The Alpha King's Regret

Chapter 3

A hooded figure made his way into the darkness in hurried steps, his head bowed down to avoid being recognized. He turned the corner and kept his movements close to the fence.

"What do you have for me, Dimitri?" he asked the other man who had been waiting in the dark. The two men stood completely hidden from view.

Dimitri bowed his head before speaking.

"She is yet to find her mate," he said.

He nodded. "And the Alpha is still very much taken by her?"

"He is. There is no doubt they'll be mated as soon as she turns twenty-three," Dimitri informed him.

The man grinned. Everything was going according to plan. "Make sure she doesn't find her mate before then."

"I will." And he made to walk away, but like an afterthought, he paused. "He physically abuses her badly."

The man grabbed Dimitri by the collar and slammed him against the wall roughly.

"I do not pay you to feel pity. I pay for your information. No mistakes, Dimitri. You do not want to know what I shall do to you. Do you?"

When he spoke, his breath came out ragged.

"No."

"Good, he released Dimitri, letting him slide to the floor.

The man made his way back, tightening his long, black coat around himself.

"It won't be long now," he said to himself. "Just a few more months."

"Be careful, the cook said, passing me the bowl that contained broth.

"Cut up the chicken! Get to it!" the voice of the head servant rang out in the kitchen as he barked out orders, walking up and down.

I set the large bowl of broth on the dining table and headed back to the kitchen.

"No, no, Chloe , go upstairs and join Margo and the rest with the cleaning, " the head servant said to me.

I nodded and hurried off up the stairs.

The packhouse was a beehive of activity- the visitors from the Black Tide pack were due to arrive tonight. The air was charged with excitement and anticipation, and even

Joshua looked slightly apprehensive. I didn't know the details of their visit, but I guessed it was for business.

Over the last few days, I'd had time to bring myself in order. It was funny enough that I'd dared dream of meeting my mate and that he'd be from the Black Tide pack; their members were way out of the league of a lowly werewolf like me. Even if I was an Alpha's daughter, I was a rejected one who had been reduced to Joshua's slave.

"More action and less being lost in thoughts, Chloe . Move!" I heard the head servant's voice bark so close to my ear that I flinched.

"I'm sorry, I said, hurrying up the stairs and joining Leah and the rest of the other girls at the guest quarters.

"Have you seen Amaya?" Leah asked me with a snicker as we proceeded to change the bedsheets in one of the rooms.

"No, why?"

"She is the funniest view ever. I never thought anyone could look worse until Hannah showed up," she said, laughing to herself.

I shook my head at her.

Anna , on the other hand, looked stunning. I had made her hair into a low crown bun, leaving strands of it to fall by the side of her face, giving her an ethereal look. Her dress did magic on her body, accentuating every curve she had been blessed with, and as I looked at her, for a moment, I felt a pang of jealousy and wished I was her; but just as soon, the feeling dissolved. We were opposites in every way, and if that wasn't obvious who was standing in front of her, dressed in rags-ready at her beck and call-I don't know how else it could've

been.

"I heard the Alpha's moving from pack to pack searching for his mate," Leila, another servant girl, whispered.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Why would he, of all people, be bothered about that? He has enough women around him to fill up that position."

"Nothing can fill up the feelings elicited by one's mate, another servant said from the end of the room where she was wiping the floor, her words causing something to stir in me.

"Let's stop talking about this and just focus on our work, I snapped, and they all turned to look at me.

"Poor Chloe , you won't know the feeling, not ever, Leila said, sneering at me.

"What did you say?" Leah asked, taking a threatening step towards her.

I pulled her back immediately. I was used to the jabs and insults from the other girls.

They thought I was favored by Joshua because I was going to be his Luna, and it made them jealous. I wish any one of them would offer to trade positions.

The door opened, and the head servant walked in with a hard look on his face. I knew immediately.

"The Alpha summons you, he said to me,

"It must be nice to get to skip work like this," Leila mumbled under her breath as I walked out of the room. I ignored her and shut the door behind me before heading towards Joshua's quarters, my terror heightening with each step.

I took in a deep breath and knocked on the

door.

"Come in," I heard him say from inside.

As soon as I entered and my eyes set on him, I averted my gaze. He was shirtless, wearing only black, well-ironed pants.

I focused my gaze on the floor, mentally noting how pristine the room always was. Joshua was that much of a perfectionist.

"Go on," he said to me. "Sit on the bed.

You seemed to have liked it the last time."

I looked up at him sharply. He was now wearing his shirt. Without a word, I walked up to the bed and sat on it, its softness yet again surprising me. It was a stark contrast to the hard bed I was used to.

"Are you preparing for our guests?" he asked with a mocking smile.

"Alongside the rest of the servants, yes," I answered promptly.

He raised a brow at me. "How about yourself?"

I gave him a confused look in response, and he walked closer to me, finishing by buttoning his shirt.

"You must be excited. It's the first time you'll be mingling with people other than the ones here." There was an undertone of taunt in his voice, and I knew I had to be careful with my response.

"No, I just do what I am asked to," I said.

"Do not lie, Chloe . You know how much dirty things like that taint you, how much it is beneath you," he said, trailing a hand gently on my face.

I sat stoically.

"You must be thinking of it, the possibility of meeting your mate from among our guests.

Look me in the eye and say you haven't, he urged, grabbing my chin tight and holding my gaze.

I stared at him right back. "The thought has occurred to me, I said bluntly. As he said, lying was beneath me.

"Now that's a good girl!" he exclaimed, laughing as he stood up and headed out the door. One of the pack's warriors stood outside the open door.

"Make sure she remains in this room all night and for the next three days!" he instructed.

"I will, the man said.

I sat on the bed, frozen in shock and disbelief even as the door was shut loudly behind him, and I heard the lock twist, indicating I'd been locked in.