Love and Chaos Series
The Alpha King’s Ugly Bride Chapter 18

If there was anything Xavier Ainsworth looked forward to, it had to be the end of the day. This is the time he'd get to leave to be with Zara and have her put her arms around him. The affairs of the kingdom most times were enough to make one mad, and he was mad and needed the healing touch of his lover. Their meetings were no longer as often as they used to be. Once, they met every day with exception of a day or two but now they saw each other once every three to five days. Xavier knew wasn't enough but duty called and he had to answer. Zara, being exceptional had understood through it all. She told him she was happy as long as she still had him. Even if it was once a month. He couldn't have asked for anything better. Xavier got into the white carriage waiting for him. The rider already knowing where the alpha king was headed rode them off.

The gates opened to them wasting no time and they ride out. As they leave the Palace estate, Xavier caught sight of the carriage packed not so far from the gate, and his gaze narrowed.

"Is it normal for a carriage to be packed here at this time?" he asked the rider of his carriage. His eyes scrutinised the carriage trying to grasp the face of the rider in it, but failed to.

"No, my king. But sometimes, the maid and servants carry their errand out at night, hence the carriage," he said.

The rider's reply eased the little suspicion that stirred up within him and he calmed himself. He had to focus on his lover and the night ahead of them. Nothing else matter, and nothing could ruin the night ahead.

After a half-hour of riding, his carriage stood at Zara's residence, a white painted two-storey building. He erected the house a year ago after starting its construction the year before that. Having white paint, the house stood out among the rest around, just like he wanted.

He stepped out of the carriage and approached the doors. He got to it and knocked quickly.

"Come in, the door is open.

Xavier heard Zara's sweet voice from inside the room and a smile detained his face. He pushed open the door and there she was, his lover in a long white transparent robe that did little to hide her features. He scanned her from head to toe and grinned with satisfaction. She had stayed on his mind all day and he had longed for her and now the waiting was over.

He shut the door, the smile not leaving his face, and he darts to her in a second. He lifted her into his hands and took her to bed.

...

Zara slept peacefully in his arms while he stayed awake watching her. He thought to all the mountains he needed to move so he could hold onto her this way forever. He knew what he needed to do and his plans were already taking off.

He didn't want to keep her waiting any more than needed, but he had no choice. Not having her as much as he wanted, hurt and always ripped into the time they spent together.

He cussed Robb Ainsworth every day and as often as he could. This was all his fault. If he hadn't decided to make decisions for him, perhaps his life would have been much better.

Her eyelashes fluttered not long after and her enchanting blue eyes settled on his. "What are you thinking about?" she moaned lightly.

"Same thing as always, how to make you, my queen?"

She glided her hand up to his chest, playing with the few hairs there. "It's simple, kill your wife."

He reached out and stroked her face. "It's not that simple, Zara. If it was, I would have done it, don't you think?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps spending all that time with her has made you soft towards her..." she trailed off.

"That's not it."

She lifted herself onto her elbow, her brow raised. "Oh really? Okay, tell me why she's still alive and being called 'queen"."

"I haven't figured out the perfect way around getting rid of her."

She sat up, and he does the same. "You want to have her as your queen and I as your mistress. That's the way I see it." her tone held sadness and bitterness in it and it broke his heart.

"It's not. Killing Zara doesn't stop the curse of our union. Only my father can lift the curse, and he isn't waking soon."

"I spoke to a powerful shaman behind the south caves and he said there is a way around the curse if the right steps are taken."

"To my best of knowledge, only the one who placed the curse can reverse it. That's the reason he's in the caves while other shamans are in the temple." she cast him a glare and he regretted his crude words. He cleared his throat. "What are the steps?"

"It involves a few sacrifices but we can do it. Nevertheless, the queen has to die first."

"And did he tell you what else this sacrifice entails?"

She bit her lips. "The sacrifice of a few pure breeds, eight are needed for the ritual completion. The younger the better."

He grew cold and ran up from the bed, unable to believe his ears. He knew Zara was just as desperate to be with him as he was her, but he didn't know her desperation would take her this far.

"We are not fucking killing children so we can be together! What kind of king will I be if I do that?" he exclaimed.

