Protect Me, Alpha King -
62. Bandits
A record keeper? If Dawn was indeed one, her statement was the most reliable of all. Not only wasshe Henderson's servant, but she was also there at every auction. She was the best candidate to askfor any information about what had happened in the previous years during her stay at the auctionhouse.
However, I had to make sure.
"Are you the record keeper? Then why did Master Henderson let you go easily like that?" Only a fewslaves had a high level of education because only a few masters had allowed their slaves to havesome education.
"Everyone is replaceable, master.” I cocked my eyebrows. Master? That was ridiculous. “He kickedme out because he believed I was no longer useful to him. And my looks."
"River. You can call me that. Not master. You're giving me goosebumps. But I do not believeeveryone is replaceable. Take Zenith, for example. No one could replace her in the alpha king'sheart.” No. I was not bitter. Dawn smiled at me, but it was more than a grimace. “Hey. You wereonce a luna leading a pack. Do not bow your head. You should be proud and arrogant. Those arethe qualities of all the luna I have met so far.”
Instead of listening to me, she put her head down and mumbled, “That part of my life was alreadydone, River. I lost my glorious days. My people have already died. My name was wiped from history.Right now, I am nothing but a slave. I am nobody.”
I knew I should be asking her about Zenith, but knowing her life story was more important to meright now.
"How about your mate?”
Her eyes watered. “He was killed in front of my own eyes.”
A gasp escaped from my lips at her tragic backstory. “By the previous alpha king?”
She gritted her teeth. “None other. My mate tried to protect me. Fought the alpha king, but the gapbetween their strength was too great. He was overpowered, and while smiling, the alpha kingpierced his sword on his chest.” Dawn clutched her chest as if she could still feel the pain of theirsevered connection as her mate took his last breath.
Did the alpha king also experience that when Zenith died?
Stop thinking about him. It is not like you are curious about him.
Dawn clenched her fist. “The previous alpha king was ruthless and deserved to die the most painfuldeath.”
“That's...”
Dawn pounded on her chest as if it would numb the pain. It won't heal on its own if she happens tomeet her second-chance mate. The latter cannot heal the wounds in her chest.
"My life is full of tragedy. Nothing good will ever come.” The road was becoming rocky. We jumpedon our seats whenever the wheels hit something. Pretending as if she had not shown hervulnerability earlier, Dawn declared, “Let's not talk about my life, River. Let's talk about the womanwho was the reason why you went to the auction house. You bought me because you know I will beof your use. What do you want to know about her?” She was mistaken in her second to the laststatement, but correcting her will not bring any good
The goal was to know more about Zenith. To verify If we were related to each other. And it wasnever about Dawn's life.
“Does she have any siblings?”
Dawn scratched her back. “She did not have anyone. She said she was an orphan, captured by thebandits and sold at the auction house after seeing her beauty.”
“Is that true?”
Dawn shrugged her shoulders. “I cannot tell. I do not have the ability to know if she was telling thetruth or not. I am merely relaying what she had said before.”
Damn.
Touching my chin, I said, “She may be telling a lie. Or not. I could not even know. She buried hersecrets along with her death.”
“She died?"
“The alpha king's people disapproved of her. Unfortunately. They were behind her death.”
Her face turned serious. “And history will repeat itself. They will not also approve of you, River.”Dawn looked at me with pity in her eyes. And I wouldn't say I liked it. I leaned back and lookedoutside. The terrain was getting dusty and bumpy with all the rock formations beside the road. Lifeforms were barely surviving this harsh environment. This place reminded me of the time when I wastraveling with the alpha king toward the palace.
I scoffed. “I do not care if they don’t approve of me. I never wanted the alpha king's heart, anyway.”"I feel sorry for the alpha king.”
Sorry for him? Why him? Why not me? “You should not.”
“I cannot help it. His mate died. I know the feeling of how the bond slowly vanished. It was the mostpainful experience of all.”
"Why are you not cursing him? His predecessor killed your mate and your people. So why are younot hating Alpha King Maxxwell?” I inquired.
Her brows furrowed. “It was the alpha king before Alpha King Maxxwell ruined my life. Not himself.”How I wished I had the same principles.
Dawn played with her hands. “So...what do you plan to do with me?”
I released a sigh. “You can stay at the palace. I will ask the alpha king if he could extend his kindnessto you. And if you are ready, you can go where you want to go.”
"What if he will not? Look at me, River. I am hideous. The other servants will only ridicule me,” shemuttered softly.
There was nothing hideous about her. All I saw was a brave woman who still had the strength tocontinue standing despite the tragedy that had befallen her life. However, Henderson did anexcellent job at making Dawn lose her confidence and created another attitude far from the usualher. And Henderson was the lowest of the low.
“Believe me. He will accept you. And the twins. Clara and Flare. You will love them. They may becreepy and irritating sometimes whenever they talk at the same time, but—"
I cursed when the carriage suddenly stopped.
I peered out the window and looked at the driver. “What's the matter?” I asked the coachman. “Inearly broke my nose!”
“Bandits!”
Bandits. Not rogues. I did not know if I would be appeased by that or not. Bandits were robbers onthe road, stopping every passerby, robbing them of any treasures, and if they became frustrated,they might kill you.
With no money or gold coins to offer them, I was confident they would be furious.
I stood, but Dawn stopped me. “Let me look, River.”
"Why? What will you do?”
“Kill them,” she said nonchalantly.
“No offense, but do you have the strength?”
“I vowed to protect you all my life, and that's what I will do.”
She stood, but I stopped her from going outside. “You're just throwing away your life for a stranger?I hate to break it to you, but I am not allowing anyone to lay down their lives for my sake.”
“Can you fight?” Dawn asked. I bit my lower lip. “Can you fight, River? I am asking you.”
“l don't”
“Well, I can. My mate trained me to become a warrior. Stay here and be safe. That's all you have todo.”
Before I could react, she stepped outside, leaving me alone.
With my heart hammering in my chest, I peered out the window and looked at her retreating formtowards the bandits.
Damn it.
She wanted me to stay here and wait. As if. My life was meaningless compared to here. She was aluna while I was a slave. I had to drag her back to the carriage and let the coachman deal with thebandits. But just before I could step out, something landed on the carriage’s roof. Next, a swordpierced through, a couple of inches from slicing my skin.
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