The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

The next day, Zenna awoke feeling utterly drained, her body heavy with the remnants of a night that had blurred into dawn.

The last thing she remembered was their bodies tangled together in a wave of passion.

Now, a soft, silken robe clung to her skin, its scent faintly carrying traces of him.

She blinked against the light filtering into the room and turned her gaze toward the clock. Her eyes widened in disbelief, seeing it was already afternoon. "How long did I sleep?" she murmured as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position.

As she sat there, her lips curved into a soft smile, memories from the night before flooding her mind. Their intimacy hadn’t just been physical; it had been soulful, deep, and undeniably real.

Finally, Zenna felt their hearts and souls had bonded together.

"But where is Radulf?" Zenna murmured and decided to go out of the bedroom.

Just then, the doors pushed open and Radulf walked in with the intention to check on her.

"You are awake!" Radulf’s smile widened instantly and he walked over the bed. "How do you feel? How’s your body?" He sat before her and placed his hand over hers.

"Pia! Pia!" Radulf called out Zenna’s lady-in-waiting, who rushed inside.

"Yes, Alpha?" Pia bowed, ready for the order.

"Go bring a refreshing herbal tea for Zenna," Radulf stated.

"No, I don’t need anything yet. I would like to take a bath first," Zenna said.

Pia nodded and walked away to carry out the order.

"I’m fine. After a bath, I’ll feel much better," Zenna opined. "But did you clean me, and then put this robe on me?" She gazed into his eyes.

"Yes. You should rest the entire day. After bath, come straight to the room. You’ll have your meals here. There’s no need for you to walk around," Radulf pronounced.

"If you stay by my side the entire day," Zenna said.

"Yes, I will. I am not going anywhere," Radulf replied. "We have a lot of things to talk with each other. Suddenly, I realize a lot to speak with you." His thumb brushed the back of her palm.

"Me too," Zenna admitted.

Pia stopped near the doorway and spoke in a low voice. "Pardon me for intruding. I have readied the bathtub for the luna," she said.

Grabbing Radulf’s hand for the support, Zenna got down from the bed. She then walked ahead while Radulf stayed behind in the bedroom.

~~~~

"Your Grace, we stand behind you as our next Alpha King," Commander Alfred declared, moments after Leon had addressed the gathered army. "I am confident the council will also choose you unanimously."

Leon nodded as it swept across the soldiers before him. "Then let us summon the council without delay," he replied firmly. "I have no desire to ascend the throne amidst dissent. Every pack leader deserves to voice their choice. If there is someone they deem more worthy than me, I will respect that and step aside."

"As you desire, Your Grace. I shall send word to the packs immediately. When shall the council meeting be scheduled?" Alfred inquired.

"In two days," Leon replied with firm resolve. "I want every pack across the kingdom to be represented at this council."

Alfred bowed low. "I will see to it that proper arrangements are made and that all the Pack Alphas receive their invitations."

"Thank you," Leon offered him a faint but genuine smile.

As he descended from the platform, Darren fell into step beside him, following him toward the palace.

"Has Aziel arrived?" Leon asked as they entered the corridor leading to his manor.

"Not yet, but he should be here soon. There’s been no word of his arrival so far," Darren replied.

Just then, a servant stepped forward, bowing swiftly. "Your Grace, Aziel has arrived. He awaits you in the main drawing room."

Without another word, Leon strode briskly toward the living area.

Upon seeing him enter, Aziel stood at once and offered a deep bow. "Forgive me for my delay, Your Grace. I was away from the capital and only just received your summon."

Leon walked over to the sofa and sat down. He did not offer Aziel a seat.

"I thought you had run off after hearing what happened to the Alpha King and Luna Queen," Leon said with a taunt.

"I would never dare to run," Aziel responded quickly. Unease crept into his expression as he wondered why he had been summoned so urgently.

"I want to know where you brought me from," Leon said, eyes fixed intently on him. "Answer me, and speak only the truth. If I hear even a single lie, I won’t show mercy. Tell me, where are my parents? Which pack do I truly belong to?"

Aziel froze for a moment, realization dawning in his widened eyes. Loretta must have told him.

He swallowed hard and lowered his gaze. "Your Grace, I will speak the truth."

"You belonged to a fallen pack in the Southern Hills, one that no longer exists. You were the sole survivor. A child with golden eyes... the mark of an alpha. The name of your pack was the Golden Lunar Pack."

Leon’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching as a cold fury surged through him.

"The last survivor?" he repeated in a low, deadly tone. "Did Phillipe destroy that pack too?"

There had been a small, fragile hope in his heart, that Loretta’s words, uttered from within the prison, might be wrong. That his family might still be alive.

But with Aziel’s truth, that hope began to crumble.

"And where did you find me?" Leon asked.

Aziel took a deep breath, visibly feeling uneasy. "Your Grace... the Golden Lunar Pack fell due to internal strife. There were rumors that rogues took advantage of the chaos and attacked. But I don’t know if—" he hesitated to finish the sentence. He couldn’t bring himself to say Phillipe’s name.

"I found you in an orphanage," he continued after a pause. "You were barely a year old. What led me to you was the pendant you wore, it bore the crest of the Golden Lunar Pack. That’s how I knew who you were."

Leon’s gaze lowered. A silence stretched between them before he finally whispered, "I see."

He exhaled slowly, the weight of reality settling over him. "So, my parents... they aren’t alive."

Aziel looked at him solemnly and gave a slow shake of his head. "I’m afraid not, Your Grace. They are no longer in this world."

~~~~

"Zenna, how are you so good at chess? You’ve defeated me for the second time," Radulf said, clearly astonished by her skill.

"I practiced almost daily for four years," Zenna replied with a small smile. "I didn’t really have anyone to spend time with, so chess became my companion."

"That’s truly impressive," Radulf remarked, genuinely admiring the game.

"Are you tired? We can take a break. It’s already late evening," Zenna offered, glancing at the window.

"I think I’m done for today," Radulf agreed, setting the pieces back in place with a tired grin.

"Okay. By the way, Radulf, I was wondering if you could help train my cousin," Zenna said suddenly.

"Savio is already handling his training," Radulf replied. "He needs to learn to control his wolf side. Being a hybrid, it’s going to be a challenge for him—but I’m confident he’ll get the hang of it within a month. I’ll keep an eye on his progress too, so you don’t have to worry."

"Thank you," Zenna said with a grateful smile.

"Don’t even mention it, mate," Radulf replied warmly, closing the wooden chess box. He got off the bed and placed it carefully inside the drawer of the end table.

"I like it when you call me ’mate,’" Zenna said softly.

"Then I should say it more often," Radulf replied with a warm smile.

Zenna’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before she asked, "Have you decided what Phillipe’s punishment will be? Crown Prince Leon gave you the authority. And... what about Loretta? Will she be sentenced to death too?"

She hesitated before adding, "I was thinking—maybe we could spare Aria. Her upbringing shaped her. I believe she deserves a second chance, Radulf."

Radulf’s expression darkened slightly. "I haven’t begun Phillipe’s punishment yet. But Loretta... she will face the death sentence. She’s a cruel woman who kept the truth about your identity hidden. As for Aria, if you truly believe she deserves a second chance, then I’ll inform Leon of your decision."

"That will be great. Aria deserves a second chance. Indeed, she did a lot of bad things to me. But I feel... She’s always good to Crown Prince Leon. She supported him a lot. The Crown Prince did a lot for me and I should also do this for him. He always saw Aria as his little sister."

Radulf hummed as he agreed with her. "Leon indeed did a lot for you, for us, Zenna. I will talk to Leon regarding this tomorrow morning."