The King's Fourth Mate

Episode 9

Raina's eyes enlarged at the sound of the familiar voice. Emperor Ephrin had chosen the worst possible moment to arrive.

"I have no idea who the hell you think you are, but this has nothing to do with you, so go ahead and fu*ck yourself!"

Jared growled as he gradually turned. His face hold a shock expression as he saw the emperor standing before him.

"My.. lord... sorry." Jared's face held a mix of fear and surprise.

"I didn't know it was you."

Raina heard an energized screech and she glanced at Chloe and Evan, who seemed both horrified and excited by the situation playing out in front of them.

Raina felt a deep sense of embarrassment and wished she could disappear as she turned with grim interest to see how this would work out.

Ephrin remained firm, staring aloofly at Jared's trembling figure as it approached him.

"My... lord, this has nothing to do with you. There's nothing more to it than a disagreement between a boyfriend and a girlfriend. It's nothing serious; we're not breaking any laws."

Jared said, the tremor in his voice releasing his fear.

Chloe laughed.

"Try not to lie, you wuss. Raina already break up with you for sticking your di*k in other person and getting her pregnant."

Chloe grinned, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she spoke.

Jared snarled at Chloe as Ephrin took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his enraged wolf. He's the king, and he doesn't want his emotions to take over.

He turned his head and cast his gaze over Jared's rumpled appearance, tutting loudly and shaking his head.

"Is this how the younger Alphas act nowadays?" Ephrin replied with a raised brow.

"It's a pity… standards have truly fallen since I last visited different packs."

"Please. There are some things that should not be heard by the general public. This should not have happened here." Raina said calmly, smiling up at Ephrin.

Ephrin was quiet for a few moments as he stared at her blankly, a blurred expression all over, before effortlessly slanting his head.

"Fine." Ephrin stated as he lifted his eyes and exchanged a deeper look with her.

Raina felt her cheeks flush right away and she moved clumsily on the spot.

"Do you both know each other?" Jared asked through narrowed eyes as he grabbed Raina's hand and drew her to his side, turning her slightly as he did so. She made an awkward contact with his shoulder, and he folded his arm over her, firmly holding her to his side.

Raina gulped nervously as she turned to look at Ephrin's dark face.

He seemed as though he was going to carry out murder.

"Jared had let go of me." Riana muttered as she tried to get away from Jared, but his grip on her was too tight.

Ephrin's gaze was drawn eagerly to where Jared's massive hand rested.

"Take your hands off of my mate." Ephrin spoke slowly, his lips curved into a threatening jeer.

"What? "Y... your mate?" Jared looked stunned and murmured.

Raina could see Ephrin's wolf moving on the outer layer of his eyes, and she couldn't fathom the emotions he was experiencing.

This was not a fight Jared could win.

"Let me go, you moron." Raina swallowed as she slapped Jared on the face and took advantage of the opportunity to free herself.

Jared yelled angrily.

"You're not leaving... " Jared took off after Raina, and she turned.

"Keep Your Dirty Hands Off My Mate!" Emperor Ephrin snarls angrily.

Raina could sense the tension all around her. Jared was slow, but he was undoubtedly losing control of his wolf.

"No! We're still connected; I never accepted her breakup."

After that, Jared finally exploded.

He gave in completely to his anger, growling and mauling stunningly towards Ephrin with a fierce thunder.

Ephrin sighed and avoided Jared's punch with surprising speed and agility, pushing Jared to the back and sending him stumbling across the table.

Jared growled, his face flushed red with rage and embarrassment, as he attempted to stand. He surrendered completely to his rage once more, without thinking.

Ephrin frowned, disgusted by the young Alpha's folly. He held on until Jared was only inches away, then easily avoided his punch once more.

Ephrin's massive hand grasped the back of Jared's neck, squeezing him downwards and slamming him to the floor in one swift movement.

*Damn! This moron wants to die. Our mate should just throw this moronic wick boy in the dungeon*.

Leia murmured enthusiastically in response to Ephrin's performance.

As Jared struggled against Ephrin's grip, Ephrin simply hunched down close to him, a slightly irritated expression on his face.

"If I see you anywhere near my mate again, I will send you back to your ancestors." Ephrin snarled.

