The Alpha King's Claim

Chapter 66

The Alpha King’s Claim chapter 66 by desirenovel

Serena

“Lord Hale!” I gasped, so sure of myself despite not seeing his face.

He chuckled underneath the mask first before taking it off and dropping it to the floor.

“You’re very perceptive, my queen.”

He reached out trying to take my mask too. Quickly, I moved back, disengaging myself from his hold.

“As far as I remember, you’re not invited in this party,” I stated whilst giving him a frown.

He just tipped his head ever so slightly to the side in response.

“Have I ever cared for such insignificant invitations?” he said.

He stepped forward, I stepped back. Deep inside me, my heart was hammering a beat of fear. I tried to

keep my face neutral and my spine straight. If anything, I didn’t want him to see me cowering, but still

flashes of pictures of him soon biting me still leaked out of my traitorous thoughts.

“Aero can’t stop me from seeing you, Serena. Or even the mutts he employed to secure the castle.”

Huh.

That doesn’t surprise me at all. Vampires, they were sneaky creatures of the dark, especially one with a

noble descent, namely this man.

“Right,” I snorted, putting up a brave face. “Then, shall we go inside? Let your presence be known to

him and all the other guests.”

Swiftly, his hand was on my shoulder. I didn’t even saw him lift it and that alone supported my reason

for fearing him. He might be using his powers on me for all I know.

“Why be hasty? Let’s stay for a while longer,” he smiled. “This night deserves to be savored with a

woman, especially a queen that is ‘horny’ still. I could still smell your lust, Serena. It’s giving me the

best kind of chill.”

“Not directed to you, I’m sure,” I spat.

“He hadn’t touched you yet?” was his bold question. I remained silent.

“Hmm, that’s a shame. I would have already claimed you if you were mine.”

‘Aero has already claimed me, you stupid vampire!’ I shouted in my thoughts. I so wanted to tell him

that but refrained. He didn’t deserve to know.

“My sex life is not your business, Lord Hale,” I stated, then moved forward towards the glass door.

In reaction, he gripped my elbow tightly and blocked my exit.

“I said stay, Serena. I will not ask again.” The tone of his voice gave a hint of a threat. I clenched my

teeth and hissed at him.

“By any chance, did you plan this with Farryl?”

He cocked a brow in response. “Whatever do you mean?”

“This,” I pointed to the current situation we were in. “You being here. I am inclined to believe that Farryl

led me here to meet you.”

His stance. His expression. His overall bearing didn’t change. Either he was good at acting, or he just

didn’t know what I was blabbering about.

“Why would you think that? I am not in alliance with her despite how much we both hate your husband.”

He cracked a wide grin then and sighed. “Ooops, apologies Your Highness, my tongue slipped.”

I inhaled sharply. “I’m well aware werewolves and vampires hate each other, Lord Hale. You don’t need

to hide that from me.”

“Ah, you’re a really precious woman,” he replied, attempting to touch my cheek, but I quickly jerked

away.

He didn’t look offended with this. In fact, he was grinning still as if he was enjoying our less than warm

interaction.

“Honestly, I hadn’t seen or even talked to that guardian for quite a while now,” he finally confessed after

a short pause.

“So, you mean to say you jumped to this realm without her permission?”

“Hm, I believe she knows my presence here tonight, but then again, I can be stealthy and avoid

detection any time and in any place,” he proudly stated.

Damn it. Now that confirms my suspicion of him being a grade A sneaky bat.

“So, it’s safe to assume you are not in cohorts with her,” I muttered without hesitation; lowering my

guard for a few seconds.

“She has her own agenda, Serena, and I have mine,” he answered. “And speaking of which, you owe

me remember?”

My defenses heightened again at the memory of his words: his bold confession…his promise of biting

me. Hell, this wasn’t good.

“I do not,” was the first words that came out of my mouth just to buy time if possible. I stepped

backward and yanked myself free from his grip, but he was quick to grab my other elbow.

“Uh uh, I think you know exactly what I’m talking about, my queen.”

“And you’re crazy to assume I would willingly let you bite me!” Glares as sharp as daggers hit him.

“Hmm, then, you prefer I tell all the people in Phanteon that their luna is a fake? That you are just a

human and not a real she-wolf? They would be devastated, I’m sure.”

I gasped when I heard it.

“You…you wouldn’t dare blackmail me! We are living a peaceful life here, Lord Hale. Don’t ruin it!”

“A peaceful life…tsk,” he mused. “I doubt it will last. Aero has enemies, Serena. They are just hiding

under the shadows, waiting for the opportune time to strike.”

With that, a wild thought crossed my mind.

“Do you happen to know about the witch deaths in the border and the arson in Cirelles? You have an

idea who did it, don’t you?” I asked.

He again gave me a smug smile.

“Oh, you’re playing the detective game. I like it. But I wonder if Aero would be pleased. He is a self-

absorbed man after all. He doesn’t want help from the opposite sex, including his queen.”

My chest puffed up with pride.

