Chapter 6 - Terrible Turn

James kept walking around, inside his chamber. The dinner was a disaster. It had added more to his troubles.

The Alpha King forcing him to take a bride is one. He was just trying to decide for him. That wouldn't work.

Michael's maid was another issue. He had realized the mystery about the payment but there seemed to be something more to it.

The maid had a striking resemblance with Molina. That was the apparent reason why Michael had paid that much to secure her.

"Is he planning to hurt my emotions by that?" James thought aloud but it didn't make much sense to him.

"It is a message" he deduced. "I lost her and he found her, the same way I will lose the throne and he will gain it" he laughed as he unraveled the plan.

He needed to do something to reply him. Michael should know the place he belonged.

The door opened slowly and Harold came in. His heavy body leaned forward as he walked towards James. That was how he always walked. Like he would fall over his face but he wouldn't.

Harold was James friend from childhood. They became friends due to their big stature that tended to stand out among their peers. They had been good friends over the years and he would support him in everything.

"I thought I will find you beating the hell out of somebody behind the door, but here you are all alone" Harold spoke with his booming voice. He stared keenly at James whose worries was clearly written over his face.

"Harold!" James said weakly and shook his head. He walked to a seat expecting Harold to do the same.

"You heard anything about the most expensive maid?" James asked him calmly after they had sat down. He was sure Harold must have heard about that.

"Of course. Five thousand gold coins. Sold to your brother" he replied instantly.

"Have you seen her?" he asked again.

"No. Why do I have to see a maid? Because she is the most expensive?" Harold was confused.

"I saw her today and since then I have become more worried" James shook his head pitifully.

"You think you should have bought her. She must be very beautiful" Harold laughed, trying to tease James.

"Yes, she is very beautiful" James said sternly. "Like Molina" he added quickly.

"You don't compare a maid to your heartthrob" Harold corrected.

"I am not comparing. She is her" James said but he couldn't sound more convincing like he wanted.

"What do you mean, she is her?" Harold was still eager to make meaning out of his words.

"She resembled her perfectly and I am sure Michael had her bought to send a message to me" James revealed.

"A message?" it seemed Harold was getting deeper in confusion the more James continued.

"A message about the throne. He believes I will lose the throne to him" he finally untangled the puzzle.

"Is that it? You are worried because he believes you will lose?" Harold was now smiling. He must have thought that was a silly assertion.

"I'm worried that I am already losing. He has made the nastiest move" James broke out sadly.

"Are you saying you have declared yourself lost before the game will commence?" Harold said after laughing for some time.

"This is not a joke, Harold. This hurts me more than I expected" James was still very sad.

"James, you are losing focus. Are you aiming for the throne. Or the maid?" Harold emphasized.

"The throne is rightfully mine" James said strictly flashing his eyebrows. He stood up and clenched his hand into a fist. He breathed heavily.

"Yes. And you will take it" Harold also stood up.

"I must take it" he repeated.

"This is just the beginning, James. We are not going to lose to a small lad like Michael. Just rest your mind and let us do the needful" Harold consoled him placing a hand on his shoulder.

James was still depressed. He couldn't get the thought of the maid out of his mind.

"Molina!" he moaned softly and turned away from Harold. He rubbed his heads with both his hands vigorously.

"James!" Harold yelled. "You need to be focused. For her. She wanted you to become the Alpha King and you must live up to that" he was trying to get him composed.

"I... I..." James stuttered.

"You have to deal with this. I am working on every possible way to get you in there. Don't let my efforts be in vain" Harold words only seemed to be clouding his thoughts the more he talked.

"Let me be. Alone" he said softly.

"I will be outside" Harold walked out immediately.

*****************

"You said you will send me on an errand far away, but you are just giving me tasks of eating delicious meals" Julia dropped the drumstick in her hand.

Michael had walked in into his inner chambers and was just coming back out with a fried chicken on a plate.

"Or you are just showing me your cooking skills" Julia gasped as she saw him coming back out.

"The joint dinner was a disaster. You need a better one to get your mind and soul together" Michael placed the chicken on the table in front of her.

"You kept this in your bedchambers?" she asked in amazement.

"It is for you" he moaned and sat down.

"Why am I being treated like this?" Julia asked without looking at him.

"Because you are the most important person to me right now and you will be going after the most important thing to me in this life. Eat sufficiently. You are going to miss this chamber for some days" he explained.

"I do not need all this to serve you" Julia pushed the plates to the center of the table far from her.

"But you have the audacity to reject food from your master" he said slowly and pushed it back towards her.

"Who will you like to see as the next Alpha King?" he asked immediately.

"I have only one master" she replied despite thinking her opinion meant nothing.

"You are going to have another master soon while I remain a secret master" he continued with his way of putting her In confusion.

"Your words are always puzzle" she said softly.

"And you are intelligent enough to get it solved" he smiled. "James was staring at you because you are his dead girlfriend" he paused probably waiting for her reaction.

"Dead girlfriend?" Julia had become more confused. Her face was becoming pale. She was getting sick of his constant riddles.

"So I am going to give you to him. He needs to be happy" he concluded and got up from his seat.

Julia looked at him with a face full of questions. The only thing she understood in his speech was he would give her to James as a maid.

"And I will be his girlfriend?" she asked anxiously, standing up immediately after him.

"You shared a striking resemblance with his dead girlfriend. He will surely want you very close to him" he said.

Julia gasped.

"You will be whatever he wants you to be" Michael added with a strict face and stern voice.

That was saddening to Julia. She didn't want any of that to happen.

"I am to serve him and you at the same time" she said sadly hoping he would consider how she felt.

"No you are not serving him. You are serving him. You will be representing me in his chambers and tell me all I need to know" he made clear his aim.

Julia gasped for breath. She was going to be a spy for him, watching James. She would be killed if she ever get caught.

"You are indirectly sending me to my death" she sobbed.

"It's a good thing you know the penalty for being caught. I don't need to warn you anymore" he smiled despite seeing the bad state she was in.

"I thought you care for me. That is what all these meals are for" she stared at the plates of food.

"I thought you don't need that to serve me. You will serve me willingly. Has that changed?" he replied her using her own words.

"I don't know you are that inconsiderate when saying that" Julia fumed, she didn't care what he might do anymore.

"Inconsiderate? I will take that as a compliment" he laughed. "And that was an order from your master. You are going to James" he pointed a finger to her face.

Julia turned away from him. She wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. She had never expected something like this when she wanted to be in the palace.

"I don't know why you are here but I promise to help you if you do this for me perfectly" Michael promised.

Julia heard that but it couldn't make her happy right now. She didn't want to see his face anymore.

"I'll leave you to it until you realize that this would be beneficial to both of us" he said softly and headed outside. He went out of the room.

Julia watched him as he left. She had no choice than to do his will.