Chapter 9
Miroslav Israhimovich!!!! A feminine voice shouted, turning all the attention to her, and making people start whispering There was an ounce of power in that voice and for a moment, Ralphine assumed that the woman was probably one of the high–ranking Tycans. Well, she was right.
Ralphine didn’t hesitate to pause and look at the source of the voice, a woman so brave enough to call the Lycan King without any honorities. Sure, she was slowly learning how the Lycans of Asmoria lived with their King, but this was unexpected, Instinctively, she stepped back a few feet from the King who was beside her.
Miroslav noticed Ralphine’s action and let out a low growl. He didn’t want her gone or scared. He didn’t want her to step back because of anyone. Her place was beside him, even if she didn’t know that yet. He didn’t want her to submit to anyone, and definitely not his best friend. So, he turned to look at Polina, who was just staring at him sheepishly and with a beautiful smile plastered on her face.
“Pohna Rostova. To what do I owe the pleasure?” King Miroslav asked, his voice cold, but that didn’t seem to bother Polina much. If anything, she didn’t look scared of that tone, the same tone that was sending chills down Ralphine’s spine. It was automatic, and expected, but maybe this was what it looked like having a friend for so long, right?
“You’re peachy today. Is it because of your guest? Damn, she looks terrible for a rogue wolf. Did you scare her or did her stench scare you?” Polina mused before she looked at Ralphine who was standing there unsure of what she was to do. She hadn’t expected this, but right now, she wanted to be anywhere but here.
Polina Rostova was easily the standard of beauty. She had all her curves in the right places, flawless skin, and beautiful lips, she was taller than Ralphine and she didn’t seem horrified by the King. She was the perfect woman for a man like the King. especially with her long hair that was neatly tied into a bun.
At first sight. Polina looked like a bitch, given her resting–bitch face, and Ralphine had a feeling that it wasn’t just the woman’s face that made her a bitch. Perhaps that was also her identity, or what many knew her as. Would that even matter at this point? Besides, it wasn’t like this was a competition, right?
“What are you doing with a wolf rogue in our home. Miro?” Polina asked, staring Ralphine down. She couldn’t see anything special about the woman that would warrant her being out of the dungeons. Miroslav always had a spite for rogues and yet here he was, walking casually with one by his side as if the day was brighter than usual
“Why are you here?” King Miroslav asked this time; he looked into his friend’s eyes and dared her to defy him.
He didn’t need Polina today.
He needed Ralphine, and that wasn’t going to happen if Polina didn’t leave.
“I came to say hello-”
“I’m busy right now. Come by later, the King said dismissively and Polina picked up immediately.
“She’s important to you ain’t she? Don’t tell me you fell in love with a rogue, Miro. That’s too low even for you. These creatures are meant to be stepped on by us, to be banished and punished. They are meant to be our tools for pleasure, but looking into your eyes, you didn’t see her like that. This is interesting.” Polina mused angrily.
She had always wanted to be Miroslav’s queen. She had always prepared herself for that position and as she looked at Ralphine at the moment, she knew she wasn’t going to let Ralphine ruin her fantasies and all her preparation. She hadn’t come this far to lose, and the determination was clear in her voice.
“You need to leave. Unless you want me to order you out, Polina, King Miroslav warned and Polina just stepped back and raised her hands in surrender.
She hated this part of reality, especially with the Lycans watching them. But then she wasn’t one to give up and she sure as hell wasn’t going to lose Miroslav to a woman who was a werewolf rogue, of all the creatures. Maybe she had to work harder to make her friend see her for who she wanted to be for him right?
Then again, the Lycan King Miroslav Ibrahimovich was one of the most attentive and strategic people. He had to have known. that Polina wanted him. The only question being, did the King care enough to entertain her desires!
“I’m sorry, your highness. It seems Miss Polina has important matters to talk to you about. I will find my way back,” Ralphine suddenly said out of the blue. She knew where this was going and frankly, she wasn’t interested in fighting over a man, anyone
Chapter U
for that matter. All she needed was to be sure of her fate and find a way to move on.
“Have a good afternoon, sire,” Ralphine bowed before she walked away.
“Ralph wait,” the King called out. But she was already gone. She didn’t want to be in the middle of this and she was right not
“She’s gone. Miro. Come on.” Polina said and the King considered sending her away. However, he couldn’t send her way that fast enough.
You’re really a devil, huh? Come along. Let’s get some food in our stomachs. Hei and Viktor should be somewhere at the dining table,” the King said casually before he and Polina walked to where he was supposed to take Ralph out to eat.
Meanwhile, Ralphine was watching from a distance, and it was then that she knew her decision to walk away had been right. The King wasn’t going to change himself for a woman he had just saved and who knew nothing of their customs. Then again, Ralphine couldn’t deny that a part of her was jealous. She wished the King had insisted that she stay.
She wished he would have chosen her over Polina, and continued with their lunch, she wished there was more to this than the King said. She had so many wishes, but then she was painfully aware of where she stood with the Lycans. She was a rogue. A werewolf rogue who had been found battered and bruised. She was saved thanks to them and she had no right to start a fight over nothing. right?
