Chapter 133 Silence More Rumors
While on horseback, Althea couldn’t help but speak up. “You do know that riding together like this is a bit much, even for protection. Are you afraid I’ll run away?”
Gavriel’s voice dropped low, close to her ear. “Wouldn’t you?” he asked quietly, his arms tightening around her. “Wouldn’t you try to escape from me, Althea?”
“It’s not like I can escape from you, My King,” she replied with a soft sigh. “Didn’t you vow to find me even in hell if I tried? So tell me… where could I possibly run that you wouldn’t find me?”
Gavriel’s lips curved faintly, though his eyes darkened as he leaned closer to her ear.
“Nowhere,” he said, his voice low and certain. “There isn’t a place in this world or any other where I wouldn’t find you.” His warm breath brushed against her ear and his words sent a shiver down her spine.
The way he said it sounded less like a threat and more like a vow—a dangerous, possessive promise that bound her tighter than any chain could.
“That man… if you ever sense his presence, tell me immediately,” Gavriel suddenly said. “He’s dangerous. He could hurt you… or worse, take you away.”
“My hunch tells me otherwise,” Althea said quietly. “I don’t think he means to harm me. I just… have this feeling that he’s more interested in the energy within me.” Her voice was calm, honest.
That was what she truly believed. Still, she didn’t dismiss Gavriel’s warning. After all, it was true that the man had helped Rett and his warlock escape.
“And now you’re defending him?” Gavriel muttered, a low growl rumbling from his chest.
Before she could answer, she felt his teeth graze her neck in a sudden bite that made her gasp in surprise.
“I’m not,” she managed to say, swallowing hard. “I’m just saying what my intuition tells me.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, she felt his lips brush against her skin, his tongue tracing the spot he had bitten as he pressed a slow, possessive kiss to her shoulder.
“My King,” she gasped, glancing around nervously. “We’re entering another town, people will see us.”
“Let them see,” Gavriel said simply, his tone unbothered, almost challenging.
Relief washed over her only when he finally stopped, his hand tightening on the reins as they rode into the main road. She didn’t dare look back, but she could still feel the warmth of his breath against her skin and the mark he had left behind.
Althea bit her lower lip as people along the road began bowing deeply to their Alpha King.
It felt strange, yet comforting, being held in his arms out in the open. For someone like her—a captive, a so-called breeder—it almost felt like a privilege. People expected her to be locked in a cage, yet here she was, paraded by the Alpha King himself as his mate.
“Wouldn’t this cause unfavorable rumors?” she asked quietly, still unsure how to read him. “People might talk if they see us like this.”
“Like I said before, there’s a high chance Cain will make a move. So I’ll make sure you stay close to me, no matter what it takes.” Gavriel’s tone was calm, almost casual.
“You do know there’s already talk spreading through the kingdom, rumors that you and Cain aren’t truly related. So if anyone sees us riding together like this, it’ll only confirm what they’re already saying,” Gavriel said casually.
Althea turned her head sharply and caught the faint smirk playing on his lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You… you started the rumor,” she gasped. She should have known, it was exactly the kind of calculated move Gavriel would make.
His smirk faded, replaced by a firm, steady expression. “I did,” he admitted without hesitation. “It was necessary. The people needed to know where their loyalty should stand. I had to stop them from giving Cain a better image through your good deeds. Cain doesn’t deserve that. I won’t allow him to take credit for anything he never did.”
She was too stunned to speak, her lips slightly parted. Gavriel’s gaze softened for a brief moment before he reached up and brushed his thumb across her lips.
“I’m also doing you a favor, don’t you think?” he murmured. “Whether it’s rumor or truth, it still works to your advantage. People will stop seeing you as a traitor’s daughter. They’ll start seeing you for who you truly are, just as you’ve always wanted.”
“Did you see that? The Alpha King smiled at her!”
Althea heard the woman’s excited voice from the crowd they passed, clear and loud enough to make her heart skip.
But before she could even process the whispers, Gavriel suddenly leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He was kissing her—in broad daylight, right on the road, in front of everyone they passed!
Althea froze. Her eyes widened, every muscle in her body going rigid as the world around her seemed to blur. She could hear gasps and murmurs ripple through the crowd, the sound of hooves fading beneath the pounding of her heart.
Her mind screamed for her to pull away, to protest, but her body wouldn’t move. Gavriel’s lips were warm, firm and commanding. It wasn’t a kiss meant to be tender, it was a declaration, one that left no room for doubt or resistance.
When he finally pulled back, the faintest smirk curved his lips again. His gaze locked with hers, deep and unreadable. “Now,” he murmured low enough for only her to hear, “let them see who you truly belong to.”
Althea’s breath hitched. Heat flooded her cheeks—not from desire, but from shock and the weight of every stare burning into her.
“My King,” she whispered, barely holding back her frustration. “Was that necessary?”
“More than you think,” Gavriel replied, his tone calm, as though he hadn’t just turned the entire marketplace into witnesses of his possessiveness. “A single act can silence more rumors than a thousand words. Now they won’t dare question your place beside me.”
She bit her lip, torn between anger and disbelief. “Or it will give them more reason to talk.”
He glanced ahead, his expression unbothered. “Let them talk. So long as they remember you’re mine.”