The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 19: To play with Zenna

Zenna’s sharp eyes narrowed as she gazed up at Radulf. ’I can’t fight this mate bond, but I can do this,’ she thought. Without hesitation, she leaned forward and bit his bottom lip with enough force to draw blood.

Radulf winced, stepping back as his hand flew to his mouth. His thumb pressed against the bleeding cut, but the sting didn’t bother him nearly as much as Zenna’s audacity. Instead of anger, a smirk curled his lips.

"You like to play rough, little wolf?" he growled. His hand shot out, gripping her nape with a firm but possessive hold. His piercing gaze bore into hers. "If rumors about us spread, you’ll deal with them. Don’t complain to me that I didn’t cooperate."

Zenna didn’t flinch under his hold. Instead, her glare softened into a smug smile. "I don’t care about rumors anymore," she said with a victorious smile. "You’ve marked me and claimed me as your Luna. That’s all anyone needs to know." She pushed his hand away, straightening her posture. "Now let me go. Unlike you, I have work to do."

Before Radulf could retort, a panicked voice cut through the charged silence.

"Alpha, Luna, forgive me for the interruption," a servant said, breathless and trembling. "Miss Nina has... she’s slit her wrist!"

Radulf’s expression changed instantly from anger to concern. He released Zenna, his smirk vanishing as his focus shifted to the emergency.

"Did you call the doctor?" he asked as he turned on his heel and began striding toward the mansion.

"Yes, Alpha," the servant replied, hurrying to keep up with his long, purposeful strides.

Zenna stood in place for a moment, watching him go. "Why did she slit her wrist?" she murmured and went to check on Nina too.

Entering the chamber, Zenna saw how Radulf was yelling at the servants appointed in Nina’s service. She stopped slowly and saw Nina was lying unconscious on the bed.

"Isn’t Nina an Alpha she-wolf?" Zenna finally spoke, bringing Radulf’s attention to her. "She won’t die with such a minor slit. Alpha Radulf is forgetting that their wound heal faster than the others," she asserted, looking straight into his eyes.

"Luna is speaking facts, My Lord," said Josiah, the young doctor, who was summoned earlier. "Miss Nina’s wound isn’t deep. I think because of the shock she fainted," he stated.

Zenna averted her gaze from Radulf and cast one last glance at Nina before leaving the chamber. Her heart clenched painfully, once again witnessing the concern in Radulf’s eyes for another woman. She told herself she shouldn’t care, but the ache in her chest was hard to ignore.

"Inform me the moment Miss Nina wakes up," Radulf instructed the doctor before turning and striding out of the room. Savio, his trusted beta, fell into step beside him as they headed to the office room within the mansion.

"Nina is already doing everything she can to capture your attention," Savio remarked, his tone laced with mild reproach. "Shouldn’t you send her back to her place before she causes more problems? Since when did my Alpha start playing with the hearts of two women?"

Radulf ignored his friend’s jab and changed the subject. "I’ve discovered who provided the drug to Nina."

Savio stopped abruptly, his brows knitting together. "Who?"

Radulf didn’t answer immediately. Pushing open the door to the office, he entered and settled into the chair behind his desk. Savio followed, closing the door behind him as curiosity etched deeper lines into his face.

"The Luna Queen," Radulf said simply, his tone sharp.

"What?" Savio exclaimed, visibly taken aback. "The Luna Queen? But... why? How would she even know about Nina? And more importantly, how would she know you were in rut?"

"She didn’t," Radulf replied, his voice steady but laced with frustration.

"Then why would she send a drug to Nina?" Savio pressed, the confusion evident in his furrowed brow.

Radulf leaned back in his chair with a mused expression. "You mentioned earlier how Zenna was never seen as a princess despite carrying the Alpha King’s blood. She’s always been treated as nothing more than a pawn—a tool to be used against me. Yesterday, when Zenna and I visited the palace, she returned with her face covered by a scarf. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I noticed that," Savio said with a nod. "But what does that have to do with this?"

"Patience, Savio," Radulf urged. "Before she came to the carriage, Loretta, the Luna Queen, slapped her. It’s clear Zenna has endured years of abuse in the palace because of her mother, who was an omega servant in the palace and captured the Alpha King’s heart. Loretta could never accept Zenna’s existence, and now, with me returning safely from battle, she feels threatened. She wanted to destroy Zenna’s reputation before the Alpha King and sent the drug to Nina to cause a bigger scandal." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Savio stood frozen, processing the revelation. "You mean... this entire scheme was to discredit Luna Zenna in the Alpha King’s eyes? To weaken her standing further?"

Radulf nodded grimly. "Exactly."

Savio stepped closer to the desk. "Alpha, you should send Nina away before this situation spirals out of control. More commotion will only make things worse."

Radulf leaned back in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I won’t do that, Savio. I have my reasons. Besides..." He picked up the first file on his desk, flipping it open without sparing a glance at his beta. "...I want to play with Zenna for a while. She’s been testing my patience since the day I returned."

Savio’s brows shot up, disbelief clear in his voice. "Seriously, Radulf?" He placed both hands on the desk, leaning closer to meet his Alpha’s gaze.

"Yes," Radulf replied. "And there’s more. I need to uncover everything about her. She’s not as simple as she appears. I can’t just trust her, even if she built this pack and managed everything in my absence." His eyes remained fixed on the document in his hand as he spoke.

Savio let out a frustrated sigh, straightening his posture. "Your methods are beyond my understanding, but tread carefully, Radulf. Don’t hurt Zenna in the process. She’s endured enough." When he turned to leave only then Radulf lifted his gaze.

"Find out how Zenna sent letters to me while I was away. She claims to have sent 1,056 of them over the past four years. I want confirmation."

Savio paused briefly at the door, nodding. "Understood, Alpha," he said.