Chapter 21
It looks so beautiful.” Ralphine said as she took in the surroundings, all the fear she once had about the place dissipating into thin air. She couldn’t deny that Asmoria was big and covered in forests. Of course, she was curious about that but she couldn’t rair this moment by asking so many questions, especially those that would get the Lycan King suspicious and make him wonder what in the world was going on.
“I’m glad you chose to stay,” King Miroslav said for the hundredth time as he watched his queen watch the scope of Asmoria, it would be a lot to take in for her but she wouldn’t have to do this alone. He was going to be there with her, through and through
“Ralph… Why did he do it?” The King asked once they settled on a part of the palace roof, one that was safe enough and one that could have the both of them holding onto each other.
“He didn’t want a weak mate.” Ralphine said softly, looking everywhere but at Miroslav. She had been exposed to the worst the worst conditions in Asmoria and she wouldn’t want to relive them again. However, she knew that this was her trying to gain the King’s trust. Miroslav had been good to her and had given her time to gather herself. It was like he was waiting for her, always watching out for her in silence. He hadn’t pushed her about it and she appreciated that he was patient with her.
“A weak mate?” King Miroslav asked, letting out a low growl like he couldn’t believe someone had said that about his Erasthai. Sure, he had found her broken and bruised but over the weeks, he had seen her for more than that. He had known her for who she was and he had seen the energy and aura around her.
His Erasthai was nothing like weak and the fact that she was mated to him was all the proof of it all. His queen didn’t need to know combat to be a strong person. She didn’t need to lead kingdoms into war or even be at the forefront with the warriors to be considered strong and someone who could be useful in any society.
Miroslav had watched her tenderness and the simplicity that she carried herself with. He admired her for being gentle and understanding. He hoped that she would stay because he knew he would never find someone like her again and someone had just let her go because she was weak? That was unacceptable and the King wanted Drescher’s head again.
“Yes. And I was a rankless wolf, an outcast. It was easy to pick on me and make me do their bidding. So when he found out he was mated to the girl everyone always mocked and made fun of, he couldn’t take it. More like his fragile ego couldn’t take it. Funny how he found out we were mates a week before and didn’t bother telling me, only rejected me a week later in front of everyone. Anyway, that is all,” Ralphine said slowly.
King Miroslav looked at his queen, the urge to know more making him want to press on, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t do that to her. He couldn’t force her to tell him. He already knew what had happened to her and even the how, and frankly each time he heard it again, he wanted to go to Koslov and make an example of the beta.
“It’s okay, if you don’t want to continue,” King Miroslav said and Ralphine leaned on his shoulder gently, before telling him of what had happened that day. She went on to describe what she had felt and how helpless she had even when she watched her parents getting burned for a sin they would never do. She trusted her parents so much and believed that there was a chance that the Koslov alpha had been lying, but what was the use for it right now?
“Oh love,” Miroslav whispered once she was done telling him her version. It broke his heart and with it he promised to be better, to make sure she wouldn’t hurt again.
“Ralph.. let me introduce you to our people. I want to do that officially and in an acceptance ceremony so they don’t look at you differently. What do you think, sweetheart?” King Miroslav asked even though he had a feeling that she would refuse. He had learned that she was a quiet girl, one who preferred to stay in her lane all the time.
But then again, being mated to Miroslav was already putting a target on her back and she had to have known that her quiet life was never going to be the same anymore, right? Surely she knew that there was danger wherever Miroslav Ibrahimovich was and she had accepted him which technically meant that she would be a target too.
Would she be okay with that though?
“What if I’m not good enough?” Ralphine asked. She had been ridiculed more than once before people, and while she had learned to be accepting of everything, she was scared of being ridiculed again. She was worried she would make a fool of
herself.
Ralphine had been broken one too many times and this first hope was making her way too skeptical. She had so many and worries but in the end, she hoped that things would be fine, right? After all, there wasn’t much for her to hope for if not
wishes. her lifeline, yeah?
Chapter 21
“But what if you’re more than good enough, love? What if you’re the best decision I ever made in my long life? Tell me, love, what if?” Miroslav said with gentle eyes as he looked at his Erasthai. He understood where she was coming from and he wasn’t going to blame her, because he would help her out of that shell.
