Rise of the Queen
Chapter 30

Alexa then spotted Reagan walking behind her friends. Their eyes met, his golden ones locking with hers. He raised his brows at her, and she shyly averted her gaze. At that moment, Adira cleared her throat beside her. "Hmm, about your question just now, I think you have to ask him yourself," Adira chuckled in response. "Then, I'll take my leave," she whispered as she winked at her. "Oh, it's the elder," the others bowed as they greeted her. Returning the greeting, she then shifted her gaze to the Alpha King, offering a playful smile as she passed by.

Reagan frowned at her and then at Alexa, who quickly averted her gaze and abruptly pulled Conner to her side to start a conversation. He narrowed his eyes as he approached them, and Alexa grew nervous with him closing in. He stopped in front of them. "Conner," he looked at the girl beside her, then motioned to her. "Am I first?" she asked. "Hmm," he nodded.

"Hmm, I'm suddenly nervous," she laughed as she joined the others. "Let's go, who am I beating up first?" She smiled at her friends.

Alexa was about to follow her, "Alex," his voice stopped her. She slowly turned to face him. "Yes?" she replied with her eyes down. He stepped closer, and she immediately stepped back. He heaved a sigh. "Today you're training with me," as soon as the words left his mouth, her head snapped in his direction. "Eh?"

"They're doing a spar, and you're training with me," he clarified. "Oh," her mouth formed an 'O', and she hung her head low.

"I know you hate me, but please bear with me for today, hmm?" He leaned in closer, trying to peer into her face. "It's not-" She abruptly lifted her head, swallowing her words as her breath hitched at the closeness of his face. "It's not?" he cocked his head to the side. She blinked at him and stepped back, putting an appropriate distance between them. She spoke, "It's not that I hate you."

"You don't?" he asked with a hopeful voice.

She shook her head as she looked into his eyes. A childish smile formed on his face, but the smile soon vanished when she immediately lowered her gaze. He frowned, heaving a sigh, and asked her, "Is there something bothering you?" She shook her head vigorously. "No..." she replied, lifting her face.

Yes, it's you, you're bothering me, my feelings for you, they're bothering me. I don't know, I'm just confused. When I'm with you, I feel comfortable, but at the same time, I feel weird. My heart acts up, I feel ticklish. When you touch me, I feel hot and bothered, but at the same time, it gives me a sense of protection...

She bit her lip as she looked into his eyes. When you look at me, I feel nervous, but at the same time, I want to drown in those eyes... but isn't this because of the mate thing? But Adira said it isn't. The warm and fuzzy feeling that I get being around you... she says it's not... Can I trust that? Are these my true feelings then?

Her eyes then stopped at his lips. His lips were moving, he was saying something, but it didn't reach her ears. She was lost in her thoughts when the memory instantly popped into her mind, the kiss... she unconsciously touched her lips. "I may attack you," "Damn, you're not helping me," she remembered the feel of his lips on hers. Her eyes instantly snapped to his as she cupped her heated cheeks. She saw something flicker in his eyes. She was instantly reminded. Damn! He can hear me! He just... her eyes widened at the realization. He heard it all!

"Alex?" He cocked his head in confusion.

"No!" She snapped at him. He was startled. "What?" he blinked at her.

"You heard it all, didn't you?" She looked at him with accusing eyes. "Oh no, no!" she whined, stamping her feet.

"Hey, heard what? What are you doing?" He asked her as he saw her pacing back and forth, muttering to herself. She abruptly stopped and spun around.

"You didn't hear me?" She asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes. "Heard what?" he raised his brows in confusion.

"You didn't? You didn't get inside my head?" She asked again.

After realizing what she had been asking, his eyes narrowed at her distrust of him. "Didn't I promise you I won't until I have your permission to do so?"

She heaved a sigh of relief, then smiled at him. "Yeah, I forgot you're such a gentleman," she scratched her head, "thanks for keeping your promise," she breathed a sigh of relief. His brows quirked up at her remarks. "Gentleman, hmm?" A playful smile danced on his lips.

"Sure," he nodded, "now, shall we start the training? Let's see how much you've improved," he beckoned her. "Hmm?" she tilted her head to the side.

After a few minutes, she stumbled and landed in his arms... again. "Tsk, tsk," he clicked his tongue, "let's go again," he motioned. She narrowed her eyes at him. Taking her stance, she threw her right fist at him, which he easily caught. She tried to pull it back but couldn't shake him off. She then threw her left fist at his face, which was also blocked effortlessly. "Tsk, tsk," he clicked his tongue again. This time she used her left foot, raising it up and just about to stomp on his feet when he lifted his leg and locked it against the back of her knee, making her buckle. He then immediately spun her around, not releasing her hands, and locked them against her chest as her back landed against his chest. She was now infuriated. Not once, not twice. How the hell did they always end up in this position?

"Tsk, tsk, you need to do better," his lips brushed against her ear as he whispered seductively, sending chills down her spine. She immediately pushed him away. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" She glared at him.

He laughed as she caught on. "You're..." She raised her fist to hit him. He stopped her, holding her wrist with one hand, his other hand snaked around her waist and pulled her closer. His gaze kept hers captive. Slowly dropping her hand down, he caressed her cheek. She instinctively leaned into his touch. She almost forgot to breathe when he closed in. 'Breathe,' she heard him speak in her mind. Her eyes closed in anticipation as his head dipped low, but he paused. He drew his head back and shook his head. 'Not now,' he thought. He then took the opportunity to gaze at her beautiful face. After a moment, her eyes snapped open. "You!" She again lifted her hand to hit him, but he stopped it midway. "Sorry about that," his thumb brushed against her lips. "But this," he threw his thumb to his lips, "you'll have to take the initiative," he replied. "I don't want to be accused of forcing myself on you. I want to continue being a gentleman," he smiled at her. "As if!" She pushed him away. "Gentleman? You're just a manipulative jerk! Now you're showing your true colors, huh?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"True colors, hmm?" he cocked his head to the side. "But I've always been true to you," he lowered down to her face as he smiled at her. Her face grew bright red. He chuckled at her response, feeling her face heated up. She immediately turned around, cupping her cheeks. "This guy drives me crazy!" She yelled.

"My pleasure," he leaned in and whispered into her ear, startling her. "Argh!" She ran away from there, hiding her beetroot face.

"Ooh, too tempting!" He thought to himself as he watched her run away. "I want to read her thoughts," he heaved a sigh. Suddenly, he heard her shout at him, 'No freaking way!' His head snapped in her direction. She wasn't there. His eyes wandered, searching for her, but she wasn't there. 'Huh?' He cocked his head to the side. 'I'll kill you if you get inside my head again!' He heard her again. 'Okay,' he answered her. 'You're inside my head again?' She gasped. 'No, it's you who's inside my head,' he retorted.