Page 40 of Alpha's Exiled Mate
This kiss was both punishment and a claim of ownership. I wanted her to understand that, regardless of how I saw this marriage, she was my wife—mine alone.
As my lips brushed against hers, a strange, strong electric jolt surged through my entire body, catching me off guard. Her lips were soft and warm, carrying the faint, sweet scent of honey that pulled me in deeper, intoxicating me. For a fleeting moment, I sensed her hesitation, a flicker of confusion as if she, too, was caught in the unexpected intensity of the moment. Inside me, my wolf let out a low, contented rumble, a sound of pure satisfaction. This felt so right, as if we were always meant to be connected, two pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together.
But just as I lost myself in this incredible sensation, she pulled away from my embrace with a sudden, sharp movement. Before I could even process what was happening, a loud, stinging slap across my face snapped me back to reality, the sharp pain cutting through the haze of emotion like a cold splash of water.
I stared at her in disbelief, my mind struggling to catch up with what had just happened. Her eyes blazed with a fierce mix of anger and humiliation, the intensity of her gaze pinning me in place.
“You have no right to treat me like this!” Her voice quivered with raw emotion, each word laced with a trembling fury. “I’mnot your plaything, not some object for you to use whenever you feel like it!”
Her words hit me hard, echoing in the tense silence between us, and I could feel the weight of her hurt and outrage pressing down on me.
I stood there, the sting of her slap lingering on my cheek, a mix of shock and frustration coursing through me.
For the first time, I realized I might have crossed a line I couldn’t easily step back from.
Chapter 13
Perock
The memory of that awkward afternoon from a week ago remains etched vividly in my mind—her furious glare, the sharp sting of her slap across my face, and the accusation that cut me to the core.
I am not your plaything.
Since that moment, our relationship has spiraled downward, plummeting into a cold abyss. The last time I saw her before returning to the estate, she didn’t even spare me a glance, as if I were nothing more than a ghost in her presence. Even after my return yesterday, she made no effort to see me.
“Your Highness, someone requests an audience,” Orin’s voice interrupted my brooding thoughts as he knocked on the door of my study.
Could it be her?
I quickly composed myself, smoothing my expression, and strode toward the reception hall with a flicker of hope. But the person waiting for me was not who I expected.
“Perock.”
Sophia practically rushed toward me, offering a slight curtsy as she approached. “After I returned home, I’ve been reflecting deeply on my actions. I know I was wrong. I want to apologize to her.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her voice trembling with sincerity.
Her words sparked a peculiar thought in my mind. I wanted to test whether my Princess truly felt nothing for me and Sophia’s connection, or if, as I suspected, her indifference was merely a carefully crafted mask. If she showed even the slightest hint of emotion at seeing us together, it would mean she wasn’t entirely unaffected by me. The idea stirred a subtle anticipation within me. Perhaps it wasn’t the most honorable approach, but I needed to know if she still cared for me at all.
“Summon my Princess,” I ordered a maid standing outside the door.
While we waited, Sophia sat across from me in the hall. At first, she cautiously tested my attitude with small talk, but when I didn’t rebuff her, she relaxed, her demeanor shifting to one of ease.
“You should have seen the Duke’s face,” Sophia said with a laugh, her hand resting lightly on my arm. “He looked as though he’d swallowed a frog.”
I offered a faint smile in return, not pulling away from her familiar, intimate gesture. After all, hadn’t my Princess done the same with Orin, ignoring boundaries? Yet my eyes kept darting toward the doorway. Half an hour passed, and still, she hadn’t appeared.
Finally, I heard the sound of footsteps and a maid’s voice: “Your Highness, this way, please.” I immediately turned to Sophia with renewed enthusiasm, raising my voice just enough to ensure it carried.
“Like the pranks we used to pull on him back then?” I said, letting a broader smile play across my lips, making sure she would hear and see as she entered.
“Your Highness, you called for me?” she asked softly, executing a flawless curtsy as she stepped into the room.
She entered, clad in a simple pale green gown, her dark hair swept up elegantly. Her expression was as serene as a still lake. Beautiful. My wolf let out a pleased rumble deep within me.
Sophia immediately rose, opening her arms with exaggerated warmth as she positioned herself between us. “Dear Viossi, you’ve finally arrived. I’m so sorry for my rudeness that day. My memory can be pretty poor sometimes. Perock can prove that, right, Perock?”
She shot me a playful wink as she spoke.
“Viossi,” I said, fixing my gaze on her, “Sophia didn’t mean any harm. Please don’t make things difficult for her.”