I Married The Villain Alpha

Vincent's POV

The twang of the bowstring echoed through the air as I released the arrow, my sharp gaze following its path.

It struck the target, but not where it should have. My lips pressed into a thin line. "A miss!" I hissed silently.

Simon stood a few feet behind me, arms crossed behind his back, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Atlas…. …. tomorrow, as per your …. …. The ….. have also been ….. …. under …. and so…"

I barely registered Simon's words. My grip on the bow tightened as my thoughts drifted elsewhere… to her. It had been a two days since that evening in the garden at the moon palace.

Her face haunted me, more vivid than the autumn leaves scattered across the forest clearing.

Her defiance, her sharp tongue, and the way her eyes burned with emotions she tried to hide… they were all imprinted on my mind.

She was chaos wrapped in beauty, and she was slipping past my control, my grasp.

The next arrow slipped between my fingers as I raised the bow again. I aimed, trying to shake her from my thoughts, but it was useless.

Her voice echoed In my mind, taunting me, challenging me. The release felt rushed, unfocused. The arrow veered off, missing my target entirely.

Simon cleared his throat. "Your Majesty," he said cautiously, "you seem… distracted." His voice brought my dazed thoughts to a temporary halt.

I exhaled sharply, lowering the bow. I turned to Simon, my expression as blank as ever, though the tension in my shoulders betrayed me.

"What were you saying about Atlas?" I asked, my voice barely hiding my lack of interest.

Simon hesitated, his sharp eyes watching me carefully. "That he'll arrive soon, my King. He has also dispersed the army hence he shall arrive alone to report to you. But… " Simon added, his tone growing more pointed, "you've been preoccupied of late. This isn't like you your Majesty."

My gaze flicked back to the target, frustration gnawing at me. "I'm fine."

Simon didn't press further, though I could feel his unspoken doubts hanging in the crisp air. Turning away, I notched another arrow, determined to regain my focus.

But even as the string pulled taut, my thoughts betrayed me once again. Iris.

She was in my head, in my blood. And she was becoming a distraction I couldn't afford.

The words I said to her that day followed me everywhere like my own shadow.

She was right, I hated her, I really did but every time she reminded me of my own hate, it bothered me.

"What if I don't?" My heart dropped as those words slipped out of my tongue before I knew it.

"What if I don't what, what if I don't hate her? Then what? Love? I love her?" Different thoughts raced through my mind while I attempted to focus on the target before me, drawing another arrow.

My grip tightened again, tugging on the string and pulling it to shoot. "Do I really love Iris?" My mind drifted again, trying to look for an answer to my own question.

I returned my focus to the aim and released the arrow, my narrowed gaze, glued to its direction. It shot through the red dot on the large wood that was my target.

A bitter smile curled the corners of my lips. "Never! I could never love someone like her." I concluded. It was simply as a result of the bond we shared as fated mates, nothing more.

My stomach knotted as I continued to try and rid myself of the thoughts of Iris. I was merely giving in to the feeling of the bond, that was all there was to it. "I could stop if I wanted to." I muttered, my confidence rising but shaky, like I knew I was almost lying to myself.

"That's right. I just need to go back to the way I was," I said, smirking faintly.

I left the courtyard, returning to my duties for the day, but soon realized I was wrong.

Three more days stretched on, each one more miserable than the last, every second a battle to keep Iris out of my thoughts. But no matter how hard I tried, she consumed me more and more.

The following morning, I woke up with an unfamiliar sensation creeping over my body. My muscles twitched with restless energy, like a coiled spring, ready to snap at any moment. Every breath came heavier, my chest tight with an urgency I couldn't understand.

The urge to see her grew stronger, sharper, and I couldn't shake it. It enveloped me, stripping my mind of everything but her.

I clenched and unclenched my fists, as if eager to break something, anything, to release the tension building inside me. My wolf was awake, restless, and wild, more alive than ever.

