The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

"The West Night Pack is from the South," Gregor stated before narrowing his eyes. "Which rogue group were you part of?" he asked.

"None," Aster replied.

Gregor studied her carefully. "But earlier, you hesitated and asked if I would punish you for saying yes," he pointed out. He needed to be certain she wasn’t a threat to his pack. Mate or not, a lone wolf was always a risk.

"I wanted to see how you’d react. Would you ask me to leave as well?" Aster questioned, her gaze unwavering. "You are my mate," she added firmly.

Gregor studied her for a moment before asking, "Do you want to stay here?" His voice was calm yet probing. "You don’t even know me. What if I turn out to be a bad man?" His piercing eyes locked onto hers.

"Are you a bad man?" Aster countered without hesitation.

Gregor couldn’t help but smile. "Freshen up and have breakfast. We’ll talk later, Miss," he said, rising to his feet.

Aster wished he would stay a little longer, but she kept the thought to herself as he turned and left.

Before stepping out, Gregor instructed a servant, "Get her a fresh set of clothes."

Moments later, Erik approached him. "Young Master, your parents are waiting for you in the dining hall."

"Hmm. I’m on my way," Gregor responded, making his way to the dining hall.

As Gregor took his seat, he greeted both of his parents.

"We heard you took in a rogue she-wolf last night," Jasper remarked as the servants began serving breakfast.

"Aster isn’t part of a rogue group," Gregor clarified. "She was banished from her pack for striking the Alpha. She used to belong to the West Night Pack." His gaze shifted to his mother before adding, "And, interestingly, she is my mate."

Both of his parents exclaimed in unison, "What?"

His mother, regaining her composure, spoke, "What is her full name? We need to learn about her family’s origins as well."

"Aster Westwood," Gregor replied. Her pack is in the South. She’s been wandering alone for months and unknowingly crossed into our territory. She was even struck by a deadly arrow last night." He paused before requesting, "I believe Mother should speak with Aster about her family before looking into it."

Jasper nodded in agreement. "Now that Gregor has found his mate, it’s time to prepare for his coronation as the next Alpha," he declared.

A small smile touched Gregor’s lips. "I’m ready to take on the responsibility," he affirmed, meeting his father’s gaze with determination.

