The Alpha King's Human Mate by HC Dolores

The Alpha King’s Human Mate

Chapter 63

Chapter 63

“Fathers — half of anyone’s life seems to be about who fathered them.” Nancy Springer

Although I could tell that some of Griffin’s councilors looked uneasy at the thought of not being able to commemorate

his father’s death with a funeral, none of them voiced their disagreement.

As | listened to one of the councilors continue to drone on about a minor pack dispute, the situation nagged at me. I

knew Griffin and his father didn’t have a close relationship. He’d confided in me that his father blamed him for his

mother’s death, how his father spent most of his time in the bottom of a bottle.

And there was clearly enough distance between them that Griffin could slice the former Alpha King’s head clean off and

not even bother to give the guy a funeral. He’d said it was because the former King had threatened me – and maybe that

was part of it – but I knew Griffin’s disdain went much deeper. Whatever it was, it was more than just resentment for a

neglectful father.

Iwas curious, but I also wasn’t going to question him in the middle of a meeting with his councilors. Even I knew that wasn’t going to end well. Those questions could wait till later when we were alone. Chapter 63,

Instead, I kept still and tried to soak up as much information from the councilors as I could.

If I’m going to be Queen, I’ve got to know everything about this world. 1 didn’t take my werewolf education very

seriously when I lived with my dad, and I’ll probably be paying for it now.

But in my defense, I had no idea I’d end up here.

By the time the meeting was over ~ almost two hours later ~ I had a splitting headache from focusing too hard. I asked a

few questions about some of the disputes the councilors brought up, and as far as I could tell, nobody seemed upset that

I was trying to learn. And if they were ~ well, at least they were smart enough not to become frustrated

with me in front of Griffin.

“told you that the meeting would be boring,” Griffin said as we walked back to our bedroom. When we reached the large

set of bedroom doors, he dismissed the guards standing watch and led me inside.

“[ mean, it wasn’t all bad,” I said, following him in, “Some of those

pack disputes seem like real issues. Especially that Alpha Liam guy.”

“He’ll be dealt with soon enough,” Griffin said. He walked towards the closet and began shedding his clothes like it was

no big deal.

Technically, it shouldn’t have been a big deal – I’d been sharing a bedroom with Griffin for almost a week now. I’d seen

him strip down a couple of times, and each time, the sight of Griffin’s bare skin always Chapter 63 seemed to fluster me. I wish I could’ve blamed my red cheeks or the quick beating of my

heart on the mate bond, but I was pretty sure I’d be having this reaction even if Griffin wasn’t my destined mate.

Griffin was attractive. There was no denying it. The moonlight creeping through our open window cast soft light onto his

dark hair and bronze skin. Even across the room, I could clearly see the outline of his toned abdomen and his sharp

jawline.

men as

teasing voice tore my eyes away

as subtle as I

the room in a few strides and pulled me into a

the same way I am by you,” Griffin said when he

eyes down

are actual things you wanted to talk to him about. You can make

any time you want.

capture my lips in another kiss, I pressed my

into his chest, stopping his movement. “What’s wrong?” He asked, worry flickering through

I said, “There’s something I wanted to talk

you want to talk about?”

an eyebrow. “I’m trying to kiss with you, and you’re

Despite his teasing tone, I could see Griffin’s body tense up at the

shut me down, I’d need to tread carefully.

to take a seat on the bed, but he didn’t join

“I don’t want to pry into something you’re not ready to talk

with your dad…it seems like it’s weighing on you. You’re not even entertaining the

to give him a funeral? After

you should

the funeral of someone who threatened

navigate through a minefield, but I continued to press on. “Look, I won’t

I said,

if you’re not reading this book on n𝘰𝚟el5s.com, you might be missing out on

dive into the next chapter—it’s all free! mean, clearly he was…and I’m glad you protected me that day. But I also don’t think this is just about me. And even if

call off a funeral just because of me. But if I’m being honest…1 don’t think you’re calling off

think it’s because of your own unresolved baggage with him, which is okay. I just

that it’s okay to talk

may be.”

at me for several moments, his body still tense and rigid.

voice that I’d never heard before, “I thought I’d

I’ve never told anyone the entire truth about him. There’s nobody

still feels like he’s haunting me. My own councilors want to throw some lavish celebration of his life –

anything to truly celebrate.”

one of his hands. I wasn’t sure

right now, it felt like one of the only ways I could comfort him, He didn’t reject the gesture. He

to yourself isn’t going to erase the pain he caused,”

I’d never experienced the kind of neglect Griffin seemed

internalized my father’s disappointment? Or his pack’s

I couldn’t shift?

you couldn’t shut out an entire part of your life and move on.

or another, you’d have to confront it

lesson is sitting across from me, trying to learn

tightened on my hand, “I told you that my

spent too much time drinking…but that’s just

quiet, waiting for him to continue talking. Griffin’s face was twisted into a pained frown

words at

mother so I can’t say for sure

told me, “But he certainly wasn’t one after her death. Much of my father’s

weak and a female wolf’s place was breeding

weakness, not to their mates and not to their

eyebrows rose at that. The former Alpha King had struck me as traditional the two times I’d interacted

he was

allowed to be as radical as he would’ve

tried to instill those same beliefs in me. Even as a child, he

or what he perceived as weakness

thought those were some of