The Alpha King's Claim novel Chapter 28

The Alpha King’s Claim chapter 28 by desirenovel

Serena

Darkness was everywhere no matter where I look. Standing on a transparent floor, I couldn’t exactly tell where I was or if this place was even real. I was hyperaware of my body and surroundings though. I could feel my crazy-ass headache. I could feel the coldness of something…a hand holding mine and I could hear the sound of embers crackling somewhere in the distance.

“It’s faint still because of Manross’ incense, but it’s there,” I heard a familiar voice say. Recognition dawned on me instantly. Yes, that’s right. It was from the dark lord himself, so I decided to listen further.

“The taste of your blood is there and it is sweetly divine, my human queen.”

Inside my darkened world, I gasped. He already found out I was human! How? Did he bite me?!

“How did Aero find you?” he continued. I sensed the undeniable curiosity filling his voice. “What possible arrangement did you undergo with him? I want to know…”

Unfortunately for him, I couldn’t share that. It was mine and the King’s…and well Elijah’s…little secret.

“It’d be a waste to just hand you over to him. You’re too precious for him.”

What? What did he say just now?

“Should I risk war instead?”

My subconscious self was taken aback. Like Helen of Troy? Surely, I wasn’t that precious.

“My Lord, the Phanteon King just crossed our realm,” I heard a new voice say. It was deep and rough, similar to Idris Elba but without the English accent.

If the vampire lord was with me then that meant I was inside his castle still, in the realm of the vampires and not in Heaven. And yes, completely not dead. This new man also mentioned King Aero and something about crossing their realm… Did he mean my prick husband was on his way for me? Really?

I couldn’t believe what I just heard, but somehow a part of me warmed up. He came for me… he actually came for me…

“Hm, already?” the dark lord replied with an amused tone. “I was still enjoying conversing with our sleeping beauty.”

I ignored his generous use of the word to describe me and instead focused on the one clue pertaining to my situation. Did he just say I was sleeping? That couldn’t be. If I was sleeping, then I wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation and process it this clear and fast.

“So that’s the woman who had stirred up quite a ruckus in the werewolf kingdom,” the new man stated, leaving his statement hanging for the vampire lord to finish.

“You know her, Kerus?” Lord Hale asked.

Kerus. That’s the man’s name? I thought to myself.

“I only heard of this woman in the last meeting of the guardians. She slipped into Phanteon like a mouse completely undetected. Farryl swore she hadn’t felt her arrival until it was already too late. If she had intercepted it, she could have sent the human back to her own realm.”

I tried to process his words. They were all a puzzle to me, but certainly helpful in giving me an idea of just what I was dealing with.

“And Farryl decided to leave the woman in the care of the Phanteon royals instead?” Lord Hale remarked. I could hear the distrust in his voice which was an irony. Vampires certainly were creatures that anyone should be warier of than werewolves.

“Yes. She said it was to give Aero a lesson. A good way to torment him using his most hated specie in all the realms.”

I second what this Farryl did. Kudos to her, but by using me? Now that was just downright sly.

“Interesting…” Lord Hale remarked. His grip on my hand tightened. I was sure it was him because of how cold the hand was against my skin.

“She did try to interfere once, talk to her when she learned of their arrangement, but Farryl said some kind of barrier blocked her from nearing the woman.”

A barrier? Around me? Really?

“Even I could feel it… There’s an unknown force in the works here and until we, the guardians, find out what this is or who is protecting her, this woman will be running amok in all over the realms.”

“She looks harmless to me… How could such a beautiful creature be causing danger in the realms?”

I swallowed awkwardly after hearing his high praise, but yes, the vampire lord was right. I am harmless. I just wanted to return to Earth and forget I ever met the big, bad wolf of Phanteon.

“Careful now, My Lord. I saw the way your eyes reddened when you tasted her blood earlier.”

Wait. What now? Does that mean Lord Hale was the one who licked me that time? Was that how he found out I was human? Sure this meant I was safe from his bite, but licking my blood direct from my wound? That’s…that’s just too crass.

“This is exactly what I’m trying to say,” Kerus commented in an admonishing tone. “She could well be the downfall of two realms.”

I heard someone chuckle. It was near me, so I assumed it was from Lord Hale. Then, I felt his hand loosen.

“You are way ahead of yourself, Kerus. Slow down,” I heard him say. There was humor in his voice and something else I couldn’t quite figure out. “Tell me, what was this arrangement Farryl found out about them?”

Uh oh… How did this Farryl know? Was she part of these so-called guardians of the realms Elijah was talking about?

“She didn’t say, My Lord,” the man replied.

I was beyond relieved then. At least this woman had the respect to keep secrets to herself.

“Hm, so much for hoping,” I heard Lord Hale say, the sound of disappointment clear in his voice.

“Aren’t you going to meet the Phanteon King, My Lord?” the man asked.

“Give me a moment, Kerus.” I felt Lord Hale’s cold hand in mine once again.

“I’ll be on the sidelines observing, My Lord.”

I heard another rich chuckle after that.

“You guardians always do. Don’t worry. I won’t upset the balance.”

There was silence after and it remained like that until I sensed a palm touch my cheek.

“Queen Serena… I guess it’s time to say goodbye,” Lord Hale’s voice was loud and clear near my ear. ”But don’t worry, we’ll see each other again. You owe me a bite, my queen.” Inside my subconscious, I started to panic. “I’ll come to collect it in due time.”

I felt something soft but cold press my mouth then. It wasn’t difficult for me to realize this dark lord was actually kissing me… taking advantage of my sleeping state.

If I was conscious, I would have pushed him back. I would have slapped him for forcing himself on me. I would have given him some extra sharp words. But since my body was still comatose, I could do nothing.

The next moment, his lips were gone. He must’ve left the room for I couldn’t hear a sound other than the continuous crackling of embers.

It felt like forever until I heard the sound of voices once again. This time, however, I was completely aware one of the voices came from my husband himself.

King Aero.

I didn’t know if I should be happy or not, but either way, I knew then I was safe. And Rhea too. It seemed Elijah was sensitive enough to bring her with us.

Without warning, I felt large hands wrap around my waist. It cradled me and pushed me flush against a chest—a warm, inviting chest. King Aero’s ephemeral scent hit me instantly and because of that, I knew… I knew that the one holding me was my husband. Fake or not, I felt a wonderful sense of calm and comfort.

Maybe when I come to consciousness, I could say a word of thanks.

After King Aero held me, I guess I completely blacked out because the next thing I knew, three voices of females were around me, chanting something using a foreign language. They did this for a number of occasions.

I felt rejuvenated in each passage. I felt a rush of energy inside me, filling me and arousing my tired form. My throbbing headache had finally ceased. I was back to my healthy self again.

When I finally awoke, I half expected to be greeted by these three women. It wasn’t the case. The King’s sleeping face welcomed me instead, so close to my own I could literally feel his warm breath fanning my cheeks.

To top it off, his arms were around me, caging me in his warm embrace. I couldn’t move, but even if I could, I wouldn’t dare lest I risk waking him up and putting both of us in an awkward meet-and-greet.

I decided to stay put, let time fix our confining position. It was all good, yes, until his not-so-sleeping member down south decided to poke me…

I bit my lip. Oh hell, he was so damn hard.

Author’s Note: Let the games begin.