Are y
you alright?” the maidservant assigned to Ralphine, Kara, asked her when she walked into the King’s chambers again Kara had been waiting for her for a while and was about to leave, when Ralphine showed up. The King’s Erasthai looked lost and dejected like she had been through worse but still couldn’t believe that the same cycle had begun.
“Yeah. I just came from meeting Polina.” Ralphine said and Kara looked at her, not sure what she wanted to know. Kara could tell that Ralph was somewhat stressed, but she couldn’t initiate that conversation with Polina. Her responsibility was to take care of the woman before her and make sure she got all that she wanted, without any hitches.
“Oh, I see. Look, I already brought you lunch. You must be hungry, seeing as you didn’t touch your breakfast,” Kara said, trying to change the subject. She wasn’t sure if the King would appreciate her getting all warmed up to the woman she had been assigned to take care of, and as much as Kara felt bad for Ralph, she loved her head on her neck, and not severed.
“Who is she?” Ralph asked, her curiosity now sparked even more with how Kara was reacting.
She hadn’t had one conversation with her maidservant but right now, she needed someone to talk to, otherwise, she would lose her mind from overthinking too much. She couldn’t afford that, not right now, and not when she was in a possible enemy territory.
“I gotta go,” Kara said and Ralph just sighed. She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She could feel herself raging, and the desire to know more was eating away at her and she just couldn’t take it anymore. However, before Kara reached the door, Ralph rushed and shut it, so that Kara was staring at her.
“If you want to leave, you gotta tell me about Polina, Ralph growled out possessively. It was so new to her, that she hadn’t even realized it until Kara bowed before her in submission. However, that wasn’t enough to give her the answers. She would apologize for this later but she had to know about Polina.
“Tell me, Kara. Who is she? And why is she around King Miroslav like that?” Ralph insisted.
“I shouldn’t be the one telling you this, Your Highness,” Kara said and Ralph just scoffed. She couldn’t believe this. Her maidservant had already bought into the royal bullshit that Miroslav had fed her? What the hell was she to make of this?
Was she supposed to believe that the great Lycan King would settle for a rogue who had been rejected and one with no links to home? Was she supposed to trust that Miro would protect and choose her despite her parents being burned at the stake for leading a revolution against the Lycans? It was all too much, even for her.
“Come now, Kara. The King said I’m his Erasthai, whatever the fuck that means. That’s gotta give me some power, doesn’t it?” Ralphine said as she lifted Kara’s head so she would look at her in the eyes. She would get those answers, come hell or high
water.
“Your Highness-
“That doesn’t sound like an answer, Kara. I would hate to get it out of you. Trust me, I won’t tell Miro anything.” Ralphine said, referring to the King so simply, almost making Kara believe that they surely were meant to be together. Well, that was probably Miroslav’s fantasy and Ralphine was here to survive. But first. She needed to know what it was about Polina that
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Chapter 9
made her blood boil.
“She’s one of the King’s best friends,” Kara said, defeatedly. She knew she couldn’t win this and there was no point in upsetting the woman she had been assigned.
After all, there was only one thing worse than death and that was an angry King Miroslav. Kara didn’t want to bear the burden.
of it all.
“She’s the only female there, I suppose?” Ralphine asked, even though it sounded like she was trying to fight the obvious. She didn’t like that idea, but what was she to do about it?
“Yes, Your Highness,” Kara said softly. She understood the woman before her, really. Ralphine was new to the Lycan kingdom and didn’t even know who she was really supposed to be other than the fact that the King had given her a title, one that probably didn’t mean much within these walls.
“Go… Thank you for the food, you can come for the dishes later,” Ralphine said defeatedly as she moved from the door and made way for Kara. She couldn’t understand where the sudden jealousy was coming from but she knew it wasn’t something good; not for her and certainly not if she wanted to live here. But did she? Did she want to live in the Lycan kingdom?
Your
Highness,” Kara said as she looked at Ralphine.
“What is it, Kara?”
“If it’s any comfort, he has never let anyone into this side of the palace. Not even his friends can come to this place. But by the time you came here, he let me in, a mere servant. He let Heion in, which is more than anyone expected,” Kara said to Ralphine who was staring at her as if to ask whether that was meant to make her feel better about the shitty things she was feeling at the
moment.
“What does that have to do with me? He is a grown man; he makes his choices just like he runs his kingdom. I have no influence here. He’s probably planning on how and when to drag me to the Asmoria dungeons,” Ralphine said and Kara let our a laugh. She couldn’t believe their queen was this dense.
“Drag you? You don’t see how he looks at you, don’t you? None of the Lycans have ever seen him look at anyone like that, ever It’s almost like you’re his world and he isn’t sure how to tell it to you without scaring you away, your highness.
“You don’t see how he’s worried about you all the time. How is he always mad when his healing spells take longer to work on you? How each time you have a fever he’s the first to show up and reduced your temperature, despite him being warned by the high warlock of the dangers of exerting his powers?” Kara said and once again, Ralphine just started with a bored face.
“All I’m saying is, he cares for you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made sure everything would be perfect like this. You’re beautiful, Your Highness, you don’t need to worry about Polina, unless could be a good idea, Karaas said before hurriedly adding-
you want to show her who the King belongs to. Which
“I gotta go now, Your Highness. I’ll come back later. Meanwhile, think about it. You’re his queen… She’s just the best friend.” And with that, Kara left.
