Louisa's POV
"There's nothing about me that is relatively close to decency. There's no nobility in my adversity," I tried to push him away and said, "So quit pretending and let go of me. Whatever I've been through is insignificant and it's irrelevant to you."
"Whatever you have been through, it doesn't matter. All your misfortune stops as soon as I appear in your life for the first time." Alpha Zackery said in a plain voice. "I won't let anyone hurt you in this Kingdom. You're safe with me."
He looked quite calm and reserved when he said these words. The determination written on his face showed that he meant every word he had just said. There was a dash of sorrow in his motionless piercing blue eyes, like ripples emerging in a pool of mysterious dark pond because of the chilling north wind.
No matter how hard I struggled, I just couldn't get out of his arms. Eventually, I became exhausted and gave up protesting.
He wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly in front of his chest.
I thought to myself with doubts. Somehow, his arbitrary kindness seemed very questionable to me. A few hours before, we were still strangers. But now, he's holding me in a way that only lovers do. This is highly unorthodox and abnormal. He's royalty and I'm nothing. So what on earth is he scheming against me?
I couldn't hold it anymore.
"Why do you even care about me?" I asked in despair.
He lowered his head and got closer to me. I thought he was about to kiss me, but he just gently flicked away the hair in front of my eyes.
"I have my reason," he looked into my eyes and said. His glare was honest and blunt.
"Don't be so kind to me." I turned my eyes away from him. "I don't need anyone's sympathy anymore."
Alpha Zackery turned my face towards him and said, "Little girl, you've got a heart of gold. Please don't give up hope on kindness and love. It's a sin to see such a beautiful flower wither and die. You're so young and so innocent. You have to be protected and cherished. Don't feel sorry for yourself. Don't feel ashamed of your past. It's not your fault."
I shook my head, "I fell in love with someone who's incapable of love. I let people around me use me, cheat me, and hurt me. That's all my fault."
Alpha Zackery held my head against his chest and said, "I apologize for not being able to show up early in your life. I've been looking for you, little girl. I've been trying so hard. I promise I'll use my whole life to make up for you. I'll buy whatever you want and give whatever you need."
I looked up at him and gasped in surprise, "Who are you? What do you mean by looking for me?"
Alpha Zackery didn't answer my question. Instead, he put me down on the floor.
His sight went over my shoulder and looked behind me.
I turned back and saw Lucian walking towards us.
"Alpha Zackery, Your Excellency, please join us in the main tent." Lucian bowed slightly and said.
He still didn't even look at me.
There was no trace of any evidence on his face. He looked just like his casual self, modest and gentle.
Who could have imagined that such a harmless good-looking man would come up with such a despicable plan to kill Alpha Zackery?
Then, Lucian shifted his sight to me.
"You're also welcome to come, Miss She-wolf." He said in a detached voice. There was nothing but emptiness in his eyes, like a shark staring at his prey.
I got goosebumps all over my body.
"I need a minute..." I got myself together and said in a trembling voice.
"It's Alpha Lucas' order that you come with me right now," he said.
I immediately had a bad feeling about it.
They want to sell me Alpha Titan, so now they want to display their merchandise or something? I thought to myself.
"Beta Lucian, please..." I whispered.
Lucian's eyes narrowed and he didn't say anything. I knew he had no intention of wasting his time on me.
I stepped back a bit and almost stepped on Alpha Zackery, who held my waist in his hands and said to Lucas, "I'll accompany this young lady to the tent when she's ready for it."
Lucian frowned a bit and said, "Your Excellency, Alpha Lucas demands her presence right now, so..."
"Lucian, are you trying to defy me?" Alpha Zackery looked at Lucian and asked. He was still smiling and his tone was very smooth, but somehow he looked extremely intimidating and oppressive. He had a certain mysterious charisma, which made him gentle and dangerous at the same time.
Lucian immediately lowered his head and bowed deeper, "No, Your Excellency."
"So your service will no longer be needed. Leave us," Alpha Zackery said.
"Yes, Your Excellency," Lucian said and walked off.
Looking at Lucian's back, I covered my face with trembling hands.
"What happened, little girl?" I heard Alpha Zackery's gentle voice on my side.
I opened my mouth to take in my air, but I couldn't say a word.
"You know you can tell me everything." He said while stroking my hair.
I couldn't hold it anymore.
"They want to trade me," I whispered in despair, "They want to sell me to Alpha Titan. Is this what it is? Being ignored, abused, and traded by men that I love... Is this the story of my life? My stepmother was right. I'm cursed. I'm a plague..."
Alpha Zackery frowned a bit and wiped away the blood smear on my cheek. Then, he placed his fingers gently on my lips to seal them.
"You're everything to me, little girl," he said. "Don't let anyone make you think less of yourself. I never thought Lucas would put you on sale. But if he has decided to do so, you won't be going anywhere."
I looked up at him in his eyes and murmured, "What do you mean?"
He smiled and getnlty placed his eyes on me.
"I'm going to purchase you from Lucas," he said.
I was shocked. I shook my head and begged, "No... I mean, please don't..."
"Don't worry, little girl. I always get what I want. So, you're mine now," he said. "Now, wipe off the tears on your face and let's go to the main tent together. I can't wait to see Lucas' face when I tell him about this."