Chapter 4 WHAT SAY YOU

CHAPTER 4: WHAT SAY YOU?

Releasing Jamey's hand, the Alpha King took Raya by the hand and drew her close to himself, looking right into her eyes. The two locked gazes for a while.

Raya's heart fluttered. The person she loved in secret for the past ten years - Jamey, didn't make her feel this way.

Her hazel eyes suddenly turned blue. She felt her wolf, which had long been silenced, awakening for the first time after the night of her first shift.

"Your Majesty. You can't be serious, right? Raya is just a lowly omega, unworthy of such bestowment," Victoria said, but was nervous.

King Barakar glared at her, his golden eyes evident with fury. The atmosphere got really tense for Victoria.

"You dare lecture me on what I can and cannot do?!" King Barakar's voice thundered, as he growled. Victoria quivered and fell to her knees in fright.

"Your Majesty, please forgive my wife for talking out of turn. She is unschooled in the mannerisms required when addressing a man of your caliber. Please, forgive her," Jamey pleaded.

"No more shall she be regarded any less than I esteem her. Anyone who does so will have their head on a pike," King Barakar declared and they all bowed in acknowledgment.

Raya couldn't wrap her head around what was happening. It was the total opposite of her fears.

"Well then. You were about to treat us to some delicacies, weren't you, young Alpha?"

"Y- Yes, Your Majesty," Jamey stuttered, forcing a smile. "This way."

He led King Barakar, Raya, and the King's retinue into the palace. The elders, Priestess, and all the lords of Ravenhill went in.

Sulking as she got up, Victoria followed behind them. She found what was happening unbelievable and beyond her comprehension. It was beyond everyone's comprehension, even the Alpha King's retinue.

Word quickly spread like wildfire about what happened, and the city was abuzz. Both the werewolves and humans who witnessed it bore the tale, to the amazement of some, and disbelief of others, raising speculations.

Meanwhile, in the palace, Raya found herself in the great hall - the same place she had been rejected and utterly embarrassed the previous night, dining with the same people who had shattered her heart. But this time, she was untouchable.

Her father, who had not been present with the rest that received the Alpha King, later joined them as they had just begun eating. He was stunned to find his so-called good-for-nothing daughter seated beside the Alpha King himself.

Sighting him, Raya looked away fuming. She hadn't had a taste of anything since they began eating. In fact, everyone at the table, aside from the King, barely tasted what they were served.

King Barakar noticed the exchange between the two and could tell who he was. Raya's father then walked toward the King, but was stopped a few meters away from the King by his soldiers.

"Your Majesty," he bowed.

King Barakar ignored him. Embarrassed, he walked away and sat at the table, being a beta and the Advisor of the former Alpha of the Greyhound pack.

"I thought I was coming to meet an atmosphere of celebration. Why do I see the contrary?" King Barakar asked.

Jamey, Victoria, and the council of elders of Ravenhill couldn't answer, afraid of saying something that would upset the King. Their eyes were darting around.

"Um, Your Majesty, if it pleases you, I'd like to take you on a tour of the mill. I believe you haven't seen it after it was refurbished six years ago," Jamey humbly requested. King Barakar nodded in acknowledgment. He wiped his mouth, got up, and turned to Raya, offering her hand.

Raya cracked a nervous smile, took the King's hand, and stood up. Just as their hands made contact, she felt a surge of electricity in her body, and a deep connection to the King that words couldn't describe.

It was the mate bond. That was the confirmation that her wolf had awakened.

Victoria sulked, infuriated seeing how they looked at each other.

"Please, this way," Jamey requested. Then the King and Raya followed him. She walked beside the King. She felt safe and protected in his presence - what she never experienced when she was around Jamey.

Jamey talked to the King as they walked, explaining a couple of things, while the King simply nodded. Jamey did well covering how he actually felt about Raya being there with them. But not Victoria.

Following behind them, all Victoria could do was glare hatefully at Raya, but was totally unable to do anything against her.

The path they took was cleared as soldiers were positioned at various intervals. Citizens of Ravenhill scrambled and struggled to get a peek at the King to confirm what they heard. And true to it, they say Raya with the King.

Seeing that she dressed differently like a member of the Silver Moon Pack would, they drew conclusions.

Raya looked around and saw how some of them whispered among themselves, throwing glances at her.

Arriving at the mill, King Barakar was impressed at what he saw.

"Your father was quite a visionary. I truly respected him," he said.

"That respect should have been extended even after his death, Your Majesty," Jamey said, looking forward. King Barakar acted as though nothing was said. So Jamey pressed on.

"He was your distant cousin, and yet His Majesty didn't see it fit to honor him one last time," Jamey dared to say. Still, the King was expressionless.

"He was killed just after he visited the Iron Den, and had a discussion with you - a discussion no one else knows what it was about, but just the two of you. Yet, you were absent, Your Majesty."

"Despite that, we have not stopped fulfilling our obligations to the Iron Den, Your Majesty."

King Barakar turned and looked at Jamey at this point, but was stoic. He was always a hard man to read.

"What exactly are you getting at, young Alpha?"

"I'm just curious as to why," Jamey shrugged. The Alpha King's eyes peered at Jamey, as he stood towering over Jamey.

"Whatever transpired before your father's unfortunate demise shall remain as it is. And Ravenhill shall keep on fulfilling its obligations, not missing a month of supply to the Iron Den!"

Jamey gulped, seeing how serious the King had gotten.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Jamey bowed.

"It has been a pleasure visiting Ravenhill," King Barakar declared. "And congratulations once again, young Alpha. Have your men come take my gift to you."

"I am greatly honored, Your Majesty," Jamey bowed. King Barakar turned and took Raya's hand, leading her away.

"But, Your Majesty," Jamey stepped in front of him. "You're not serious about what you said earlier, right?"

"And what would that be?" the King asked.

"H- Her," Jamey said, gulping. All the leaders of Ravenhill were tense as well.

"Raya shall be with me at the Iron Den. She is my mate," he replied, to the surprise of everyone once again.

"Except she chooses otherwise," he added, then looked at her. "What say you, Raya? Do you accept me as your mate?"

All eyes were on her at this point. She got a bit scared as everyone looked expectantly at her.

"Yes. I accept you as my mate," she said. Victoria boiled with rage, and the others sulked. Except the Priestess, who sighed in relief.