Protect Me, Alpha King

The alpha king's eyes were pleading, begging me to answer him. His eyes got watery as the moments passed when he thought I would never answer his question.

Defeated, both of his hands fell on his side.

"I get it. I don't matter to you. I was nothing but an asshole, too, River. They called me Black Heart, saying I did not have a heart, and if I did, it was darker than a pen's ink."

I sucked in a breath.

Did he know about his nickname?

"I will not take it against you if—"

"You do matter to me, Maxxwell,” I answered hastily, finally gathering the courage to do so. "You do, Your Majesty.”

I did not think it was because of the bond between us.

His eyes lit up, and he held my hand. "Is that the truth, River?"

I yanked my hand away.

"It is. But you have Zenith now. She's your queen. It is better if you forget about me. About our bond."

Maxxwell stepped forward. "I'm planning to make you my concubine. If you want.”

I gaped at him, disbelief in my eyes. Even if Delta Isagani told me it might happen, still hearing it from his mouth still hurts.

"As I said, if you want,” Maxxwell said when he watched my reaction, not liking his statement.

"A concubine? I have nothing against the custom of the palace, Maxxwell, but I don't want to become a concubine.”

I did not want to beg for your time to visit my chamber. I did not want to wait for you if you had spare time to come for me. I refuse to become someone's second option.

"But you said I matter to you. I thought you would like to become my concubine.”

I scoffed. "I did not say I love you, Maxxwell. So no. I won't become a saint after watching the two of you being lovey-dovey."

"River. I will ensure that I will give you the same time."

Jerk.

He did not understand how women think.

"Is that the best you can do, Maxxwell? I want to ask something. Do you love me now?" I asked. His eyes kept glancing back and forth and back to my eyes.

I smiled bitterly. That's okay. My heart was already immune to people rejecting me—no big deal.

I sighed. We cannot force anyone to accept us. “I know you don't love me. And now that Zenith is here with you tell me where I belong in your heart, Maxxwell."

"You're dear to me."

My brows furrowed. "You're not answering my question.”

"I want you to stay by my side. It will kill me if you disappear from my sight.”

"How about Zenith? That woman is like a dragon who would breathe fire any minute if someone would hang out with you. Plus. She is jealous of me.”

“I cannot dethrone her, River. If that is what you are expecting me to do. I can only strip her of her queen status if she committed a crime against the throne and the people.”

My heart sank not because of the dethronement but because he was back to calling me using my name. River.

I was no longer his Queen because the original had already returned to his side. I never thought I would love hearing the words “my queen” out of his mouth.

My knees went weak.

Right now, I wanted to sit down, but I no longer had the strength to do so. My heart was numb. “Are you...happy, Your Majesty?” I shook my head when I realized something. “I know you are. What kind of stupid question is that? You were searching for her for how many nights before, sacrificing your health and sleep for her sake? And now, look at you.” My voice cracked at the end.

I muttered a curse under my breath.

This wasn't very pleasant.

“I don’t know what to do anymore. Just give me more time, please?”

How long will I wait?

I cannot wait forever.

I slapped my forehead. “Oh, Maxxwell. That's why I am telling you to reject me. You have to choose one. Please, choose Zenith. She is your first love, and your love for her did not even die despite the years.”

Maxxwell's gaze locked on me. “Back to that?”

I lifted my chin, anger slowly rising.

"What, then, is your suggestion? Let me tell you this. I never wanted to become anyone's mistress or concubine, Maxxwell. I deserve someone who will give his heart fully. But if you won't reject me, you have to release me.”

Maxxwell still. “What do you mean?” he asked, using his deep and raspy voice. “I don’t want to lose you. Denaro wanted me to hold you and never lose sight of you, River.”

My heart beat so hard that I felt like my heart was going to burst. “Denaro is better than you, Maxxwell. At least he knows for a fact it is I whom he wanted. Not Zenith!” My words came out in a rush.

Maxwell yanked his hair in frustration and paced back and forth.

“You have to let me go,” I urged him.

“Then, what, River? Will you go back to Alpha Erik and beg him to take you instead of Lady Juliana? That bastard does not deserve you. You belong to me, River, and not that jerk. He is the most useless alpha I encountered.”

Slap!

Maxxwell stared at me in disbelief.

“Never ever talk ill of Alpha Erik,” I spat. “At least he was able to redeem himself.”

Maxxwell staggered backward. I was sure it was nothing because of my slap. It was because I was siding with Alpha Erik.

“You still like him?”

I inhaled deeply and made my expression go blank. “Yes, I still like him,” I lied.

Sunflower was suddenly up, growling back at me, asking me to take back my words. But I won't. “That makes us even, right? We are both tied to our first fated mate. Do what you want with Zenith, and I will do my best to snatch Alpha Erik away from Lady Juliana.”

Maxxwell's expression darkened. “Have you no shame?”

I snorted. “We are all shameless when it comes to the people we love. We will do everything in our power to get them. Just like what you did for Zenith. No. Why do I keep on forgetting myself? She is Queen Zenith, the queen of the kingdom of Vernice.”

My heart constricted at the thought of them being together while I was in the background, dealing with the pain alone.

And now that the people around me treated me as the villain, what was the point of staying here? “Is that what you want? Begging after someone who no longer wants you?”

I folded my arms in front of my chest.

“Are you sure he did not want me? Maxxwell, Alpha Erik, and I talked at the library. He said he wanted to pursue me again.”

Well, that was not a lie

He growled.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Oh, please. You no longer have the right to be jealous. For the last time, will you please...release me? That's the last thing I ask of you, Maxxwell. Let's stop hurting each other.” “I will strip you of your slave status, but I will never allow you to go back to your pack, River,” he said with confidence. "Never!"