The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 16: You won’t talk to Gregor

"Miss Nina isn’t allowed to have breakfast with Alpha Radulf and his Luna," Savio suddenly appeared, blocking her path as she tried to enter the dining hall. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Nina smiled, "I’m Radulf’s guest," she said, trying to assert her place.

"That’s why Miss Nina shall act like a guest only," Savio replied coolly. "Your breakfast will be sent to your chamber," he added, not allowing any room for argument.

Nina’s lips curled into a disdainful smile. "Why are you doing this, Savio? Your Alpha brought me here with respect, but all you show is disrespect," she remarked, her gaze sharp as she looked him up and down, clearly irritated by his tone.

Savio didn’t flinch and calmly answered, "I serve the Alpha’s orders, and it’s my duty to ensure there is no discord in this mansion. You may be his guest, but there are rules to follow. One such rule is to not disturb Alpha Radulf when he’s alone with Luna Zenna."

Nina’s jaw tightened and she grabbed Savio by his collar. "You were the one who dragged me out last night. I-I will make sure you are thrown out of this mansion, Savio," she said with a challenging glare.

"Miss, you are forgetting who I am and who you are. Your father wanted to live, that’s why he sent you with us. You are nothing less than a prisoner of war," Savio said, lowering her hands. "Go back to your chamber and do not create any commotion here," he said, again keeping his tone calm.

Nina turned on her heels and walked away, biting back the humiliation she faced.

~~~~~

Zenna froze for a moment, her hand pausing mid-air as she reached for her glass of water. She could feel Radulf’s penetrating gaze burning into her, but she refused to meet it. Her focus remained on her plate, determined not to start another argument.

"Who slapped you on the face?" Radulf’s voice broke the silence as he rested his fork down with a soft clink against the plate. "Who dared to lay a hand on you? Don’t you know who you are?"

Her eyes widened slightly at his question. Bewildered, she slowly lifted her gaze to meet his. There was an intensity in his expression that threw her off guard. "Are you concerned for me just to ridicule me later?" she retorted, her tone edged with sarcasm.

Radulf’s jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he clenched his fist. "Can’t you, for once, answer me straightforwardly when I’m asking nicely? Who hurt you?" His voice was still calm, but the simmering anger beneath it was unmistakably strong. "I didn’t do it, so who dared to cross the line?"

Zenna stared at him with a conflicted glance. There was something strange in his tone—a protective edge that wasn’t typical of him. She hesitated before deciding not to tell him.

Radulf’s eyes darkened, his wolf stirring with agitation. No one was allowed to raise his hand on Zenna and hurt her like that. Did someone from the mansion do it? But it was hard to believe that. When he didn’t get the response from her, he decided to eat quietly. However, his mind wasn’t at rest.

Radulf suddenly recalled the image of Zenna from yesterday, her face suddenly obscured by a scarf upon returning from the palace. He had been too preoccupied by the rut to question her about it then. Normally, mates would communicate through the mind link shared by their wolves. But Zenna, being wolf-less, couldn’t use this bond, leaving him unable to uncover the truth.

Breaking the tense silence, Zenna finally spoke, her voice tinged with hurt. "Why did you never send me a single message? You always sent them to my father instead. Did you ever consider me part of your pack? I know the others don’t see me as their Luna because I’m just a fragile omega to them, but I expected at least a shred of kindness from you."

Radulf’s sharp glare held her as he responded, "I never received a single letter from you, Zenna. How can you expect me to send anything when you never wrote to me?"

Her brows furrowed, confusion evident on her face. "I did. On the day of your return, I told you I’d written many letters for you," she insisted.

"That’s strange because I never received a single one," Radulf replied curtly, picking up a napkin and dabbing his mouth before placing it beside his plate.

Zenna’s eyes flickered in worry. Where had her letters gone? Could it have been the messenger? Had he lied to her all along?

"Aren’t you even curious to know why my letters never reached you?" she asked, searching his face for any sign of concern.

Radulf chuckled coldly, setting down his glass of water. "Why should I care? We both know what this marriage truly means to us. I don’t care where your letters ended up—or even if you wrote them at all."

"You’re a jerk," Zenna snapped, her voice trembling as she rose from her seat, ready to storm out.

Radulf’s smirk deepened as he stood abruptly, closing the distance between them in an instant. He trapped her between the table and his imposing frame. "Try harder next time if you want to insult me," he mocked. He lingered his eyes on her lips, recalling suddenly how he taught her how to kiss last night.

Her breath hitched as she searched his eyes. "Last night, you said you didn’t hate me. Was that a lie?"

"Yes," Radulf answered promptly. "My wolf acted out of instinct during the rut. It says things it shouldn’t. Go to your father and tell him you’re marked. Isn’t that what you wanted all along?"

Zenna let out a bitter laugh, her heart aching at his indifference. "Thank you for reminding me. I won’t just tell him. I’ll tell everyone who knows about our so-called relationship."

"Everyone?" Radulf mused, his tone turning mocking again. "Including Gregor Tarquin? He seemed quite worried about you."

Her fists clenched in anger, and she shoved at his chest, but he was too quick. His hand snaked around her nape, pulling her back to him, bending her slightly as his intense gaze locked onto hers.

"Radulf, what is this behavior?" she demanded. "I understand you hate me. You don’t need to remind me every second."

"You won’t talk to Gregor," Radulf said. "Now, I’ve returned, you need to serve me all the time, Zenna." His eyes shone bright green as he used his mate bond for the first time.

"I understand, Alpha," Zenna replied, keeping her gaze glued at him.