The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate-Chapter 192: Center around his woman

"How many months has it been?" Phillipe rasped, his voice hoarse as he addressed the warrior stationed outside the prison gate. His once-sharp eyes were now heavy and sunken, dulled by exhaustion and the slow decay of his strength.

Each passing day seemed to drain what little life he had left, and the creeping sense that his end was near gnawed at him relentlessly. He had never feared death, but this slow, humiliating deterioration was far worse than an instant end.

’Why hadn’t Radulf come to face him?’

"I thought that bastard would at least have the guts to visit me," Phillipe muttered bitterly, letting out a dry chuckle as he leaned back and thudded the rear of his head against the cold, damp wall behind him.

"It’s been a month," the warrior outside replied. "So, shut your mouth!"

Phillipe’s eyes widened slightly at the way he spoke to him. "Only a month?" he repeated, half in disbelief, covering his mouth with a trembling hand as a hollow laugh escaped him. "I am your king!!!" He barked.

"Hah! You were the Alpha King. Now, you are nothing but a prisoner," the warrior mocked him.

Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the corridor. Phillipe lifted his head and saw Radulf stood right in front of the prison, beside him Leon was standing.

Phillipe’s gaze locked onto Leon, and his breath caught when he noticed the gleaming crown resting atop Leon’s head. Fury flared in his chest, burning away any trace of his earlier fatigue.

"You filthy traitor!" Phillipe roared, surging forward as much as the chains around his wrists stopped him. "I gave you a name! A family! Power beyond your birthright! And this—" he spat, voice crackling with rage, "this is how you repay me? Betraying me for Radulf and that witch Zenna?"

Leon didn’t respond as he waited for the warrior to open the gate.

The iron gate opened, and Radulf was the first to step inside. He closed the distance between him and Phillipe in a blink. Without a word, Radulf’s nails elongated into deadly claws, and he seized Phillipe by the throat, making his sure his hand wouldn’t touch the silver shackle around Phillipe’s neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.

"How dare you call my mate a witch?" Radulf growled, his eyes turning into a deeper shade of green.

Phillipe let out a strangled gasp as blood trickled from the fresh wounds Radulf’s claws dug into his neck. Before he could react, Radulf hurled him backward with brutal force.

Phillipe slammed into the stone wall, sliding down to the floor in a heap.

"Just kill me already!" Phillipe croaked, then broke into a rasping, bitter laugh. His bloodied lips twisted into a mocking grin as he looked up at Radulf through half-lidded eyes. "You can’t do it, can you?" he jeered. "Do you still wake up, screaming from those nightmares... seeing your precious father and mother die right before your eyes?"

Radulf’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his fists trembling at his sides.

Phillipe’s laughter echoed through the prison. "You think chaining me here will bring you peace?" he hissed. "Radulf, kill me, but you won’t live in peace. These eyes of mine will always haunt you. I have instilled the fear in you, which will leave your body only when you die."

Radulf approached him and grabbed the fistful of Phillipe’s hair in his strong hold.

"Say it again, Phillipe! You never haunted me. I always wanted to see you suffer. The one who is afraid is you. You know that you will die a painful death, which is getting unbearable to you," Radulf muttered before taking out a silver dagger from his inner pocket.

