Stripping For The Alpha King

Chapter 64

Holly stood by my side as we watched the sleek sedan pull up the winding, mountain driveway. It felt like we were a united front this way, though Noah who was on the opposing team, was not far away. The air was frigid, but I didn't shiver in my pencil skirt and short sleeved blouse. I could almost hear Queen Adeline praising my choice outfit with its sharp lines and cool hues. An icy wind blew, tossing my dark hair in front of my face just as the sedan stopped in front of the entrance. Ajax slid out of the backseat. I met his eyes without saying a word while the driver leapt up and retrieved both of the suitcases from the trunk.

Ajax moved closer to me, but seemed too uncomfortable to rise up the steps leading to Holly and I. the unease me made me feel better. Yes, he was my mate, and yes I was supposed to love him and welcome him always, but he had crossed me. He had overridden me when I needed to be the one to make the final call. Seeing him like this told me that he knew he had been out of place. That was at least a step in the right direction.

"Hello," I greeted, my voice sounding more frigid than the mountain air around us.

"My mom wasn't kidding when she said that you had found your own mountain palace," he said, his eyes sweeping over the massive structure behind me.

"Come in, I'll show you around."

I dismissed the driver once the suitcases were in the foyer, then led Ajax to the closet to hang up his winter clothing. Underneath his big jacket he was wearing a smart suit with a powerful red, dress shirt.

"The winter months are a lot less forgiving here than back home," he mused. His lips were pulled up into a smile, but his eyes revealed just how nervous he was.

"It certainly isn't Europe," I agreed.

"Has your mother been in contact with you?" Ajax asked, his voice softening.

I still stiffened at the question despite his calm tone. When Adeline told me that my mother was being held in the palace as some kind of prisoner I had made one decision. I let her go with no conditions. I didn't want her to be exiled, I didn't want her to be forced to remain in the USA or in Europe. I didn't want her flown here so she could offer an explanation. I told the royals to release her. They did. That was the last time I thought of her until now.

"No," I said, feeling my throat tighten.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's fine, now let me show you around."

I guided Ajax through the mansion that I was starting to call home. I showed him the massive kitchen and the living room that could house dozens of guests if need be. He seemed impressive by the little home theater in the basement and all of the spare bedroom, but very few words were spoken as we progressed. Holly disappeared at some point and I wasn't sure if I was grateful or not. We ended the tour in the master bedroom on the top floor.

With how timid he had been- moving around like a mouse- I was a little surprised with the way he laid down on my king sized bed like it was his own. I supposed that even if I had humbled him a little bit I could never fully take the prince out of him.

"Aren't you going to ask me what I think?" he hinted, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Why would I?" I shot back hotly. This was exactly what I had been expecting and I was more than ready to wage war now. "I got the Queen's approval, that's all I needed to purchase this place."

At that Ajax sat up completely. For once he wasn't looking at me like I was some kind of challenge that he needed to conquer. His gaze was soft as his hands fiddled with the heavy blanket on my bed. After a heavy sigh poured through his lips he spoke. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that what I was doing was going to make you feel so invalid. With your mom being there and trying to take you away I lost my head."

"I'm not here to be pushed around or discussed like an object that someone owns. I'm disgusted by both of you. I worked really hard to give myself the life I had and now I can't go back to it, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to forfeit my freedom to you."

"I know that, Keiko. I never wanted to take away any of your freedom," he insisted.

"How can you say that? You literally had someone drug me then I was thrown on a plane, moved to another country without my consent and held as a prisoner."

"You were in a palace," he argued with a shake of his head.

"I wasn't allowed to leave. And then you tried to tell me that I couldn't strip."

"Do you want to strip now that you know who and what you are?"

"Ajax, it doesn't matter," I hissed, exasperated. "What I want now is irrelevant. The fact is that you were furious with my mother for drugging me, but you never let me decide if I wanted my wolf to come out. You never asked me if I wanted to go to Germany. You never asked me if I wanted to take up the throne. And you didn't care enough to ask me if I wanted to go with my mother or if I wanted to stay with you."

Ajax said nothing. His hands went back to fiddling with the quilt. I could see the way he was chewing on his lower lip and part of me wondered if I had gone too far. We had been a part of two weeks and this was how I welcome him? Just as I had not asked to be mated to a werewolf he had not asked to be mated to a girl who knew nothing about his world. We were both learning each other little by little.

"You're right," he said finally. "I haven't been respectful of what you wanted or needed. I'm not trying to make an excuse, because what I did was wrong. I should've acknowledged that you weren't familiar with the werewolf ways, instead I panicked and pulled you out of your own world. I can't take back what I did, so all I can do is apologize."

"Ajax, I can't have you overrule me again. I might not have understood what was going on in the beginning but I know now. I'm not just some scared, irrational girl anymore. I've taken on the role of being a royal in hopes that one day I will be a good, strong queen."

"I know. I can see now that I need to trust your judgement and even if I don't understand why you decide something I need to discuss it with you first."

At that I raised an eyebrow. "This sounds rehearsed."

Ajax's mouth quirked up in a nervous smile. "My mother told me I would be in for hell with you. You were so mad that I didn't want to risk messing anything up. I practiced what I was going to say the whole flight here."

At that I couldn't help but let out a little laugh. The thought of Ajax nervously repeating his words while stewards looked on was very unlike him. However, it meant a lot to me that he understood that the threat of losing me was real.

"I want to rule with you. You know that, don't you?" I asked. "I don't have the knowledge to run even an American detachment by myself, much less reside over all of it. I need you, Ajax. But we need to do this together."

"From now on, I promise to treat you like the queen you are."

              ~~~~Distraction Section~~~~

Ajax is finally starting to act right! One more chapter and you guys finally get the mini surprise. Maybe you won't be that excited about it, but it's something that I've never done before so I'm pretty stoked to see how it turns out.

I was really surprised with yesterday's answers. I always felt that because I write something I consider soft and mushy that everyone who reads it would have similar taste. I was stunned to find out that some of you like Marvel movies and even horror!

Question of the day: What is your favorite way to partake in self care?

I love taking long baths and putting in extra time to attend to my skin, like exfoliating and moisturizing. Plus, being in warm water helps clear sinuses and makes it super easy to stretch out muscles!