The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 114: Admire him, respect him

"Phillipe, why did you agree to such a harsh punishment?" Loretta’s voice thundered through the chamber, her fury shaking the very walls. "Give the order to kill Radulf! You should have done it the day his parents were sentenced to death!"

Commander Alfred, sensing the tension in the air, bowed and quietly excused himself, leaving the two alone.

Phillipe remained silent for a moment before finally speaking. "The Queen should know when to speak and how to speak," he said sharply as his piercing gaze met hers. "Had Aria not committed such a grave crime, I wouldn’t have been forced to punish her. The worst part is her recklessness—she left behind a witness, giving Radulf the perfect opportunity to strike back."

Loretta clenched her fists, but Phillipe continued.

"I cannot afford to anger the other packs, especially not over this. Radulf is no longer just a mere nuisance—he is a war hero. He accomplished what was once deemed impossible—conquering the Western Frontier. The packs admire him, respect him. If I move against him now, it could spark unrest."

His jaw tightened as he leaned back in his chair. "And as for that day... when his parents were executed, do you think I spared Radulf out of mercy? No. It was because many of my own advisers cautioned against it. And, I told you I would get rid of him once my aim is achieved."

"In the kingdom only Radulf is the dominant alpha. You should get rid of him, instead of keeping a hope that Zenna will bear his son. She is a pathetic, weak omega, just like her mother. Before it’s too late, just kill Radulf. My daughter is writhing in pain because of him. Your Majesty, can’t you see a mother’s pain? Aria is a princess, yet she’s punished so brutally!" 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Loretta, instead of accepting the fault of Aria, justified her very actions. "Aria has a valid reason to hate Zenna. She is the daughter of your mistress with whom you cheated on me. Just because I couldn’t give you a son, you chose to do that! My family is the reason you became the Alpha King, Phillipe. Keep in mind if they feel threatened because of your actions, things won’t go in your favor. So, you better get rid of Radulf and Zenna before that," she warned him and walked away in anger.

Phillipe’s entire mood turned off. "Radulf will not challenge me. The moment he does, I will use Zenna against him," he said with a sinister smile. Rising to his feet, he left for the prison to meet an important person.

~~~~~

As they arrived at the mansion, Radulf collapsed onto the sofa, stretching out his legs and shutting his eyes. "I can barely see any servants around," he muttered, exhaustion lacing his voice.

Zenna, standing by the dressing table as she removed her earrings, responded without looking at him. "I gave them all the day off. It’s the Moon Festival, and I want them to enjoy it too."

Radulf cracked one eye open, frowning. "Then who’s going to do all the work? At the very least, you should have kept some servants behind."

Zenna turned toward him, holding a glass of water. Stepping closer, she extended it to him. He opened his eyes fully and reached out, taking the glass from her hand.

"I don’t think we need assistance for everything," she said. "Besides, you rarely let the servants help you anyway. Most of their work is just maintaining the household."

Radulf took a sip of water, his gaze lingering on her. "Still," he mumbled, "it’s inconvenient."

Zenna arched a brow. "So, you’re saying you can conquer the Western Frontier, but you can’t survive a day without servants?"

Radulf huffed, setting the glass down. "That’s different," he grumbled, making her chuckle softly.

"How is that different?" Zenna crossed her arms while Radulf sat up to drink water. He lowered the glass and put it aside.

"In the war, you don’t have time for leisure," Radulf replied. He saw her lowering her arms to her side when he caught one of her wrists and pulled her closer. She stumbled forward before finding herself resting on his lap.

"But it’s good that you have given everyone a day’s off. Now, we are alone in the entire mansion and no one will disturb us," Radulf’s husky voice reached her ears. His hot breath on her chin sent a tingling sensation all over her body.

Radulf’s hand rested on her lower back as he pulled her closer, their bodies nearly flush against each other. His nose brushed against hers, and Zenna’s breath hitched. Her eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to his touch, allowing him to do as he pleased.

Then, just as she was lost in the moment, his deep voice rumbled softly, "Take me to the Cold Palace someday."

Zenna’s eyes snapped open, her brows furrowing slightly. "Huh?" She blinked up at him. "Why would you want to go there?"

"I’m curious," he admitted, his fingers tracing idle patterns against her back. "I want to see the place where my wife grew up... the place where they locked you away."

Zenna lowered her gaze for a moment before shaking her head. "Father won’t allow it," she said softly. "Besides, there’s nothing to see there. Just imagine a grand, empty mansion... a prison disguised as a home."

Radulf studied her expression. "And yet, you turned out so calm and quiet," he murmured. "If it were me, I would have been a rebellious kid, causing chaos at every turn."

Zenna let out a soft, dry chuckle. "I tried rebelling," she admitted. "But every time I raised my voice or went against their wishes, I was punished for it. Eventually, I just... gave in. Sometimes, going with the flow is the only way to survive."

Radulf kissed her lips suddenly. "Now, cheer up. Give me your most beautiful, genuine smile," he affirmed.

Zenna ended up smiling and averted her gaze from him. "I can’t believe you are the same Radulf who used to be so furious at me all the time," she murmured.