There was no emotion in his voice.
No hesitation.
Just cold truth.
“I see,” Cedric muttered before falling silent once more.
That had always been his nature, detached, observant, and uninterested in matters that did not directly concern him.
His presence was constant, yet his involvement was rare.
A guard suddenly entered the throne room, breaking the tension that lingered in the air.
“Your Majesty, the breeder has arrived,” he announced, bowing.
“Send her in,” Enzo said, then added with subtle emphasis, “and her name is Lady Arabella.”
The correction was quiet, but deliberate.
“Apologies, Your Majesty,” the guard said quickly before retreating.
Moments later, Arabella stepped into the throne room.
Her head was held high.
Her posture firm.
Her dress clung to her figure, accentuating her curves, while her hair flowed freely down her back like a dark cascade.
There was something striking about her presence, not overly adorned, yet impossible to ignore.
“Greetings, Your Majesty,” she said, bowing gracefully.
Enzo nodded curtly.
She greeted the lords one after the other before stepping to the side, waiting.
Enzo gestured for her to come closer.
She obeyed.
“This is Arabella,” Enzo announced, resting his chin lightly against his hand as he observed both her and the council.
“She is a she-wolf… and the new breeder I was telling you about.”
All eyes fell on her.
Measuring.
Judging.
Calculating.
“If I may, Your Majesty,” Lord Vaelor spoke, his tone deceptively calm.
“I do not believe Arabella is qualified to be a royal breeder.”
The air shifted instantly.
“She lacks a family background,” he continued.
“And if she is to bear you a pup… would that not mean she would become Luna?”
Enzo’s eyes darkened.
Even Lucien, who had remained silent beside the king, showed a flicker of displeasure.
“Lord Vaelor,” Lucien spoke suddenly, his voice sharp.
“What exactly are you insinuating?”
Vaelor did not flinch.
“Lord Lucien, I am simply stating facts,” he replied.
“Arabella may serve as the king’s… companion if he so wishes.”
His words sharpened deliberately.
“But she cannot bear him a pup.”
Arabella’s fingers curled slightly at her sides.
“It is against the rules,” Vaelor continued, his voice firm.
“The king agreed when the council declared he could only breed noble women, ladies with strong Lycan blood, to strengthen the royal line.”
He turned his gaze toward Arabella, his expression cold.
“She is nothing but a wolf.
She would only give us a weak bloodline… and heirs unfit to rule Lycoria.”
Arabella felt the words hit her like blows.
A companion.
A mere body.
Her chest tightened.
For a moment, she almost choked on the humiliation rising within her.
She forced herself to remain still.
Forced herself not to react.
Slowly, her gaze shifted to the king.
He was relaxed.
Unbothered.
Silent.
Something inside her went numb.
How much more insult can one endure?
she wondered quietly.
“For once… I agree with Lord Vaelor.”
Cedric’s voice broke through the tension once again.
Enzo raised an eyebrow slightly, surprised.
Cedric rarely involved himself in matters like this.
His sudden agreement felt… suspicious.
“I do not share that opinion,” Lord Septimus spoke calmly.
“If the king chooses to take the young woman as his Luna, I have no objections.”
“Well, it is not your decision alone,” Vaelor interjected immediately.
The tension rose once again, thick and suffocating.
“Well,” Enzo finally spoke, his voice cutting through them all, “I do not plan to breed Arabella.”
The room stilled.
“So you can all rest assured.”
His tone was calm, too calm.
“And to settle this matter,” he continued, “this meeting will be rescheduled for next week.”
His gaze swept across them, firm and final.
“This issue will be decided by a vote.”
Murmurs followed.
After much deliberation, the council finally agreed.
There would be a debate.
And a final decision.
“This meeting is dismissed,” Enzo declared.
“We will reconvene next week.”
The lords began to rise one after the other, offering formal farewells before making their exit.
Lord Vaelor, however, chose to remain.
He insisted on staying within the palace grounds until the next meeting, claiming he wished to spend time bonding with his daughter.
His excuse was weak, but no one challenged it.
Lord Cedric, on the other hand, wasted no time.
After his brief farewell, he turned to leave.
But as he passed Arabella, he paused, just for a moment.
A small, unreadable smile touched his lips before he continued on his way.
That brief gaze did not go unnoticed.
Enzo saw it.
And his eyes darkened slightly.
Lord Septimus remained seated, waiting patiently.
He still had matters to discuss with the king, privately.
Enzo finally turned his attention to Arabella.
“You may go,” he said, his tone softer than before.
“I will visit you later.”
Arabella felt nothing.
No relief.
No anticipation.
Nothing.
Since arriving here, it had been one insult after another.
Without saying a word, she turned and walked away.
Her steps were steady.
Her back straight.
Her silence louder than anything she could have said.
Behind her, Enzo let out a quiet chuckle.
Amused.
Intrigued.
Drawn.
There was something about her defiance…
Something about her fire…
That made him want to see just how far she could go before she finally broke.
“Lily, I don’t know if you’ve heard anything about my sister, Sophie.
We arrived together yesterday, and I haven’t seen her since.
I just hope she is alright…” Arabella said absentmindedly as she stepped out of the throne room.
