CAGED BY THE ALPHA KING

Chapter 3

"Jaydon, please take care of my pack while I’m away. You’re the most trustworthy person I have, and I hope you won’t let me down," Asher instructed as he gathered his belongings.

"Asher, it’s not safe for you to go into human territory. Your enemies could easily harm you, and what if your wolf gets angry and breaks the laws of the human world?" Jaydon expressed his concern.

"Don't worry; I’ve blocked my wolf with Maya's help. It won’t take control of me unless I allow it," Asher reassured him.

"Asher! Using excessive magic to control your wolf isn’t wise. You know it could weaken Alexius, or worse, he could die," Jaydon warned.

Asher sighed. "I know that, but did I have any other choice?"

"Asher! Please don’t hurt Gina again. She’s your mate. She may have made mistakes in her past life, but in this one, she’s innocent. She is your mate!" Jaydon said gently.

"You still care for your pathetic mate! He abandoned you because of her master. He couldn’t be a good mate, just a mindless servant, and yet you can’t remain loyal to your king, your only family. How can you be so weak over a trivial mate?" Asher taunted.

"I am loyal and will remain so until the end. If I weren’t, my mate wouldn’t have left me. You feel the same pain I do; it hurts, Asher. But I am still loyal to you because you matter to me. You are my only family," Jaydon replied coldly, though his voice was heavy with pain.

"Once I bring Gina to my kingdom, I’ll help you win back your mate," Asher promised.

"No, I won’t do that. You want her back because you can’t control your wolf anymore. You crave her power to become the most formidable creature. But that’s not what I want. I want my mate to embrace me in my happiness, to let me cry on his shoulder in my sorrow. I want my mate for love, not power. I’m not like you, Asher. If my mate accepts me willingly, I’ll be happy. If not, I won’t force him. Remember, love cannot be taken by force," Jaydon stated calmly.

"You’re a fool. True love doesn’t exist. I made the mistake of believing in it, and my entire kingdom suffered for it," Asher snapped arrogantly.

"It’s pointless to try to make you understand," Jaydon sighed.

"Did you inform the leaders of the human realm about my arrival?" Asher inquired.

"Yes, Alpha. The council leaders wanted to meet you before your arrival," Jaydon replied, handing him a letter.

Asher read it and said, "I need to leave."

"Goodbye, Alpha," Jaydon sighed as Asher departed from the castle, heading toward human territory.

---

"Hmmm... it hurts," Gina groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Thank goodness you’re awake! I was worried. Do you feel weak or is there any pain in your body?" the man in front of her asked.

"No, I’m fine," Gina replied, attempting to sit up.

"Hey! I’m sorry for bringing you to my home like this. I found you unconscious in a dark alley. There was no one around, and my place is nearby, so I took you here," he explained nervously.

"Thanks for helping me," Gina smiled.

"My name is Christopher, but you can call me Chris," he introduced himself.

"Gina! I’m new to this area," she said with a smile.

"Oh, you’re new here. You shouldn’t be wandering around late at night; it’s dangerous," Chris cautioned.

"Yeah, something strange happened before I fainted. A man appeared out of nowhere, and his teeth turned into fangs. He was about to bite my neck when he suddenly stopped and vanished. After that, I don’t remember anything," Gina recounted.

"Gina, seriously, I think you’re just stressed. That sounds a bit far-fetched," Chris sighed.

"It’s real! I didn’t believe it at first either," Gina insisted.

"You need to rest," Chris said gently.

"I need to go back home," Gina replied.

"Let me drive you home," Chris offered.

"No, I’ll go back by myself," Gina insisted.

"Then let me call your parents, guardian, or a friend who can come get you," Chris suggested.

"I don’t have anyone! I live alone," Gina admitted, biting her lip.

"It’s not safe for a young girl like you to be in this area. You should find a safer place; there’s a lot of crime happening here," Chris said with concern.

"But I can’t find any affordable place other than this. I’m just an orphan girl who’s currently jobless," Gina sighed.

"I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to upset you," Chris apologized.

Gina forced a smile and said, "It’s okay. Don’t feel sorry for me. Honestly, it feels nice to have someone concerned about me."

"If you don’t mind, I can help you. I’m moving to a new apartment that’s safer than this one. You could do my chores in exchange for a place to stay and three meals a day. I’m a doctor, and my schedule is hectic, so I need someone to help out," Chris offered.

