The Alpha King's Last Wish

8: Blonde lady in white

Xavier released Mia's hand and stepped towards the soldier. The weariness in his eyes still lingered, but he pulled himself through it.

"Soldiers, you can stand at ease," he ordered, and the soldiers immediately obeyed. "I have heard of your diligence, dedication, and perseverance in the training course and how intense they are. I know you may never see me again-at least not until the war begins-but I want you to remember why we fight and who we fight for. You do not fight for only the king and queen; you fight for Wahala. Remember, you fight for your home; you fight for your mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. You fight for your friends at home, praying for victory and the right to live as free men and maidens. Never forget, and if you ever ask yourself why you're here, tell yourself this."

"Yes, your grace," they replied in unison.

Immediately, a flag bearing the seal of Wahala fell through the uppermost building, and all eyes turned to the flag, and all the soldiers saluted the king and queen. "House Ainsworth, we, your royal army, live to serve only you. Our lives are yours, and we live only to serve and make your reign a long and prosperous one." They finished their recitation, and their hands fell back to their sides.

"Do the maidens train differently from the men?" Mia quietly asked Commodore Ian, who stood next to her.

"No, my queen. We all train as one." He answered, and Mia thought that was fair enough.

"Thank you, brave soldiers. I'll be lucky to fight beside you in the coming war." Xavier told them, "And we will win this war."

While he spoke, the gate that led to the training ground opened, and behold, the blonde lady in white walked in and approached them.

Everyone stood still, not bothered by her presence, but Mia couldn't believe she was there. After everything that she and Xavier had done to mend the bridges between them, the whore was the last person she hoped to see here.

The blonde lady walked past her and over to Xavier, and on getting to him, she placed her hands on his shoulders from the back.

Xavier's head moved to the side, acknowledging her presence, but he didn't move to throw her hands away from him. If anything, he seemed not to mind being touched by her.

He didn't care that he was being touched and caressed in the face of the entire parade of soldiers; he didn't care that this lady stood beside him, with his wife and Luna, watching it all take place.

Mia's heart clenched in pain at the image before her. She had thought that after the moment they shared the day before, things would slowly get back to normal. Who was she kidding? She was stupid enough even to believe that was possible, to begin with. They could never return to the way things were; Xavier would never be the man he once was with her.

"What is she doing here?" she demanded, stepping towards Xavier. He turned to stare at her with reproving eyes, but she didn't let that stop her.

She had stayed quiet for so long, and that had been taken as foolishness by him. She couldn't stand it anymore.

She will not keep silent, nor will she act with grace. "Why is she here, Xavier?" she demanded, with her eyes filled with pain and anger.

"Mia, control yourself," Xavier said, his eyes suddenly getting stony, and he turned to her.

Her hand swung forward, and she struck him in the face before she could stop herself. A small gasp was heard, but the soldiers stood still in their position.

She continued, "How dare you tell me to control myself when you have done the opposite of that? You have wronged me and hurt me over and over without apology or remorse! You keep choosing your whore over me, over and over again and again." Mia glanced at the blonde lady in white standing behind Xavier with a victorious smile, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that smile off her face.

"Mia," he began, but she glared at him, not wanting to hear his voice. It only brought out the worst in her.

"Do not speak; I am still talking." She snapped at him, "You might be the king, but I am the queen, and I deserve some fucking respect." His eyes grew pale and emotionless, but she ignored him and continued speaking. "What you have done in the last month has been the height of disrespect and disregard for my feelings and name! I will not let you do this to me, Xavier Ainsworth. I am done with you."

With all that said, she turned around and walked away from him. She wasn't ready to pretend anymore. All it had done was bring her pain and emotional torment.

"Mia," Xavier called out, but she didn't turn back or look at him. She was too furious; she didn't want to.

She just wanted to leave him to his lover and finish the day already.

Perhaps there was another way to have handled all this, but she couldn't bear it anymore. It hurt so much.

She halted when she heard a thud on the ground and a loud gasp from behind. She immediately turned around and found Xavier on the floor, face down, and the blonde lady in white standing over him.

Commodore Ian raced over to the king on the floor and carried him into his arms. But the king was close to unconsciousness.

Mia pulled her legs into action, hurried over to Xavier, and got on her knees when she came to where he was. "Xavier, Xavier," she called, but there was no life in the man she just took into her arms.

Mia's eyes darted to the lady in white, knowing she had done something to the king, but she didn't even offer to help, and instead, she walked away from them. Mia wanted to go after her, but that would mean abandoning Xavier at his point of need, which wasn't worth it.

"Mia," Xavier called out in a faint voice. "There is no blonde lady in white." He said, his voice worn.

Mia's eyes moved to his. She didn't understand why he would tell her that there was no lady in white when she was looking at her. He couldn't deny that she did something to him, could he?

Her head lifted, and she stared at the blonde lady in white walking away even as Xavier spoke, "What you have been seeing is the shadow sickness, and that is what I have."

Just as those words left his mouth, the blonde lady in white vanished before her eyes, and she gasped.

"That is the only secret I have kept from you, my queen, and Luna."

Her eyes dropped again to see Xavier, and as if a veil had just lifted from her face, she saw a different man from the one she saw these past few months. He was a shadow of himself. His emerald eyes had already lost their light; his face looked rough and unkempt, and his lips had a dry line breaking in them.

She had been so consumed with herself that she didn't see her mate dying right before her eyes. Grief gripped her heart, and it didn't let go.

"Xavier," she called, and tears streamed down her face. He didn't answer, and his lashes dropped.

"Xavier!" she cried out bitterly.