The Alpha King's Claim
CHAPTER 2: Getting Wet with the King
Aero
The Kingdom of Phanteon is a sprawling, majestic land. I’ve made sure to place watchtowers at every border to keep my people safe.
I’ve also instructed guards to patrol every hour, day and night. We’ve been at peace since the kingdom’s creation, but it never hurts to be cautious.
My men are diligent in their duties, but as their king, I like to personally check on things. I like to step out of the castle, see the land, and make sure everything is as it should be.
Evenings are my favorite times to shift into my werewolf or lycan form. I run across the kingdom, sometimes for hours until the break of dawn.
It’s my way of maintaining my form and stamina. I find running exhilarating, a great way to unwind from the court’s dramas.
Like tonight, for instance, when I discovered my crown is under threat.
My father is known for his cunning ways. I just never thought he’d use them against me.
When Elijah told me about the decree, I immediately called the council and ordered them to revoke it. But they refused, saying my father’s words were absolute and final.
I had to restrain myself from sending them all to an early grave. I’m the alpha now. I’m the king.
I should have full control over my subjects, but it seems my father made sure I couldn’t easily escape this predicament.
What the hell.
Running across my kingdom helped to cool my anger from tonight’s unfortunate events. I’m calmer now, but the thought of having to take a woman as my queen still lingers in my mind.
As for how I’ll do it, I have no idea yet, but I’m determined to use cunning ways to fulfill the decree.
An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. It’s time to use my father’s teachings against him.
When the early morning sun hits my metallic black fur, it’s my cue to return. But instead of heading straight back to the castle, I go to my manor by a lake northeast of my kingdom.
Built with the finest stones in the land, this home was a gift from my father when I first successfully shifted at the age of twelve.
This manor has since become my sanctuary; the only place free of worries, ministers, and women—especially them.
I was looking forward to a peaceful bath in my bathroom. But the moment I stepped inside the building, I sensed a presence.
Someone was inside, giving off a scent that was both enticing and poisonous to my nose. I immediately went on guard.
Slowly, I traced the scent to my chamber. The intruder had the audacity to invade my most sacred space.
But instead of getting angrier, I grinned, looking forward to tearing this intruder apart with my bare hands.
As I entered my bedroom, the scent grew stronger. I was torn between gagging and savoring it. I was almost tempted to do the latter, which made me even angrier.
This intruder could be using magic to get to me.
Once inside, I looked around, but there was no one there. No sign of any soul, living or dead.
It was only when I opened the double doors of the bathroom that the scent really hit me. I growled in displeasure.
Maybe it was the oils used that had thrown me off earlier. But now, as I stood in front of a very naked woman using my pool, I knew for sure.
The first thought that crossed my mind was:
I’m going to wring Elijah’s neck for this.
The woman was sitting comfortably on a partly submerged section of the pool. She was completely naked, just like I was when I shifted back to my human form.
I had been naked earlier too, but thanks to witch magic, werewolves and lycans don’t need to worry about finding clothes after shifting.
Now I was dressed in my casual outfit of a white tunic and loose trousers—a perfect look to interrogate this woman again.
The way her back curved and the way it looked flawless and pristinely white against the sun’s rays tempted my eyes to linger instead of look away.
I clenched my hands, feeling disappointed by my idiotic show of weakness. She was just showing a lovely feminine back. No big deal. But I hated how I couldn’t keep my eyes off it.
I continued to look, still deciding how to interrupt her when suddenly, she stopped drying her hair and looked up.
Our eyes met; hers showed surprise while mine fluctuated between anger and amusement.
“Shit!” she cried out before she jumped into the water.
I approached the pool, positioned myself directly above the sloping steps to block her exit, and waited for her to resurface. After a minute, she did, but she was on the other side of the pool, out of my reach.
“Here I thought I still had time to take a bath before your arrival. I guess I was wrong,” she said flatly, giving me a disappointed look.
Her face was turned towards me, but her body was pressed up against the pool tile as if she was trying to shield her nakedness from my view.
Huh, as if I want to look at those insignificant reproductive organs.
I raised an eyebrow and puffed out my chest, feeling proud of myself. “I wouldn’t argue with that. Unfortunately for you, I’m a fast runner.”
“You’re not surprised by my presence here,” she pointed out.
I crouched down to the floor and dipped a finger in the water, testing its temperature.
It was oddly warm and inviting, as if the stream that supplied water to my pool approved of this woman’s bathing activities.
“I haven’t fully grasped why you ended up here instead of the dungeon, and with a complete head at that,” I began.
“But I have a strong suspicion my dear brother had a hand in this. He’ll get what’s due to him, and as for you, well, I’ll decide later once you step out of my pool.”
“You see, I just came from a good run, and I’m feeling dirty and tired. I’ve yet to take a bath and peacefully enjoy my water.”
She lifts her chin, catching the hint I'm throwing her way. I don't like sharing my stuff, even my water, so she's definitely not welcome here.
“Would it be too much to ask for you to leave?” she asks, her gaze dropping to the water. “I’d like some privacy to… get dressed.”
“No,” I reply, my jaw ticking. “I’m the king. This is my place. You don’t get to boss me around.”
“I heard you don’t like women, Your Majesty.”
“That’s right.”
“So, you wouldn’t want to see one naked, right?”
“Exactly.”
I hesitate before answering. The image of her bare back from earlier flashes in my mind. I don't want to admit to myself that I liked what I saw.
Stupid senses. They're traitors.
“Well, then it's a win-win,” she continues. “You leave, and I get some privacy. You get your pool back.”
Damn. She's got the nerve to negotiate with me. My eyes narrow, and I stand up. “How about this? You leave now. I take my bath. I don't care what you do with that terrible body of yours.”
Her face cringes for a moment. “Prince Elijah warned me about your colorful language.”
“Good. That means I don't have to sugarcoat everything I say to you. Now, are you going to leave or not? You're wasting my time, woman. I'm not a patient man.”
Her brows furrow, showing her stress. I couldn't care less. It's her fault for bathing in my pool in the first place.
“I'm going to stay here until you leave,” she finally says, lifting her chin and looking me straight in the eye.
“I’m not a voyeur, Your Highness, and I’m certainly not the kind of woman who struts her stuff in public.”
Just as troublesome as I thought she'd be.
Grinding my teeth, I take a deep breath to control my anger. If she doesn’t want to leave my pool, then fine.
“Not my problem then,” I say, and I start to undress.
“Wha…what are you doing?” she stammers, her voice shaky. Whether it's fear or embarrassment, I couldn’t care less. Let her feel it as a form of punishment.
I drop my tunic on the floor and continue unbuckling my belt, giving her a sharp look. “Taking my well-deserved bath, of course.”
When I pull down my trousers, she quickly turns her head away. Her fair skin is now bright red.
This is new.
Usually, when my female subjects see me, they bow their heads, their faces as white as chalk. This is the first time I've seen a woman react differently to me.
Well, this is also the first time I've stripped naked in front of a woman. I never thought I'd do something like this, but I don’t have a choice.
I can’t let a woman win. I can’t let her win.
Continue to the next chapter of The Alpha King's Claim