Louisa's POV
After Alpha Zackery put me into his carriage, Mick approached.
"Miss Louisa, are you OK?" He asked through the carriage window.
"Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry. Have you seen Lucas?" I asked.
"Alpha has already gone back to the camp. He didn't look well," Mick said.
"Was Lucian with him?" I asked.
"No. Beta wanted to go with him, but Alpha didn't let him. Alpha got on the horse and rode off by himself," Mick said.
"By himself?" I frowned. "You mean, he didn't even take the soldiers?"
"No, Miss Louisa," Mick said. "He was very mad."
Alpha Zackery got into the carriage and said, "We're ready to go now. Are those the new personal guards you've hired?"
"Yes. This is Mick," I nodded and said.
"Your Excellency, it's an honor to meet you in person." Mick bowed and said.
"You can discharge Mick and his brothers, so they can take a rest. You're safe with me tonight." Alpha Zackery said and sat next to me.
I nodded at Mick and said, "Don't worry, you can go ahead and follow Lucas. Follow him in distance. I don't think he should ride alone."
"Yes, Miss Louisa." Mick nodded and left.
The carriage moved forward.
"Louisa..." I heard Will's voice.
I looked down. Will curled up on my lap like a little puppy. He was sleeping soundly while snuggling Snow, who used his head as a pillow.
He was talking in his dream and calling my name. It was so sweet.
Alpha Zackery looked at me and said, "This little boy really likes you."
"I guess he treats me as his substitute mother. His mother passed away almost a thousand years ago. But he's still missing her," I mumbled. "Can you imagine that? Missing someone for a thousand years."
Alpha Zackery gently stroked my hair behind my ear and said, "A lot of boys have mother issues. That's why they end up marrying girls who are just like their mothers."
"Because they want to be loved unconditionally?" I asked.
Alpha Zackery looked at me and said, "Because they want to love someone unconditionally."
"I don't understand," I said.
"Think about Lucas. The way you love him but can't get his love. Do you feel the pain?"
"Yes. Every second of my life." I lowered my head and said.
"A lot of people are addicted to their own pain, even though pain isn't supposed to be addictive," Alpha Zackery said. "When I look at you, I'm actually looking at myself."
He paused for a brief moment and said, "I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. I don't want you to repeat the same mistake twice. That's why I have to interfere with your life. I don't want you to get addicted to your own pain, little girl. It's very self-destructive."
"Are you still in pain?" I asked.
"Yes, every second of my life." He replied while looking out of the window.
"But you look fine." I frowned and said.
"I'm beyond salvation, little girl," he said.
A dark cloud swiped across his face and disappeared. That look reminded me of Zabel, his elder brother.
They didn't exactly lookalike except for the color of their hair and eyes. Zabel's facial features were more feminine than his brother's.
"Did you ask Zabel to take me to the Grand Ball tonight?" I asked.
"No. I can't ask him to do anything for me. He's very free-spirited," Alpha Zackery said.
I was confused.
"But he's your Beta. I mean, Lucas always tells Lucian to do things for him," I said.
Including raping women and killing people. I thought to myself in secret.
Alpha Zackery remained silent.
I added, "And today when we walked into the Grand Hall, I saw the way people treated Zabel. Wherever we walked, the door opened itself. They didn't treat him as someone's Beta. They treated him like..."
I took a pause and bit my lips.
"Like a king." Alpha Zackery continued my sentence.
"Yes," I nodded and said. "Why did people do that?"
"Because he was supposed to be the King," Alpha Zackery said.
I was completely shocked.
Zabel? The pale-looking man who dressed up in a horseman uniform? The King?!
"It's a very long and dreadful story. I don't want to bore you with the details," Alpha Zackery said.
"But can you at least tell me what kind of condition Zabel is suffering from? I mean, no offense, he looks like a patient... as if he is suffering from a certain chronic disease," I said.
Alpha Zackery said, "Jafar said you're talented in medicine. He's telling the truth. You're right. My brother is a very sick person who is suffering from an unknown disease. That's why I keep Jafar around all the time. When he's in a good mood, he sometimes dresses up in a servant's uniform and sneaks out. He's been doing things like this all the time."
"What are the symptoms of his condition?" I asked.
"You should ask Jafar. He knows everything, whereas all I can do is to hold Zabel's hands. How did you meet him today?" Alpha Zackery asked.
"We were having a barbeque and he was standing there, away from the crowd, looking at us. He looked so alone and sad, so I approached him and talked to him," I said.
"Zabel isn't a very sociable person. He usually walks away when people try to start a conversation with him. But apparently, he enjoys your company," He smiled at me and said. "I'm sure we will get along very well, little girl."
"About that, Alpha Zackery, Your Excellency..." I whispered.
"You can call me Zack, or call me a gigolo, like the way Lucas calls me." Alpha Zackery said with a playful smile.
"OK... Zack... I mean, I can't stay with you. Lucas is my mate. When I stay away from him, I feel very upset. When you tortured him today, I could feel the pain all over my chest..." I said.
Zackery looked very surprised and said, "I thought the Ring on your neck could block all your connections."
"It only blocks him from invading my thoughts, so he doesn't feel the pain I've been through. I can still feel whatever he feels. And when he has sex with other women, I could feel the unbearable affliction..." I lowered my head and said. "Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned this to you..."
Zackery pulled me into his arms and said, "You can tell me everything, little girl. If I knew the connection was there, I wouldn't have hurt him. Does it still hurt?"
I rubbed my chest and nodded, "But it's OK. I guess I'm used to the pain now."
Then, I felt a sudden hit of pain in my arm.