Mated to the Chosen Alpha King

Chapter Three: "Stay away from me"

Kristal made sure to call Cara everyday after work. The high priestess' words left her spooked, she had to hear her father’s voice to make sure he was ok.

He was making progress with his meds, but she couldn’t shake off the fear ever since that day. He was the only man she truly cared about. She never had time to date.

Kristal stood beside the Prince who was seated in his chair. He was making plans to visit some packs with Rex. She looked between them, they looked so different. Rex had hair as black as night and Nicholas' was like the golden sun.

Nicholas had a calmness about him, Rex looked troubled.

“You cannot go that far away without raising questions from the King” Rex tried to reason with the Prince.

“I know, but I want to. The packs in the Northq can’t loose hope in the Royal family. They have to see me”.

“And risk you life? Just send me in your place”.

“No. I’ve heard rumors, some Alphas are becoming dissatisfied with the King's demands for their young”.

“Your majesty, the King is simply preparing the army for possible wars.” Rex didn’t even believe the words he was speaking.

“Or he’s protecting himself at the cost of his people. You of all people should know what it’s like to be taken”. Rex thought of the recurring nightmares he had every night.

Kristal looked at Rex's handsome face. She wondered what his childhood was like.

“The high priestess paid the Alpha King a visit” Nicholas continued.

Rex’s gaze shifted to where Kristal stood. He had a scowl on his face. Nicholas noticed they had said too much.

“Secrecy is part of your Job description Kristal. Spilling what you hear and see is equal to disappearing”. Nicholas smiled at her. She held her pen tightly.

She remembered Arlene's warning. “I understand your majesty”. He had been kind to her, but she didn’t doubt he could be capable of ending her life.

She had seen two maids beaten beyond recognition because they served the king food that almost choked the Alpha King. His son might be just as cruel as his father.

Nicholas looked at wristwatch. “I have to meet a friend. Cancel every other appointment Kristal”.

As he prepared to leave, Rex followed. Kristen packed her bag.

“I’m going alone” Kristal and Rex looked bewildered.

“Your majesty you cannot…” she began to protest.

“Oh please, you both don’t have to shadow my every move. Kristal enjoy your time off” He fingered the cuff of his sleeve.

Nicholas tapped Rex on the shoulders “You too. You need to sleep. Have a drink with me when I return”. Nicholas left before anyone of them could protest.

Kristal looked at Rex, he had bags under his eyes. She took care of her family so much she was always stressed, so she knew the look of stress.

“He's right you know” she said. He turned to her, his brows knit together.

“Maybe you'll look better if you took a break and frowned less” Kristal looked at his face, he was a dark haired Adonis. She wondered how breathtaking he would look on a good day.

Kristal felt her wolf jump to the surface. She only felt like that when she needed to run through the woods in her wolf form to feel free.

“You’re the Prince's assistant, not mine. So stay out of my business” Her smile fell at the sting of his words.

She felt the bubble burst. She had been seen him for two weeks now, she needed to know if the moon goddess had gifted her such a horrible man as her mate.

Kristal held his free hand. He had that alarmed look in his eyes again. “I'm tired of beating around this. Do you feel what I feel or not? Tell me I’m crazy and you’re not my mate!”.

Rex growled and he yanked his hand out of hers. He pushed her against the wall, pinning her by her shoulders. Her green eyes widened.

He squeezed her shoulders “You are crazy” Tears built up in her eyes.

“You don’t mean that Rex. I know you are my mate” He heard his wolf howl in agreement with her.

He had done some digging on her family, he knew why she turned up for the job.

“Yes you are my mate” he laughed. “But I don’t care about that.” He held her chin and drew her face closer to his, so their lips were inches apart.

Kristal closed her eyes. She inhaled his smell, she tasted it on her lips. He tastes like mint and something woody.

“Someone like me can never be with someone as pathetic as you” her eyes flashed open and tears fell. “Do you throw yourself like this at every man at any given opportunity?”.

“Rex, I….” she couldn’t force the words out. His eyes held disgust.

“I reject you as my mate. Stay away from me” he released her from his hold. Kristal crumbled to the ground. Rex left. She heard Arlene muttering something to Rex and he growled.

Kristal heard soft padding of footsteps beside her. “Oh dear, now what happened?” Arlene stooped and brushed a strand of hair away from Kristal's face.

“I thought you didn’t like me” Kristal wiped tears off her face. Arlene rolled her eyes. “Look honey, you look like a mess. Let’s get you to your room”.

They got to her room and Arlene waited for her to change. She sat on Kristal's bed.

“Thank you Arlene, you didn’t need to help”. The older woman smirked. “Quit your yapping. Now tell me what happened?”

Kristal didn’t want to talk but she need a friend. She told Arlene what happened.

“I warned you didn’t I? No one here is really your friend. You serve, you survive and you earn your pay”.

“You sound like the expert”. "I saw the Prince in diapers and that hard headed mate of yours the first time he came here. He was just a scrawny kid” Kristal found it hard to imagine Rex as scrawny.

“I’ve watched this place turn people inside out. I stayed by keeping my head low". "Why didn’t you leave?”

“I needed the money, I still do. My family needs the extra help they can get” Kristal remembered the conversation between the Prince and Rex earlier.

She was glad Cara was far away from this chaos.

“ I heard the King wasn’t always a tyrant, what changed him?”.

“The walls have ears girl” Arlene looked to the door. Kristal heard a pair of footsteps.

“Get some rest” Arlene said as she stood to leave.

Kristal was even more curious now about what happened, she would ask Arlene some other time.

Kristal could still hear Rex's rejection in her head. She felt a jab in her chest. She made a mental note to avoid him and never give him the chance to hurt her again.

Kristal thought of what Antonia had said. If Rex was the one she would love, then she hoped his death would come quickly. She laid on her bed and cried herself to sleep.