𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞

37. Drama at Dinner

The throne room was empty except, for the King seated on his throne. Xavier felt his heart burning as he recalled what Nathaniel had said just a moment ago. He played the sentence over and over again in his head, trying to find a different meaning to it other than his Ariana actually being with someone else. Maybe it is just a nickname for one of their friends and maybe Nathaniel said it just to spite him. After all, he could expect the man who named a disastrous plague after him to resort to such childish antics.

He now knew the real power of mate bond. Despite all the efforts, he could never bring himself to even want Persephone the way a man wants a woman. Loving her one day seemed far-fetched. So how could Ariana be capable of loving someone other than Xavier himself for Nathaniel to call some other man her lover?

Xavier could understand Nathaniel's hostility but his audacity was getting on his nerves since it involved his mate. Yes. That was it. That phone call was just one of Nathaniel's ploy. He told himself. He stood up in confidence and headed out of the throne room.

Meanwhile, everyone had settled in the chamber assigned to them under the supervision of the Duchess. Luna Barbara had been ready to walk Ariana to her chamber when Luna Iria grabbed her arm gently and guided her towards her room. Ariana obliged without any hesitation as she was tired and in no mood to face the Bennet family. Alpha Edward just watched the Astor family taking his daughter away from him and his wife. 

Ariana took a nap as she had been feeling dizzy since the morning. She woke up and checked her hands and feet. They were still cold. But overall, she was feeling better after the nap. 

She roamed her eyes over the room to find a vase of roses on the bedside table. She swore it wasn't there before she had slept. Nobody from Astor family had done something like this before. However, she didn't want to guess who else might have done it as these sweet gestures from all those shallow people didn't mean much to her now.

She felt suffocated inside the room and decided to go talk to Nate or Ivory. She learned from the guards that Nate's room was upstairs. As she climbed the stairs, she felt shortness of breath. Her legs gave way and she took support of handrails to prevent herself from falling down the stairs. 

"Ariana!" Someone cried from distance. 

She felt a pair of hands support her from behind. She turned around to see Luna Barbara, Anwar and Naomi.

"Ari!" Anwar repeated, trying to catch her attention.

Luna Barbara was panicking herself and wailing in worry. Naomi was stunned and didn't know what to do. 

"Mother! Naomi! Catch her. I'll go call a healer." Anwar commanded.

"What? No!" Ariana shouted. She freed herself from Anwar's hold. "I don't need a healer."

"What are you saying? You're about to faint, Ari! You need a healer." Anwar shouted back.

"I am a healer myself!" Ariana's deepened voice boomed. "I know what's happening to me. These are just mild symptoms of donating blood in large amount, Alpha Anwar. This is how my body normally reacts while climbing the stairs. There's no need for the concern of Alpha of Ravernia for a pack member of Ziram. "

Anwar was taken aback. He wasn't used to his sweet and understanding sister talking to him in such cold manner. And her claiming that she was no longer a part of their pack upset his wolf, Ronan.

"Don't say like that. No matter what, we're your family." Luna Barbara cried.

Ariana rolled her eyes. "No we're not, Luna. You all gave me up for adoption and Aunt Bella and Uncle Kevin adopted me, remember? I'm no longer part of this world let alone your family."