Protect Me, Alpha King

My head spun at the mere hearing of the word punishments. Images of my life at Haverstone Pack resurfaced again. The whipping. The kicking. The starvation.

I clutched my chest as my breathing became faster. I did not want to experience those things again. Too painful.

I staggered backward.

I messed up. It was a simple mistake, yet bore a great consequence on my part.

“Your Highness. Please forgive me for being wrong. It will never happen again, Your Highness.”

His eyes glinted and turned sharply as a blade.

“You will never learn if I keep on turning a blind eye to your mistakes, River. My personal servant should never commit a single mistake. You have to keep in mind that you are no longer in your pack. Your life will become different and more difficult here depending on your performance.”

My life was always difficult even back in my previous pack. However, I just kept those words to myself.

I inhaled sharply as my blood turned cold.

“Your Highness. Please, I beg of you! Just this once.”

“You must learn your lesson,” he said using that cold voice. “Don’t think I favor you.”

He stood and looked at the door.

“Servants!” he called them. “Hurry! Or you will also be punished with her!” he barked.

Oh, Moon Goddess!

I knelt automatically. I would do whatever it takes to change his mind. Even if it means I had to lick the ground where he was standing. Perhaps he would take pity on me. I did not want to take any sort of punishment. It was too painful.

“Your Highness,” I whispered looking up at him. “Please. Let it slide. I will never sleep again during your meetings. I will be wide awake. I will drink coffee. If it is needed.” My eyes watered, trying to plead my case.

We heard the knocking on the door, it burst open and the twins came inside —Clara and Flare. They gasped when they spotted me kneeling in front of King Maxxwell and went to my side. They both held each of my arms, silently urging me to stand, but I did not.

“Your Highness. To what do we owe you?" they said in unison.

“Bring River to the dungeon,” he said nonchalantly.

They looked at each other and paled. “The dungeon...”

“The dungeon,” King Maxxwell clarified. “There is only one dungeon in the kingdom.”

Clara looked at me with a pitiful expression. “Your Highness, I did not know if the servant's words are important, but River is still new to the palace. She did not know our customs and traditions. Whatever mistake she committed, was because of her lack of knowledge. Perhaps, you can let it slide. Just once?”

Flare stepped forward. “I agree with my sister, Your Highness. River may be impulsive sometimes, but I know she has a good heart and is intelligent enough to learn as fast as she can.”

They said altogether, “Your Highness, we beg your pardon.”

My heart warmed at the twin's gestures. Such pure hearts. They were defending me even if they did not really know me.

I clenched my fist when I remembered I dared to use them to my advantage. They were genuine people.

My knees were already starting to protest from kneeling. The twins’ hands were still on my shoulders.

The alpha king stood silently as if he was in deep thought.

"Your Highness, we beg your pardon.”

“No. My decision is final. Bring her to the dungeon. Let her reflect on what she had done. So she will do better on her job next time.”

“But...”

“But...”

The alpha king turned his back on us.

“The dungeon is where we put the captured rogues and the criminals. It smells and is crowded. It is also dark. We cannot just put River there, Your Highness.”

“I can and I will, Flare,” he said while his back was facing us. “What she did in front of the Council was already unacceptable. What would they even think? That I did not teach her? A dungeon is a place for anyone who dared to disobey the alpha king. I can also put the nobles there.”

He did not teach me anything, I whispered to myself. How could he educate me when he was silent during our trip? And he was injured to even teach me and tell me something about the palace.

It was not an excuse, but at least he could consider my situation.

"What did she do, Your Highness? If we may ask?” the twins asked at the same time while they kept on glancing at me.

I hung my head low. Why did I feel embarrassed when I realized I sleep? If there was someone to be blamed, it was none other than the alpha king himself! Shame on him for having a nice voice!

"She was sleeping during the whole meeting while standing.”

"Ow," they said. “Just like the servant we know of..”

I looked at them, frowning. “Who?” I could not help but ask.

“It is not your concern, River. Stand and go with the twins. I will call you when you learn from your mistakes.”

With my knees hurting, I hastily followed his orders. I wiped the specks of dust on my knees. “Your Highness, I am already aware of my mistakes. I will not do it again.”

"You won't, River. I assure you will not do it again after you enter the dungeon. I don't want to see her at the moment. Guards!” A man entered and bowed to the alpha king. “Accompany the twins and my personal servant into the dungeon.”

“Your Highness," the twins said.

However, the alpha king dismissed his hands.

I bit back the tears. I would never cry. I will show him I was strong and will survive this challenge. I will prove to the alpha king that he was wrong.

The guard led the way and we followed after. I kept glancing at the alpha king, in hope that he would change his decision. That he would call me. That he already had a change of mind, but he did not.

My heart sank to the deepest bottom.

One thing was for sure. I am doomed.

From the entrance of the dungeon, I smell the pungent smell of urine, human excreta, suffering, and pain.

I was thankful that the guard who was accompanying me was not forceful nor not in a hurry. He just waited for the three of us to take our time. His kindness in this situation reminded me of someone. The twins shoulders drooped as if they were the ones who will be imprisoned in the dungeon. “Relax. The alpha king will show his mercy,” I said, trying to make them feel better.

"He won't,” the twins said, altogether, not sugar-coating their words. For my sake.

I laughed nervously. “Really?”

"He was known not to change his mind whenever he had given his verdict. He always sticks to that. Never in the history of his leadership did he—" Clara stopped in mid-air when Flare whispered something. “Ow. There was a time. When the name who must never be mentioned was still alive.”

I glanced back. The guard was a meter between us. “Who are you referring to?”

“Clara. We are forbidden to say anything about her. It's the law of the kingdom after her death.” My fear of being kept in the dungeon was temporarily forgotten as my mind focused on the person who must never be mentioned. If I was correct, we were thinking about only one person. The one whom the alpha king uttered.

What would the twins say if I told them the alpha king had his nightmares about that person?

No.

The alpha king will even get furious.

“What?” I leaned on them. “Are you talking about Zenith?" I asked, mouthing the last words

The twins looked at me with horrified looks.