The Alpha Prince's Purchased Maid
Chapter 135: Desire and Duty

Chapter 135: Desire and Duty

“Mila...” Prince Leonard called my name and his voice sounded so gentle that it made me feel guilty to the core.

“Y-Yes?” I replied with a stutter.

“Can you give me your hand? I just want to hold it,” he asked and then he flashed me a very charming smile when he saw me hesitate.

“Ok...” I murmured.

Slowly, I slipped my hand into his opened one. The warmth of his hand immediately enveloped mine as his fingers curled around my hand and held it. Although things were supposed to be different between us tonight, the touch of his hand on mine felt comforting as always.

“Tell me what you think about what Madame Sand told you,” the prince urged as his blue eyes studied my face intently.

I was supposed to bring this up to tell him that I wasn’t at all interested so I was very surprised that it was the prince who brought this up first.

“To be honest, I think there’s been a very big misunderstanding about this. I’m just a maid and that is how it should be. I don’t want to be an honorable maiden and I am not interested in...performing any of the duties required of an honorable maiden...” I said pleadingly.

I hated how desperate I sounded but I was just that desperate. If Prince Leonard would just help me out of this one, then I would do whatever he wanted to pay him back. The prince seemed thoughtful as he pondered my words; however, he didn’t seem to be against it, and I took that as a good sign.

“Why do you think that this is all just a misunderstanding?” he asked while sounding very calm.

“People seem to think that you have an interest in me but that’s not really true, right? Plus, there are so many other honorable maidens that are more suitable than me. So, please help me, Prince Leonard. Please help me become just a maid again,” I pleaded to him as I felt tears sting the back of my eyes.

The prince seemed taken aback by my direct requests and then suddenly, his eyes turned cold. It felt like the temperature around me had dropped by several degrees as the small hairs at the base of my neck stood up. It felt like I had just entered dangerous territory although I was still sitting at the same spot on the sofa.

“Basically, what you’re saying is that you don’t want to mate with me, is that it?” he asked bluntly and without much emotion in his voice.

“Well, yes...pretty much...” I mumbled softly in reply.

I tried to judge his reaction, but his face had turned into a cold and expressionless mask again. That, I learned, was a sign that he was angry to a certain degree. My words must have offended him, but I didn’t know how else to break it to him. I was just trying my best to be honest so that we can both find a way out of this. There was no way that the prince would really want someone like me, right?

“Do you have another man that you like? Are you in love with someone else?” he asked as his cold blue eyes stared into mine.

“No...” I replied without hesitation.

Not to even talk about like or love, I didn’t know that many members of the opposite sex to begin with. I was at the all-girls orphanage from a young age and that didn’t lead me to have many if any encounter with men.

“Then, it shouldn’t be a problem,” the prince surmised with a satisfied nod of his head.

“What...shouldn’t be a problem?” I asked as I got more confused about where this was going.

His blue eyes suddenly seemed a few shades darker as he stared into my face and then the prince leaned closer to me. I stopped breathing as I started to lean back to get away from him. If I ran from him again this time, I doubt that he would save me like he did earlier in the day. Prince Leonard was so close to me again and I started to feel embarrassed as heat flooded my face. I didn’t want to meet his eyes anymore, but I couldn’t look away. His hands cupped my shoulders, and I could feel their heat even through the fabric of the dress that I had on.

“Prince...” I whispered.

His face was right in front of mine and his hands on my shoulders slow slid down to my arm before his hold on me tightened. My body trembled and I wasn’t sure if it was only from fear. My lips felt dry, and a fluttering feeling started blooming deep in my chest. I guess, it didn’t matter whether or not I wanted it. In the end, I’m supposed to mate with him tonight. The prince’s lips were a mere inch from mine and my entire body froze in his arms.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about...because I don’t want to become king,” the prince stated.

“Huh?” I murmured cluelessly as my eyes widened.

“I’m also not at all interested in producing an ultimate alpha heir...” Prince Leonard continued.

I was too stunned by his unexpected resolution that I didn’t know what to say. Instead, all I could do was stare at him with my mouth hanging open.

How is this even possible? Prince Leonard, the first prince of the kingdom, doesn’t want to become the next king?

Heat grazed the side of my face as he slowly ran the tip of his index finger down the curve of my cheek all the way down to my chin as his blue eyes followed the motion of his finger. It felt like my heart was about to burst out of my chest and I struggled to breathe.

“Know this, Mila. If I decide to touch you, it is because I simply want to and it has nothing to do with my desire to become the next king,” the prince said softly yet very clearly.

--To be continued...