Without wasting a single second, I headed straight to the Moon Palace, finally giving up my resistance. I couldn't wait any longer. I needed to see Iris.

Upon reaching the palace, I was met with an audience. But she wasn't there.

Frustration surged through me, and my wolf stirred with impatience. The primal need for her grew even more fueled by a desire I could barely control.

"H-her Grace d-d-departed for Everett four d-days ago, Y-your Majesty," one of the maids stammered, her head lowered in fear.

"Everett?... Why would she suddenly go to Everett? And four days ago at that?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous, as I struggled to calm my mind. "She really does whatever she wants now." I chuckled bitterly, my anger simmering just beneath the surface.

"Well, it doesn't matter." I sighed deeply, turning to leave. I made my way back to my quarters, my thoughts spiraling out of control.

"Richard!" I called, my voice sharp. He appeared beside me almost immediately.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" he answered, hurrying to my side.

"Prepare the carriage," I ordered, my tone firm, betraying none of the anxiety gnawing at me. "I'm leaving for Everett. We depart as soon as possible. See to it that the horses are ready and we have sufficient supplies for the journey. I don't want any delays."

"Right away sir. But-" Richard hesitated, his voice uncertain.

I glanced at him, my patience thinning. "But?"

"Sir Atlas is almost at the palace to see you," he replied, his eyes flicking nervously to the ground.

"Right…" I had almost forgotten about Atlas. I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration. I wasn't ready to face Atlas truthfully especially not in my pathetic state right now.

"Once he arrives, turn him away. Tell him I'm busy and to come back in a week or so," I said, my steps quickening as I moved toward my office, Richard trailing behind.

I paused , taking a breath before turning back to him. "And make sure the guards are informed. I don't want any of the staff questioning the departure. They should understand this is not a decision to be discussed."

Richard gave a quick nod. "Of course. I'll make sure everything is handled discreetly."

"Good," I said, feeling a slight stir of satisfaction at his quick compliance. "Once everything is in order, I need you to send a messenger to the council as well. Tell them I will be unavailable for the next few days. Leave the rest to them, and if anything urgent arises, it better be serious enough to warrant my attention."

"Understood Your Majesty," Richard replied, his expression still guarded, though I could see the weight of the task pressing on him.

I turned on my heel, already moving toward the royal chambers. "I'll be in my office. Don't keep me waiting," I said without looking back.

I barely reached my desk when a messenger burst in, panting heavily as if he'd run a marathon.

"Your Majesty!" he shouted, breathless, stopping just a few feet from me. "A urgent letter has arrived from Duke Edward," he said, holding out a sealed envelope with trembling hands.

My muscles tensed as my gaze fell on the seal carrying the Valenhart crest. "The Duke?" I thought.

I snatched the letter from the messenger and dismissed him without a second thought. The seal cracked under my fingers as I opened it, my heart hammering in my chest.

I read the letter, the words searing into my mind.

The Duke expressed his surprise at Iris's sudden visit and her request to end the engagement. She planned to stay permanently at his estate until he agreed to her wishes.

My grip on the letter tightened so much I thought it might tear. I felt the anger rising in me, hot and sharp.

"So, this is why she left for Everett, that little-" I muttered, barely able to contain the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Rage, confusion, disbelief… and a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Iris had been always difficult but meek before me and now she had become the opposite.

My wolf growled in the back of my mind, furious at the thought of Iris being so far away.

I clenched my jaw, my vision blurring with the pressure building in my chest. She couldn't just walk away like this. I wasn't going to let her.

I crumpled the letter in my hand and stood up, leaving my office in a hurry.

The echo of my boots against the marble floors was the only sound that filled the silence of the palace.

The day had been full of distractions, but now, I had no choice. I had to leave.

I turned, heading toward my chambers to change into more appropriate attire for the journey ahead.

But before I could take another step, his tall figure filled the hallway, halting me in my tracks.

It was Atlas.