05|Lucien Isn’t Pleased
1161 Words
Who does she think she is?
He heard her answer clearly, but what audacity to say it was perfect!
“Privacy, mother. I want to speak with the girl.”
“Okay, Lucien. I am right outside if I am needed,” replied Philipha, leaving the room reluctantly.
“Nomad,” Lucien called the moment they were alone. “What exactly is your agenda here? You may speak freely,” Lucien asked with his arm still crossed behind his back.
The word ‘perfect’ still rang in his ears. Just as she had said.
“I don’t understand, King Alpha, please explain?” The girl put on a pretty attitude, answering politely like she hadn't been the same person who had given such an audacious response earlier.
It was a good thing she was backing him; reading her would have been easy.
Lucien noticed she was touching her lower lip continuously with her forefinger.
His jaw tightened. He understood what his mother had been doing all these years, trying to bring in girls who looked like the love of his life. He had been aware of it all even in the shadows.
He had a way of listening and people didn’t know he was always there. They all thought Aurora made him chicken out, but he had to go to make life easier for his people in ways they wouldn’t understand even if it stared them in the face.
He stared at the girl’s midnight hair. It was lush, cascading down like a black waterfall. Just like Aurora, he thought to himself.
He moved closer and closer, wanting to touch her hair but turned away when he was almost five inches away.
“You wore red at your own wedding, even now, you are wearing red. Your hair is let loose, who are you trying to please? Did my mother put you up to this?”
“No, King Alpha,” her voice shook slightly for the first time since he walked in. “No one put me up to anything, I am not a child.”
“Then you must be a fool for doing those things, no one wears red in public without asking for me to behead them. Your audacity needs to be studied and your hair, how many times did you have to dye it before it became this dark?” he asked with a bitter smile.
“Answer me, nomad,” yelled Lucien. Women did all sorts of things to please him. He could smell their desperation from a hundred miles away and it was sickening.
“I didn’t have to dye my hair; I was born this way. Why would I have to?”
“For cheap attention, probably.” He shot back.
“Whose attention, King Alpha, yours?” she probed back, provocatively.
Lucien’s lips twitched. “You tell me, nomad, you wanted to be a copycat so bad you even let your hair loose. Learn to be yourself or these orders you take from whoever it is, will get you killed in no time.”
”I wouldn’t dye my hair nor wear red for your attention. It is of no use.”
“I would rather not seek your attention at all. Red is my favorite color. I would take black too, my hair probably looks like one of my parents’.” Her body tensed with annoyance.
“Anyone can do anything for male attention, but I would rather go horse riding, dance, or hunt. These activities help maintain a sharp brain, Alpha.”
“So who has your attention, then?” Lucien asked.
“Horse riding.” Her shoulders shook and his eyes narrowed when he noticed she was trying hard not to laugh.
Everyone knows not to play with him, but Aurora's look-alike was asking for it.
She was sly and cunning like a fox, how else would he explain her unsteady tone?
Lucien decided against playing little games with her. He decided that whoever it was she was playing around with was none of his business.
But she has the responsibility of not bringing him shame and rubbing it on the Darkfurs. It will bring her ruin should she endeavor in such stupidity.
He made a mental note to ask someone to scrutinize her, a woman would be good for this purpose.
“Horse riding is good.” Lucien sighed. “As far as it’s just that. Like I said before, this is not to be consummated. I don’t consider it a marriage, nor are you under any obligation to have bastards and give them my name. I wouldn’t be pleased.”
“You shouldn’t have them for your own sake. This arrangement must be impeccable and you must attend all court hearings. I want to know whatever is going on there.”
“Okay, I will do as you've instructed, can I….” She started to turn when Lucien suddenly hit her gently on her knee, she fell with a thud onto the cold floor and winced hard.
She was almost on the verge of tears when Lucien spoke.
“I told you not to look back.” He gritted.
“Do not try that again. I could have your heart out in seconds!” Empty threats were not his thing but the nomad clearly doesn’t listen.
“I noticed a light coming on from the back earlier. Did you see it? Almost like lightning, King Alpha. Did you see it?”
“Yes, the light came from me,” he threw his head back. He wasn’t about to explain that Fabian was calling him back.
Lucien wanted to circle her badly, to make her know his presence, but it was scary for most people. It would be even scarier for her.
“You shouldn’t look back until I ask you to.” His voice was cold but calmer now. “Learn to take instructions without thinking about doing your own bidding. How is your knee? It's not bruised, is it?”
He noticed her swallow a lump of air before talking.
“I am fine, King Alpha,” answered Alina
He was sure she wanted to argue but decided against it. Good girl!
“Anything else you want me to do?” She started again.
“We are out of time. Hiding is not a pleasant thing for me, as I mentioned earlier, I don’t have time for marriage. How old are you?“
“A little over nineteen,” she responded
“A child!” He exclaimed.
“Nineteen is not a child. I'll be twenty in the summer.” She said, still touching her lower lip with her forefinger, faster this time.
“You are still a child, nomad. Say, I could trust you if I gave you assignments. But it won’t be discussed here, I will come to you when I need you.”
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, King Alpha.”
- Writer
