Page 153 of My Fated Alpha: The Royals

When our eyes met, he said teasingly,Missed me, didn’t you?

I lifted my chin.You wish.Thank God we were talking like this. If I had to speak out loud, he would have known how he had rendered me breathless.

Suddenly, he was there, his preternatural speed enabling him to reach my side in a blink of an eye.

He smirked down at me.As always...you lie.

I turned away, not wanting him to see me smile. Another moment, and I had no reason to smile at all.

“Alexandru, wait.” The voice was familiar,toofamiliar.

I stiffened.

“Katarina.” His voice was stiff.

I closed my eyes.

Poor Master,I thought dully. Torn between his pet and his first love, and honor required him to stick with me.

“I know you said you won’t be working today, but this is important. We’ve received news about a sighting...”

I knew what that meant. And I knew what she was doing.

While the news about a demon sighting was sure to be true, I had no doubt it was also something she brought up now in order to prevent him from coming with me.

Forcing a smile, I turned around to face them. “Master, it’s all right.” I forced myself to keep smiling even though I hated seeing Katarina’s fingers on his sleeve. Like Alexandru, she was a skilled vampire hunter, and it gave the tall brunette a certain kind of confidence that made her appear extremely attractive.

Alexandru frowned. “What—-”

I didn’t let him finish, curtsying instead as I murmured, “I will see you Monday, Master.” I hurried away.

Zari, wait.

I pretended I didn’t hear him.

When I reached the bus I was assigned to, I handed my consent form to the professor. Pets weren’t allowed to leave the campus without permission from their Masters.

“Your Master will follow soon?” the professor queried. “He knows we’re about to leave anytime now?”

“He knows, and no, he won’t be accompanying me.” I struggled to keep my voice even.

“I see.” The professor struggled to keep the pity from hers.

Unfortunately, we both failed.

It was clear in her expression that she, too, had caught sight of my Master, had seen he wasn’t alone, and had probably even understood why he wasn’t coming with me.

I managed a bright smile. “May I go up now, Professor?”

“Oh, yes, yes, please!” The professor was flustered as she waved me away.

As I took the first step leading to the coach’s passenger section, I heard it.

My Master’s voice.

Zari, let me—-

It’s really okay, Master. And I don’t want to keep talking about it.This time, I closed the mental connection between us, which was like slamming the phone down on his ear.

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