Replacement Bride for the Alpha of the North - Chapter 267

Chapter 267: SAVING MYSELF
The question reminded them why they were still here and this also made Zaya became nervous again, since it had been a while when Inez left to get the king.

Her victory against these ladies had evaporated and now she went back to square one and her opponent regained their confidence again to put her down.

This situation was annoying to say the least.

“I don’t think the king will be here,” Lady Osborn said, she looked at Zaya, almost as if she was sorry for her, which was the feeling that she didn’t need from her.

Zaya sipped her tea, thinking about what she should do if Rowan really didn’t come. She couldn’t blame him, if she had a mother like Katerina, she didn’t want to meet with her too. Thankfully, her mother was so amazing.

“Let’s wait for a while,” Zaya said, she looked calm and this made Katerina upset, because she could ruffle her feathers. “He must be very busy at this moment for not coming here.”

“I am sure if he cared so much about you like what you said to us, he will come here no matter how busy he is right now.” Katerina kept her voice even, but her eyes filled with rage and it didn’t go unnoticed by Zaya.

“Hm. You are right, queen Katerina,” Zaya said, she put down her empty tea cup. “Or probably, his dislike toward you triumphed his feeling for me. I should have worked so hard to fix the relationship between you two, if that’s the case.”

Of course, Zaya didn’t have any intention to fix anything. This was not her relationship and she was not fond of her future mother in law. It would be better if they didn’t visit this palace anymore in the future.

“I don’t need you to meddle in my relationship with my son,” Katerina said, her voice was harsher than she intended it to be.

“I am sorry for crossing the line, queen Katerina. I am sure you know best.” Zaya didn’t say that with genuine intention, but to mock her, but the queen couldn’t find fault in the way she said it.

Meanwhile, they wait for another hour, until lady Osborn stood up and said that she needed to leave and couldn’t wait any longer. She apologized to the queen and the rest of the ladies followed. They asked permission to leave.

“It seems, the king will not come, I am sorry princess, Zaya,” Lady Osborn said, she gave her a pitiful look, which irked Zaya so much, but she kept her smile.

“You don’t need to be sorry, lady Osborn.” Zaya stood up as well, she wanted to leave this palace too. There was no point for her to be here, right?

“Don’t leave, princess Zaya. Why don’t you accompany me for dinner?” queen Katerina said, she smiled triumphantly.

Zaya wanted to reject the offer, because she didn’t think he could swallow her food if she had to eat together with her, but then a guard announced the arrival of the king and all of them gasped.

Even queen Katerina widened her eyes in surprised, because in the past, no matter what the reason was; Rowan would refuse to come to the palace.

But, this woman managed to do that?

Queen Katerina looked at Zaya and she noticed that she breathed in relief, it seemed, she was not a hundred percent sure that Rowan would come.

She gritted her teeth and balled her fists.

Not so long after the announcement Rowan stepped into the room, his tall figure and strong presence made all of them lowered their head and greeted the king solemnly.

However, the king only had his eyes on one person, one woman in yellow dress, she looked so beautiful under the light of the sunset. Her auburn hair looked like she was on fire. How lucky he was to have her in his life.

Rowan made a beeline toward Zaya and he smiled at her. He stretched out his hand and caressed her cheek. “I am sorry for coming so late. I was away and need more time to reach this place.”

Rowan didn’t lie when he said that he was away. It took Inez two hours to reach where he was, but the moment he heard that Zaya needed him, he made it within an hour.

He didn’t know why Zaya asked for him, but he would come anyway, despite this place was the place that he didn’t want to step into.

He wouldn’t let these women devoured his beautiful woman.

Leaning over, Rowan kissed her cheek and whispered to hear. “Everything’s alright?” he asked in low voice that only Zaya that could hear him.

His woman nodded. “Yes.” She raised her voice, as if she wanted everyone there to hear her, which made Rowan wondered what she wanted to do.

Zaya smiled and then turned toward his mother and the other ladies.

“Queen Katerina, I don’t think I can have dinner with you because the king wants me for himself,” Zaya said cheekily, which made all the ladies turned red. How bold she was to say something like that.

Even queen Katerina looked dumbstruck by how vulgar this princess in front of the king.

After that, all of their eyes fell on Rowan, waiting for him to say something. The king would be pissed, right? This was not how the women in their continent acted.

However, to their surprised, the king laughed. Rowan laughed merrily, the sound of his voice echoed in the garden.

This must be the first time for them to watch the king laughed like this. Because whenever the king laughed, his laughter would fill with malice. There must be a head rolled on the ground.

But right now, it was a genuine laugh. There was nothing, but pure happiness in his eyes, even Zaya was mesmerized to see him like this.

“Right, you are right. I want you only for myself,” Rowan said, he grabbed her hand and walked away from there.

If one noticed, they would realize that the king didn’t even address his mother, either when he came, or when he left the palace. He only came and went as he pleased, without any cared of his surroundings, aside from this auburn hair.

As they walked away, all of the ladies and the queen rooted in their position, trying to comprehend what just happened here.

“Thank you for coming,” Zaya said, she took his hand when he helped her to get inside the carriage, before he entered and sat down next to her.

Their conversation earlier this morning seemed to be forgotten.

“There is no need for thanking me, Zaya. You are my future queen, my woman. I will not allow anyone to treat you less than you deserved.”

Knowing Zaya was in his mother’s palace was already a headache for Rowan, but knowing what she was capable of doing, he believed she could handle it.

But, it didn’t mean he would leave her alone.

“So, what happened?” Rowan pulled Zaya closer toward him and let her rested her head on his shoulder, while he played with her hair.

“Nothing. I called you because they wanted to a proof that you cared about me,” Zaya replied and briefly explained what had happened and what those ladies said. She also admitted that she exaggerated the way they met and how she romanticized their fight in the beginning. “I hope you don’t mind,” Zaya said in the end.

Rowan chuckled, he knew how cheeky Zaya could be. He guessed, his mother asked her to stay, but she saw the opportunity to get away from that by using him. Smart.

He used to hate it when someone used him, but with this woman, he would let her to use him as much as she wanted and however she pleased.

“They said…” Zaya blushed, she didn’t want to talk about this, but she was still upset and her curiosity got the better of her, thus she swallowed her embarrassment and asked anyway. “They said you only did it from behind… why?”

Rowan raised his brows. “No reason. I only didn’t like to see their faces and pretended that I care.” Rowan then lifted her chin and asked her this time. She didn’t tell him about this part when she explained briefly about what happened earlier. “What did you tell them?”

Zaya blushed again, but she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly when she replied to his question. “Similar like you, I said that you don’t like to see their faces and then…” Zaya bit her lip.

“And then?” Rowan prodded to see how bashful she was. He became even more intrigued to know how she would handle that situation. He should have been there to watch that.

Zaya bit her lip, she cleared her throat and pulled Rowan by his collar to whisper to his ear, even though there was no one there to hear their conversation.

Rowan bent down his body and listened to what she said and then laughed. He laughed so hard, which made Zaya angry.

“What?! Stop laughing!” Zaya gritted her teeth, but Rowan pulled her into a hug. He kissed her forehead, cheeks, nose and lips.

It took some time for Rowan to control himself. He had never laughed like that before.

“You are so smart!” Rowan kissed her lips again.

Pushing his face away, Zaya’s expression turned serious when she spoke again. “So, why don’t you want to do it with me?”

Rowan grinned. “I am saving myself for marriage.”

Hearing that answer, Zaya was speechless.

***

This story will end at the end of this month, read my new story: A Mate For The Last Lycan.