The Alpha King and His Human Queen

My Plan

Maeve

My wolf has never been very fond of fights. Perhaps because in every pack there is someone who takes care of the others. In our pack that’s me. As a human and as a wolf.

Garreth’s wolf woke up first - he was older than us, even if it wasn’t with much. And we were all happy to be his betas, which also included fighting alongside him, despite how young we were. We were too young, in fact. But this was our fate and we accepted it.

Garreth was the one who spent the longest on the battlefield during the war and even though I was there, fighting alongside all of them, my duties were mostly to heal the injured.

My wolf has always been patient, trying to fix things before a fight began.

But right now, even she is ready, standing on her nails so to speak. I am very good at reading the room and I can tell Nathan is ready to fight, even if that means with me or with Kai.

“They will kill her, “ Kai says, then realization dawns on his face. “Wait. Was this also part of your plan to get it back to your uncle?!”

Then my brother laughs.

“You planned this?! I … you are unbelievable. They will kill her and this way your uncle loses another of his pawns?”

Judging by Nate’s expression I can tell this wasn’t it. So the king tilts his head.

“No, that would mean war. “

“Then what the f**k are we going to do?!”

Kia loses his cool, which was expected. But as always, Nate has an answer even to that.

“We will use the situation to our advantage, “ he says.

“Sirius - and everyone- expects you to kill her, to punish her for the murder of the servant. “

“Exactly, “ Nate smiles and the grin turns the blood running through my veins in iron. He is always intimidating when he smiles like this.

“I won’t kill her, because this is exactly what Sirius expects me to do. “ he says.

“Then… then what are you going to do?”

Kia asks, hesitant. Me - I am slightly scared, to be honest.

“I will make her my bed slave. “ our new king declares, “ This is what she is supposed to be right?“

Neither me, nor my brother moves. Then Kai bursts out laughing. He wipes his eyes and continues laughing.

“Are you crying?” I asked him, dumbfounded.

“AHAHHAHAHAH. All right, “ he says, “Nate, you’ve lost your mind. It’s the crown. Is the weight of the gold messing with your head somehow? Even though you don’t wear it, hahaha.”

“I am glad someone finds this funny, “ I say. “But seriously, Nate. What are you doing?!”

“It’s the only way to know if she works for him. And if she does I will easily test it. If she doesn’t… Well, I can use her against him. “

Kai considers his words. Then he nods.

“It’s still too risky. Dangerous. “

“Well, “Nathaniel shrugs, “Let’s hope she doesn’t stab me while I sleep, then. “

***

Alexandra

I keep screaming and banging my hands on the metal door but nothing happens. I split my knuckles and blood trickles on my hand, but I won't give up. I keep going. This is what desperation is. Doing something even though you know it’s pointless. No one will hear me, no one will come.

And yet, I keep doing it. It's not because of hope since hope is something that keeps you sane, it gives you purpose.

I am desperate because I don't see the point and I hurt myself. Yet ,I am unable to stop. Maybe it would be better if I died. End it here and now.

So I keep hurting myself, the warm blood is running down to my forearm now.

I don’t know how much time passed. It’s very easy to lose track of everything here in the darkness. My hands are numb and the pain is so strong that I have to pause and take a break. It gets cold and I hug myself against the piercing chill. I try to keep moving to keep myself warm but I get exhausted. I sit on the stone floor and hug my knees. The skin on my hands is slashed in some places and the sticky warmness of my blood is running on the shirt I am wearing.

Nathaniel’s shirt. It still carries his scent, mixing with mine, with the iron- y -scent of my blood. I approach the cloth close to my nose and inhale.

I am hungry, tired, cold and in pain. I'm beginning to lose my mind and my head is spinning. But I inhale his scent. I will soon be gone anyway, and decide not to think this over too much- why I am so attracted to him when I am close to him, all those questions no longer need an answer. Then the guilt washes all over me.

What is my sister doing….my dad… My mate? I already know I will never see him again. What will happen after I die? Surely, he will be able to find someone else, right? The mate bond is sacred, but if one of the partners is dead I guess Eliot will be able to bond with someone else. Someone who can be by his side and complete him. Make him feel whole.

I will never be any of those things. Not to anyone…

I am still hugging myself tightly, my fingers have gone numb when the voice gets louder.

“Hey!” he yells, “Are you deaf?”

The man asks, “In all god's names - I said you are free. “

I look up to see the tall figure standing at the doorway of the dungeon. Maybe this is an illusion and I am hallucinating. I am so tired I see things that don’t exist.

“Hey.” he snaps and comes to me. The man lifts me to my feet and shakes his head when he sees the split skin on my knuckles.

“I don’t get it, “ he mutters, dragging me out, “He can have any woman he wants, so why would he choose you? “

He clicks his tongue as he drags me out. I let him take me wherever he wants to, I don’t care.

We kept walking and I saw sunlight.

“This is really happening, “ I realized through the fog of my mind, “I am really free. “

Then I register what the man is saying.

“The king’s bed slave, unbelievable. “

This is something I definitely don’t imagine. And when the night comes and Nathaniel is standing before me there’s no doubt this is happening.