| CHAPTER 42 : HOW DO INNOCENTS TALK ? |
Workout and training continued the same way for the next few days. King Alpha came late at night while I was already asleep and heads out before I even woke up.
I didn't let that bother me too much. I mean I'm not the type of person who gets bothered just because a boy doesn't talk to her.
Right...?
I tried getting more used to the warriors and allowed myself to remain in their conversations. These warriors weren't that bad and were actually fun. Except for the casual vulgar words and random urges to stab each other.
Levi tried keeping me close to him whenever we were with the guys and tried his best to close any conversation about me and King Alpha. Drake seemed the most intended to know more about my "relationship" with King Alpha.
The ball was in a few weeks and the whole mansion was in a bit of a rush. They started cleaning and polishing every corner, they spread out new carpets, and they swept and mopped the floors twice. This all just got me more anxious and panicky.
I wanted to know more about the Royals, but everyone seemed to visibly pale or even tremble when someone mentions the Royals.
The only person who doesn't seem bothered at all, you guessed it, Drew. He seemed to be counting the days until the ball and always looked excited.
Maybe I could ask him to tell me more about the Royals.
I found him, strolling in the mansion's garden. Yeah, I know right! They have a freaking garden!
"Drew!" I called out while running towards him.
He turned around and smiled when he saw me, "Bonjour, how ya are doing?"
"Sore and tight," I replied.
His smile dropped.
Realizing what I said, my eyes widened, "I mean the workout and training. Because of that, my muscles are sore and tight," Ugh, I was two seconds from face-palming.
He laughed, "Relax, chérie, I know what you mean."
A smile came to my face.
I'm almost glad to have Drew here. He's easy to talk to, he's fun and he doesn't confuse me. I mean Drew was practically my friend, right? He saved me from King Alpha a couple of times, and he only calls me 'ma chérie'.
"So what were you doing?" I asked as I strolled beside Drew while we walked through the garden.
"Just walking," he replied. The sun was high in the sky, lightening Drew's warm blue eyes.
"Anything you want to tell me?" he asked, "You ran here like a cheetah."
I snorted, "I'm not that fast."
"Oui, then you ran here like a sloth."
I gave him a look before inhaling.
"I wanted to ask you about the Royals."
He raised an eyebrow, "The Royals?"
"Yeah, like what kind of people are they? How many are there? What will they say after looking at me?" I let nervousness take over my voice.
Drew sensed it and gave me a calming smile, "Royals are family, chérie. They're only a bit strict and don't like to beat around the bush. They ruled great times and fought fiercely beside King Alpha during the war between werewolves and witches."
"Yeah, Levi told me about that. That the Royals from everywhere had come to help King Alpha."
"Yeah," Drew's smile widened as if it meant more to him than anything else, "it was, in simple words, epic."
"Why is everyone scared of them though?" I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my joggers.
He furrowed his eyebrows, "Scared?"
"Yeah, they start shaking as if suddenly they caught a cold."
He thought for a moment before shrugging, "Royals are fierce and vicious people. Wolves ought to show respect even if it's by being scared."
"But you're not fierce or vicious," I pointed. "You're a Royal too right?"
He smiled and nodded, "I am indeed."
"But you're calmer and always dancing like a sunflower."
He easily laughed, "Oh, believe me, chérie, I am not as calm as I look, and I am truly vicious given the chance."
I paused, not knowing how to respond to that.
Taking in my silence, he turned towards me, with a more calming voice, "you have nothing to worry about, Ez. The Royals are coming only to see you. That's all they'll do. They won't harm you if that's what you're afraid of. The ball is just a way of getting together and having a proper welcome party."
I inhaled deeply, "King Alpha said they're gonna declare me queen."
He waved a dismissive hand, "It isn't exactly like that. Everyone is just gonna know that you're the future queen and that King Alpha has accepted you. The crowning queen thing happens later. Probably when you're married."
My eyes widened, "Married?!"
He blinked, "What?"
"I'm gonna get married too?" I yelled.
"Only if you want to." He said immediately, "after the ball if you still don't want to stay here then you can leave as you wish. If King Alpha lets you go and doesn't kidnap you again, that is."
A troubled frown came on my face, "Uh-huh."
Suddenly, the pressure of everything around me started weighing me down. I didn't know how to think anymore. I felt like a grown-up adult having stress issues with everything going out of hand.
How does one deal with this shit?
I called Griselda later and asked her to bring me food but this time, I asked her to bring me the double of what she usually gives me.
Great, now I'm stress-eating.
I couldn't sleep at night too.
The clock showed 1 am and I have been pacing around King Alpha's room. He didn't return yet from wherever he goes to.
