Love and Chaos Series
The Alpha King’s Ugly Bride Chapter 56

Mia ran to the utter part of the woods, and she shifted back into her human form. They had wandered many miles off throughout the night after they shifted. As their shift ended and the morning approached, they sort to get dressed, returning to where their clothes Mia's eyes searched around for Xavier, but she didn't find him. He was giving her privacy, just like he had done in the last few shifts.

were.

She slid her feet through the second booth, and she steadied herself on her feet. She glanced up and Xavier dashed to stand before her. A surge of wind blew over her face at the impact of his lightning speed.

"You startled me," she pointed out, placing a hand on her chest for emphasis.

His eyes twitched, and a smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. "Not intentionally," he replied, but she found that hard to believe.

Unlike the last full moon where he let her take the lead, he had led the course this month. He had much likeness for hunting and he flexed his speed and strength in her face. She couldn't help rolling her eyes a few times. But though she acted unaffected, she was. He was naturally charming, and he was cocky and knew the effect he had even in his wolf's form. He was also proud and hitting him in the head a few times crossed her mind.

He reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear, and her heartbeat skipped. Her hands grew sweaty, and she immediately looked away from him.

"We should head back! The sun is almost rising," she announced, turning around to make a quick escape from him, just like she had done in the last month.

He caught her by the arm so she didn't move. "I thought we could watch it. The sun rising, if you don't mind." he looked eager, waiting for her response.

His request felt tempting, and she wanted to say yes, but she couldn't. Romantic attachment, no matter how right it felt, was wrong. She knew it.

He was the alpha king. He could easily choose any maiden as mate once she leaves. If she gave in to her emotions, she will remain forever trapped, longing for someone she can never have. She had to stay faithful to her cause, no matter how hard it got.

"I'm sorry, I can't. I have a routine I have been keeping to in the past week." She didn't know where she was going with this excuse. Perhaps she should have given a different excuse, but there was no turning back now.

An emotion flashed over his face. It, however, vanished before she could discern what it meant.

He smiles, but it didn't reach his eyes. Perhaps he read her thoughts and knew what she was thinking.

Shit.

"Sure, it's best to keep to it... your routine. We should head back."

She nodded.

Throughout the time she spent getting ready for the day ahead, Mia pounded upon the alpha king's request.

Why did he ask her to watch the sunset with him? She knew how she felt about him, but couldn't tell how he felt.

The last time he kissed her, he'd left her without a word, and went to Zara, and that broke her. She didn't want to be vulnerable again; she wanted to be careful. Yes, she'd seen the change in him and she didn't ignore how affected she was by him, his presence and his touch, yet she had to be careful.

She also noticed he had changed a lot, but she pulled herself back more often than not because, just like their agreement, this could very well be an act on his part. She couldn't be fooled, she couldn't trust and end up broken.

Valerio knocked on her door, informing her the king had summoned her into the throne room.

The king didn't always have to summon her. She knew her role and played it without his supervision.

So why did he send for her today?

What change today?

Was he mad at her for turning him down?

Was he that petty?

She nodded and followed Valerio through the hall and into the throne room without voicing her objection.

Xavier sat on the throne seat in his cotton robe dyed a rich claret-coloured that highlighted his eyes and complemented his hair. His elbow rested on the arm of the throne seat and his thumb rubbed over his full beard as he kept his pensive gaze on someone else in the room.

Mia's eyes followed him and soon they landed on Elliott, who stood in the extreme corner of the room. Two priests stood beside him, one with grey hair and the other with black hair looking much younger.

Mia didn't know if they stood far away because they were afraid of being attacked by Xavier or for something else.

Xavier's gaze drifted from Elliott over to her and he looked delighted to see her.

"Queen Mia, it's a pleasure for you to join us!" Elliott spoke in such a friendly tone that didn't sit well with her. They had never been friends, and she wondered what he was up to.

"Lord Elliott, I'm happy to see you too." she gave him a weird smile.

"Good morning, my queen." the priests said their greetings.

"Your eminence." She reverenced the men in the throne room, pushing aside her suspicion.

She turned to her husband, who was still yet to stop gawking at her. "You sent for me," she spoke up, stepping forward towards him.

Xavier rose and descended the stairs, coming to meet her halfway, and when he did, he gave her his hand.

"I did. Elliott here along with the priests came with a message from our father and he requested your presence before giving it."

So this was his reason for sending Valerio to bring her from her chambers. He wasn't being petty at all.

Together they turned to Elliott, and he stepped from the corner of the room and towards them.

"Before anyone says it, I'd like to congratulate you on six months of your union as husband and wife." he began and Mia could already tell there was something mischievous he was hoping to achieve. "Thank you," Mia said. Xavier just stared at him.

"I know you were born an a*s kisser, but can we get to the reason you're here? What message does our Father have for us? State it and spare us the displeasure of your presence."

Elliott smiled, "As I said, it's been six months since your marriage and the alpha of alphas sent this to you." he pulled a sealed scroll from the pocket of his grey robe and handed it over to Xavier.

He took and broke the seal. He scanned through it with narrowed eyes for a moment and once he finished, his eyes glowed red.

Whatever he saw angered him, and Mia saw it too.

In the last month, they've seen less of the alpha of alphas. He had left on a pilgrimage to the south. In Xavier's words, the absence of his father had made the last month the best of his life. Sadly, his father returned a week ago and Xavier was certain it was a matter of time before he angered him. He was right.

Mia reached for the letter in his hand and read through it.

Greetings.

I write to send my congratulations to you for six months of being happily married.

As much as it gladdens my heart that you have found each other, your roles as king and queen do not end with each other alone. Your duties also lie with the kingdom and one of those duties is siring an heir to the throne of Wahala.

Along with Elliott is the high priest, Marco. He will carry out your fitness test.

Thank you for your corporation, I hope to receive the result soon. Robb Ainsworth,

AOA.

Mia finished reading, and she glanced up at the priest standing not so close.

"What's a fitness test?" she asked with a hollow voice for the sake of clarification.

"It's a test carried out in the temple to know if a woman is with child. It also shows if the woman is fertile and in shape to bear children."

Mia's ear rang as he finished speaking. She didn't know this was a thing and if it was, she wasn't ready for it.

Xavier scoffed, "Get out!" he said through gritted teeth and Mia glanced up to see his eyes blazing.

It's been a month since she last saw him this way, but his father has finally found a way to tick him off. This didn't look good.