The Alpha King's Mistress Chapter 46: Your Smile Is.....

Walking closer to Nicholas, I crouched down in front of him, a playful pout forming on my lips.

"You know, manners matter," I teased, grinning impishly as I leaned in slightly closer. "If you want those cookies, you'll have to ask nicely. Say 'please,' and I might just whip them up for you."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the look on Nicholas's face, his expression bordering on amused disbelief, as if he thought I was completely nuts. But then, to my utter surprise, he spoke softly.

"Please,"

And it leaves me momentarily speechless. He just spoke to me gently, not those cold replies. My cheeks flushed as my heart started to race. Wow, here I am getting flustered at the bare minimum!

I stammered, "Consider it a payment for your help," trying to mask the sudden rush of emotions.

Feeling a bit flustered, I swiftly made my exit, hoping to distract myself. Rushing out of the room, I made my way into the kitchen, a smile crept across my face, and try as I might, I couldn't suppress it. The corners of my lips curled up in a grin.

“He’s still a jerk,” I whispered to myself.

As I busied myself in the kitchen, preparing the ingredients for those promised chocolate cookies, the lingering smile persisted. There was a strange sense of contentment and excitement bubbling within me.

Soon after I was done baking, I strolled into the bedroom with a batch of freshly baked cookies. I found Nicholas already done with the painting, and I couldn't help but admire the transformation of the room. Placing the cookies on a nearby chair, I settled down on the floor, gazing at the newly painted walls with a contented sigh.

"Wow, it's beautiful. It's just like what I imagined. Thank you" I whispered to myself, marveling at how perfectly it matched the vision I had in mind. The colors blended seamlessly, bringing to life the exact image I'd imagined.

“Is green your favorite color?” he suddenly asked.

Glancing over at Nicholas, a genuine smile curved my lips. "Yeah, apple green exactly,"

Nicholas met my gaze, a hint of surprise mingled with a small smile as our eyes met. "That’s an interesting color," he replied.

..........

**Nicholas**

That moment caught me completely off guard. Florence, with this genuine smile on her face—something I hadn't seen before. I mean, usually, she tosses out these polite smiles and fake ones but this one... this was different.

My heart started to race. It always does when I am with her. I couldn't help but notice how her genuine smile was different. She always had this glow, but when she flashed that genuine grin, it was like the sun decided to show up right there on her face. It was kind of mesmerizing. I guess it's the first time I've seen her drop that reserved front she always has.

"So you show that smile to anyone else?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could even process them.

It was like my brain hit the autopilot button and my mouth just went on its own.

Florence seemed caught off guard by my question, her expression shifting into confusion. I could almost feel the air tense up as she mulled over how to respond.

When she didn't reply right away, I felt the urge to push it further.

"From now on, just save that smile for me," I blurted out, surprising even myself with the audacity of the statement.

Honestly, I didn't know what came over me. I'm not the type to demand things from people, especially someone like Florence. I never expected to feel anything for her, let alone ask for something like that. But there was this odd surge of... something.

The fact that she could provoke such an unexpected reaction within me was unsettling.

Florence blinked, "Wait, what?" she finally replied.

Clearing my throat, "I mean, it's just... that smile, it's different,"

"What about my smile?" she asked, a grin now crossing her face.

She was beautiful. Really. It was something I couldn't deny. That's why seeing her doing those stunts, seeing her with Jake the other day, I was worried. Worried that they might fall in love with her. That they might catch the charm she has. And now, I am worried that they might also fall for her beautiful smile. It was as if she had uncovered a side of me that I'd kept hidden, leaving me feeling exposed in a way I wasn't accustomed to.

"I mean, your usual smile is..." I paused my attempt to explain falling short as I struggled to find the right words.

“My smile is…. “she echoed, now staring at me with those piercing hazel eyes of hers. Those eyes that seemed to draw me into her, pulled me into her.

I tried to shut down those emotions that seemed to bubble up unexpectedly around Florence. It was getting too... much. And I can't allow myself to be affected by her anymore.

"Whatever, forget about it," I said, brushing off the topic with more force than intended.

“Hey, that's rude, leaving people hanging like that”

I ignored her and abruptly shifted the focus, diverting attention to the cookies she'd brought. Without giving her another glance, I grabbed one, taking a bite almost forcefully. I don't like chocolate-flavored stuff just like she said, but her giving these cookies to other men made me angry for some reason.

I caught her rolling her eyes at me, but I decided to let that one slide. She was the only one who could do that to me. And, of all the things I find interesting to her, this is just one of them— her usual sass. Something I am getting used to now.

"Oh right, I'll start working tomorrow," she abruptly announced.

I must've looked like a deer caught in headlights. Work? That was definitely not part of the plan. Annoyance bubbled up inside me. Stubbornly, I continued eating, shaking my head in disbelief.

"No way, I'm not allowing that," I muttered under my breath, hoping to put an end to this conversation.

But Florence, being Florence, couldn't let it rest. She fights me with everything.

"And why not? You can't really do anything about it. I am just saying it to you for formality" she retorted.

Her question hit a nerve. I struggled to come up with a solid reason, feeling the pressure to justify my stance. It wasn't that I couldn't articulate it; it was more like I couldn't figure out why it mattered so much to me. She could work for all I care. It should be that. Yet, the thought of her working for someone when her title was supposedly higher unsettled me more than I'd care to admit.

‘And whose fault is that?’ my wolf—Berion grumbled in my mind.

My wolf seldom voices his opinion. Rarely. He only appears when fights are involved but these days, he keeps pestering me to see Florence. With a sigh, I immediately blocked him and focused on the woman always occupying my mind these days.