All Chapters of The Alpha King’s Gifted Mate : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

MelanieI sat curled up on the couch, idly working on a drawing with the iPad. The sound of my stylus against the screen was oddly soothing, though the rest of me was anything but. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts I didn’t want to deal with—thoughts about the palace, about Oswald, about everything that felt wrong here. The artwork was my escape, a way to silence everything else, even if just for a little while.Oswald’s voice broke through the quiet as he asked another question, his tone gentle but persistent. “How was your day, Melanie?”I didn’t look up, didn’t need to. His voice had become a familiar sound, one I was trying to shut out, along with all the other noise of this place. “Fine,” I said flatly, my focus still on the tablet.“Did you enjoy your walk around the garden?” he asked.“Sure,” I answered, pressing the stylus to the screen again, the sharp sound of it marking my frustration. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen gardens before. They all felt the same to me now—beauti

MelanieThe wind felt refreshing as we sped down the winding roads outside the palace, leaving the gates and the stone walls behind. The sleek black car glided smoothly over the pavement, and I had to admit, I was actually starting to relax. After the events of yesterday, it was nice to be out and away from the palace.Oswald was next to me, his hand on the wheel, glancing at me occasionally with a smile that seemed to say he was just as eager for the day as I was. For the first time since I arrived here, I wasn’t thinking about my confusion or the weight of the title he carried. For once, I felt like I could just be… me.“So,” Oswald said, breaking the silence, “What do you think of the day so far? You enjoying it?”I smiled, leaning back against the seat. “I am, actually. It’s nice to get out. I haven’t really seen much of the town. It’s kind of like... like a whole new world. Everything feels different.”Oswald grinned. “Well, that’s the idea. I like showing you around, love. You d

MelanieI stood in the middle of my art room, hands covered in paint, looking around at the space Oswald had created for me. The room had a perfect view, with wide windows opening onto a large balcony. I could feel the cool breeze blowing in, the faint scent of fresh air mixing with the smell of oils and acrylics. The sun was setting, casting soft golden light over everything, and I couldn’t help but smile.I reached over to open the screen doors that led out to the balcony, letting the evening breeze pour in. It felt freeing, like I could finally breathe a little easier in this space.I pulled my easel closer to the open window and started setting up my supplies—mixing paints, organizing my brushes, and picking the colors I needed for the canvas I’d been thinking about all day. The space felt so peaceful, yet energizing at the same time.For the next few hours, I lost myself in the rhythm of painting. The outside world faded away, and I became fully absorbed in my work. My hands move

MelanieThe morning light crept into the room, casting soft golden rays across the sheets. I woke up slowly, still half-dreaming, the feeling of Oswald’s arm wrapped tightly around me anchoring me to reality. His breath was warm against my neck, and I couldn’t help but smile at the contentment that filled me. The past few days had been a whirlwind, and although the world outside might not have been in my favor, I was at least here, in Oswald’s embrace.He stirred beside me, shifting slightly before his hand found mine, threading our fingers together. He kissed the back of my hand softly, causing a shiver to run through me.“Morning, love,” he whispered, his voice rough from sleep.“Morning,” I whispered back, my voice still a little groggy.He turned to face me, his blue eyes glinting with a mixture of affection and something more intense, something that made my heart race. Slowly, he leaned in, pressing his lips gently to mine in a tender kiss. The warmth of his kiss spread through m

MelanieThe sound of the door opening startled me out of my groggy sleep. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming—my mind was too heavy with exhaustion, the weight of the night pressing me deeper into the soft blankets. But then I felt it: a sharp tug on my shoulder, pulling me from the warmth of my bed.“Melanie,” a soft but insistent voice whispered. “Melanie, wake up. It’s time for Luna training.”I blinked against the harsh light filtering through the curtains, struggling to focus. My eyelids felt like lead, and I let out a low groan. I rolled over, pulling the covers tighter around me, hoping to steal just a few more moments of sleep.But Celeste wasn’t having it. She tugged harder at my shoulder, her voice rising in urgency. “Please, Miss Melanie, you can’t be late. Queen Lydia will have our heads.”Reluctantly, I opened my eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight. “I’m so tired, Celeste,” I mumbled, rubbing my eyes with the heel of my hand. “Can’t I just sleep for a little lo