The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

Radulf opened his eyes and saw Zenna before him. "Didn’t you leave earlier?" he asked. "I’m all naked," he reminded her as he saw her stepping close to him.

"I know you are naked, but it’s not like I’ve not seen you naked that night," Zenna said and bit her bottom lip, her fingers fidgeting.

’Is she blushing?’ Radulf thought and smiled a little, reaching his hand to his mouth. He gazed at her in amusement.

"I want to see the wound on your back," Zenna said. She didn’t wait for his response when approached him and stood behind him. "Lean forward," she softly said.

Radulf did what she requested for and again felt her fingers tracing the wound on his back. He curled his fingers, feeling something weird was again happening to his body. That particular spot, where Zenna touched burned.

He was once again wafted in her scent that would drive him crazy to the extent that he would forget the wall he had built around himself not to sway with her. ’Fuck,’ he thought.

Radulf turned around and held her hand. "I told you there’s nothing to worry about. Why don’t you listen to me?" His green eyes searched for an answer in her eyes.

"Wounds shouldn’t be left untreated," Zenna replied. "Even if you are a dominant alpha, it’s not wrong to take care of yourself," she asserted. "I’ll ask Doctor Josiah to see you once you finish your bath."

As she attempted to pull her hand back, she couldn’t. Radulf wasn’t letting it go. So, she applied more force when he drew her close and sharply inhaled her scent. The water droplets from the edges of his hair fell upon her neck and she blinked rapidly, locking her gaze with his.

"You are forgetting what you do to me with your pheromones, your pleasant scent," Radulf whispered, his hot breath fanned her lips, making her throat dry. "Try to keep a distance from me if you don’t want me to," he paused and leaned close to her ear, "fuck you hard."

Zenna immediately pulled her hand back with a stronger force this time and ran outside, disappearing from his sight.

Radulf chuckled and he casually rested back in the large bathtub. "I never used such a language before. Black, are you taking over me?" he asked his wolf.

"No, it was you, who wanted to tell her what you felt whenever she was around us," Black said.

"I think it’s better to keep her away for a while. We have so much to turn right. When there are no feelings, no mutual desires from the bottom of our hearts, it’s not wise to even establish any physical relationship with her just to fulfill my own lustful desires," Radulf murmured to himself and exhaled a deep sigh.

Meanwhile, Zenna rushed straight to her chamber and lay on the bed, covering herself from the sheets. "Did he really say that to me?" she murmured, feeling the burn on her cheeks. "How could I forget that I’m his mate? I want to feel his pheromones too."

Immediately, she shook her head while staying hidden inside the sheets.

"Luna, are you cold? What happened to you suddenly?" Pia’s soft voice landed in her ears.

"No, I am not cold," Zenna said, looking outside slowly. "Inform Doctor Josiah to check on the Alpha. He has injured his back and is in his bath currently," she told Pia.

"I’ll inform the pack’s doctor immediately," Pia replied and walked away.

Zenna heaved a sigh of relief. Her mind again moved to the words that Radulf said to her. "What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t react to this," she murmured, telling her own heart and mind to stay calm.

~~~~

At the dinner table, Zenna would steal glances at Radulf, who ate silently as if nothing happened.

’Do I affect him now?’ she thought.

"Why aren’t you eating and keep looking at my face?" Radulf questioned, bringing her attention at him.

"I am eating," Zenna said and quickly sipped the hot soup. "AHH!" She yelped as she burned her tongue.

The servant was quick to give her a glass of water and she sipped it slowly before resting it on the table.

"It’s late. Eat slowly. And you’ve yet to take your medicines," Radulf told her sternly.

"Hmm. Did you allow the doctor to tend your wound?" Zenna asked.

"Josiah checked it and said there’s nothing to worry about because it was already healed," Radulf replied, fixing his piercing gaze at her.

"That’s good to hear," Zenna answered and began eating. She had a light dinner, which didn’t go unnoticed through Radulf’s eyes.

"You are supposed to eat well. You are already thin. It’s not like we don’t have any food left," Radulf lectured her. "Nevermind. Go to your chamber and take your medicines," he said.

Zenna dabbed the napkin across her mouth and stood up. The servants started cleaning the table while Zenna silently followed Radulf, keeping at least five feet distance from him.

’That night he was so good to me. I thought that’s the true Radulf. I wonder if I’ll ever see him like that,’ Zenna thought, lowering her head as she clutched the edges of her gown.

She staggered as she bumped her head against Radulf’s back. "Forgive me," she apologized promptly.

"Why did you establish a south camp?" Radulf asked.

"Ah, that. There were women, mostly the pregnant ones who were abandoned by their mates. I thought to give them a space in our pack. I couldn’t ask for your permission because you weren’t here," Zenna stated.

"You have a heart full of compassion. How come you are the only royal with such a heart?" Radulf mused.

Zenna furrowed her brows together, pursing her lips tightly.

"No pack does that. Did you do it because even I abandoned you for the past four years?" Radulf’s question made her look at him once again.

Zenna shook her head. "That’s not true. I knew you were away, but I hoped you remembered me. I know I had high expectations," she stated. "I did out of humanity. I felt I should do it."

Radulf kept staring at her. "Hmm. Have you ever thought of wiping out the royals?" he asked. "They did dirty with you. Have you ever thought of kill–" He couldn’t finish his words as Zenna placed her hand on his mouth.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to say such things openly and brazenly? Do you want to bring a downfall of the entire pack?" Zenna frowned at him as she reprimanded him.

Radulf held her hand and lowered it. Taking a step closer to her, he said, "Princess, as long as you are useful to Phillipe, I am safe. You should know the worth you carry for him."

Zenna squinted her eyes in confusion. "I know my father wants to fulfill some dirty intentions of his own, but I don’t think I have any worth in his eyes." Tears appeared in her eyes and they glistened. "He only wants my offspring for his own benefits."

"And you think if you ever give birth to our child, I will let Phillipe take it away!?" Radulf arched his eyebrows. "Stop fearing your father and don’t meet him ever again without my presence. Do you understand?" He looked for a positive answer in her raven eyes.

"I understand," Zenna replied, feeling weird under his scrutinizing gaze.

"Good night, Princess," Radulf said with a small smile and turned on his heels to walk away.

"Radulf, why do you think I’m not wolf less?" Her question stopped him.

"Who told you were omega?" Radulf asked, turning to look at her.

"It was my lady-in-waiting in the cold palace, Madam Raya," Zenna replied. "Children of my age met their wolves, but I didn’t. I tried hard to transform, but I could never turn into one. I even tried talking to myself, thinking my wolf would awaken but it never happened," she explained.

"Did you ever get physically abused for a long time?" Radulf inquired. He didn’t want to ask her such a question because he felt it might open her old wounds and freshen her old painful memories.

Zenna’s lips quivered as she couldn’t speak before him how much physical assualt she bore in the cold palace. It would be a shame if she ever speak about it to the strongest alpha before her.

"I-I did not," Zenna lied.

"You called me a liar earlier, but you are the biggest liar here," Radulf remarked.

"You hate me because I am weak and wolf less. I am not weak," Zenna said.

"You are physically weak," Radulf stated. "I feel sleepy. Let’s talk in the morning." With that, he strode away, leaving Zenna alone in the corridor.

"What was that? He asked so many things from me. Did he want me to admit that I got beaten up every other day?" Zenna scoffed and headed to her chamber.