"Let’s start the torture then, Phillipe!" Radulf said and shoved it right into the old man’s arm, who screamed in excruciating pain.

~~~~~

Radulf and Leon came out of the prison after a while, leaving Phillipe whimpering in the pain of the open wounds.

"I thought you would kill him today," Leon said.

"Not so easily. He is desperate for the death. But devils like him need a slow death. He should feel every muscle, every bone in his body seething in pain until the very end, Your Majesty," Radulf stated, wiping the stains of blood from his hands.

Leon grabbed the handkerchief from Radulf’s hand and wiped the blood drops that were on his cheek too. "Zenna doesn’t want you to touch that filth. You know well," he said. "I know it’s still too painful for you to let go of those horrendous memories. However, let me decide for the final punishment of Phillipe. I don’t wish Zenna’s husband to lose his control every time he visits Phillipe."

Lowering the handkerchief, Leon waited for Radulf’s reply.

"I want the Alpha King to behead Phillipe in the same place, where m-my father embraced the same fate. I want to see the people of the capital what happens to the evil person," Radulf affirmed while not blinking.

"Sure," Leon said. "Why don’t you become the Commander in the military of Nalveri? Commander Alfred has given his retirement. I think none other than you deserve that position," he offered.

"That’s a nice offer, Your Majesty. However, I have to decline it," Radulf politely replied.

"Why?" Leon asked.

"Because I don’t want to ever leave Zenna’s side. I don’t know what the future holds, but if a war like situation appears, I don’t want my Zenna to keep waiting for me like she did for four years," Radulf affirmed, giving the reason behind the refusal.

Leon hummed. "Alright. As you desire. I will keep the position to myself then," he stated, "until I find someone suitable."

"Hmm. That will be better, Your Majesty," Radulf said.

The two of them made their way back to the main palace. As they entered the courtyard, their eyes fell upon Loretta, now clad in a plain servant’s attire, her former elegance stripped away.

Radulf’s lips curled slightly in satisfaction. Reducing Loretta to a palace servant had been his idea — she needed to taste the very humiliation she had so cruelly inflicted on Zenna throughout her childhood.

"Does Aria ever see her mother?" Radulf asked, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity.

Leon shook his head. "No. Aria despises her. Loretta lied about too many things — to Aria, to all of us."

Radulf nodded thoughtfully. "Good. But His Majesty must ensure Loretta never crosses paths with Aria. Blood ties have a way of softening the heart... even when they shouldn’t."

"I agree," Leon replied firmly. "I have spies keeping watch. Rest assured, there will be no reunion."

"That’s wise," Radulf said. He turned toward Leon and inclined his head respectfully. "I will take my leave now, Your Majesty."

With that, Radulf departed from the palace.

Upon reaching his mansion, Pia greeted him at the door. "Alpha, Lady Zenna is in the garden, in the gazebo," she informed him.

"All alone?" Radulf asked, a faint crease forming on his brow.

"Yes, Alpha," Pia confirmed with a nod.

Without wasting another moment, Radulf made his way toward the garden, a sense of unease stirring inside him as he wondered what had drawn Zenna to sit alone in the gazebo.

Radulf slowed his steps as his gaze fell upon Zenna, seated gracefully near the pond. He watched for a moment, his heart softening at the sight of her gently tossing bits of food into the water, the colorful fish eagerly gathering near the surface.

Catching his reflection in the water, Zenna turned her head and beamed with joy. "Radulf!" she called out, springing to her feet.

"Where had you gone?" she asked, her eyes shining with affection.

"Just some work at the palace," Radulf replied, stepping closer. His hands slid to her waist as he drew her gently into his arms, his lips claiming hers in a tender kiss.

"You’re all charged up!" Zenna teased, laughing softly as she placed her hands against his chest, giving him a playful push. "Wait! I have some good news to share."

Radulf arched a brow in amusement. "Good news? Let me guess — another one of the kids from our pack won an excellence award at the academy?" he asked. This week, a sports event had been ongoing, and several young pack kids had brought home trophies while Zenna wouldn’t stop talking about it, telling how their kids would also bring trophies some day.

Zenna shook her head, her smile deepening. "No. It’s much bigger than that."

Radulf’s playful expression faltered as a sudden rush of anticipation gripped him. His heart thudded against his ribs. He stared into her eyes, searching. "Is it—?" he paused, almost afraid to hope. "Are you... pregnant?"

Zenna’s smile blossomed like the morning sun. She cupped his face with both hands and whispered, "Yes, Radulf. I’m carrying your pup."

For a second, Radulf stood frozen, the enormity of her words sinking in. Then, with a joyous growl, he swept her up into his arms and twirled her around, her laughter echoing like music through the garden. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

When her feet touched the ground again, Radulf captured her lips in a fierce, heartfelt kiss before raining soft kisses across her cheeks, forehead, and nose.

"Zenna," he breathed, his voice thick with emotion. "This... this is the greatest gift. You and I — we’re going to be mother and father." His crimson eyes shimmered with misty happiness as he held her tightly. He promised himself that his entire world would now center around his woman and the new life they had created together.