Protect Me, Alpha King
42. Meeting the Servant's Gaze

River

"I will fight for Lady Juliana as long as I live, woman. No one will stop me.”

I folded my arms and narrowed my eyes at him. What a stubborn man. "My name is not Woman but River. Could you please address me using my given name? I would be grateful for that. And you know what, Delta Isagani?”

He threw me an irritated look. “Get over it. Spill.”

Look at this man. He looked like a sheep around Lady Juliana, but when the latter was nowhere to be seen, he looked like a predator ready to pounce on his victims.

“We don't always have to fight. Sometimes, the best thing to do is to give up if our presence is no longer needed by someone, especially our mate. Let's save ourselves and pity ourselves once and for a while,” I whispered.

Face reddening, he announced, "Lady Juliana will eventually learn that it is I she needed, not the alpha king. I will do everything I can if she wants me to do something for her. I can move heaven and earth for her. I can serve the head of her enemies on a platter if she wished for it."

A shiver ran down my spine when he uttered those words. He was willing to kill someone for Lady Juliana's sake?

"Are you a fool, Delta Isagani? You will kill someone because of her? Don't waste everything you have right now because of her. She is only hurting you.”

“She is not!"

“She is! How long will it enter in your thick skull that that woman rejected you?"

I knew it was forbidden for a slave to talk back to a noble using the tone I was using, but this man was sure testing my patience! I was only concerned about him. Why couldn't he see that, huh? Perhaps the adage saying love is blind was true.

"I don't care! I love her more than my life!"

"Does she love you back, Delta Isagani? Is she willing to sacrifice just like yours?" He froze and hung his head low.

"She doesn't, right?” I pressed. I did not care if I was being insensitive, but he had to open his eyes and not waste his time on that kind of woman. “Open your eyes. When looked at you, she never saw you as her mate. She never glanced at you with longing in her eyes. Stop your foolishness. There are a lot of women who want your attention! I know it is difficult in the beginning but you will eventually accept it in the end.”

I sauntered towards him. He did not move which gave me the confidence to pat his broad shoulder. He looked like a giant as he stood in front of me and I had to look up.

“I'm not trying to act like a love guru, okay?”

Still bowing his head, he asked, "How did you do it?"

"What are you referring to?"

"How did you overcome the rejection?”

I was taken aback by his question. "Well..someone helped me."

"Who?"

Sensing I could trust him and he also understood my pain, I answered, "The alpha king. He was the one who helped me. Little by little. I am not saying I already overcome the pain, but it does not hurt so much compared to the beginning. My mate was also of noble blood. An alpha to be precise.”

If 1 did not seek revenge...if the alpha king was not there from the beginning, what would become of me now? Probably, I would be suffering more than Delta Isagani was experiencing right now.

At some point, I should be thankful to the alpha king for helping me.

"You will accept it as time goes on.”

"I won't. And the next time we meet, do not act as if we are friends. Know your boundary. I am still a free man while you are a slave," he said and left me alone.

After all, I said, that was all he returned? What a jerk. The palace was indeed full of assholes.

Alpha King Maxxwell

Lady Juliana smiled at me as if that would kill the mood I have right now. I was fuming. My wolf was howling in the background, wanting to be out after witnessing the scenes we saw earlier. The claws of this woman on River's face kept darting back and forth in my mind, angering my wolf even more. The beast wanted to run wild free and punished the woman standing in front, without care of what was happening inside me.

“Stay still," I ordered. My nails sank on the table, but Lady Juliana did not notice my fight for control. “Kill that woman, Maxxwell." Denaro whispered. Killing Lady Juliana will bring a domino effect on the kingdom. However, the beast could not understand that. “Or let me do it. I do not like her filthy hands on your skin, Maxxwell. It makes me madder even madder.’

Denaro was considered a beast among the wolves. Other beasts bowed down at him, cowering in fear.

he paced back and forth while watching me with narrowed eyes.

'Do it fast. My patience is already wearing thin. I'm getting edgy around her. I want her out of the palace.’

'We need their family's support. They are quite handy when it comes to making an agreement with the rogue.’

Denaro snorted. “Those bastards will not honor any treaty. They will continue doing treacherous acts. Their wolves were hungry for blood and that's what they will do. They will kill to satisfy the savageness of their beast. Stop that nonsense of wanting to be at peace with them.’

I was getting weary of the war between the kingdom and the rogue. I wanted to look for another possible solution and perhaps the treaty will pacify the conflict between the two groups. However, Denaro had another opinion that contradicted mine.

I want to give it a try.’

“Good luck on that.’

And then he was hidden in the shadow of my mind. He rarely talked and was always observing. He will come out when he wants to.

