The Royal Alpha King's Mystical Surrogate

Chapter Two

RAYLEIGH

**

“Don’t do this, Alpha,” I begged, falling to my knees. I had already scraped my knees since he had pushed me once but I didn’t care about the pain. All I wanted was one thing from him which was above all this pain.

“Just don’t do that. It won’t change my decision.” He said, with steely eyes that didn’t look at me. I couldn’t understand how he wasn’t going through the pain I was going through even after we were mates.

“Then, tell me what will change your decision? I can do anything for you to change your decision. Please, Alpha.” I pleaded, desperately wanting him to change his thoughts.

“You still can’t call me by my name. What a mate are you! Also, can you change your blood? Can you be an Alpha child? No, right? Then nothing can change my decision.” He spat on my face and I shivered, wailing in helplessness.

It wasn’t me who had asked the Moon Goddess to bless us as mates. I would’ve been okay even with a normal man who wasn’t an Alpha or of any high status. I didn’t ask for so much pain.

“You know that is not possible. It’s not fair of you to ask me this. The Moon Goddess decided to make us mates. How can you blame me for it, Alpha? Please don’t do this.” I implored. He gave me one glance before looking away.

“Nothing will change my decision. But, after all this, I expect you to leave this pack and go somewhere no one can find you.” He warned me and said the words out of which I only registered that one word that broke everything inside me.

Reject.

**

Crystal – “Rayleigh! Are you alright?!” I heard a loud ping in my ear and jerked. I blinked my eyes rapidly to clear my blurry vision and realised my surroundings.

Rayleigh – “Oh, sorry, Crystal. I’m in the storeroom,” I quickly replied.

Crystal – “I was so worried since I didn’t see you at the lunch queue.” She explained and I understood the reason for her panic.

Rayleigh – “I’m fine. Just busy with work.” I responded and heard her agreement before shutting the mind-link. I sighed and wiped my face. My earlier hunger was lost and I didn’t want anything to do except work and distract my mind.

I shook my head and started the cleaning process, wanting to end this quickly.

**

I finished wiping the entire room and also cleaning all the things in there. I struggled to settle the items since I was exhausted. But I have to finish this today or I won’t be spared.

Before moving the things back into their place, I decided to discard the dirty water or it might spill and I would have to rework it.

I was about to pick up the bucket when it was kicked, spilling it on the ground and all over me.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” I didn’t need to look up to see who that fake high-pitched apology belonged to. I knew well what the person appeared like.

A mop of straight black hair with a tall frame matching my 5’6”. A wicked look in her blue eyes and darkness hid underneath the ivory skin. A face with a sharp jaw and bitter tongue or a fake sweet one.

She was Gizzelle, Luna’s best friend and my arch-enemy, or so she thought.

“I didn’t see you there.” Another fake apology in that voice, but I kept quiet. I didn’t ever want to cross paths with anyone, at least for another few years. I just wanted to live my life in peace and then leave this place.

“It’s okay. I’ll clean this up.” I said and she just looked at me with a calculating look. When I didn’t react, her nose twitched and somehow I knew nothing good was coming ahead.

“You have to. Low lives and low duties. What would you even know about serving a Luna, anyways?” She spat at my face and I bit my lip to stop myself from speaking anything at all. Pearl was fuming on the inside and was all ready to spout something, but I just wanted to hold this situation before it got worse.

“I can’t change that so I’ll only deal with it the best I can,” I replied to her calmly, even though Pearl wanted to do more than say such normal words.

“What else can you even do? Clean up, trash.” She said and walked away, flipping her hair behind her shoulders and folding her hands.

Pearl – “Can you not use your brain and mouth for once?! You always let her trample you like a bloody doormat. I had such a good response but decided to shut myself up, just like every time!” Pearl yelled at me on the mind-link.

Rayleigh – “You do know why we are holding back. Talking back is what she wants from us. Why would you want to give her that satisfaction that her actions bother you, Pearl? Our motive for staying here is not to talk back to people. You know it well.” I scolded her back and she knew I was right. She scoffed and went back to shutting herself down. I sighed, but I decided to give her the time she needed.

I glimpsed the mess that happened in a few minutes. It was close to dinner time and with the amount of work left, I might as well skip dinner because tomorrow was the day of the inspection and nothing should be amiss.

“Rayleigh!” I heard my name being summoned and looked up to see Crystal walking toward me. She appeared to be running with the way she was panting.

“Hey, what happened?” I asked her but gave her time to cool down.

“I saw Gizzelle walk towards this side.” She said and then glanced all over me. “Did she do anything to…” She caught the bucket and water dispersed on the floor and paused herself.

“It’s okay,” I interjected before she started to curse and lose her temper. Pearl and Crystal were of the same temperament, so even if I didn’t shift, I could see Pearl’s glimpse of Crystal.

“That b-i-t-c-h! I don’t understand what her problem with you is! She’s always bothering you.” Crystal yelled, and tried to see if Gizelle was indeed around to give her a piece of her mind.

“Crystal, I told you not to lose your temper over her actions. It’s not worth it.” I explained to her and she just let out a deep breath.

“I can’t talk this over to you, can I? Anyways, I was here so I could help you with the cleaning.” She told me and I smiled at her. She truly was a genuine friend I had here.

“Thank you so much for offering but there isn’t much left and I can take care of it,” I told her and she huffed.

“You don’t consider me your friend, do you?” She questioned, looking offended, and I shook my head, frantically. I didn’t want her to take my words wrong.

“It’s not that. Everyone has so much to do. You must be tired already. I don’t want to burden you with my tasks.” I defended my earlier words and she shook her head with a big smile on her face.

