The Alpha King and His Human Queen

Dislike is a Wicked Feeling

Alexandra

As soon as I step out of the room two guards appear out of thin air and stand in my way. Have they been lurking around the whole time or did they move impossibly fast?

Not that it matters…

So much for thinking I was somehow free to at least move around as long as it was in the confinements of the castle.

“I need new clothes. “ I say right away to avoid any questions about where I am going and why. I place my hands on my hips and lift my chin.

The two men are huge – as expected for guards but they can’t scare me. The guards back home were not much different.

And yet, they were my subjects, those aren’t….

“We were told to not let you wander around. “ One of them says.

I almost ask “Ordered by who, “ but then I think better. So – he doesn’t want to see me, and absolutely hates me for some reason but at the same time he won’t let me off the hook.

“Fine, “ I hiss, “But I still need new clothes. I can’t go around like this. “

I point at my thin gown but the guard’s faces are two stones, they look like they don’t register what I am saying.

“Hello?” I say again, “I said I needed new clothes.”

“Orders are orders, “ one of them mutters.

“Ugh…” I try to push past them when one of the guards places his palm on my chest and shoves me slightly backwards.

“Get your hands off me!”

I snap when the guard grabs me. They look monstrous from this close but I still try to struggle my way out.

“I said…. Let… go… of…”

The strong hands wrapped around me instantly relax and disappear. I look at the guards perplexed. This was too easy, what’s wrong?

But when I look up at their faces I discover they look terrified.

Both of them have fixed their eyes on something in the distance. Something behind me.

“We are deeply sorry, “ they say quickly and take a giant step away from me.

“What? I…” I ask puzzled when I turn around and look behind me. My heart stops because I discover what they have been looking at.

Or rather who?

Nathaniel is standing at the other end of the corridor.

He is dressed in dark clothes again and his expression is unreadable. The coat he is wearing is buttoned to the top but this time his dark hair is put in perfect order. It strangely reminds me of the feathers of the raven from last night. Same colour. Same smoothness.

Nathaniel doesn’t say anything at all the guards bow deeper and disappear.

The prince turns his back on me and starts walking away, leaving me alone in the corridor.

“Hey!” I call after him. This will be my only chance to ask for clothes- or food, at least.

“I need new clothes. “ I say, trying to catch up with him.

“Do you want them specially designed to your taste?” he asks, mockingly. “Any colour preference?”

“I like purple, “ I say and he doesn’t answer. He just keeps walking.

“And food, maybe?” I continue. “I haven’t eaten since yesterday. “

“There was enough food at the gala last night. “

“I left early. ‘’

“Really?” he says lightly, “I didn’t notice. “

Jerk. I think when Nathaniel stops dead in his tracks and spins on his heels.

“What?”

“What?”

“What did you call me?”

“Uh…I didn’t say anything?” I say, alarmed.

Oh, no… Did I call him a jerk out loud? I am insane…Damn it…

Nathaniel resumes walking without even looking at me. I spring after him again. I am dressed in the clothes from last night and I know they are very thin, opening as I walk but for some reason, I forget all about this because he doesn’t even spare a glance in my direction anyway.

“So?” I ask, “Will I at least get some water?”

“You can go find what you are looking for by yourself. This way you will also avoid wasting everyone’s time with your demands. “

“And how do you suggest this to happen when I am not allowed to even leave my room?”

I see he doesn’t like the response. Of course, I am right. Ha! Maybe this time mister I know- everything and I have an answer to everything has nothing to say.

“You should just stop acting like a spoiled princess and start figuring things out by yourself. “

He says coldly.

“I am the spoiled prince?” I snort, “Maybe you should look at yourself. “

This makes him stop and he turns to look at me. Nathaniel is so tall he is looming over me. Just like last night I have to look up to meet his eyes. I hate this. If I could change one thing about me, and about me being a woman that would be my height. Most wolves have the advantage of height and strength and I’ve never liked this.

His eyes are on my face and my heart speeds up. The proximity to him makes my skin tingle with something I cannot name. I don’t know what it is. But I don’t like it. At the same time, I want more of it.

Nathaniel sets his jaw. But I won’t bow to him or accept everything he is saying only because he says it. I won’t let him win, not this one at least.

I try to stand taller and fix my eyes on his.

“I am not afraid of you, “ I say, “You might make everyone listen to you and shrink in your presence but this doesn’t work on me. You can’t scare me only because you are much taller than me. “

He takes a small step closer to me. It’s like the air grows chilly in the span of a second. It’s just the two of us out here and no one will know if he kills me or if he does something to me. Not that anyone can stop me either way. But I stand my ground and meet his eyes. They are endless back. From this close I see the peculiar shade of his eyes, deep dark blue threads are crossing the irises. Very similar to his hair.

Nathaniel knows I am looking at him and I shift in my spot, suddenly nervous for some reason. The cloth of my gown opens very lightly, only an inch and I don’t want to look at my chest to confirm how much the cloth has revealed.

I also realize Nathaniel is so handsome it hurts. His cold features make him… unreachable. Like he has s**t himself to the world and never lets anyone close. Then the thought of him placing his hand on me, his fingertips following the rim of the gown and pushing it invades my mind and I almost flinch. Would he ever do anything like this? No… He never touches anyone, it’s like he doesn’t have it in him. He is too cold and distant for this. And when he opens his mouth he confirms what I’ve just thought and what Maeve said about him. That he doesn’t like anyone. He's always like this.

“There are women who don’t have to be tall to make you bow to them. “ he says, voice chilling with despise that I clench my teeth.

I have never been able to understand hatred as such. My mother used to teach me hatred eats you out, not the person it’s directed to. Nothing grows out of it and it’s hurtful. To you, to the people who love you and the ones around you. So she would always try to understand the others. She did this not only as a queen, and as a royal who had to understand her subjects in order to rule them. But she did it as human – because besides the titles and her wolf, she was a human. A woman. A mother.

I am not sure I learned her lesson entirely but one thing is for sure- I have never let myself stoop so low as to hate someone. To dislike them so much that this feeling would poison me from the inside. To let this dislike overtake me, altering my actions and behaviour. Ever.

Until now.