He would let the world see her beauty and he would teach her to appreciate who she was and every single thing that she was capable of doing or becoming. He would make the world see her and respect her. Anyone who would want to go against her, he would send them back to their creators. It was just that simple with Miroslav.
“Don’t you think it’s too soon? I mean you have the whole rogue situation with you, and the warlocks are creating a revolution. You don’t have to do this right now; you can always do it later. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to run away or choose another mate. Ibrahim. You are it for me,” Ralphine said, her voice full of reassurance as she rubbed a hand on Miroslav’s cheek.
She was scared of what was happening and worried that it was all too fast. She was worried the King was making a decision that could ruin his people, a decision based on emotions and that would without a doubt hurt his people.
Ralphine didn’t want to be the reason the Lycans lost more than they needed to. She would give them their King and hope that she found a place with them too. If she didn’t, she wasn’t going to complain. After all, she was used to rejection, right?
“You’re so selfless, askim. I know what worries you, but do not worry. You are my queen, my other half. I don’t care if the world comes apart because of it. I will give you whatever you want, without a doubt. You deserve everything good in this world, Ralph. Don’t put yourself second, baby, you will always be first. All the damn time and hells be damned if someone dares to mess with that
“Be selfish a little, askim, no one will fault you for it,” Miroslav said and Ralphine let out a sad chuckle. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been selfish. Everything in her life was forced on her either by circumstances or by the powerful. Maybe this time would be different, right?
“Well in that case, you do what you must, I will support you,” Ralphine said to the King and he just smiled sheepishly at her. It was a strange sight that Ralphine was not sure she would ever get used to. This man was supposed to be a devil and he relay was with everything else. Everyone but her. It was like she was the light to his darkness, but he wasn’t complaining about it, so it had to be something good, yeah?
“Then you’ll be pleased to know I threw a party for you, with all the leaders of all the factions in the realm. It doesn’t matter if they are humans or werewolves. They are all coming” King Miroslav said with a certainty that made Ralphine think that there was more to this. This man was too excited for someone who had been panicking earlier. Then again, she had learned that this King always had contingency plans to his contingencies. She was willing to bet that this was one of them.
“Why?” Ralphine dared to ask.
“Because any day is a good reason to celebrate you being my mate and my Lycans having a queen. After all, you are the best thing that ever happened to us,” the Lycan King said earnestly at the confused woman before him.
She just couldn’t understand what this King meant by that, because Ralph could have sworn that she had done nothing other than move from her chambers to the dining room and back. And in the past few weeks, she hadn’t stepped out. Instead, she had been locked up in those chambers, worried sick about what her fate was in the hands of her barbaric mate.
“What if”
“Don’t worry askim. They are all coming. I extended an invitation to him. if he doesn’t show up, I will consider it a snub to my invite and that will be a good reason for me to be a nuisance again,” the Lycan King said like this was the best thing he had heard or planned on doing the whole day. Maybe the books were right. Maybe the King had lost his mind, and even if that was so, what else could they do other than pray that he didn’t fuck them up?
“Hold on, Ibrahim. What do you mean? Are they coming today?” Ralphine asked, her heart pounding in her chest at the possibility that she would run into Drescher. She wasn’t scared of the Koslov beta. She was just worried about how things could. get. She knew Miroslav to be a man of vengeance. With every word from his mouth, she was sure the dark King wouldn’t forgive the beta for what he had done.
“Yes, Ralph. They are all coming. In fact, some of the leaders have arrived. Tonight, it’s all about you, askim,” Miroslav said for the hundredth time. He adored his Erasthai so much that if he wasn’t careful anyone would think he was ready to worship the very ground she walked on. But wasn’t that the truth?
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Ralphine suddenly said when she noticed how much the air had changed. She had been so cooped up in her thoughts with Miroslav that she had failed to pay attention. And now, Drescher was coming. The man who had broken her was coming to Asmoria and there wasn’t anything she could do about it, especially with the smog look on Miroslav’s face
