Chapter 23 - 23. READY.

THIRD PERSON POV

A knock at the door pierced through the room door and I slowly get out of the bed my eyes still heavy with sleep. I did not even remember falling asleep but the exhaustion from thinking must have caught up with me.

I made my way to the door my hand reaching out to grasp the handle.

"Who is it?" I called out, my voice still rough from sleep.

"It's Luca," the voice replied. "I brought you some food."

I opened the door to find my best friend standing in the hallway, a tray of food in his hands. I stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

"Thanks, Luca," I said," But how did you know I was here" I ask taking the tray from him.

" Well the king told me to bring you breakfast

Luca nodded and followed me into the room. "So, what's going on?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room. " The king has been acting up strangely, Everyone in the palace has to be walking on eggshells and watching their backs.""

I frowned, taking a bite of my breakfast. "And why is that?" I asked.

Luca's expression turned serious. "Haven't you heard?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I shook my head. "Heard what?"

Luca hesitated, glancing around the room as if he fears of being overheard. "That he killed both Lady Victoria and Sophia," he said "And the guard that flogged you."

"What??" I asked , my head filling with questions.

"You're surprised, right? I was too," Luca said, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Everyone knew that Lady Victoria was his betrothed, and Sophia always boasted about being his favorite servant. I was even scared when the king came to the human slave quarters looking for me."

I shook my head, trying to process the information. "But why would he kill Sophia " I asked because I already knew the reason for lady Victoria and the guard death but Sophia was not there.

Luca shrugged. "I don't know but I heard that it's because she had slapped you"

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. "This is too much," I said, my voice rising. First I was a slave, then I was told I healed by some supernatural bond, and now the king is killing off his own people.

Luca placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression calm. "what's going on between you and the king, Nikolas."

Luca placed a hand on my shoulder, his expression calm. "What's going on between you and the king, Nikolas?" he asked, his eyes searching mine.

"He says I am his fated mate, something like we are soulmates like the love of your life for humans ."

Luca's expression didn't change as he says "I know what a mate is, Nikolas,"

I looked at him, stunned. "How did you...?" I trailed off confusion on my face. We were both humans, and I had only recently learned what a mate meant because Alexander told me I was his But Luca...

Luca chuckled, a wry smile spreading across his face. "Let's just say I have had my own fair share of dealings with a supernatural, Nikolas."

I shook my head, trying to process this new information. "But...but how? You are human just like me unless you are Lord's R" I stop remembering the night when I saw Lord Ryan coming out of the slave quarters.

Luca's smile turned enigmatic as he leans in closer. ." yes , Nikolas I am Lord Ryan fated mate and he was the one who explained to me what a mate is about"

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "Praise God, that I am not alone," I exclaimed.

But then Luca's expression turned concerned, and he reached out to touch my arm. "But Nikolas, how are you not even in pain? You were flogged, weren't you?"

I hesitated trying to come up with a perfect lie. I couldn't tell my best friend that I might have healed myself or that I might not be human. So instead I said "Alexander said it has to be our mate bond that healed me."

Luca raised an eyebrow, "The mate bond? That's what healed you?"

I nodded, trying to sound convincing. "Yes, that's what Alexander said. He said that our bond is strong, and it helped me heal faster."

Luca looked unconvinced, but he didn't press the issue instead he says"That's incredible. Lord Ryan told me that mates can sense each other's emotions and pain, but I have never known of anything like this before."

"So, how is being mated to Lord Ryan like?" I asked changing the topic from how I healed.

Luca's expression turned thoughtful. "It's...complicated," he said, "Lord Ryan is a powerful man and being his mate comes with a lot of responsibilities that he told me about But it's also incredibly rewarding. He is kind and gentle and he truly cares for me"

I smiled, happy for my friend. "That's great, Luca. I am happy for you."

Luca nodded, his eyes serious. "I'm happy for you too, Nikolas. But I have to ask, are you sure you are ready for this , Being mated to the king is a huge responsibility, and it comes with a lot of dangers."

