The Alpha King's Hated Slave
The Alpha King’s Hated Slave Chapter 222

Danika was barely able to follow the conversation because of the insistent pain in her back….and the feel of his hands on him.

He was looming over her from behind, his hand touched and probed some areas of her back, searching for the focus zones.

She winced when he touched a part at the center of her back, and winced again at another part…and another and another.

Then, she felt his mouth on her back. “I read in one of the parchments that back aches occurs when the baby is developing healthily,” his hand circled her belly, he rubbed softly, “when the baby is developing, the uterus is expanding which puts pressure on your b***d vessels, the nerves in the pelvis and your back.”

She practically melted into him, her hand resting on top of his, on her belly. She listened to his words, more than surprised that he has taken enough time to read so much about her condition.

No wonder he always knows the things to do. He was always suggesting new types of food to Baski, saying that it will be good for her.

Her cheeks flamed. No wonder he knows the positions to lay her whenever he wants to make love to her.

“What is going through your mind?” His deep g***n reverberated on her shoulder where his head was pressed.

“N-Nothing.” She snapped her mouth shut.

“Mmh.”

Silence descended afterwards. She pulled closer to him, her eyes closed to revel in his moment.

It was beautiful. Apart from when he was making love to her, this is the most intimate he has held her in the past two weeks. It was almost like he was trying to withdraw himself from her.

As if he heard her thoughts, he pulled away from her, severing all contact completely. He got up from the bed, his face stoic.

Danika suddenly felt bereft. Empty. Vulnerable.

She reached for the straps of her petticoat to slid her arms into them when a knock came at the door. It caused her to pause.

The King glanced at her state of undress, and at the door. He walked to the door, and pulled it open. A pause.

Then, he steps away from the door and allowed whoever that’s there entrance into his Chambers.

Baski hurried in carrying a bowl of water and a towel. Following the King’s instructions, she dropped it on the bedside table before she left the room.

That was when he moved away from his position. Going towards the bedside table, he climb in behind her again. The ruffles of clothes made her look behind her.

He was folding his evening garment to bare his arms. He folded them up to his shoulders before he reached for the towel and dipped it inside the cold water.

“Your hair, Danika.” He said, breaking the silence.

Reaching for the wild mess that is her hair, she pushed them all out through her right shoulder, causing the mass to cover her right breast completely and fall to her belly.

At the first press of cold water, she gasped at the unexpected chilling feeling. But a few seconds later, she was enjoying the ministration because it diverted her mind from the pains those spots produced before.

By the time he was done pressing the cold water, the hot water arrived too. He repeated the same process. Indeed, the pains began abating slowly.

She reveled at the intimacy of having King Lucien take care of her like this.

But, even as her pains were abating, the sinking dreadful feeling in her gut would not abate.

He is withdrawing from her. Without a single change at all in his demure or his attitude towards her, he is withdrawing from her.

And she has no idea what to do about it. The helplessness will be the death of her.

*******

“Tell me about it.”

King Lucine was lost in thoughts—thoughts of the past—when that soft satin word pulled him back to reality. Her voice took him aback.

His hands paused on his scroll, the word he was writing, unfinished. King Lucien raised his head and looked at the woman sitting up on the bed.

He must have been so deep in his thoughts, that he completely lost track of reality. He has no idea when she woke, or even when she pulled herself up in a sitting position.

“Go back to sleep, Danika.” His hand resumed scribbling. He has to finish writing this message tonight. The messenger will be delivering it to the twelve Kingdoms tomorrow.

But, instead of doing that, he heard the ruffles of the bedsheet that indicated that she must be getting out of bed. He also knows that she’s naked under that bedsheet. He knows because he’s the one that put her there.

She’d fallen asleep in his arms in the middle of his administration.

He was massaging the left side of her back with hot water when her body went lax, and her head fell against his chest.

He was almost done with the towel anyway, so he’d dropped it. And, kept holding her.

He lost track of time. He had no idea how long passed while he stared at her sleeping body…while the same kind of thoughts kept running through his head.

Now, she came up beside him wrapping the bedsheet tightly around herself. He stopped writing and folded the scroll methodically.

What was he writing? Danika wondered, but only for a fleeting moment. Something else was more important.

“Tell me about it, My King.” She asked softly.

“There is nothing to tell.” But there was so much to tell. He did not bother asking who she’s talking about because he knows.

“No,” she shook her head “There is so much to tell.” If there wasn’t, it will not be weighing him down so much, Danika thought sadly.

Silence.

“You will never understand, Danika.” He g*****d at last. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

“I might not, Your Highness, but I will surely listen. It will ease you. It will clear your mind.” She whispered.

He shook his head. He said nothing.

“I watched you for long minutes. You weren’t writing. You were lost in thoughts. Please, tell me what it is.” She placed her hand on his shoulder. He flinched.

It did not get past her that it’s the first time in a long time he flinched away from her touch. She didn’t take her hand back.

“Don’t let it eat at you any longer. It will, if you keep it all bottled for too much.” She added.

Her voice only met silence.

Time passed.

Her feet began hurting.

Finally, she sighed in defeat. Slowly, she let go of his shoulder, and turned towards the bed.

“I have failed someone.” His deep voice stopped her.

“D-Declan, your cousin?” She asked, because that’s the person he believed he had failed.

But, he shook his head. “No.”

She turned and walked back to him. “Who did you fail…?”

A deep breath he took. Then, deep-blue eyes looked up at her, “Aneriaveta.”

The name does not ring a bell.

Danika’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Who is she?”

“That’s her full name. The name she would rather die than bear.” He deadpanned.

“Who?” She was getting more confused.

“Vetta.” he let out softly, “Vetta is short for Aneriaveta.”

That wasn’t a name she expected to hear, but she took it leisurely. All that matters was for him to take it all off his chest…whatever it is that has burdened him this badly.

“How did you fail the Mistress?” Danika asked curiously.

He let out a deep breath, and got up from his seat. “I will tell you a story, Danika…”