The Alpha King's Hated Slave
The Alpha King’s Hated Slave Chapter 110

When King Lucien pulled Danika into a hug, blanketing her into his strong arm, everything suddenly felt right in the world when she got over her shock from the gesture.

She allowed her wet eyes to slid close and she wrapped her arms around him. It’s been four weeks she’d been in his arms. Four excruciating week of pain and misery.

She closed her eyes and tightened her arms around him. It doesn’t matter if this moment is fleeting… If he regains back his senses and pushes her away…

What matters is the moment. This stolen moment between them.

Since her status reduced and she became a slave, Danika learnt to always live in the moment because good moments are hard to come by when you’re a slave.

Finally, he pulled back. She looked up at his deep blue eyes and it isn’t looking so troubled anymore.

“You weren’t sleeping?” King Lucien’s voice was deep, his eyes searching.

“I slept, My King.” She’ll keep calling him that for the night until he demands otherwise. “I just woke up earlier and I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

He walked past her then and began walking. Slow, steady steps and with his hands behind his back.

Danika was torn, if she should follow him or not. She wondered what had him so stiff and so restless that he had to leave his bedroom and cold out to the cold night?

“Are you coming?” He swiveled his head towards her without turning.

She nodded once and began walking towards him. She walked unhurriedly, her steps matching his. She fell only a step behind him.

It was a beautiful moonlight and cold night. She followed his stride, “Couldn’t you sleep, my King?”

He kept silent for a full minute.

“I haven’t been able to sleep in a while.” He glared at her like it’s her fault.

“I’m sorry, my king.”

His throat worked. He faced forward again, “It’s not your fault.” He sighed at last. “Tonight, I had a nightmare.”

When King Lucien pulled Danika into a hug, blanketing her into his strong arm, everything suddenly felt right in the world when she got over her shock from the gesture.

She guessed as much. The king is a man with a horrible past, it’s only fitting to think that it’s nightmares of the past that kept him awake.

Nightmares her father created.

“I’m sorry.” The whispered words came easily again, slipping from her mouth just as water slips through hand.

“I have a cousin from my mother’s side, his name was Declan. A fire accident took his parents when he was five and I was twelve. He was living with Queen Meetia, who’s my mother’s only surviving sister back then.”

As he spoke, he walked. Danika listened attentively, walking a step behind him.

This Declan he always dreamed off. Declan she’d heard him call out his name in sleep a time or two.

She felt good that he wants to confide in her a subject that’s so delicate.

“Queen Meetia died few months before we were enslaved. That was how Declan came to live with us. He was enslaved with us. I did everything I could to keep him from harm’s way. It’s not easy when you’ve got no powers and you’re a target for a powerful man.” He threw her a side glance.

Danika didn’t know what to say to that, she kept mute. But, her chest felt tight.

He turned away again. “That life should have never known Deck. He’d been too sheltered, Queen Meetia made sure of that especially when his parent died when he was a boy. Then, all of a sudden, he was exposed to the worse. The harshest part of life.”

“I did all I could. They’d whip him and they won’t feed him. I’ll make sure to give him my own food…even when I’ve not eaten for several days. I’d either give him, or Remeta, or Vetta. Baski and Chad never ever takes no matter how much I command them to.”

“The best days are those days we suddenly get a feast to eat. We don’t know where they’re smuggled from, but occasionally there are so much to eat, it makes those who’s been so starved sick.” he paused, his throat working, “Now, we finally knew it came from Sally.”

Danika did her best not to give any reaction at all. She’d fed them too. Most of the times when Sally was unable to.

She couldn’t say that to him. It wouldn’t change a thing.

It’s not enough to change the wrongs her father did.

“Sally is an angel,” he continued, “And, I’m glad Chad is getting married to a soul so beautiful. If any man deserves such great happiness that comes from a love match, it will be Chad.” He g*****d, his eyes flashing a bit.

And what about you? Danika wanted to ask so bad. Don’t you deserve it like he does?

She bit the word off, swallowing them down.

“A day came when I was brutally tortured. One of those torture sessions that lives a slave at the very blink of death. I was right there at death’s door.” His shoulders had gone tensed, his eyes darkened. A coldness in his expression.

“The guards still came to whip me again, but Declan was there and he refused. They whipped him badly and raped him brutally. He died right in front of me and they took his body away.” He said flatly.

Danika closed her eyes against the wave of pain. No one deserves a death like that. Definitely not his cousin.

Silence descended again. This time around it stretched longer.

They’d long walked out of the premises of the palace, and now they’re walking through the shortcut that leads to the river.

She wanted badly to apologize again, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words again. Maybe because she knows that it’ll be the last stray for him if she does.

It might turn him back to the master Lucien she knew her first few weeks in the palace.

“My nightmares were filled with Declan. That was why I couldn’t sleep.”