“Why are you so sweet, Ray? Now, come on, let’s do it together.” She said, holding my dirty hand without feeling yuck. “And, I’m not that good, that I would do anything. I’ll just do this until you go and change your clothes or you’ll catch a cold.” She said, patting my hand.

“Okay, thank you,” I said without putting up a fight. “I’ll change my clothes and we can go to dinner and then part ways. Okay?” I insisted and she gave me a thumbs up. I smiled at her and just felt blessed.

“That seems like a good plan. Now, shoo.” She shooed me and I chuckled, quickly leaving to get a change of clothes.

**

I returned to the storeroom quickly after wearing an old long maroon tee and black leggings. Given that it was just starting autumn, it was nice and cool weather. I could still wear summer clothes and feel good.

I saw that Crystal had cleaned the water and also settled a few items in their place or made a different place for them.

“Crystal, let’s go to have dinner before hungry wolves gobble it away,” I suggested and she chuckled.

“Yes, and you have to eat a lot more since you already skipped lunch.” She glared at me. “I was a fool that I forgot to ask you about it or I would’ve brought some. And then I had work which made it slip my mind.” She explained to me and I shooed her.

“So, you do know that I’m hungry, right? Can we please go then?’ I asked her and she narrowed her eyes at me. I laughed at her face and shook my head in response.

“You’re such a sweet talker, huh!” She retorted and I went ahead to gather the rare silverware that I was supposed to settle in the kitchen yesterday. I didn’t want Roxy to scold me again.

“Can you help me carry these? I need to settle them in the kitchen so Daisy can wash them before tomorrow.” I told her and she nodded. She took a few items and I took a few, and then we went to drop them in the kitchen before our dinner.

**

“I’m feeling so good, as I’m having food,” I remarked as I ate my dinner. I could feel how much my stomach was screaming for food. I could feel the happiness and delight radiate off my belly.

“That is why you don’t skip lunches or dinners, Ray.” Crystal taunted me and I chuckled.

“It wasn’t purposeful. It just happened.” I told her and she hummed in a teasing manner. I didn’t say anything and just stuffed my belly with everything I could because I had starved the whole day for various reasons.

“That shouldn’t happen next time. You have to take care of yourself.” She explained to me as a mother would and I smiled, recalling my mother.

“Yes, Mother hen. I’ll remember.” I affirmed and she laughed.

“I’m quite nervous about tomorrow. Seems like the visit will make quite a few changes here.” She commented abruptly. “I just have a feeling that something big is going to happen. I don’t know if it is good or bad, but yes, definitely something.” She sounded confident about her feelings and I could only feel worry seep in at those words.

“I just hope all is good.” I prayed, not wanting anything wrong to happen, at least because of me. I didn't want to partake in any activity that brought me into the spotlight.

“I’m hoping the same. Or maybe I will find my mate tomorrow, who can say, right?” She suddenly made this assumption and got so cheerful, I couldn’t tell.

“You can find a mate, who can say, right?” I repeated her words but felt a huge pang in my chest. I didn’t want to show her that I was being affected by that word, so I kept a regular face.

“That reminds me. You, too, haven’t found your mate yet. Are you not excited about finding someone?” She questioned me and I blinked at her. I didn’t want to talk about this and she had put me in the spotlight with this question.

“I don’t know. It’s the Moon Goddess's choice about everything.” I replied and she hummed, forking on the ham and putting it in her mouth.

“And anyway, you are excited about meeting him, so I’d pray that you meet him,” I told her with an assuring smile and she flashed me a big toothy smile.

“Please pray. I do want to find my mate, really badly. I want to go away from this pack and then start a new life with my mate. Have my own family.” She professed and I recalled how I used to have the same thoughts before everything went down the drain.

“I hope your dream comes true,” I said to her, sincerely. I wanted someone to fulfil their wish even if it was not for me.

“Have you got the silverware, Rayleigh?” Roxy broke the train of our conversation and I was somehow glad about it. I didn’t have the energy to keep smiling at that topic.

“Yes, I’ve kept them in the kitchen, Roxy,” I affirmed to Roxy, who wanted to know if I did my work properly or not. I had to inform her or if anything went wrong, I would be the target or the scapegoat.

“Okay. The storeroom?” She asked and I nodded.

“I’ve cleaned that, too. I just need to lock it.” I told her and she nodded. I was left with just a little so I had to lie a bit to not get scolded. I was going to finish cleaning before sleeping so it shouldn’t harm her.

“Okay. You can leave now. Be early for breakfast preparations tomorrow.” She reminded me before she left and I let out a deep breath.

“Okay, we should finish that,” Crystal said and I shook my head in response.

“I’m well replenished now and can handle that much. Don’t worry and go to sleep. I’ll wrap it up and then go to sleep.” I told her and she was ready to put up a fight but let out a yawn.

“Okay, then. You continue, superwoman. I’ll go to sleep. If anything bothers you, let me know.” She insisted and I nodded before sending her off.

Once all was settled, I took in a deep breath filled with energy and motivation to finish the task at hand.

**

I had finally placed all the items in their proper place. Since I had thrown out a few things and accumulated things properly, the space appeared bigger and even neater. Things were settled well into their spot and I felt proud of my work.

I was just starting to feel happy when I felt a click. I whirled around to see that it was the door. I don’t know how it got locked, but I didn’t have the keys to it. I had left them in the keyhole so now I couldn't get them. Also, the door didn’t have a latch on the inside.

I glanced at my wristwatch and it read something past midnight. I couldn’t call out anyone for help and that anyone was Crystal. I didn’t want to disturb her when he had a big day tomorrow.

That only meant one thing: I was now locked in the store room.