Her voice trembled despite her effort to stay composed.
Tears brimmed at the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.
She was barely holding herself together.
The weight of everything that had happened since their arrival pressed heavily on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
She thought of Lily, her only source of comfort in this unfamiliar and suffocating place.
If anyone could help her, it would be her.
Deep down, Arabella already knew the truth.
The king did not want her.
Hearing him admit it openly in court had shattered something inside her.
It wasn’t just rejection, it was humiliation, laid bare for everyone to witness.
The memory replayed in her mind like a cruel echo, each time cutting deeper than before.
She lowered her gaze as she walked, her fingers clutching the fabric of her dress.
She wished things were different.
If only her father were still alive… if only she had never been mated to Victor… maybe, just maybe, her life wouldn’t have spiraled into this nightmare.
Maybe she wouldn’t have to endure this constant shame, this helplessness.
“The king brought you and your sister?” Lily asked, clearly surprised.
“That is a first.”
Arabella nodded faintly, though her expression remained troubled.
“And no, I haven’t heard anything about her,” Lily continued gently.
“But if you want, I can ask around and try to find out for you.”
Arabella looked up at her, hope flickering briefly in her eyes.
“Please… I would really appreciate that.”
“Of course,” Lily replied with a reassuring smile.
With that, Arabella gave a small nod and turned away, making her way slowly toward her room.
Her steps were heavy, her mind clouded with worry and exhaustion.
Right now, all she could do was rest… and pray that Sophie was safe.
********
As I followed the beta, my thoughts were a complete mess.
I couldn’t think straight.
My mind kept drifting, from Arabella, to our situation, and then to the man walking ahead of me.
He hadn’t said a single word since we started walking, nor had he slowed his pace.
It was unsettling.
Taking advantage of his silence, I let my eyes wander, observing the palace.
The grandeur of the place was undeniable, high ceilings, polished floors, intricate carvings on the walls.
Everything screamed power and wealth.
But none of it impressed me.
If anything, it made me feel smaller… like I didn’t belong here.
Suddenly, he stopped.
Abruptly.
Because I had been looking elsewhere, I didn’t notice in time and walked straight into him, my forehead hitting his back.
“Ouch…” I muttered, rubbing my head.
He turned to face me, his brows furrowed in irritation.
“Can’t you say sorry?
You almost injured me,” I half-yelled, glaring at him.
“Last I checked, I wasn’t the one who bumped into you,” he replied curtly.
“You did.
So why should I apologize?
You should be the one saying sorry for hitting me with your head.”
I rolled my eyes in annoyance.
“Well, that’s because you’ve been walking without saying anything!
How was I supposed to know you were going to stop?” I shot back.
He didn’t respond.
He simply ignored me, which only made my irritation grow.
“This is the maid quarters,” he said flatly after a moment.
I blinked.
“What?”
He continued as if I hadn’t spoken.
“From today henceforth, you will work as a maid.”
“What?!” I exclaimed, my voice rising in disbelief.
Still, he ignored me.
“This will be your room,” he added, pointing to a door.
“I will inform the head maid to have your uniform ready before morning and assign your duties.”
“But I’m an alpha!” I protested quickly, stepping forward.
“I can join the army or do something similar.
I promise I’ll do well.
Please don’t make me a maid, I suck at home chores.”
I tried to reason with him, tried to make him understand.
But his next words shut me up instantly.
“You should be grateful you are alive to serve as a maid,” he said coldly.
“Not that you are worth it, but the king commands.”
My heart skipped.
“He could have beheaded you right there, where you tried to run away with your sister… your sister the king has set his eyes on.”
As he spoke, he stepped closer.
Instinctively, I backed away until my back hit the wall.
A chill ran down my spine.
“You are alive today because of your sister,” he continued, his voice low and dangerous.
“For whatever reason, the king doesn’t want her sad.
That is why he chose to spare you.”
My breath caught in my throat.
“But you should know this, you are already walking on thin ice.
One more mistake, and your head will be on a spike.”
He reached out and lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him, his eyes roam my face.
My breath hitched at the sudden proximity.
For a moment, I couldn’t move… couldn’t think.
“If I were you, I will keep my head down do what I’m told to do do and stay out of trouble, this punishment is me being mercuful.” He said
Then, just as suddenly, he let go of my chin and stepped back.
“Stay out of trouble, Blondie,” he said before turning on his heels and walking away.
Just like that, he disappeared.
I stood there for a moment, frozen, before finally releasing the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
I exhaled shakily.
“Well…” I muttered under my breath.
“I guess I have to serve my punishment.”
I couldn’t afford to mess this up, not if it meant dragging Bella into more trouble.
I just hoped she was safe.
Reaching for the door, I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was small… but not terrible.
There was a single spring bed, neatly arranged, and a small attached bathroom.
Everything was clean and surprisingly decent.
It wasn’t much.
But it was enough.
I stepped further in, closing the door behind me.
If Bella and I were going to survive this, we had to play along.
We had to endure.
I clenched my fists, determination slowly replacing fear.
I would do my duties.
I would become stronger.
And one day… I would make sure no one could ever hurt us again.
I sat down on the bed, my resolve hardening.
I swore it.