"Your Majesty," Lady Juliana whined, bringing my attention to her. I almost forgot we were in my office facing each other.

"Did you already reflect on your actions, Lady Juliana?”

She smiled sweetly at me. "Reflect? As I said, I am innocent, Your Majesty. What will we talk about? Is it about that slave again? Your Majesty, I am already tired of hearing about that woman. Why are we wasting our time with her? Why not..." she sauntered towards me and rested her hands on my chest. Raising my brows, I watched what she was trying to know, having an idea of what it was. "Make ourselves productive.”

"Productive? We would be productive if we both did something else. What do you think?"

I gave her a pointed look. "What are you implying?"

Lady Juliana ran her lips over her mouth while fluttering her eyelashes. “We can talk about that interesting topic.”

Then, she jumped in front of me and I had no choice but to carry her. She wrapped her legs around mine while she snaked her arms around my neck, her ample bosom peeking at me. I hardened instantly, while Denaro was not happy at all with my body's reaction.

“My beloved Maxxwell,” she said and blew on my ears. “My body longed for you,” she whispered. “And you are the only one who could satisfy the longing in my soul. If you could do something about it perhaps?”

Nothing happened yet between us. She always did the first move, but I would be the one who would stop her the moment Zenith's face resurfaced in my mind.

I looked away, pressing my lips in a thin line. “This is not how a noblewoman should act, Lady Juliana. If your Father knows about this, he will be disappointed with you.”

She brushed her fingers on my face. “I don't care about my father, Your Majesty. I care more about you. Why don't we get started? I've been dying to have a taste of you.”

She tried to dip her lips into mine, but I looked away. “Lady Juliana. You don't have to lower yourself like this,” I reminded her. Besides, even if I was in the mood, my will wasn't.

Her face flushed but still kissed me on my chin, bringing nothing but tickles. However, I acted as if I was not affected and continued looking at her with a blank expression on my face.

“If it's for you, I don't give a damn.”

“Lady Juliana,” I scolded.

She distanced her face from mine and narrowed her eyes. “Are you not straight, Your Majesty? Or are you still in love with the dead slave?”

“Do not cross the line, Lady Juliana. I warn you.”

"Why are you always into slaves, huh? First, it was that bitch Zenith, and the next that hideous woman?” Disgusted, she unwrapped her legs and distanced herself.

“Leave Zenith alone!"

“That's the point, Your Majesty! She. Is. Dead. But why are you still imprisoned in her memories? And you had given a law forbidding anyone to speak about her? Foolishness! I am here in front of you, Your Majesty. I rejected Isagani for you because I chose you more than him!" she spat. “It's difficult to compete against a dead woman, for crying out loud!”

“Enough!”

Shaking her head, she continued. “Why do I always have to lower myself to you? Why do I always have to sacrifice? Why don't you kiss me? I am beautiful. Men wanted me to marry them. But you? Why do you always avert your eyes whenever I want to have some private time with you? Above all, why do your eyes always glued on that slave? Do you think I did not see it, Your Majesty? You see Zenith in her, right? Are you silently hoping that it was her and that she only had her amnesia?”

My heart rate increased, feeling the beast starting to come out. Control. Self-control. I did not want Denaro to go on a rampage.

With trembling hands, I stood and went to the balcony of my office. With hurried steps, Lady Juliana went after me.

“You are running away again, Your Majesty. That's what you're good at.”

Inhale. Exhale.

“Do not come out, Denaro,’ I warned him.

I put my hands in my pocket. “I don't think this conversation will have to continue. You can go now. I'll ask my best warriors to escort you on going back.”

“I don't want to! I am only here for barely three days without a proper conversation and now you want me to go? Is that how badly you wanted to make my presence disappear? I want an answer right now, Your Majesty! I deserve it as your betrothed. You like that slave do you? Answer me, for fuck’s sake!” Using her fingers, she stabbed my chest while pushing me toward the corner of the balcony.

“You talk too much, Lady Juliana.” She started to open her mouth and before words could come out, I kissed her, silencing her. It was effective since the moment our lips connected, all the anger in her body vanished, and she smoothed.

Running her fingers on my hair, she pulled me closer to hers, while not breaking the kiss. She bit and nibbled my lower lips, making her moan in pleasure.

I smiled inwardly while Denaro glowered in the shadows, not happy at the outcome of the events.

'I said you kill her. Not kiss her.’

“She may be annoying, but killing her is out of the equation, Denaro. We do not want to create any more enemies.’

“Stop kissing her!" he roared.

Which I did and broke the kiss.

Lady Juliana was smiling at me. “We are barely starting, Your Majesty,” she uttered and kissed me again this time, with more passion than the first one.

I did not know why I looked down, but the moment I did it, I saw River's gaze watching Lady Juliana and me.

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