The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

"You don’t wear a wedding ring anymore, Zenna? I’ve been noticing it for quite some time," Nina said as they all finished eating.

Radulf glanced at Zenna’s left hand and found the ring was missing from it.

"I thought you respected this marriage but you removed the ring," Nina said with a smirk, trying to figure out if there was something going on between Zenna and Radulf.

Her lips quivered as she was unable to answer Nina. She threw the ring in anger that night and couldn’t retrieve it. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"I asked her to remove it. The diamond on the ring got a crack for some reason, so I decided to send it for repair," Radulf answered.

"Oh." Nina simply smiled and watched Radulf leave his seat.

"Let’s go," Radulf told Zenna, who stood up immediately. "Good night, Nina. We will see you in the morning." He passed a small smile to her and left with Zenna.

As they ascended the stairs, he heard Zenna, "Why did you lie to Nina?"

"I thought giving her a legit reason would be better," Radulf replied. He yawned and said, "I’m too tired to hold any conversation. Are we going to share the same bed?" He tilted his head to look at her.

"Hmm. My back turns stiff and even aches if I sleep on the chaise," she reasoned. "But that won’t mean something will happen between us."

"It can happen. My single touch is enough to awaken your desires. I have remnants from that night. You liked when I kissed your sweet spot," he said in a low, yet deep voice.

"You lied, you didn’t remember anything?" Zenna widened her eyes in disbelief. She felt betrayed because Radulf clearly told her he didn’t remember much details.

"Not everything, but a few things from that night. I must say you have a nice body," Radulf said and went ahead with a smirk playing on his lips. ’Teasing her is fun,’ he thought, feeling her presence right behind her a few feet away from him.

Entering in, he went straight to the bedchamber.

"Close the doors," Radulf said as he began undressing. As the shirt slipped off his shoulders, he felt a sudden hit on his back. But it was soft and he turned to look.

The rose that he put on Zenna’s head was lying on the rug and a muscle in his jaw twitched.

"Nina told me that you hate roses. Do you still hate me? Did you give me the rose to show everyone that you hate me?" Her breathing turned ragged suddenly.

"You have strange mood swings. Is your heat cycle near?" Radulf asked and bent down to pick up the rose. "I don’t hate roses," he said, meeting her gaze. "Nina played with you."

"Huh? But why?" Zenna murmured and bit her bottom lip, lowering her eyes for a moment.

"You can sleep on the chaise. I don’t want you to enter my bed," Radulf said, crushing the rose in his hand.

"I apologize," Zenna said.

"Beg me to let you come to this bed," Radulf stated the condition. "You aren’t allowed to step out of here tonight," he said, his eyes glowing green as he used his alpha authority on her.

Zenna gulped as the mark on her neck shone. She wanted to speak, but words didn’t come out of her mouth as she pursed her lips tightly.

"Let me sleep on the bed, Alpha," Zenna said as she couldn’t hold herself for long. She noticed how the rose crushed in his palm, and she felt upset for reacting in a hurry.

Radulf looked at her face, realizing only her expressions were unreadable to him. He would usually read people’s faces, but it was always difficult for him to find out what Zenna was thinking in her head.

Closing the distance in a blink of an eye, he cradled her neck and kissed her, letting go of the crumbled flower in his hand. His teeth grazed her lips and bit the lower one, yearning a cry from her. The second her lips parted, he shoved his tongue in her mouth while her hands instinctively flew to his sturdy bare chest. Her nails dug in his skin as she curled her fingers slightly, but he neither flinched nor pulled away.

Radulf kissed her till he was satisfied, till his inner demon felt full. Already it was a torture not to be able to touch her, to feel her soft body against his hard one. When he withdrew, a frown appeared on his forehead.

"I hate that I cannot hate you anymore," Radulf pronounced. Zenna looked into his green orbs, her swollen red lips trembled when he brushed his thumb on them.

"Blame the mate bond or whatever you want to. However, my perception for you is changing," he asserted, "and I hate myself for turning soft suddenly."

Radulf lowered his gaze to her swollen lips and saw the blood on her bottom lip. He pressed a kiss on it. "You can sleep on the bed. And ask me first what I like or hate. Don’t believe the others," he said. Leaving her neck, he took a step back before returning to bed.

Lying down on it, he pulled up the duvet and closed his eyes.

Zenna was frozen at her spot. ’What did I just hear? He-he doesn’t hate me anymore,’ she thought, not blinking.

"How long are you going to stand there?" Radulf’s voice reverberated in the room and also in her ears. He opened his eyes and met her lost gaze. "Turn off the lights," he instructed her.

Zenna quickly complied with his demand and turned off the lamps before slipping inside the duvet. She had her back toward him. Feeling the rapid rhythm of her heart, she felt it would explode any time.

"Are you asleep?" She asked after some time as she turned around to face him. Her breath hitched to see him so close to her, but his eyes were closed.

The moonlight filtered through the white curtains on the giant windows, which were swinging because of the gentle breeze. Zenna lifted her hand and hovered it above his cheek. Gently, she stroked it while being careful not to disturb his sleep, and a tiny smile spread across her lips.