"I don’t want to be a burden," Gina replied, feeling uncomfortable.

"You’re not a burden. I need a maid. If you ever feel like it’s too much, you can leave, and I won’t stop you," Chris reassured her.

"Thanks! I’m really grateful to you," Gina said with a smile.

"Then it’s a deal!" Chris extended his hand for a handshake.

"Deal!" Gina responded, shaking his hand.

"Get ready for this weekend! We're going to switch things up," Chris said with a grin.

"Absolutely! I'm all in," Gina replied with a smile.

"Want something to eat? I can order takeout," Chris offered.

"No need for that; let me cook for you," Gina said, returning his smile.

"Not a bad offer! I've been craving homemade food for ages," Chris said, clearly pleased.

"Don't worry about when I'll be on shift with you; I'll make sure to prepare meals for you," Gina reassured him.

"Seriously! I feel so lucky to have found you," Chris beamed.

"No, I'm the lucky one," Gina said, glancing at the refrigerator. "But it looks like our options are limited," she added, surveying the few ingredients available.

"I don’t really know how to cook," Chris admitted with a shrug.

"I've got this!" Gina exclaimed, diving into the preparations.

"It's ready! Let's eat," Gina announced, her face lighting up as Chris admired the dish before him.

"Hey! Where are you lost?" Gina said, snapping her fingers in front of him.

Chris snapped back to reality. "I was just wondering how you learned to cook."

"It’s simple. I learned from the cook at the orphanage while I was helping him," Gina replied as she served the noodles.

"You’re beautiful, young, and if I’m guessing right, you’re smart too. Are you single?" Chris inquired.

Gina frowned. "Yes, I am single. Is that a problem?"

"Are you a lesbian?" Chris asked, surprised.

"I’m straight. I’m just waiting for someone special," Gina said dreamily.

"Oh! So who’s your someone special?" Chris asked with a cheeky smile.

"I have no idea. But I’ll know when I see him for the first time because my heart will scream, 'Yes! It’s him!'" Gina said, blushing.

"Didn’t your heart scream the same way when you first saw me?" Chris teased, pouting.

"No!" Gina replied bluntly.

"Too bad you rejected a handsome guy like me. You have no idea how many hearts I've broken," Chris said proudly.

"Seriously, they must be foolish to fall for you," Gina teased back.

"Okay, fine. Let’s eat," Chris said.

"Yeah, sure!" Gina said as she tried to untie the knot of her apron.

"Do you need help with that?" Chris asked, noticing her struggle.

"No, I can manage," Gina said abruptly.

Chris sighed but waited patiently. Sensing she needed assistance, he stepped behind her and gently touched her hand as she tried to untie the knot.

Gina instinctively pulled her hands back, feeling stiff. She had never been this close to a man before.

"Don't worry; I'm just trying to help. I know my limits," Chris said calmly.

Gina could feel his warm breath on her neck, which made her nervous.

"All done! You can take it off now," Chris said, maintaining a respectful distance.

"Thanks!" Gina said, trying to look anywhere but at him.

Chris took a seat and began to eat. "Mmm... it’s been over a decade since I’ve had such delicious homemade pasta," he moaned.

"Why? Didn’t your mom cook for you?" Gina asked.

"No, she doesn’t even know how to cook," Chris admitted, a hint of embarrassment on his face.

"Don’t worry; now you’ll have homemade food every day," Gina grinned.

"Don’t you want to know about my family background?" Chris asked, looking slightly annoyed.

Gina shook her head. "At least you have a family, which is better than my situation."

Chris ate quietly while stealing glances at Gina, who was enjoying her meal peacefully.

Meanwhile, Asher entered the court where the leaders of the human realm awaited him.

"Welcome, Alpha King Asher Knight," the leader greeted.

"Please allow me to enter your realm. I promise I won’t misuse my powers," Asher requested calmly.

"Alpha King Asher, we need your help. Some rogues are causing trouble in our realm. We need your assistance in capturing them to maintain the peace treaty," the council leader explained.

"I’ll help, but under one condition: you let me use my powers," Asher insisted.

"I grant you permission to use your powers, but please don’t harm any humans," the leader replied.

"I won’t," Asher assured him.

"Then you may proceed," the leader said, permitting him.

Asher exited the castle, where a vast door appeared. He murmured a spell, and the door swung open. With a smirk, he said, "Mate, I’m coming to cage you."