The Alpha King's Mate novel Chapter 27

Tired, I lie down and try to sleep as comfortably as possible while cuffed to a tree. My wrists sting from the self-inflicted burns. I roll onto my side, so I'm not facing him, and watch the moon until I fall asleep.

A tap on the back abruptly wakes me.

"Wake up," he says, unfastening the cuffs from around the tree, with his cape back on.

He picks me up and drapes me over the horse in the front of the saddle again. He hoists himself up and sits on the horse, nudging it with the heel of his boot, and flicking the reigns, once before the horse takes off, and we're moving again.

In Shadowguard, we stop at the tavern, and he pays the tavern owner a few gold coins. He wants his horse fed, a room, and some wine for the night.

We enter our room and judging from the ruckus I can hear, locals crowd around, hoping to get a glimpse of me, and the scenes are much the same outside when I look out the window at all the people queuing to get into the tavern. There is a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Sir Hugo asks.

"It's Irene, Sir, the tavern owner's wife," Irene says, opening the door slowly.

"I've just come to fill the tub with warm water," she says, looking at me in fascination, and at Sir Hugo, for a reply.

"Yes, alright," Sir Hugo says, drinking his wine.

Irene smiles and nods her head at me. I return her smile weakly. She's in and out a few times with a big bucket of hot water filling the tub.

"Can I bathe you, princess?" She asks me. I look at her, confused. "You might struggle to bathe yourself," she says, looking at the cuffs on my wrists.

"I thought the bath was for him. He needs it more than I do," I say, straight-faced. Irene tries not to laugh.

"Just get her into the damn bath, and wash her, so she's presentable for the King!" Sir Hugo snaps.

"I'm not leaving the room, so you won't be able to say anything you shouldn't," he says before turning around in his chair and facing the wall with his wine pouch.

"Princess, may I offer you a dress that would be much more elegant on you?"

"Yes, please. This one is falling apart," I say. "My name

is Maia. You don't have to call me Princess," I tell her, lowering myself into the warm water. I've never had a hot bath before, and it feels nice.

"Princess Maia it is," she says.

"It's okay. I appreciate your help. I really do. Just do what you can. I'll be fine," I say, feigning a smile.

After applying the rest of the balm, she brushes and styles my hair to one side and drapes it over my shoulder, decorating it with a violet.

"Thank you so much, Irene. I'll always remember your kindness," I tell her, smiling, this time, genuinely.

"It's the least I can do if you're going to protect us from the werewolves," she says happily, and I instantly feel downcast.

"Is everything okay, Princess Maia?" She asks. Sir Hugo is distracted by the crowd outside and is swigging the rest of his wine. I lean toward her and whisper, "It's not the werewolves you should be afraid of."

"What do you mean?" She asks, and I can't answer for

what happens next surprises us both.

Sir Hugo strips naked in front of us and jumps into the wooden tub of water. The bathwater spills over the sides,

onto the wooden floor, revealing a back covered in scars from past lashings.