Alpha's Bite Between My Legs-Chapter 549: The Previous King

Once the preparation was done, Rosina fixed her black robe before locking her office door, indicating she didn’t want to be disturbed.

Then Rosina went to the middle of the room, where she needed a significant amount of space.

"Open," Rosina pricked her finger tip as blood dripped from her skin, dropping to the floor.

That was when Rosina opened a portal that connected to the area where Rocco was located.

By the time, the sun stretched its fingers across the realm.

Rosina was already slipping down the passage as the portal closed.

In the end, the portal opened, and Rosina was a few meters away from him then.

Rosina spotted Rocco before he noticed her.

Rocco was kneeling, his hands buried in the dark soil, pulling stubborn weeds between crops. His shirt clung to him in sweats, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, forearms streaked with dirt.

There was no crown, no war, no intrigue, just a man breathing in rhythm with the land.

Rosina’s lips curved faintly. "Rocco," she called out. Her voice carried softly through the air.

Rocco’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing against the low sun. At first, he didn’t recognize the voice, but seeing the figure, he knew who it was.

"Rosina..." Rocco’s tone was cautious, almost weary. His hands were stilled on the root he was tugging, and for a moment, he looked as though he had seen a ghost.

After a few seconds of surprise, Rocco stood, brushing his palms against his trousers, streaks of soil marking the fabric.

"I never thought the Queen herself would step foot in my fields," Rocco stated shyly, as his appearance was not as presentable as that of the previous King of the Werewolf realm.

Rosina smirked, walking closer and removing the hood of his cloak. "Don’t be nervous. I meant no harm," she stated upon noticing the tension between them forming.

Rocco forced a smile. "That’s a relief." His eyes softened. "Do you need something?"

Rosina smiled, "How are you?"

"I’m fine. It was hard to adjust initially, but I’m doing fine now. Much more peaceful, I suppose," Rocco chuckled in amusement.

Rosina previously asked Rocco what he wanted when he was forced to retire as King.

Rocco wanted to try a more normal life as a wolf, so Rosina got him a place at the edge of the Sabrecrown pack, where there were few to no wolves living, but it was close enough to the city if he wanted some supplies.

So far, Rocco was doing well on his own.

"I see. You worked hard to be independent after years of having servants around." Rosina looked around and noticed how neat the place was.

"Yeah, crazy," Rocco chuckled, combing his grey hair full of sweat and dirt.

Even though he had grown a bit older from hard work, his eyes still carried the exact weight of someone who had once borne the crown.

Rosina tilted her head, studying him. "You’ve aged differently, Rocco. Not from power, but from labor. It suits you more than I thought it would."

Rocco let out a dry laugh. He didn’t know if it was a compliment or an insult. "Sometimes, I think it’s kinder than the throne."

Silence stretched between them for a moment, only the hum of insects and the distant rustle of leaves filling the space.

"You can come to my home for a while. I’ll make you some tea, and I have an extra cookie I made yesterday," Rocco broke the silence and was about to lead her to his house when Rosina spoke.

"There’s something I wanted to ask you," Rosina said slowly. "About... Giselle."

Rocco froze. His hands, which had been brushing dirt from his trousers, dropped to the sides. His jaw clenched, and the name lingered in the air, tasting both bitter and sweet.

"You still remember her," Rocco muttered, not as a question, but an acknowledgement. His eyes wandered above, as if searching for something long gone.

Rosina stepped closer, her cloak brushing against the soil. "It’s not that I remember her. I want to hear about her from you."

Rocco’s brows furrowed in confusion. However, the reminiscence of the past overpowered his curiosity. He inhaled deeply, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Giselle... she wasn’t a Queen, not even made to be one, never meant to be. She was just an ordinary wolf, destined to be mine. I loved her before the crown found me, but when I chose to rule..." His voice faltered. "... protocol doesn’t allow a royal to have a wife who isn’t of noble blood, even if she’s my mate."

Rosina’s chest tightened. She knew about the protocol, and she hated the idea before, since it had hurt many wolves and destroyed families for the sake of power and blood.

"So they forced you apart," Rosina whispered.

Rocco gave a humorless smile; his eyes glistened faintly. "Forced? No... maybe a bit, but I chose the throne. I told myself it was for the realm, for the people, for the good. But the truth is, a king can only serve one master, and the crown doesn’t share."

Rocco’s fingers dug into his palms as if trying to bury the memories of the past that they had shared. "I let her escape this realm, for her safety, after she gave birth to our son, Draco. It was hard for us to separate, but she left quietly. No anger, no tears in front of me. Just.... Silence. That silence still follows me now and then."

Rosina’s gaze lowered, her heart heavy with the weight of Rocco’s confession. "Do you regret it?"

Rocco met Rosina’s eyes. "Every day." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The words lingered between them, fragile and sad.

Rosina stood silently for a moment, her eyes fixed on Rocco, watching him carry the weight of his mistake.

However, for Rosina, there was something Rocco needed to hear, even if it would cut him.

"Rocco..." Rosina’s voice was softer than the breeze brushing against their skin. "Do you know what became of Giselle after you parted?"