The Alpha King Marked Me. I Still Haven't Told Him I'm A Girl novel Chapter 128

Chapter 128: One Hundred & Twenty Eight

Valka

A trip to the dungeons without questions meant I had to commit a grave crime. I couldn’t tell for sure what Lucien was planning, but this I could do.

I chose the crime. And the time. And the place.

The revel is as boring as every other. Laughter. Dances. Wine. Not so subtle fondlings here and there. Shy looks and giggles hidden behind fans. The celebration is to the coming conquer of Ebonheart. Tomorrow, they sack the kingdom and raze it to the ground. Tomorrow, all goes to hell for us ’beasts’. Tomorrow is the start of a new empire, where all life is equal.

Nonsense, if you asked me.

My eyes run over the crowd, the fresh filing of my fangs still bleeding in my mouth. I’d done it myself this time. Picked up the blade and scraped until I had human teeth. Cut the growth on my healing ears, and waited for minutes, watching it try stitch itself together.

It hadn’t.

I knew then that I was still being poisoned and I can’t tell what it is. The food? The water? The tonics that would help improve the health of the baby? I never took them, so it must have been the latter.

It meant Rafael still didn’t trust me enough to let me walk free with my powers like he did Lilith.

His fingers are presently running up and down my thigh, inappropriate in the way they push up the tule of my purple skirts, nearing the apex of my centre. I sit still, keeping a bored, unbothered expression on my face, because he watches me with each stray touch. With each drop of wine he gobbles down, he grows a little more emboldened.

Lilith is forgotten by his side, his full attention on me. On the swell of my fuller breasts. On the hideous dress he’s chosen for me to make me the class clown of his revelry, and the skin it reveals. On the crown of thorns he’s placed on my head to make mockery of the kingdom that falls on the morrow.

He smells like lust. And I know it’ll be harder tonight to keep him away from my bedchamber. It didn’t make me feel good everytime he kissed me. I know it’s necessary, but I feel like I am selling a part of myself away. I don’t feel like Valka anymore. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Letting a seductive smile curve my lips, I bring my gaze to his grey ones that are tracing the outline of my breasts in the bodice. "I would like to dance."

Dark brows quirk up. "Do you understand the significance of this event?"

I lean in, blinking softly. "Should I? If my king is on his way to victory, should I not celebrate with him?"

He is pleased by my response. He is pleased that I call him my king. He nods, eyes flicking once more to my body. "Very well. Do not stray too far."

"I do not think that is a good idea, Your Majesty," Lilith counters, green eyes fixed on me. We haven’t spoken since she... for a lack of a much better word, helped get into Rafe’s head to let me keep the baby.

She has gone back to ignoring me for the most part, but I feel her watching closely, waiting. Like she knows I’m up to something.

Rafael waves her off, dropping his chin on his fist. "Shut your mouth, woman. I tire of your nagging."

The crowd below the dias hushes as I rise from the small seat and take the steps down. My chin is raised high, my stare sharp as knives as I hunt down for a face in particular. The dance floor moves fluidly around me, skirt twirling against marble, men lying in the ears of women who care for promises of sweet nothings, even as their gazes stray to the next beautiful thing.

I am the next beautiful thing.

Dressed for the attention of the male gaze. Because Rafael likes to flaunt his newest toy. He likes to tell the men he lords over that they can see but never touch. It is why all of my dresses are sheer and revealing.

And tonight, it is to my advantage. Because letting me take to the dance floor makes me fair game, even with the collar attached to my neck screaming ownership.

The males stray closer, testing boundaries as they look to Rafael for permission. But one in particular, makes a beeline for me.

His hair is a dirty blonde sticking to his scalp in an overtly slick look that reminds me of chicken feathers in boiling water. He halts before me and in the months since I’ve been gone from Silvermoor training camps, Kaelin, Rafael’s Beta, has lost muscle and grown softer.

Then he had been coy and disgustingly smug. He had called me Rafael’s new toy and had a notorious reputation of sleeping around, and with the Prince’s women. He had been more intrigued by Rafael’s interest in keeping me around.

However, over the last few weeks, he’s been at every meeting, legs kicked up the table, teeth clenched on apples, watching me with that hooded expression.

I hear the maids talk about him. He still has that habit. And I bet Rafael refusing to share me aggravates him.

He halts before, extending his arm to me in an awful attempt at charming me. "You look like you need company." His black gaze flits about us with a pointed look. "You should take a pick before they all decide they want a piece of you."

I smile, flatten my fingers against his arm. "Thank you."

He leads me to to the forefront of the hall, eager to let everyone see precisely how he mauls me. I let him. The more people who get to see what I’m about to do, the graver the punishment.

He leans in close, breath sour with wine. "You clean up rather nicely, Valerian."

He grins, teeth white, pleased that he’s getting under my skin. "I’m interested in what he leaves behind. When he tires of his toys, I tend to inherit them." His hand slips lower, pressing my ass through the skirts. "And you’ll come to me willingly. You’ll beg for it. Because when Rafael tires of you--and he will--the status you pride in will mean nothing, and you will be joined in the dungeons with the rest of the half-breed whores."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify