Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King

Lorelei POV

By the time she started going over formal titles, proper ways to address different ranks, and little tricks for dodging uncomfortable questions without actually answering them, I could already feel a dull headache forming behind my temples.

The banquet was literally tomorrow night, and I was starting to wonder if agreeing to attend had been a terrible idea. There seemed to be an entire minefield waiting for me the moment I stepped into that ballroom.

When Mrs. Whitmore finally finished, I swallowed two painkillers with a cold glass of water before collapsing onto the couch, desperately enjoying the few minutes of peace I had left.

Unfortunately, my break didn’t last long.

The interior designer arrived soon after, forcing me to drag myself back onto my feet and head toward my new room.

At least this session was nowhere near as exhausting as the political nightmare Mrs. Whitmore had just put me through. All I had to do was walk around the room and tell the designer what I wanted, while she followed behind me with a notebook, writing down every little detail.

I picked out deep velvet curtains, warm shades for the walls, the type of furniture I wanted, and even where I wanted everything placed, slowly watching the empty room begin to feel more like mine.

"It should take about a week to have everything completed, Miss," the designer assured me once we were done, closing her notebook.

I nodded, already feeling relieved that at least one thing was finally off my list while my mind immediately drifted toward the only thing I actually wanted to do now.

Go straight to Kaelen’s massive bed and disappear under the sheets.

Or better yet, steal his ridiculously oversized bathtub and soak until I forgot this entire day had ever happened.

Yeah.

A hot bath was definitely what I needed if I was going to survive tomorrow.

Finalizing the last few details with the designer, I practically bolted back to Kaelen’s private chambers the second she left.

I was already pulling off my clothes before I even made it through the doorway, heading straight for the adjoining bathroom.

I turned on the heavy faucets and let the deep marble tub fill with steaming water before tossing in a generous handful of lavender bath salts and a few drops of calming essential oils. Once I was down to my underwear, I slipped slowly into the tub.

A long, trembling sigh escaped me as the heat wrapped around my aching muscles, instantly washing away some of the exhaustion that had been weighing me down all day. I leaned my head against the rim, closed my eyes, and let myself sink deeper into the warmth.

I had no idea how much time passed before the heavy door to Kaelen’s bedroom clicked shut.

Slow, familiar footsteps crossed the hard floor, but I didn’t even bother opening my eyes because I knew that walk anywhere.

Honestly, I hadn’t expected him to return this early, and judging by the way his footsteps changed direction every few seconds, he was clearly looking for me.

Just a moment later, the bathroom door opened, and his familiar scent was the first to reach me, growing stronger as he walked across the tiled floor toward the tub.

I stayed where I was, keeping my eyes closed, sinking a little deeper beneath the bubbles.

Then his warm hands settled on my shoulders, his thumbs immediately finding the tense muscles there and working them with slow, steady pressure.

"How was today?" he asked, his deep voice rumbling softly above me.

"Exhausting," I whispered, letting my head fall back as his hands worked their way across my shoulders. "And you’re telling me I have to do this every single day?"

A soft chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Not every day, but yeah... it comes with the title. If it ever gets too much, though, just tell me."

I couldn’t help but smile at that, relaxing even more as his fingers moved down my upper back.

"You do more than this every day, don’t you?" I asked, glancing up at him.

His hands continued kneading away the last knots in my back, and for the first time all day, I actually felt like I could breathe.

"I’m the Alpha King," he replied quietly. "It’s what’s expected."

Those words made my heart clench. I finally opened my eyes and turned around in the water to face him properly. He was still dressed in his crisp work clothes, looking every bit like the intimidating Alpha King he was supposed to be, but up close, I could see what he was trying so hard to hide.

The faint shadows beneath his amber eyes, the tiredness weighing down his features, even the way his usual sharp expression had softened around the edges.

He was exhausted.

"You’re tired too," I murmured, reaching up with my wet hand to gently trace his jaw. "Come in with me."

Kaelen gave me a small, almost apologetic shake of his head. "I just wanted to check on you. I have to leave the estate again in a few minutes."

My lips immediately pulled into a disappointed pout, and seeing it, his expression softened even more.

He leaned over the edge of the tub, cupping my damp cheek in his large hand before pressing a slow, tender kiss to my lips.

"Don’t worry. It’s just a small matter I need to deal with. I’ll be back before nightfall," he whispered against my lips.

"You promise?" I asked, searching his eyes.

Instead of answering, Kaelen let out a soft chuckle before leaning down and kissing me again, deeper this time, leaving me breathless enough that I completely forgot what I was even about to argue about.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until much later that evening, when the sun had disappeared below the horizon and the entire estate had fallen into darkness, that I realized why he had laughed instead of answering me.

He wasn’t back.

I tried to tell myself that he was the Alpha King, that an entire empire depended on him, and that it was unfair of me to expect him to drop everything just because I wanted him beside me.

But no matter how many times I repeated it in my head, the logic did nothing to ease the ache in my chest. It didn’t make the empty chair across from me feel any less lonely.

By the time I finished my dinner, I was barely touching my food anymore, and despite my best efforts to hide it from the maids clearing the table, I couldn’t stop the quiet sadness from settling across my face as I sat alone at the massive dining table.

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