Protect Me Alpha King novel Chapter 67

"Why did I hear the bitterness in your voice, River?" Alpha King Maxxwell asked. "Are you waiting for the day I will no longer fall in love with Zenith but instead with you?"

I scoffed inwardly. Did he not know? What an insensitive jerk.

Faking a surprise, I pointed to myself. "Bitter? Me?" I waved my hands like crazy. "No, no, Your Majesty. I'm not feeling like that. I am only telling the truth. You don't care for me at all, Your Majesty. I'm also telling this so you should not bother yourself to save me."

Until now, I remembered his voice. How it quivered as he was calling my name, but that time, my eyes were already closed, and opening them required a tremendous effort. Until his voice was getting further away.

The alpha king bared his teeth.

"I will save you over and over again as long as I have the power to do it, River. Saving you is not something you cannot refuse. Zenith died without giving me a chance to save her. What made you think I will allow you to die without trying to protect you?"

His words were full of emotions and reached my soul. It touched my heart, but bitterness started to explode when I remembered he mentioned Zenith.

"Do you understand?"

I stepped back, his demeanor scaring the hell out of me.

“You don’t have to be mad, Your Majesty,” I said nervously. “Fine. Save me all you want, but I don’t need some savings. I could perfectly handle myself, just like what happened that day.”

If my wolf did not come out at the right time, I would be dead by now.

He put his hands in his pocket. “Take my words seriously, River.”

“I am taking your words seriously, Your Majesty.”

“You’re not.”

I fell silent.

I shuffled my feet. He always saw through me. And it was unsettling. I never wanted to feel any vulnerability, especially if it was around the alpha king’s presence.

The alpha king sighed in the end as if talking to me had drained him entirely of his energy. Arguing did.

"I'll ask the twins to bring you food."

I was astounded by his announcement.

Stepping forward, I said, "I can do it, Your Majesty. I can go to the kitchen and eat there. My body is not hurting anymore.” My hands suddenly felt clammy. “May I say what is on my mind right now?”

“You never stop talking. What is that?”

“You are surprisingly good to me right now, giving me small favors. It's weird. Really. I can get my food, Your Majesty."

"You will wait for the twins," he insisted, his face darkening.

I held my hands in the air. "Alright, Your Majesty. I get it. You don't have to be irritated," I said with a laugh.

"Stay still, and I will be back."

Accepting it would be no use fighting him, I nodded sweetly at the alpha king and sat on the bed when he disappeared as weird as he was acting, but I liked the feeling of being treasured as if I was important. Only a few individuals will make me feel that way, and if it was coming from the alpha king, it was...flattering on my part.

After a couple of minutes, the door burst open, and the twins entered. I tamped down my disappointment and hid it behind my smile when I no longer saw the alpha king with them. I suddenly missed his presence—another spooky feeling for this day.

"River!" Clara and Flare said in unison.

Waving my hands at them, I said, "Hi. Miss me?"

Instead of replying, they threw themselves at me, which made me fall on the bed.

Laughing, I patted their back and tried to console them as they cried their heart out. When they pulled themselves together, their eyes were already puffy and red.

"Hey. What are the reasons for your tears? No one died, okay? I already asked the alpha king."

Damn. I forgot to ask him about Dawn's status in the palace. Will he allow her to stay here for as long as Dawn wants?

The twins helped me sit upright.

"Yeah. No one did, but we nearly died in worry when you did not return in the afternoon."

I laughed nervously. "Sorry about that. Something unfortunate happened. It turned out the bandits were waiting for us."

“Don’t laugh. What happened to the three of you was terrible,” Flare scolded.

"If there's no rogue, bandits will be our enemies. That's why we were hesitant to let you go. Imagine our shock when the alpha king brought you here, unmoving. There was blood all over your body. We tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't wake up. We will not allow you to go there again," Clara added.