The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 43: The 44th Letter

"Alpha, the paste needs to be reapplied after an hour. Doctor Josiah has already given Luna Zenna her medicines," Pia informed him softly.

Radulf gave a curt nod. "Hmm." Without another word, he strode toward the bed where Zenna lay. Lowering himself onto the edge of the mattress, he reached out, his hand brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

Holding her hand, Radulf furrowed his brows together. The pain was like a continuous stabbing at one spot. Being an alpha he could bear it, but how could an omega could.

’Why did you allow yourself to be punished? I could have protected you. But it’s my fault that you hate me. Have you always lived like this?’ Radulf’s thoughts spiraled as he stared at Zenna’s frail form. The letter in his other hand was crumpled, the paper crushed beneath the weight of his anger and guilt.

Before he could sink further into his thoughts, Pia’s voice interrupted him. "Miss Nina is here, Alpha," she announced from the doorway.

"Send her in," Radulf commanded, his tone clipped and firm, though his gaze remained fixed on Zenna.

Pia bowed and exited, and within moments, Nina stepped into the room. Her expression was a mix of concern and unease, and she hesitated briefly before speaking. "What happened to Zenna? I heard she was brutally punished in the palace," she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Radulf’s jaw tightened, his hand instinctively clenching the twisted letter. "That’s what I need you to tell me," he said, his voice low and dangerous. His piercing gaze remained on Zenna, but the questions were directed at Nina. "Was it Aria who ordered her punishment, or was it the Luna Queen?"

"It wasn’t Princess Aria, Radulf," Nina replied, her tone steady but tinged with regret. "The Princess and her cousins did humiliate Zenna, but they wouldn’t go this far. After the tea session, the Alpha King summoned Zenna to see him. She asked me to wait for her in the carriage, but she never returned. Then, when the rain started suddenly, the coachman brought me back to the estate, saying Zenna would come later. If I had known she was being punished, I would have intervened to stop it," she explained, her voice cracking slightly.

Radulf’s jaw tightened, his gaze darkening as he absorbed her words. "You can go," he said curtly.

Nina hesitated for a moment, her brows furrowing in thought. "I thought you never cared for her," she remarked, looking at him with a hint of challenge in her eyes.

Radulf turned his gaze to Nina. "How could I not care for Zenna?" he said.

"You should fight for her then," Nina said, stepping forward. "Her family is toxic, and her father seems heartless to me. Zenna has been fighting for acknowledgment her entire life. That’s why she always listens to them—they hold power over her. They’re royals, while Zenna is a half-royal or maybe nothing in their eyes. She’s hated because of her mother," Nina explained, her voice filled with pity for Zenna.

All of that made Nina realize why Zenna told her in the morning that their lives could not be compared. What Zenna had been bearing Nina never bore that.

Radulf said nothing, but the storm in his eyes spoke volumes. He didn’t need Nina to tell him how broken Zenna’s world was—he could see it in every scar, every tear, and every act of quiet endurance. But now, he knew more clearly than ever what he had to do.

"You can leave. Zenna needs to rest. Thank you for sharing the truth with me," Radulf said, acknowledging her honesty.

Nina didn’t say anything and left the chamber, leaving them alone in the silence.

Radulf opened the letter and read the contents in it.

"Dear Radulf,

This is my 44th letter to you. The entire land here is covered in snow here. It’s so cold and my heart is cold too in your absence. I thought to come and see you, but the military commander said that it is better for me to stay behind. I wonder if you are taking good care of yourself. In a few days, a special gala will be organized. All the couples will come together. Maybe you will return by then and we can dance together. I miss you.

Your Zenna."

Radulf clenched the letter tightly in his trembling hands, his chest heaving with the weight of regret. Slowly, he pressed it to his forehead, his eyes closing as guilt surged through him like a storm. How could he have doubted her?

Zenna had told him countless times how she’d sent the letters, but he hadn’t believed her. Not once in those four years had he even thought of her, let alone considered writing back. His negligence now felt like a dagger to his soul.

Lowering the letter, his gaze fell on Zenna’s fragile, lifeless form. Her pale skin, once radiant, now appeared ghostly under the dim light. His voice cracked as he whispered, "I forced you to... to die. How can I ever heal you now?"

A deep growl rumbled through his mind, a voice not his own but intimately familiar—Black, his inner wolf, seething with rage.

’We will tear them apart, Radulf,’ Black snarled, his words a venomous promise. ’They will pay for every ounce of pain Zenna endured. Every drop of her suffering will be avenged. We can’t let them live. Let’s bring havoc to the palace.’

’Yes,’ Radulf growled, his voice laced with fury. ’I will not let them live. Philippe will pay for this. I swear, I will bring an end to his reign.’ He pledged silently in his mind.

Before his rage could consume him, a faint voice pierced through his thoughts.

"Please... don’t hit me. I-I won’t do that. I-I..."

Zenna’s voice trembled, barely above a whisper, but it was enough to shatter Radulf’s heart. She was still trapped in the horrors of her past, even in her unconscious state.

"Zenna," he murmured, his voice softening as he leaned closer. His hand brushed her hair, gentle and soothing, as though the act alone could erase the pain she had endured.

"No one will ever hit you again," he vowed, his fingers trembling as they caressed her pale forehead. "I promise you, Zenna. This... this was the last time you suffered like this. I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again."