Protect Me, Alpha King

After a few minutes, the twins, nearly bathing in their sweat, returned and informed me that the carriage was already waiting for me outside.

"River, do you want to change your mind?" Clara and Flare asked in unison after checking if I had forgotten something. Their eyes were still in worry. "You don't know how dangerous it is to travel alone."

"I have the coachman,” I joked, trying to appease their mind. "Stop fussing for me. I can do it perfectly.”

"But..."

"Nonsense. Why don't you cover for me, and if the alpha king happens to arrive first and looks for me, tell him I am running an errand.”

They looked at each other. "Are you sure about this?"

With all honesty, I was not that certain if I could pull it off. Going back to the slave auction house brought many painful memories not worth keeping, but I still had to go.

"I'll come back if I will gain nothing from there.”

"Do you know whom to look for, River?"

"Master Henderson, the one who was supervising the auction house.” The man also had all the written records of the enslaved people that had entered there and had been sold.

"That man will not answer your question if you will not give something in return, River. Here." Flare brought out a bag. "That would be enough to keep him talking. We met him once, and he was the most difficult bastard you can encounter in your whole life, River.”

"And an asshole, to be precise. A greedy bastard. Jerk. Fuc—"

"Clara. That's enough.”

Clara held her hands in the air, surrendering, listening to her sister.

I looked inside the bag, and it was full of bills—paper and coin bills. With wide eyes, I looked back at them.

"I can't accept it.” I tried to return it to them, but the twins would not accept it.

"That's the last thing we could do after not going with you."

"But this is too much. This seemed like your entire savings."

"It's not. We still have something left. Good luck with going there. May you find what you want, River."

They went to the door and stepped outside, leaving me alone.

After my talk with the twins, I went to the awaiting carriage.

I was on the brink of stepping inside when Delta Isagani came out of the blue and blocked my path. Scowling, I turned to him.

"Delta Isagani. May I know why you are interrupting me, Delta Isagani?"

He opened his mouth but closed it and sniffed the air, and without asking for my approval, yanked the shawl from my shoulders, exposing my neck.

His eyes narrowed, looking at where the alpha king had sunk his teeth. "Surprise."

He tossed the shawl back at me and returned it. I thought I could flaunt the mark I had, but it was already the opposite. I was hiding it away from them! I did not even understand why. Perhaps I was also considering what the alpha king had said. That I will gain more enemies?

"You're mated?"

Unfortunately for the alpha king, I wanted to say, but said instead, "Yes."

"To whom?" Delta Isagani sniffed the air. "And why is the alpha king's scent all over you? Did the two of you have sex?"

I clicked my tongue. "That would be the last thing that would happen.” In the alpha king's eyes, I was nothing but a child. "He won't even glance at my body even if I strip naked in front of him." "Did you force him?"

"Force? Delta Isagani. Why would I do that when the alpha king can instantly break my bones?" I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "Can't you see? This is his mark."

He stumbled back, disbelief in his eyes. "How?"

I gave him a pointed look. I did not know if I would be offended by his reaction or not.

"I am his second-chance mate. I told you I was rejected once by my mate. The Moon Goddess was kind enough to pair me with the alpha king.”

Which was quite the opposite. The alpha king was too complicated...I didn't even have the right word to describe him.

He was not buying my statement. It was written all over his face.

"You have the same mark, just like Zenith. To our eyes, your mark is glowing, silently threatening anyone not to mess with you."

That woman again?

I clenched my fist. How long will I continue to become Zenith's shadows? No matter what I did, they would always bring her name first. Not mine.

"Really? Lucky me," I said with sarcasm. Sensing he had already taken a lot of my time, I said, "It's okay if you don't believe me, Delta Isagani. I was also shocked to learn about it. Now. If you excuse me?"

Instead of stepping aside, he continued his questions.

"Where are you going? Why the carriage? Does Alpha King Maxxwell know about this?"

I smiled at him. Why was he unusually chatty today?

"To the slave auction house, Delta Isagani. And, yes. The alpha king knew about this trip,” I lied to end this conversation. The coachman was getting impatient.

"Alone?"

My eyes went back to Delta Isagani.

"Yes. Alone. I want to know something. As much as I wanted to talk to you, I am running out of time. I want to be here when His Majesty arrives.”

"Are you truly his mate? I thought he was not over with Zenith."

Rolling my eyes, I sighed. "He isn't over with that woman." Just like you. You're not over with Lady Juliana, even if that woman said she was betrothed to the alpha king.

He cocked his eyebrows. "Then why did he mark you?"

"Delta Isagani. You should be happy now that the alpha king marked me. Lady Juliana will stop forcing herself on His Majesty.”

He hesitated. "Her Grace is not that kind of person. She will not stop until she gets what she wants. Just because you two are mates does not mean she will stop pursuing Alpha King Maxxwell. She will only do that when the alpha king declares you his queen. His Luna.”

His declaration that I am his Luna and queen will happen when the elephant flies. He believed Zenith was alive and she would be his Luna. None other else. Not even me. If I am lucky, he will make me his concubine.

"I know she will do that. That's why you must do everything you can to stop her, Delta Isagani. If you truly loved her. She will not be happy in the alpha king's arms knowing Zenith still occupied his heart." I leaned into his ears. "You have to snatch her heart, Delta Isagani. Prove to her that you are the right man for her—her mate.”

I distanced myself from him, grinning.

"That would be impossible.”

The smile was wiped from my eyes.

I shook my head. This man was pessimistic. No wonder Lady Juliana wouldn't choose him.

"You can do it," I urged. He needed a little push, and if I needed to do it, I would do it. I can use Delta Isagani

His shoulders slumped. "I can't. I am only a humble warrior serving the alpha king. She wanted the alpha king herself.”

"You can. Don't let your negative thoughts make you falter. You're a warrior, Delta Isagani. A knight of the alpha king. You should show Lady Juliana that you are worth it. You are worth the risk."

"It will never happen. She will not see the real me, woman."

Delta Isagani was becoming infuriating in my mind. I hated what he was acting. He had no balls. He was always accepting the situation without trying to do something first.

I drew a couple of breaths, trying to console my racing mind.

"Can I say something, Delta Isagani?”

He nodded. "What is that?"

"Grow some balls.”