"You killed two men months ago for way less!" she reminded him, pulling the bedsheets along with her as she rose to her feet.

"And look where we are!"

"It seems I'm the only one holding on, you've got your queen and I've got nothing!" she yelled at him, her eyes sad. "That's not true!"

A loud knock came to the door and they both pause and stared at each other not sure if they were hearing correctly. "Are you expecting someone?"

"Just you," she shrugged.

Xavier draped himself in his robe and came downstairs to see who it was. A guard stood before him as he opened the door.

No one but the carriage rider knew where Zara lived and he felt shocked that someone else now did. But more importantly, he wondered why.

"My king," the guard bowed his head.

"What do you want?" Xavier cut through the formality, knowing he had better things to do than have his a*s kissed.

"News came in from the temple, my king, your father is awake." the guard replied, bowing once more.

Xavier's heart clenched in his chest tightly on hearing the news that brought him nothing but instant pain and anger.

"I'll go get ready," he said. He turned around to head upstairs and his eyes landed on Zara.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "I heard." Her eyes were blank of emotions and he hated moments like these because he couldn't tell what she was thinking.

He got dressed. His stay with Zara had been cut short by the information he just received. He was angry but knew he could do nothing but leave.

He stepped towards Zara who had positioned herself at the door unmoved for a while now, just watching him get ready.

He cupped her face in his palms when he got close. "We will find a way out of this, but I can't have the blood of innocent children on my hands."

She nodded but remained silent.

He pulled her closer and kissed her lips one last time before leaving the room.

The awakening of his father had ruined his plans, which would have unfolded in three to four weeks' time. At first, he'd contemplated killing his queen, but he realised that was too cruel of a fate. From what he leant so far, she was the last on the Asika bloodline, which meant killing her would bring an end to the Asika's linage and name. She had done nothing to him to deserve such a fate. So he settled for introducing her to Zavaan Dixon, the perfect candidate to woo her into his bed.

Mia was a smart young queen, smarter than most girls in the kingdom. He learnt this in the first few days of their marriage. What she didn't have in looks she made up for with her brain. He understood she wouldn't easily be tricked into liking anyone and Zavaan wasn't just anyone.

Zavaan was among the men that stood out in the kingdom with looks and physique. Above this; he was a geek, just like his wife. He had already contacted Zavaan with the job of tutoring his wife at first and then wooing her into bed afterwards. Zavaan turned down the offer, but when Xavier threatened to sell his family into slavery, he agreed.

If Xavier plan succeeded, he'd not only get rid of his wife, he'd also gain the sympathy of his father to lift the curse on him and Zara. This strategy had been tested and trusted for so long. Zavaan should have started tomorrow, but the awakening of Robb would change how things play out now

The carriage arrived at the Palace Estate, stopping right before the entrance to the Palace. Xavier got down and hurried his legs inside the now quiet palace hall. He bothered himself less with everything else as he headed for Mia's Chambers.

He needed to speak to her, inform her about the awakening of his father, who would now be the alpha of alphas. He doubted Mia knew the first thing about his family or himself since he hadn't taken the time to be around her as he should. He had warned her to stay off and keep her curiosity to herself. She had done just that.

His father's awakening had come sooner than expected, but he could still ready himself. The last thing he wanted was to look pathetic before Robb Ainsworth.

As he approached, Lydia who was still around the passage for an unknown reason walked up to him. "I need to speak to the queen."

"You can't. She's sleeping, my lord." she protested.

He glared at her. "Don't tell me what I can't do. You're supposed to be put running errands, yet here you are."

Lydia's eyes narrowed at him in confusion, as he pushed open the door and stormed into Mia's chambers.

He guarded his legs over towards her bedside, but when he got close, he didn't see her in bed. She wasn't in the room either and he wondered where she could have taken herself to. However, as he glanced around her bed, his eyes caught sight of her golden wedding bracelet on the night stand. She had left it behind. His mind immediately flashed back to the carriage by the Palace gates he had seen earlier. Here and now he realised the carriage he had seen while he was leaving the Palace wasn't for a maid, but for the queen, Mia. "The queen is gone."