“I think you are not well informed about the happenings here, Lord Hale. You’ll be amazed at how

things have changed.”

Oh, like Elijah, I’m going to savor his innocence. Aero has changed so much and I am confident he will

change even more for the better. All will come to realize that the King of Phanteon had a heart.

“I wouldn’t worry really, Serena,” his grin turned into a sneer as if none of my words took his curiosity.

The hand that had secured my shoulder hiked up to my neck. Easily, he angled my head to the side,

then that same hand traveled down to my partly-exposed cleavage.

“As you are right now, you remain unmarked by your husband,” was his next statement and with that, I

found myself remembering Prince Elijah’s words: something about a mark…a ‘zimet.’ I never got the

change to actually ask more about that and its significance.

“Whatever he allowed you to do, whatever freedom he has bestowed on you, it is all just a front for his

kingdom. He has not sealed your bond and I bet he would never do it,” Lord Hale continued and

surprisingly, the second-to-the-last sentence really did hit me hard.

‘Aero hasn’t sealed our bond…’ NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

I was unsure what to feel because Phanteon-wise, I didn’t know what implications or conditions there

were, but if the werewolf beliefs in my world meant something, then sealing a bond meant fully

submitting myself to him and vice versa; fully connected to each other; fully in love.

Love… my heart pricked.

Damn it.

There were many opportunities Aero could have marked me, but he didn’t. He didn’t. Did that actually

mean he wasn’t prepared to fully bond with me? Love me?

What an even better question was, do I feel the same? Do I really want to be bonded to him? Am I in

love with him?

Staying in this realm for him was an easy decision, but loving him?

“Might as well take my offer and come with me, Serena. That way you won’t be heartbroken,” Lord Hale

declared, pulling me out of my jumbled thoughts.

“Huh,” I chuckled dryly, trying to mask my instability. I didn’t want to give him the pleasure of seeing me

indeed affected by his words and that it has caused a spark of sadness in my heart.

I looked up at him with sharp eyes and stated as much as my fake bravado could go, “I’ll just pretend I

didn’t hear you, Lord Hale. I’m going to pretend you just didn’t threaten and offer the Queen of

Phanteon.”

His red eyes sparkled with thrill.

“You really are such a fascinating woman, Serena. You just continuously keep on amusing me. Oh yes,

I’ll definitely enjoy drinking your blood.”

He leaned over towards me, slowly. Leisurely. If I could, I would have sprinted away from him but his

grip on my elbow provided no chance for an escape. I could however put up a good fight but I was also

well aware of the differences of our strengths. If he wanted to, he could have just forced himself on me

and bite me without all these talking and dawdling.

Strength wise, in front of this man, just as I was in front of Aero, I felt helpless and I hated it. I hated

how defenseless I was.

But then, the weirdest thing happened.

My friendly bugs appeared, flying in between us like they didn’t care they were interrupting our

conversation.

One rainbow bug bigger than the others perched on top Lord Hale’s hand—the one that was on my

elbow, while the others rested on my shoulder.

The expression on this vampire lord’s face quickly changed: from confusion to enchantment, then to an

emotion akin to shock.

He released me in less than a second; speedily holding his right hand as if it had just been stung by the

bug.

I was dumbfounded with this development. Did my bugs just save me? I asked myself.

“Step away from my wife,” a warning growl filled the air suddenly, and in a blink of an eye, I saw Aero

already standing behind Lord Hale; a claw with the sharpest nails I had ever seen wrapped around the

vampire’s pale neck.

Aero!

My spirit jumped in joy.

“How audacious of you to come to this party when you’re not invited,” he grounded; his eyes full of

spite. “This is strike two, Hale.”

“Your Ma-jes-ty,” Lord Hale said, but even when held hostage, his tone still dripped with mockery.

“Violence is not necessary. No harm is done to the queen, see?”

Aero’s gaze flitted to me; the depths of his hazel-greens swirled with concern and anger.

“I’m fine, Your Majesty,” I confirmed.

Noticing the tick in his jaw, I realized he was battling on whether to release his prisoner or not, or to kill

or spare him—whichever was applicable. I decided to stop him instead, not because I worried about

the vampire lord, but because this beautiful night didn’t deserve bloodshed.

“I am fine,” I tossed my husband a sharp look.

He didn’t budge. Instead, he turned his attention to Lord Hale and said, “I could smell your scent

lingering on her skin, Hale. I don’t like it. Touch her again and you’ll find yourself headless in a second.”

My blood ran cold when I saw both Aero and Lord Hale’s eyes turn murderous.

These two men…really.

Luckily, Prince Elijah stepped inside the terrace and broke the tense atmosphere.

“Brother, you and Queen Serena are needed in the stage. The blessing of the snow moon is about to

begin,” he informed whilst lowering his head; acting like he just didn’t see the two men about to throw

punches at each other.

On impulse, I grabbed Aero’s hand and pulled him away from the vampire lord, aiming for the glass

door, but the tables soon turned to his side.

The next thing I knew, Aero was kissing me heavily, sensually in front of Lord Hale and Prince Elijah.