Chapter 47: Alpha Claude

Alpha Claude stood in the middle of the guest room naked as the day he was born. There was a frown on his face, and his nose was slightly scrunched up as he took a deep breath.

There was a sweet scent in the air; he could smell it as soon as he walked in. He could also smell the vile blonde, but it was fleeting, while the other scent seemed to be a part of the room, like the cleaning materials but distinct. Almost like it touched everything in the room.

He wiggled his nose and walked toward the bed. He could smell the sweet scent on the sheets, but the smell of fresh linen overpowered it. He was certain it wasn’t just perfume he could smell.

"Alpha Claude," his personal servant called with worried eyes as he followed Claude to every corner of the room. "W-won’t you put on some clothes, Alpha?"

Claude stopped walking. He was standing in front of the shelves because he thought the scent was stronger here, but alas, it was still stronger by the bed.

He turned around and walked toward the bed again, ignoring the worried look of his servant. He sat on the bed, and the smell rose to his nostrils again. He smiled and lay back with his bare feet placed firmly on the carpet.

"Alpha Claude," the young man pressed. His expression was filled with worry. "Your clothes."

Claude narrowed his eyes at him; he was ruining his concentration. He was about to speak when Hilbert walked back into the room with a snarl.

"Such insolence!" Hilbert muttered.

Hilbert was his secondary beta, but truthfully, he was more his bodyguard than anything. Not that he needed protecting, but protocol. He was an Alpha; he was required to travel with companions.

He was also required to travel in a carriage, but he would rather lose his limbs than have his movements restricted in such a manner. Being confined in a box felt like torture. Besides, it took way less time to travel in his wolf form.

"It’s not that big of a deal, Hilbert."

"Alpha," he called in a horrified tone when he noticed Claude lying on the bed naked. "You can’t! You don’t know what inferior fabrics they used. You could get a rash."

"Don’t be ridiculous, Hilbert. We’ve spent nights in forests surrounded by blood-sucking creatures. I doubt cleaning products are going to irritate my skin."

Claude still found it odd that one of his best warriors was a neat freak. He couldn’t blame Hilbert; considering he tended to be naked in the strangest of places, he could see why it bothered his beta.

"You can never be too careful, Alpha," Hilbert cried and rushed closer.

"Never mind that. Smell the sheets. There is a faint sweet smell that’s driving me crazy."

"Sweet smell?" Hilbert asked with a frown as he sniffed. Then his gaze darkened. "Is there a smell that irritates you, Alpha? I will have them change your room in an instant."

Claude narrowed his eyes. The huge man was too intense. "Just because I say it’s driving me crazy doesn’t mean it’s bad, Hilbert." He sighed and sat up. "I guess you can’t smell it."

Hilbert’s shoulders fell. "I am sorry, Alpha, but I cannot pick up any other scent."

"Don’t worry about it," he smirked. He was sure he would smell it again.

He wasn’t too worried about why he was hung up on the scent; he couldn’t remember if it was familiar or not. It didn’t matter. Things tended to reveal themselves with time, and if there was anything Claude had now, it was time.

"Alpha, my apologies, I forgot to deliver the message. The riffraff who attended to us said he is busy, but I have sent for him. Not to welcome us himself is disrespectful. I don’t know why you have to make the trip here, Alpha. You could have sent for him; he wouldn’t dare decline."

Claude smiled. "You know exactly why I am here."

"Still, I am sure you didn’t have to—"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"I think your response is here," Claude said and looked toward the door.

"Yes, Alpha," Hilbert said and walked toward the door. He seemed taller as he walked away, his shoulders spreading as wide as possible.

"You!" Hilbert said with an accusatory tone as the open door revealed Theo. He stood in the doorframe, his broad shoulders blocking his undressed Alpha from Theo’s view.

"I bring word from my Alpha. He apologizes for not being able to welcome you himself, but he will be able to see your Alpha in the drawing room in half an hour."

"See? Does he think this is some kind of—"

"Hilbert," Claude drawled from the bedroom. "Half an hour is fine."

Hilbert didn’t look pleased, but he didn’t argue with his Alpha. "He’d best be on time!"

"Yes, he will and I will be here to lead the way." Theo was halfway through his bow when the door slammed in his face.

"You shouldn’t be treated like this, Alpha Claude. Making you wait—has he no manners?"

"You worry about the most trivial of things," Claude chuckled as he lay on his back. "I am here now; delaying can’t prevent the inevitable. Besides, he is likely punishing me by making me wait. He must really hate that I came here."

"How dare he? He should be grateful that you would grace Verlassen with your presence. No one wants anything to do with an abandoned territory. It’s no wonder High Alpha Vilhelm let him have it easily."

"Hmm," Claude said and pulled himself upward so his entire body lay on the bed. "You may leave me, both of you. Come get me in half an hour. I believe you both have your rooms."

"But Alpha, separating under these circumstances—"

Claude waved his hand. "Go away, Hilbert. You know no one will dare attack me."

"Yes, Alpha," he replied with a sigh and dejectedly walked out.