Stripping For The Alpha King

Chapter 41

"Come sit with me," Ajax murmured, patting the open space on the bed beside him. his green eyes were pleading with me, hoping that he would be able to soothe away some of the terror that was coursing through me.

But I had seen those violent teeth that could tear flesh, I had seen the jaws that could shatter bones. The animal that lurked beneath was too real. And he was the reason that I was so wild and skittish now. The man that I was beginning to trust no longer seemed so safe.

I shook my head and stayed as far away from him as I could and keeping my body in line with the open door.

"You're being absurd, Keiko. You weren't afraid of me a few hours ago and if you had just listened then none of this would've happened, but you're just so damn defiant," he rambled. The worry and concern bled into annoyance now, like I was a disobedient puppy.

"Pick, Ajax," I snarled through clenched teeth. "Is this my fault or my mother's fault? It can't be everyone else's but yours."

"Your mother's if you must know," he shot back with blazing eyes. Clearly, he didn't understand the point I was trying to make and he didn't see how much I hated his statements against the woman who raised me. "Who does that to their child?"

"I can't listen to this. you're crazy and you're blaming my mother for....whatever this is. Whatever you are. And I'm so fucking done with all of this crazy bullshit," I said. My hands were shaking but I still moved towards the opened door. I didn't know where I would go. I didn't know if I was in any condition to drive, but I couldn't stay here and listen to this any longer.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ajax blurted when he saw my movement. "I know that this is a very upsetting for you." He ran a hand through his hair and let out a low breath, "What your mom has done has upset me as well, but we won't talk about it now. Right now we need to talk about what you saw in the woods."

I stopped moving and stared at him. I wanted to leave. I knew I should've left as well. But I wanted answers. I wanted to know what happened. I wanted to know what he was. And I wanted to know why he thought that we were the same.

"You already know that I'm a prince," Ajax continued when he saw I wasn't trying to flee anymore. "But what you don't know is that I'm the prince of werewolves. And my parents are the king and queen."

"Werewolves aren't real. They're myths." I couldn't believe he was looking me in the eye with such ludicrous things coming out of his mouth. Did he not understand how insane he sounded?

"Many myths bear a lot of truth. This is one of those scenarios."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not. How else would you explain what you saw? How else would you explain what you feel for me and what happened in the dining room that morning?"

"I've stopped taking my medication and now I've begun hallucinating. What happened in the dining room was my body suffering from withdrawal, causing me intense pain," I countered, feeling dangerously close to tears. I said the words but they didn't feel right. I wanted them to be the truth but they weren't.

"The medication you were given was a blocker, something that was designed to repress the wolf in you. That's why you never shifted, that's why you didn't know who I was the first time we met. But one of the side effects of the medication is altering your scent. It made you smell like a rogue. It made you smell like an outsider. Which is why you were never allowed to go for hikes around your city. The werewolves there would smell you a mile away. You'd be considered a threat. And that's what happened in the woods today."

"I was attacked in the woods."

"No, you weren't. one of my guards thought that you were a threat because you didn't smell like a normal werewolf. But he didn't attack you because that medication is wearing off and you're starting to smell normal."

"This is insanity," I whimpered.

"I know it's a lot. But I want to help you through this."

"You're an animal," I accused.

"Not all the time," he replied with a cheeky smile. When he reconsidered my quaking, vulnerable state the smile fell away. "Come here," he whispered. This time I listened and settled myself beside him. because no matter what he was, no matter what I had seen, I couldn't keep myself away from him. "I'm sorry that it had to come out this way. I had a hundred different plans to tell you. But when I saw my guard cornering you like that I couldn't control myself. This is my fault."

He took one of my hands in both of his. I stared, absently surprised that they weren't currently paws. And he slowly raised the hand upward until he bowed his head down and placed a gentle kiss on it. it was amazing that such softness could come from a man that had been a beast less than an hour ago.

"I can't be like you," I denied, but my voice didn't sound terribly certain. "I've never been like that."

"I know, sweetheart," he soothed, "The medication wouldn't allow you to shift, but your body is starting to get better. You almost shifted in the dining room. I'm sure with a few more days you'll be able to at least start shifting."

"I can't," I protested, "I don't want to. I won't. this isn't natural."

Ajax released my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulder. With a gentle pull he eased me against the side of his chest. His lips moved against the top of my head in a soft kiss.

"I'll be with you through the whole thing, I promise, Keiko."