The Alpha King’s Virgin by Charmeleon (Raine & Amari)

Chapter 30

RAINE

Pain. Fire in my belly, my thighs shaking. I opened my eyes to look into Rhona’s concerned face.

“You’re awake.” She mopped my forehead with a wet cloth. “Thank the goddess, I thought you were dying.”

At the moment that sounded like a good idea. “What happened?” I tried to sit up and winced. My back felt as if someone had taken a hammer to it. Then I remembered…. “Where is he?”

“His Majesty had something to take care of.” She looked at me with pity, her eyes sorrowful.

f

Was he angry at me?

“Here, drink some water. You need plenty of fluids.” She put the glass to my lips, and I drank some. “You have to stay in bed, your Majesty.”

“Why? I am not sick.” It was just a bad period. That happened sometimes when a woman is under stress. And I have been under my fair share.

“Healer Gwyneth’s instructions.” Rhona pulled the covers up to my chin. “She’ll be back to check on you.”

Amaris entered the room like a thunder cloud his Alpha aura oppressing to such an extent I found it hard to breathe. Rhona scurried out of the room, not daring to look at him.

“Amaris?”

He just stood next to the bed, staring down at me with that cold, dark expression. I reached out to him with trembling hands.

“You had a miscarriage.” His voice was flat, emotionless, and he didn’t take my hands.

I let them drop onto the covers. “No, no, that can’t be true.” But his eyes told me the truth. Those words hit me harder than a punch to the gut. The one thing that he wanted, and I couldn’t give it to him. Was it something I did wrong?

“I didn’t know I was pregnant. I didn’t.” I shook my head terrified that he was going to reject me. “I’m sorry. I’m

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Chapter 30

so sorry.” I burst into tears.

Only then did he sit on the edge of the bed next to me and take me into his arms.

+5

“You don’t have to be sorry, Raine. This was deliberate, an attack on both of us. But I promise you, I will find out who did this.” His anger washed over us as he held me, his body shaking with it.

“I thought you were angry at me,” I sobbed into his neck. “I’ve disappointed you.”

He breathed in my scent, his nose in my hair. “I could never be angry with you. I had never been more terrified in- my life. I thought I’d lost you.”

Tasha howled in my head, her grief mirroring my own. We lost our pup before we even knew we had one.

He stayed with me the rest of the day, tasting everything Rhona brought before feeding it to me, even the water.

“You don’t have to stay here, Amaris. You have a kingdom to rule.” But I loved that he was there with me.

A shadow passed over his face.

“What is worrying you?” I held his hand and kissed his fingers. “Tell me.”

He extracted himself from my arms and went to stare out of the window. After a minute or so he turned back, leaning against the table.

“I talked to the boy in the tower.”

My heart sank to my stomach. “Please tell me you didn’t kill him.”

“Of course not.” One side of his lip lifted in a bitter grin. “He had some interesting things to say. Apparently, I am the worst king in the history of werewolf kings, impoverishing my people, punishing them if they didn’t pay my taxes to go on living my lu life and throwing lavish parties.” I felt his anger rolling off him. “Tell me if this is

I what you’ve experienced in your pack, Raine.”

“No! The hardship I suffered was because of Peter’s addiction. Nothing else. The pack members have never complained about their king. This is insane.” I tried to get up to go to him. I wanted to comfort him. These lies were hurting him deeply.

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As soon as my feet touched the floor he was at my side. “What are you doing? You’re not to get up.”

“I’m not disabled.” I smiled at him, touched that he was so concerned. He lifted me up into his arms. “We have to find out who is doing these terrible things in your name, Amaris.” I said, fondling his cheek, caressing his lips

with my gaze.

“We?” He smiled softly, “My sweet Raine, I am not letting you out of this wing of the castle. Not unless Ross or I accompanies you.”

“You’re holding me captive?” I didn’t like the idea of being cooped up.

aren

“If it means making sure you’re safe, then yes, you are my captive.” He smirked slightly, pressing his forehead to mine. “Until I am sure that no one can hurt you.”

“Amaris, I have to be able to look after myself. If not, I will be your weakness. Is that what you want?”

“But you are my weakness, Raine.” He laid me down onto the bed, stretching himself out beside me.

“I don’t want to be. I want to be strong. I’ve been weak my whole life and I am tired of it.” I wanted to be strong for him, to stand by his side and not be afraid of anything or anyone.

“You will always be my weakness, mine. That doesn’t mean you are weak. Which you are not, my queen.” He kissed me lightly on my lips and I ached for more, but he pulled back. “I will protect you, even if you don’t want or need me to.”

“I want to help you, Amaris. I want to be the queen you need.” I meant it, I wanted to show the rest of them that I wasn’t the weak Omega they all thought me to be.

“Then get well. So I can get you pregnant.”

His words were a sword to my heart. Was that how he truly saw me? “Is that all that you want from me?” I pushed him away.

“No, f uck! That’s not what I meant.” He sat up, looking at me as if I’d slapped him. “Raine, I’m sorry. That came out the wrong way. Of course not, you’re worth more than just…”

“A breeder.” I said and my voice sounded as bitter as I felt.

He got off the bed, his shoulders stiff and his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants. “I can’t talk to you

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Emergency calls only M

Chapter 30

when you’re like this. Get some sleep. I’ll be back later.”