Finally getting frustrated with stressing myself, I raised my hands and started slapping myself.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid."
I even tried pinching myself at random places.
When the pain from all that dimmed down my stress, I flopped onto the bed and tried going to sleep.
After very difficult minutes, I finally fell asleep.
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I grew a bit aggressive and irritated while fighting Sydney. It wasn't his fault obviously. I'm making myself angry thinking about King Alpha.
He wasn't there in the morning when I woke up. Again.
At this point, I feel like he's definitely trying to ignore me.
But that shouldn't bother me, should it?
I threw a series of fists at Sydney's face while he brought up his hands to block them.
The ball is in a few days, and I have no reassurance or help whatsoever! King Alpha doesn't talk to me. The warriors only want to fight and Drew's excitement and happiness only scares me more.
The three girls who came for the dress fitting, come every day to map out my body or to check out different shades of colour trying to match and make everything "perfect".
And guess what else has been added to my schedule?
Dance lessons.
Ball dance lessons.
Yup. Truly exciting right? Note my sarcasm.
This guy called Rick takes me to a room and teaches me to how to dance. He's one of those hippy guys with a mustache and a barrette hat. He's kind to me enough to not snap or yell at me whenever I knee him in places every few minutes while trying to dance.
Do I do it purposefully? Sometimes...
But it helps me get out some stress so why not?
"How old are you anyway?" I asked while he taught me how to spin while also teaching me how to not trip on the ballgown.
He shrugged, pulling me closer and making me twirl once again, "I've lived long enough to teach many Royals how to dance. Now eyes fixed on me, darling."
Thinking about that I'll have to dance in the ball makes me want to throw up sometimes. There'll be so many people watching me, so many eyes. At this point bawling my eyes out seems pretty reasonable.
I managed to kick Sydney in the shin and without hesitation, brought my fist up to his jaw.
"That was good," Levi grinned, his hands on his hips, "You did well today."
My chest rose up and down while I sucked in deep breaths, panting.
"And you're done for today, Ez," Levi said, checking his watch.
"Finally," I groaned, stretching my arms.
I walked over to the bleachers to drop my hand bandages. Sweat stuck to me like a second skin from all over as I grabbed a towel and began wiping my face and neck. And it doesn't help with the threatening notes King Alpha leaves out some days to be fully covered around the guys.
I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice Drake sitting in front of me, a few steps above the bleacher.
"Are you okay, plum?" he asked making my head snap up towards him.
"Huh?"
"You look exhausted." He commented.
I closed my mouth and shrugged continuing to wipe myself, "I'm fine."
Chase appeared beside me, "You've got dark circles, forehead lines, your cheeks are sunken in a bit and your boobs a little saggy."
Warrant spat out the hot chocolate he was sipping, "You're pregnant?"
All eyes snapped to me, wide.
I was somewhere between scoffing and giving them a ridiculous look, "What?"
Fred slung a muscular arm around my shoulder, "You know when you have a small, tiny thing called a fetus in your stomach. It happens when you have sex then the male gamete explodes with the femal-"
"I know what pregnant means!" I interrupted Fred, pushing his hand off my shoulder, "and I'm not pregnant. Plus my boobs are fine, thank you very much, Chase."
He gave me a skeptical look.
"Then what's wrong with your body?" Drake asked.
An involuntary sigh came out of my lips as I contemplated how to talk to them or how to talk out of this.
A few moments of silence later, Hans finally snapped.
"Do you bullheads not get it? King Alpha has been avoiding her and that's what driving her up the notch."
The guys went 'ohhh' in realization.
"What?" I scoffed, "that's not what's wrong."
"Then what, huh?" Hans raised an eyebrow.
"I-I'm just tired from training in the morning, dress thingy in the afternoon and dance lessons at night." Which wasn't a complete lie.
"Then you should eat more," Warrant bumped my side, holding out a box of muffins.
"Where the hell did you get that from?" My mouth dropped open.
He grinned, showing all sharp teeth, "Never told anybody, never telling you."
I shook my head at him but took a muffin and took a big bite.
"Though I hope you're not allergic to nuts." Warrant observed the cupcakes.
Chase spit out the muffin in his mouth, looking at Warrant with wide eyes, "I am, you fucker!" he started hyperventilating, "god, now I'm gonna get pimples and rashes. Someone get me my cream!" He rushed around, searching for his cream.
Everyone ignored him as if Chase hyperventilating about his looks was completely normal.
"But still, you know?" Drake spoke, getting my attention, "Say, if there were some problems going on between you and King Alpha, I'm the best person you can talk to about it, kay?"