’Aster, you are my hope to get saved from Aria. However, at the same time, I need to protect you from that evil princess,’ Gregor thought.

~~~~~

Radulf glanced at Zenna, who was deeply focused on calculating the month’s expenditures, her forehead creased in concentration. Instead of interrupting her, he silently rose from his seat and walked over.

Leaning in, his face hovered close to hers as he murmured, "Do you need my help, Princess?"

Zenna tilted her head slightly but didn’t look up. "No," she replied, shaking her head. "I’ve always handled this myself. You should focus on your own work. We need to finish everything before we leave for Herah," she added.

"But it seems you are stuck here. Does the calculation not come right?" Radulf asked, pointing his finger on the center of the ledger. He looked over the numbers.

"But it looks like you’re stuck," Radulf pointed out, tapping his finger on the center of the ledger. His sharp eyes scanned the numbers. "Are the calculations not adding up?"

Zenna let out a small sigh. "I’ll handle it. In fact, I can do it in my chamber. You always get distracted when I’m around," she remarked, closing the ledger.

As she stood up, Radulf straightened himself and caught her wrist, halting her movements.

"I’m bored with all this paperwork," he admitted, gazing into her eyes. "All I do is read these endless documents."

"You’re the Alpha of the Shadow Hunter Pack," Zenna reminded him. "Such complaints shouldn’t be coming from you."

Instead of responding, Radulf rested his head on her shoulder and sighed. "Entertain me, Zenna," he murmured. "You once claimed you could dance well. Maybe now’s the time to prove it. After all, we’re alone." Tilting his head slightly, he added, "Hmm? Will you?"

Zenna bit her lower lip and took a cautious step back, clutching the ledger tightly.

"If you want entertainment, hire performers," she retorted. "I’m leaving."

As she turned to go, she cast him a warning glance. "And finish your work. If you leave it pending, I won’t allow you to have lunch," she threatened before striding away.

At that moment, Savio stepped into the office. He noticed Zenna leaving and gave her a slight bow before turning his attention to Radulf, who had slumped into his chair, his arms resting lazily on the armrests.

"What just happened here?" Savio asked, raising an eyebrow.

Radulf let out a dramatic sigh. "I feel like it’s hard to get into Zenna’s heart," he admitted. "I mean, we’ve accepted each other as husband and wife, but something still feels off. She’s not pampering me or chasing after me like she used to."

Savio chuckled. "You can’t expect your wife to follow you around all the time," he pointed out. "And, if I’m not mistaken, you haven’t even told her you love her yet."

"How do you know?" Radulf frowned, his gaze narrowing at Savio.

Savio smirked as he pulled out a chair and sat down. "Zenna shares everything with Pia, and Pia loves spreading news about you two within the pack. So far, I haven’t heard a single rumor about our Alpha confessing his love to our Luna," he remarked.

Radulf arched a brow. "Is saying ’I love you’ really that important?" he asked in a skeptical tone.

"It’s essential in a marriage," Savio replied. "Words may not always carry weight, but sometimes, they do, Radulf. What’s wrong with you? Do you need me to give you a lecture on how to love your wife?" He chuckled, teasing him.

Radulf scoffed. "You’re not even experienced. How can you talk to me like that?" he muttered.

For a brief moment, something flickered in Savio’s eyes, but Radulf didn’t catch it—or perhaps chose not to.

"You are invited to the palace with your Luna," Savio finally relayed the message he had come to deliver. He pulled a small scroll from the pocket of his coat and handed it to Radulf.

Radulf accepted it, unrolling the parchment. His eyes scanned the brief message from Phillipe—it was a formal summons, nothing more. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Markal must want to see me," Radulf murmured.

"Yes," Savio confirmed. "And this time, try not to lose your temper if anything happens there." He leaned forward slightly. "I know you hate it when they speak ill of Zenna, but you need to handle such situations wisely."

Radulf’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, Savio added, "Besides, Phillipe has been using his spy network to track down those who tried to hang those heads on his balcony."

Radulf snickered at the revelation. "He’ll never find out," he said with confidence.

"We eliminated those who saw us," Savio acknowledged. "But I still want you to stay on alert. Your revenge will only be complete when you act with a calm mind."

Radulf leaned back in his chair, nodding. "I get your point, my Beta." He placed the tiny scroll on the table.

"Also," Savio continued, "you should leave for Herah with Zenna tomorrow. The day after tomorrow is the New Moon—you won’t be able to use your powers to their fullest if you travel then."

Radulf considered Savio’s words and gave a firm nod. Pulling the top file from the stack, he began reading. "I should finish these today," he murmured.

"I’ll accompany you," Savio offered.

"No. Stay here," Radulf countered. "I need someone watching over the pack—and keeping an eye on Phillipe."

"You can’t travel alone," Savio argued, his brows knitting together.

"That’s exactly my plan," Radulf replied with a smirk. "I don’t want to attract unnecessary attention. Taking a team would only make me a target. Besides," he leaned back with a confident grin, "I’m strong enough to handle any danger. You know that well."

"But you’ll have Zenna with you. At least take the Gamma," Savio advised.

"I don’t trust anyone besides you," Radulf asserted firmly.

Savio sighed. "No one is going to betray you in this pack," he said as his voice softened.

Radulf’s jaw tightened. "No one stood for my father and mother except for us two," he pronounced, his eyes reflecting the pain and betrayal from the past again.

"This pack may belong to me, but sometimes, I feel like they aren’t entirely loyal. What if the day comes when they turn their backs on me?" His fingers curled into fists on the table. "Not a single soul from this pack fought for my parents. No one even begged for their lives," he continued, and let out a bitter chuckle.