”
I look at him and he nods, knowing exactly what I am thinking.
“They can still deny it but this is as much proof we are ever going to get, Your Highness.”
He is right. I can not have a pack trial against them based on this. They could always find other reasons for transferring this money to unknown recipients. One thing is clear in my mind though, I can’t lose my mate.
“I can’t afford to have these people in my kingdom, Duncan.”
His eyes sparkle like they do when he is excited or victorious.
“They are not, Your Highness.”
I lift my eyebrow to process his statement and he winks at me. He might not be as crazy as Terrence, but Duncan is really loyal and capable.
“Should I ask?”
Duncan is about to answer when Elder Paul gets in between us and kneels in front of me.
“Your Highness.”
His strained voice tell me that something has happened.
“Speak.”
He gets off his feet and looks at me with saddened expression.
“I bring bad news, Sire.”
I nod, my heart already pounding. I hope this is not about my wife.
“There was a bad accident on the highway involving our elders,”he continues.
I hope he does not hear my sigh, because I would die if anything happened to my mate.
“Is everyone okay?” I feign concern while Duncan make faces behind him.
Maybe he is a lot like Terrence after all.
“I am afraid we have lost five of our elders, Your Highness.”
My jaw drops as I search for Duncan’s face, who looks so pleased.
“How terrible tragedy! Lower the flags and ring the bells, the kingdom is now in mourning. May their souls rest in piece.” I say this already heading inside. Duncan marches my step while he follows behind us.
“Is Your Highness not interested in knowing which ones of our twenty elders died?”
I finally return Duncan’s wink because I now know exactly what his earlier winking meant. I also know without being told that the dead elders are the ones on top of our list. I also know that he did this for me not to be suspected. I was wrong, he is not a lot like Terrence, he is him, just the less cocky and innocent looking version.
“It does not matter, the loss of our dear elders is a terrible loss for the kingdom regardless of which it is.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Let the other elders know that the royal entourage we will be visiting the families tomorrow.”
I can sleep better tonight knowing that some of our enemies are dealt away with.
“Yes, Your Highness. I will make the arrangements,” Elder Paul says and rushes off while my Beta’s shoulders shake with suppressed laughter.
“A terrible loss, Your Highness,” he imitates my voice, amused, while I shake my head.
“At least I did not flush them down the toilet,” he adds with a straight face.
“You spent too much time with Terrence. Too much.”
Terrence must have long known that he will leave because he trained Duncan very well for the Beta position.
“Yes, Your Highness,” he responds with an innocent face, many have fallen for.
I shake my head but truly grateful to have someone I can rely on.