Protect Me, Alpha King
64. He Won't Save Me

Alpha King Maxxwell

“Your Majesty!” Valentine exclaimed. “Why are you wasting your time on that woman, huh? She isnothing! Let Isagani replace her and you can sleep. You need to rest. How will you handle the palaceaffairs if you get sick? We are not invisible to any sickness, Your Majesty!”

My eyes darted back to

“Find her, Maxxwell!” Denaro demanded one more time. When the beast wanted it, he would notstop pestering me with his demands until I gave in. What an irritating bastard.

“I hear your thoughts,’ he said, glaring at me while baring his fangs.

Rolling my eyes inwardly, I said, “My apologies, my alpha king.’

He fell silent, his anger directed toward me. “Don’t act mighty with me. You are nothing without me.That was Denaro. Thinking he was more powerful than me. However, being with him made meadjust his behavior. He did not know we were connected. He would not exist without me.Clenching my fist, I added, “Let me handle it."

“I'm giving you until morning to replace her and if not, I will be in charge. You would not like my ways,Maxxwell,” he warned and retreated back to the corner.

"Your Majesty! Are you even listening?”

Glaring Valentine was enough to make him shut his irritating mouth. “I am so would you shut yourfucking mouth?”

He fell silent.

Better.

I threw my gaze at the beta. “Isagani. Gather all the available warriors and we will replace River. Thebandits may have captured her. They may also conspire with the rogues in the vicinity. We neverknow. We have to think of the possible scenarios.”

“Right away, Your Majesty.”

Isagani retreated and went back inside the palace.

Maneuvering the horse, I turned around but Valentine blocked my way.

"Your Majesty. Why are you doing this? Why will you personally search for that slave? You should beresting. Let us handle replaceing her."

I inhaled deeply and stared at him. "Let me go, Valentine,” I said.

"Why? I don't understand why you are doing this.”

"You want to know why?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Why are you set on replaceing her? What is she to you? You are not like this to theother slaves.”

I inhaled deeply.

"She bears my mark."

He frowned deeply. "Why would she carry your mark, Your Majesty?"

"Why should she carry my mark, Valentine? You answer that question. That's an easy answer."Realization dawned on him. "She is your mate? Why did you mark her when you are still not overZenith?"

That was also the question I had been trying to look for an answer to. I knew in my heart I still lovedZenith. So why?

It was Denaro.

“Really? I did not take over your body when you marked it. It was your decision, in the first place,Maxxwell.” And he went back to the shadows again.

I sighed.

"It's not your business, Valentine. Move. Time is running. I don’t want someone to die again."

"Do you know what will happen? Your people will do what they did to her.” Her. My beloved Zenith.A muscle ticked my brow. "They were imprisoned. All of them. I will never allow them to dosomething like that."

"Do you think that will not jeopardize River's safety?" He leaned closer to me. "River is a slave.Nobles do not accept a ruler who came from slavery. They wanted someone who is in a higherposition than them.”

"And you? You will not accept her?"

"I accept whoever you want to take. I will support you, but it does not mean they will do the same,Your Majesty. Those people had already recruited people to hate your future mate who isn'troyalty.”

I sighed. "l won't let that happen.”

“The same thing will happen again, Your Majesty. You have to way your decisions from now on.”River Williams

the bandits brought us to a dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere. The dust inside was thickerthan the attic of the palace. Another shake of the house and the structure will fall over. Our handswere bound. But we were still alive.

From afar, I could smell the wild beast prowling around the vicinity.

The bandits left us for the meantime, saying they will just eat for a while and they'll be back, leavingus alone.

I had no idea what had happened to the coachman. The bandits nearly beat him to death, leavingDawn and me alive. However, it will take another time before they will hurt us.

"We have to go, River. Before they will come back,” Dawn said. A bruise was starting to appear onher right cheek when one of the leaders slapped her.

Between the two of us, she was badly beaten by those bastards. A cut was also visible on her arms,the blood dried, but it seemed she was not aware of it.

"Where?" I asked, softly. "Everything was my fault, Dawn. If I was not curious about Zenith, then Iwouldn't drag the coachman to the auction house and then the bandits would not capture us likethis. I did not even know what had happened to the coachman!" I whispered. I refused to show myweakness, especially to strangers, but my tears wouldn't stop showing.

She faced me. "There's no time to blame each other, okay? We have to move before they will sell usto someone."

A slave sold to become a slave to another master? Yeah. That would become my life.

My stomach grumbled. We both looked at my tummy, and I gave her a small smile of reassurance."I'm sorry if I had eaten all your food, River. You are hungry because of me."

"No. That's okay. You have a point. I don't have to blame myself.”

She leaned closer to me, her eyes darting back and forth. I wondered how she was able to set asideher pain like that. "I heard them talking. They know a werewolf who would buy us. I don't want tobecome a slave again, River. I still have to restore my pack and I could not do it if I continue being aslave. We have to run away from them.”

"I know. I know. When do you think they will come back?"

"If they had settled the price to the buyer, they will come back. That's what I heard.”

I fell into deep thought. We still have some time to break away from our bondage.

Showing her my hands, I asked, "Can you untie me?"

It was tied securely. Good to know they did not bind our feet or it would take us longer.

"I can try. But my wolf had become weak over the past few years after becoming a slave.”

"You can try. You should because you are the only one who has a wolf. I am wolf-less."

Shock registered on her face, but she easily turned it down.

"A slave and a wolf-less werewolf? And the alpha king gives you his mark?"

I looked away. "Well, I kind of seduced him to do it. Failed. Give up. But after thinking I should giveup, he marked me."

"Perhaps he is starting to like you. He is slowly recovering from his sadness.”

I doubted it.

"You are wrong. He is still hoping that Zenith is alive. Let's not talk about them, okay? It only makesme feel as if I am meddling in their love.” I held my hand, showing her my ties. "After this, let's kicksome asses, okay?"

"Won't the alpha king save you?" Dawn asked. "You are his mate. I don't think he will allow anothermate to die."

"He won't save me, Dawn. He is busy searching for Zenith right now. He constantly hoped that sheis still alive. I am nothing but a slave who bears his mark. Nothing else.” I forced a smile. "Enough ofthem. Bite."

Dawn gave me her sad smile that reached her eyes before her fangs extended. Then, she cut myropes using her fangs.

I sighed in relief when she succeeded and I untied her. Already free, I grabbed her hands andwalked out of the door when I noticed someone blocking it, playing with a dagger in his hands. Theeye-patch man. The leader of the bandits.

Fuck.

"My, my. I hit the jackpot. I have two werewolves here. You'll be giving a lot of cash right now. Butfirst, I have to have fun with you first," he said looking at me. Then, he licked his lips as if imaginingit was me he was licking.

A shiver ran down on my spine.