I hesitated, Was I ready for this? I didn't know, but I knew I couldn't back down now after all "I will be fine, Luca," I said, trying to sound confident. "I will figure it out."

"I have to go, Nikolas," Luca says after some time as he stands up from the bed. "Don't forget what we have discussed, and please take good care of yourself."

I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my friend. "I will, Luca. Thanks for everything again. You are a true friend."

After our chat about mates, Luca had told me that he was going to Asia today, ordered by Alexander. Lord Ryan was the one who had pleaded to Alexander to allow his mate , Luca to come to Asia, where Lord Ryan governs.

Luca smiled and clapped me on the back. "Anytime, Nikolas. That's what friends are for. And remember, if you need anything or need to talk, I can always tell Lord Ryan to take me here."

I watched as Luca walked towards the door, It was good to have someone to confide in, someone who understood what I was going through.

Alexander's decision to allow Luca to travel to Asia was a curious one. On the surface, it seemed like a gesture of goodwill, but I knew better. In the world of the palace nothing was ever as it seemed.

****

The next day, a knock at the door broke the silence in the room. Nikolas still sleeping , wakes up to the sound. "Who is there?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room.

"Your highness, we are here to serve you," a voice called out from behind the door.

Nikolas got up to open the door, wondering if maybe the maids had thought Alexander was inside the room and they were here to serve the king. He swings open the door and to his surprise, two familiar faces stood before him Marcus and Leo, the two humans he had met when him and Luca were first brought to the palace. his eyes widened in surprise as he saw Marcus and Leo standing before him.

"Marcus! Leo! What are you doing here?" Nikolas asked, his confusion evident on his face.

Marcus bowed low, a smile spreading across his face. "We have been assigned to serve you, Your Highness," he said, his voice dripping with formality.

Nikolas's eyes narrowed. "Serve me? but I don't need servants" Nikolas protests.

Leo, still the shy one speaks up next "We are here to attend to your needs and it was the king's orders."

Nikolas's eyebrows shot up. "Alexander's orders? But why?"Nikolas was taken aback. He had not expected this level of attention from the king.

Marcus shrugged. "We don't know, we were just summoned"

"Okay, fine," Nikolas relents . "But just remember, I am not some noble who needs to be waited on hand and foot , okay"

Marcus grinned. "We would not dream of it, Nikolas. We are here to help, not to fuss over you." Marcus said and Leo nodded at his side.

Meanwhile, since yesterday Alexander had given Nikolas the space he needed to think about the mate bond. He had respected Nikolas's boundaries not wanting to push him further away. But what Nikolas didn't know was that Alexander had been secretly watching over him.

Last night while Nikolas slept, Alexander had snuck back into the room, He had watched Nikolas while he sleeps mesmerized by the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the soft curve of Nikolas lips. Alexander had stood there for hours, taking in every detail of Nikolas's peaceful face.

And as the sun starts to rise this morning, Alexander had snuck out, leaving Nikolas to wake up alone, unaware of his silent night vigil.

Alexander got the idea of giving Nikolas two maids and they must be humans . He knew that Nikolas would be more comfortable with his own kind. As a human himself, Nikolas would likely feel more at ease with humans serving him rather than the supernatural servants that typically attended to the royals needs because Nikolas was now royalty.

****

As Marcus and Leo busied themselves with their duties, Nikolas watched them with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that Alexander had assigned them to serve him personally.

"Thank you for taking care of me," Nikolas said, his voice a little stiff.

Marcus smiled and bowed his head. "It's our pleasure, Your Highness. We are here to make sure you are comfortable and happy"

Leo nodded in agreement. "Yes, we will do everything we can to make your stay here pleasant."

Nikolas nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards his new friends."Thank you, I appreciate it," he said, before adding, "But please, call me Nikolas. We are friends, aren't we?"

Leo's face lit up with a warm smile. "Of course, we are friends, Nikolas. We are here to help you, not just serve you."

Marcus nodded in agreement. "We want to make you feel at home here, Nikolas. And friends don't stand on ceremony, do they?"

Nikolas smiled, Maybe having Marcus and Leo around wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe they could even help him as Luca is away.