Jared snarled as he finally lay motionless under Ephrin's grasp.

His anger burned within him, how could he have allowed himself to be made such a fool? The damage to his reputation would be immense.

Not only had he demonstrated his incompetence in a fit of rage, but he had also alienated the one person who could truly assist him in ascending to the throne.

Riana was nothing compared to Elsa, Raina didn't even possess a wolf for god's sake. His packs would never accept her. She would never rule, and now he had humiliated himself before everyone because of her.

Jared thought as Ephrin's grip on his neck tightened, causing him to struggle even more, resulting in his nose beginning to bleed.

Upon witnessing Jared's bleeding nose, Raina's eyes widened as she looked around the scene.

The crowd grew larger with every passing moment.

Sighing, Raina silently approached Ephrin and embraced his waist.

"Please release him. You don't want to instill more doubt and fear in the minds of your subjects."

Raina whispered to him.

Ephrin promptly let go of Jared, smoothing out his clothes and fixing any wrinkles on his suit.

Annoyed with the spot where Jared lay on the floor, Ephrin turned to Raina, flashing her a charming smile. He extended his arm to her, waiting expectantly.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

Raina's stomach fluttered at the sight of his gentle smile, and she linked her arm with his. Together, they made their way to the cafe's exit, as countless pairs of eyes silently watched them depart.

"Wait! Raina! Your bag!”

Suddenly, Chloe's voice shouted excitedly.

Raina paused and turned, seeing her best friend rushing toward her with a glowing face.

Chloe embraced Raina tightly, whispering in her ear, "Now I like him even more." With a coy smile, she added.

"Don't even think of rejecting him!" Chloe grinned mischievously and winked at them before waving goodbye.

She didn't even bother to look back as she raised her arm and flipped them off while heading back to Evan.

As Raina entered the car, she noticed Ephrin staring at her with a blank expression.

It made her feel a bit uneasy, so she quickly fastened her seatbelt. Once secured, she rested her hands on her lap and stared straight ahead through the windshield, even though she could still feel his eyes on her.

"I'm going to have my hands full with you, aren't I?" he commented with a sigh, before turning the ignition on and driving away.

Leia sniggered internally, *That all depends on if he's planning to make us his right now*

Raina's cheeks flushed, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

They drove in silence for a while, and Raina didn't know what to say. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Jared glancing over at her.

Finally, Ephrin spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"So, the young Alpha back there... Did you break up with him before or after you found out we are mates?"

Raina squirmed uncomfortably, stealing a quick glance at Ephrin to gauge his expression.

His face remained calm as he focused on the road, one hand on the steering wheel and the other casually resting on the open window, letting the breeze play with his hair. Even in such a relaxed position, he exuded power.

Raina sighed to herself, diverting her attention back to the passing scenery outside her window.

"It's a little complicated," she finally answered.

"I actually caught him with our Alpha's daughter on the evening of the mating ball... We were supposed to get married next month."

Ephrin's expression remained calm, except for a slight downturn of his eyebrows that hinted at his displeasure.

"Do you regret being my mate?" And don't lie to me," Ephrin asked earnestly, turning to cast a quick look at Raina, holding her gaze for a few moments before returning her gaze to the road.

Raina cast a sidelong glance at him and spoke slowly. "At first, yes."

When Ephrin heard Raina's response, his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"And your other friend?" He inquired casually.

" Evan." I've known him since elementary school."

"A red one?" Ephrin inquired, perplexed.

"He is subject to the law. There were no rules broken." Raina responded simply.

She didn't delve into too much detail, aware of the reputation the red ones carried. The society despised them due to their ancient ties.

Though the forged contracts were long broken, the animosity towards the race persisted. Raina wanted Evan to be understood for who he truly was, not influenced by outdated history.

Ephrin let out a light sigh and shifted in his seat.

Before turning onto a side road, the atmosphere in the car was deafeningly quiet.

The car was waved through the heavily guarded gatehouse without stopping. As they passed through, the guards loosened and greeted respectfully.

Ephrin got out of the car without looking at Raina as it came to a halt.

"Please, wait." Raina yelled as she chased him down.

*Damn! It's entirely your fault* Leia tutted angrily at Raina.