Page 79 of The Alpha King's Curse: Part Two

She jumped when she heard Faith’s voice at the top of the steps.

“Mr King wants to see you. You can’t put it off any longer.”

Her shoulders slumped. What would her punishment be this time?

Chapter 40

Layla’s quiet laugh drifted through the open window. Jackson gripped the bedding to stop himself from getting out of bed.

She’d been out there for hours.

She’d been ignoring him for hours.

“Shall I change the bedding again, Alpha?”

He pulled his attention away from Layla to look at Faith, who had dutifully changed his bedding and near enough force-fed him while ignoring his request for her to bring Layla back to the bedroom.

“What?”

“You’ve ripped the bedding. Shall I change it?”

He looked down at his fingers and the slightly extended claws that had gone through the silk. Cain was still asleep, so he had no idea how that happened.

“No. Just get Layla,” he growled.

Faith didn’t even flinch. For an Omega, she was being a real pain. And she wasn’t even hiding her amusement. He’d just accepted that his days with Layla were numbered, but the little empath—the only other person in the whole pack who could feel his gut-wrenching emotions—wasn’t feeling sorry for him. Faith was just like her buddy Layla.

“Yes, Alpha. As soon as I finish my duties.”

He growled, but Faith smiled and turned away from him to load the dirty laundry into her basket.

“Why does it sound like they’re having a party out there?”

“Well, everyone feels safe. Last night our king showed us why he is our king,” Faith smiled proudly. “I knew you could do it.”

The praise stroked his ego. Faith had a way about her that made him want to always do his best. She’d been like that even before she'd shifted.

“And Miss Layla showed us why she is by your side,” Faith continued.

“How?”

The smile dropped off her face, and she quickly picked up the laundry basket.

“I’ll be going now, Alpha,” Faith said without answering, and then she walked out. She walked out on her fucking King!

He punched the pillow in frustration and looked down at his useless leg. The doctor had already been in to redress it and give him a shot after Micah had dunked him in the bath. Even his trusted Head Warrior was reluctant to speak to him.

He already knew what had happened; he just wanted details and wanted to know who in their right mind had allowed it to happen.

Warrior? The young girl had called Layla that. What the hell had his soon-to-be ex-mate done to deserve such an accolade? To be allowed to sit among them as if she had been accepted as part of the pack. To laugh like that?

He was breaking inside because this was the life he'd started craving. To be with her like that in his pack, with their whole lives ahead of them.

There was a quick knock on the door, and the door opened, revealing a tired-looking Diedre. The witch put her hand over her mouth as she came forward, her eyes on his leg.

“I thought you wouldn’t make it,” she whispered. “I saw your wounds and felt all the dark magic inside you—I didn’t think you’d wake up.”

“I’m okay. And everything else will be okay soon. You should be resting, Diedre.”

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