The Alpha Princess And Her Dragon Mate

Rumour Has It...

The Dragon King's Residence was dark and gloomy, heavily guarded by armed soldiers. Only those summoned by the King himself were allowed entrance. Elisha was to accompany the King for the night, and since Sabrina was tagging closely behind her, she was assumed to merely be a simple maid.

They arrived in front of the King's chambers. Elisha turned to her with a sly look. "You will wait outside this door."

Sabrina said nothing. She watched as Elisha walked into the chambers, closing the door in her face. Leaning against the wall, her eyes darted around the dark corridors. It was cold and lonely. She wrapped her arms around her body in an attempt to warm herself.

Minutes passed, and Sabrina's legs began to ache from standing. Slowly, she slid to a sitting position. If she listened closely, she could make out the obscene noises coming from within the room—mostly the exaggerated moaning from Elisha. She was probably doing it to provoke Sabrina, but as if the Luna would ever let herself get riled up over a man.

She'd never been one to take much interest in romance. She had agreed to marry Ethan because her father had made the match, and she respected him enough to honor his wishes. But now, after being betrayed by the one man she had been willing to give her heart to, she was even more reluctant to entertain the idea of love.

Sabrina rested her head on her drawn knees and allowed her eyes to flutter closed. Unknowingly, she fell asleep.

She was awakened when a shadow fell over her. Her trauma made her hyper-aware of her surroundings, and she no longer slept deeply. Groggily, she looked up to see a half-naked man dressed only in dark pants with his hands casually tucked into his pockets. A sapphire pendant dangled from around his refined chest, the blue gem glowing softly in the dark. Golden eyes peered at her, and Sabrina looked back. It took her a few moments to recognize the man standing before her. The Dragon King!

She quickly tried to rise to her feet, but in her haste, she smacked her head against the man's jaw. "Oh God, I'm so sorry!"

Alaric rubbed his jaw, his gaze still fixed intently on the woman. That’s right—he’d never forgotten this one. "It's unrefined, sleeping in a place like this. Why are you here?"

"I'm here as an escort."

"For Elisha?"

Such a stupid question. "Who else is warming your bed tonight?" she snapped, then bit her lip when she realized what she had said. Damn. Sometimes it was hard to tame her temper. Honestly, she’d never had to hold back when voicing her thoughts, but now, she would need to learn restraint. Sabrina was supposed to seduce this man, not insult him. "I mean... Yes, I am here for her."

Alaric merely raised a brow at her harsh retort. This might be the first time someone had spoken to him in such a manner. He could tell that the woman had no shred of fear for him. It was what had made him bring her to the palace. But he’d been busy with work lately and had forgotten all about the she-wolf. She didn’t seem to like him either. Interesting.

"You are not a servant, so why tend to Elisha's needs?"

"Because she asked. And it is not in my place to refuse. I am at the very bottom of the food chain." All thanks to this asshole who had brought her here and then abandoned her. "Displeasing her will only put me in more trouble."

"I see." Alaric rubbed his jaw. The pain had eased, but it still throbbed. Only a woman like this could manage to actually hurt him, even if unintentionally. "I have neglected you. I will do better. Go back and rest."

"Right." Sabrina rose to her feet. Her backside was sore from sitting on the ground for so long. She looked at the Dragon briefly, then turned to walk away. Pausing in her tracks, she turned to face him once more. Alaric hadn’t taken his eyes off her even once. Sabrina chewed on her bottom lip in hesitation. "Can I... ask for a favor?"

The King hummed, indicating for her to continue.

"I want to make a grave."

Alaric, who had expected her to ask for a boost in ranking, money, new clothes, or jewelry, was a bit stunned by the request. "A grave?"

"Yes. It... will just be a small one, a marking maybe. I... I'm afraid of making one and then having it destroyed. I promise I'll keep it far away from sight."

"You do not have a body, do you?"

"No, no, I don’t." She wished she did, but her father had long been buried before she had been banished. It was unfair.

"Must be someone important."

Sabrina gazed down at her feet, refusing to meet the King’s eyes. "Go ahead, then."

"Thank you."

Alaric watched the woman shuffle away. His eyes were dark and brooding as he walked back into the room. Elisha was just coming out of the bathroom after cleaning up when she saw the King sitting on the bed. She quickly grew excited, thinking he might be interested in a second round after all. Usually, they were asked to leave the moment the deed was done.

"Your Majesty, you are back?" She edged closer to him, swaying her hips seductively.

The King looked at her darkly, making her freeze in her tracks. "You have servants, do you not?"

"I... I do, Your Majesty." Oh God, was it about that b***h outside? Did the King recognize her?

"Those I bring to the palace belong to me. I hate when people touch things that are mine."

"I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—"

"You will leave. Go to the treasury tomorrow morning, take whatever you want. Lest your father thinks I’ve been unjust to you."

"No... No, I... Your Majesty, please don’t send me away! I... I didn’t mean to—"

"Get out."

Elisha swallowed her protest, knowing better than to anger the Dragon further. She grabbed her clothes and left, tears streaming down her face. She would never have expected to be sent out of the palace for a simple mistake! It was all that b***h’s fault!

* * *

Sabrina smoothed the heap of sand with her hands. It was nestled behind the thorny rose bushes, a place she knew no one would venture easily. She’d scribbled her father’s name on a round stone and placed it on the heap of soil. It was child’s play—a poor excuse for a grave, really. But seeing it made her feel a warmth in her chest.

"Sorry, Dad." She wiped the tears that threatened to fall. She didn’t want to cry, not now. "When I go back to the pack, I’ll make you a better grave. I’ll bring lots of flowers too."

She stayed there for hours, only going back to her room when it got too cold. The next day, a rumor spread fast across the palace that Elisha had been sent away by the King because of Sabrina.