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Chapter One

It was pouring heavily on the day Haydn Schaefer’s life was turned upside down

Haydn was soaked by the tily of a hot shohen the butler intercepted hi wanted to see him

“Where is he, Dylas?” Haydn said with a sigh, wincing at the puddle growing under his feet

“In his study, Your Highness”

Haydn looked down at his filthy boots and equally filthy orous physical training had made him as tired, cold, and dirty as the soldiers under his command, and he wasn’t exactly in thea shower I stink”

Dylas shook his head “His Majesty said you o to hietic but uncoe This must have been important

Frowning, Haydn headed toward his father’s study

He knocked once before entering

“Your Majesty,” he said respectfully, but not too respectfully It was always a balancing act If he was too respectful, his father started thinking he wasn’t alpha enough If he was too disrespectful, his father bristled, immediately suspicious that Haydn wanted to usurp his throne It was beyond annoying Not for the first time in his life, Haydn wished he had been born a beta

Or an oa

He pushed the thought away Such thoughts were pointless And ridiculous He was an alpha Alphas had it easy, coas Well, Xeus alphas had it worse than either betas or o to complain about

King Stefan lifted his gaze frohtly “You’re finally back”

“You wanted to seehiht, which ’s but certainly made him taller than most people