"Don't give into him," Matt spoke sleepily from the bleachers, "he just likes hearing relationship dramas."
All the guys nodded in agreement.
"Would you assholes let me talk to the girl?" Drake glared at all of them.
"She doesn't need your relationship advice, Drake," Hans spoke in boredom, "the last relationship advice you gave ended with the girl having to commit suicide."
My eyes widened, "What? Really?"
"No," Hans snorted, "but we like to think that happened."
Fred laughed, playfully shoving Drake.
"I'm just trying to help Ezzy here." Drake protested.
I just love the way everyone here feels free to use my nicknames like Ez and Ezzy. It gives me some comfort in hearing it. Except for a few people who go full-on calling me 'Lady Ezlynn'.
"Thanks, Drake but I'm not having "relationship" problems." If a relationship is something that actually exists between me and King Alpha.
"Uh-huh," Chase appeared again with a white cream spread out on his face, "she sure does sound like she's having relationship problems. Go on, papa. Give her some of your advice." Chase said to Drake.
Drake gave me a glad look and ushered me to sit on the bleachers despite my protesting or saying that it was nothing. I finally gave up and flopped down with a sigh.
Drake and Fred sat either side beside me with the rest of the guys sitting on the bleacher just above us. Only Levi stood across us, pinching the bridge of his nose at the guys.
"So tell me, sweets," Drake started, "have you had the deed with our lord yet?" he leaned towards me, interested in hearing whatever I have to say.
"No."
"Have you ever kissed?"
Flashes of King Alpha's lips on my neck and my jaw came back to me. My body heated up with the memories.
"Ooo, they did." Chase grinned while Fred patted my back as if I did something really big to be proud of.
"No, we didn't kiss," I interjected quickly, "not on the mouth at least."
"Okay, have you ever touched or saw his coochie? Did you blow it?" Drake asked.
"What?" I spluttered this time not bothering to keep the heat off my face.
Levi facepalmed.
"You know? Little junior King Alpha." Drake continued.
Before I could say anything, Hans picked up a sleepy Matt and launched him at Drake. A gasp escaped my lips as I jerked back. Matt collided with Drake and together they went sprawling on the ground.
"Shut up, dickhead. You're making her uncomfortable." Hans snapped.
"What the hell," Matt mumbled looking like he was about to cry before he glared at Hans, "you ruined my dream!"
"You were the nearest thing to grab," Hans shrugged.
"And you thought of catapulting Matt at me?" Drake glared while getting off the floor.
"You talk rubbish, you get rubbish." Hans declared.
It took a second to click in Matt's head, "Hey!" He glared further at Hans.
"Okay, whatever, whatever," Drake sat back down beside me, "Let's do this again, Chica. And feel free to explain it to me politely," he shot a look towards Hans, "that you feel uncomfortable, kay?"
Hans rolled his eyes, crossing his arms but looking intended to hear me speak.
"Okay so you're the innocent Mary Jane so let's speak like innocent people," Drake started, "are you a virgin?"
"When the hell did that become innocent?" Chase asked, frowning.
"Well, then how do innocents talk?" Drake threw his hands up.
I was close to "politely" telling them off and saying I didn't need any help. But before I could, a metal staff slid between Drake and I. Levi pushed Drake's face away from mine which had gotten close, with the staff.
"Thank you, gentleman, for making our Lady uncomfortable. Now please excuse her, while she walks out of this hellhole you people created." Levi flashed a fake polite smile, pushing a button and shortening his staff before putting it back into his weapon belt.
He let out a hand towards me and I placed mine in his, letting him pull me out of the crowd the guys made while towering over me.
"Fine, then don't complain if she gets her heartbroken." Drake huffed, crossing his arms.
"Excuse them for their immaturity," Levi said to me.
I shrugged as if saying 'it's cool'.
"I didn't even do anything." Matt protested, "Even Sydney there is sitting like a good boy."
Sydney who had been silently listening to our conversations waved at us.
"Whatever," Levi sighed, "go get some food or clean up or whatever you do, Ez. Just get away from them."
I nodded before turning around gladly and walked out of the arena.
Truth to be told, I was actually hoping to talk to someone about what's going on between me and King Alpha. If there was something going on in the first place that is.
If Jade were here, I would have gone into a full-blown rant and told her everything. A small ache bloomed in my chest, thinking of her. God, how I missed her.
But instead, I got these warriors. No matter how vulgar or open-mouthed they were, I actually felt sort of...good, speaking to someone. Even if I didn't speak too much.
With a tired body, I carried myself to King Alpha's room.
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Date: 23 August 2021