Protect Me, Alpha King
62. Bandits

A record keeper? If Dawn was indeed one, her statement was the most reliable of all. Not only was she Henderson's servant, but she was also there at every auction. She was the best candidate to ask for any information about what had happened in the previous years during her stay at the auction house.

However, I had to make sure.

"Are you the record keeper? Then why did Master Henderson let you go easily like that?" Only a few slaves had a high level of education because only a few masters had allowed their slaves to have some education.

"Everyone is replaceable, master.” I cocked my eyebrows. Master? That was ridiculous. “He kicked me out because he believed I was no longer useful to him. And my looks."

"River. You can call me that. Not master. You're giving me goosebumps. But I do not believe everyone is replaceable. Take Zenith, for example. No one could replace her in the alpha king's heart.” No. I was not bitter. Dawn smiled at me, but it was more than a grimace. “Hey. You were once a luna leading a pack. Do not bow your head. You should be proud and arrogant. Those are the qualities of all the luna I have met so far.”

Instead of listening to me, she put her head down and mumbled, “That part of my life was already done, River. I lost my glorious days. My people have already died. My name was wiped from history. Right now, I am nothing but a slave. I am nobody.”

I knew I should be asking her about Zenith, but knowing her life story was more important to me right now.

"How about your mate?”

Her eyes watered. “He was killed in front of my own eyes.”

A gasp escaped from my lips at her tragic backstory. “By the previous alpha king?”

She gritted her teeth. “None other. My mate tried to protect me. Fought the alpha king, but the gap between their strength was too great. He was overpowered, and while smiling, the alpha king pierced his sword on his chest.” Dawn clutched her chest as if she could still feel the pain of their severed connection as her mate took his last breath.

Did the alpha king also experience that when Zenith died?

Stop thinking about him. It is not like you are curious about him.

Dawn clenched her fist. “The previous alpha king was ruthless and deserved to die the most painful death.”

“That's...”

Dawn pounded on her chest as if it would numb the pain. It won't heal on its own if she happens to meet her second-chance mate. The latter cannot heal the wounds in her chest.

"My life is full of tragedy. Nothing good will ever come.” The road was becoming rocky. We jumped on our seats whenever the wheels hit something. Pretending as if she had not shown her vulnerability earlier, Dawn declared, “Let's not talk about my life, River. Let's talk about the woman who was the reason why you went to the auction house. You bought me because you know I will be of your use. What do you want to know about her?” She was mistaken in her second to the last statement, but correcting her will not bring any good

The goal was to know more about Zenith. To verify If we were related to each other. And it was never about Dawn's life.

“Does she have any siblings?”

Dawn scratched her back. “She did not have anyone. She said she was an orphan, captured by the bandits and sold at the auction house after seeing her beauty.”

“Is that true?”

Dawn shrugged her shoulders. “I cannot tell. I do not have the ability to know if she was telling the truth or not. I am merely relaying what she had said before.”

Damn.

Touching my chin, I said, “She may be telling a lie. Or not. I could not even know. She buried her secrets along with her death.”

“She died?"

“The alpha king's people disapproved of her. Unfortunately. They were behind her death.”

Her face turned serious. “And history will repeat itself. They will not also approve of you, River.” Dawn looked at me with pity in her eyes. And I wouldn't say I liked it. I leaned back and looked outside. The terrain was getting dusty and bumpy with all the rock formations beside the road. Life forms were barely surviving this harsh environment. This place reminded me of the time when I was traveling with the alpha king toward the palace.

I scoffed. “I do not care if they don’t approve of me. I never wanted the alpha king's heart, anyway.” "I feel sorry for the alpha king.”

Sorry for him? Why him? Why not me? “You should not.”

“I cannot help it. His mate died. I know the feeling of how the bond slowly vanished. It was the most painful experience of all.”

"Why are you not cursing him? His predecessor killed your mate and your people. So why are you not hating Alpha King Maxxwell?” I inquired.

Her brows furrowed. “It was the alpha king before Alpha King Maxxwell ruined my life. Not himself.” How I wished I had the same principles.

Dawn played with her hands. “So...what do you plan to do with me?”

I released a sigh. “You can stay at the palace. I will ask the alpha king if he could extend his kindness to you. And if you are ready, you can go where you want to go.”

"What if he will not? Look at me, River. I am hideous. The other servants will only ridicule me,” she muttered softly.

There was nothing hideous about her. All I saw was a brave woman who still had the strength to continue standing despite the tragedy that had befallen her life. However, Henderson did an excellent job at making Dawn lose her confidence and created another attitude far from the usual her. And Henderson was the lowest of the low.

“Believe me. He will accept you. And the twins. Clara and Flare. You will love them. They may be creepy and irritating sometimes whenever they talk at the same time, but—"

I cursed when the carriage suddenly stopped.

I peered out the window and looked at the driver. “What's the matter?” I asked the coachman. “I nearly broke my nose!”

“Bandits!”

Bandits. Not rogues. I did not know if I would be appeased by that or not. Bandits were robbers on the road, stopping every passerby, robbing them of any treasures, and if they became frustrated, they might kill you.

With no money or gold coins to offer them, I was confident they would be furious.

I stood, but Dawn stopped me. “Let me look, River.”

"Why? What will you do?”

“Kill them,” she said nonchalantly.

“No offense, but do you have the strength?”

“I vowed to protect you all my life, and that's what I will do.”

She stood, but I stopped her from going outside. “You're just throwing away your life for a stranger? I hate to break it to you, but I am not allowing anyone to lay down their lives for my sake.”

“Can you fight?” Dawn asked. I bit my lower lip. “Can you fight, River? I am asking you.”

“l don't”

“Well, I can. My mate trained me to become a warrior. Stay here and be safe. That's all you have to do.”

Before I could react, she stepped outside, leaving me alone.

With my heart hammering in my chest, I peered out the window and looked at her retreating form towards the bandits.

Damn it.

She wanted me to stay here and wait. As if. My life was meaningless compared to here. She was a luna while I was a slave. I had to drag her back to the carriage and let the coachman deal with the bandits. But just before I could step out, something landed on the carriage’s roof. Next, a sword pierced through, a couple of inches from slicing my skin.

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