Auden
“I’ll advise that you think wisely before running that mouth at me, Ezra.” I finally spoke, the warning lingering in the air clearly between us.
He let out a low scoff, his jaw clenched.
“Unless you’ll kill me just like you killed my mother, huh?”
I let out a disappointed sigh, shaking my head while clicking my tongue.
Ezra was gonna have to try harder if he wanted to get a real rise out of me.
“You’re clearly bored Ezra. Get lost.” I waved him off, dismissing him in a way that always hurt his ego.
His eyes blazed with so much anger that it was almost impossible to imagine this same person as the bubbly, playful fuckboy he always carries himself as ninety nine percent of the time.
His mouth opened to say something at that moment, but the doors burst open, and Bret stood in the doorway, his eyes wide open.
“Y- your majesty… miss ivory… she’s no longer breathing.”
Those words exploded through the room, and I blinked once, feeling like I heard wrong at first.
“What?” I demanded sharply, already on my feet, a bunch of thoughts rushing through my mind at the same time.
“T- the palace’s doctor couldn’t find a pulse, he said was was too dehydrated and that her lack of wolf made her even more vulnerable.” He explained, his voice fast and panic painted across his face.
Ezra audibly swore and was out of the throne room before I could stop him, or order him to stay away from her and not go to her.
“Send for Anabel.” I spoke fast, my voice biting.
“Tell her to attend to Ivory, and to make sure she survives.” I instructed fast.
Anabel wasn’t just the seer of everything here in the palace, she also has magical abilities used for healing.
She hated using those abilities cause they reminded her of her past, but this was a situation that called for it.
Bret was out instantly, and then I was left alone in the throne room, my mind a complete mess of multiple whirling thoughts.
There was a pulsing feeling thumbing in the middle of my chest and I knew exactly what it was, but I didn’t want to acknowledge it.
It was guilt.
The feeling was burnt, churningly black, and it made me feel so irritated and restless.
I don’t ever feel guilty.
Why the fuck was I feeling guilty now?
That punishment I gave her was mild compared to what I could have done.
I could have had her locked up for days without food and water.
People have surfaced way more for doing way less.
So what the fuck was happening and why was I feeling this way right now?
I dragged a hand over my face as I exited my throat room, heading for the sitting area here in my wing. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
For some reason, I had to subtly force myself to take each step, and that’s cause a part of me wanted to go straight to where she was being treated in, to see if she was getting better.
Or worse.
Not because I was worried about her.
But because of all my fucking plans.
I wondered if she was starting to breathe again?
Or if she was still not breathing?
She couldn’t die yet.
I needed her for a lot of things.
The entire plan laid out in front of me would amount to nothing if she fucking dies now.
All my effort, my careful planning, going though a goddamn wedding as well… all that effort mustn’t end up being a fucking waste.
I dragged a hand over my face, frustration bubbling within me.
“Fucking hell!” I swore aloud as I stormed out of the door, heading for the east wing where the palace’s clinic was located.
It was pointless trying to force myself to stay away when it’s the only thing that would remain on my mind until she’s confirmed fine.
As soon as I arrived there, I met Ezra stepping out of the building, and for some reason, that made me annoyed.
He didn’t look worried anymore, so I assumed Ivory was fine.
His eyes darted around before landing on me, then his face twisted into anger.
He marched towards me, his lips pursed in clear annoyance.
“Get out of the way.” I ordered sharply but he ignored me, pointing a finger at me which I was tempted to snap into two.
“You know this is that bitch violet’s doing, don’t you? You know ivory didn’t lie to you. Did she even look like someone who can tell a lie like that?” He bit out, his voice
I grabbed his shirt, wrenching him close so fast, his eyes widened.
“Call her a bitch one more time. I dare you.” I growled lowly, our faces close.
He’s always hated Violet as much as he hated me, so it wasn’t shocking that he’d also blindly accuse her right now.
But Violet had been my only family for years and I’ll be damned if he addressed her like this.
Ezra’s jaw were clenched and his eyes were hard, but now wary.
Good.
At least he had some brain cells up there.
He jerked himself away after that, straightening his shirt and wordlessly glowering at me.
Then he stormed off without a backward glance.
I was about to walk through the door when a familiar voice called out from behind me.
“Your majesty? You need to see this please.”
He was holding out an envelope to me.
I frowned.
“Is this urgent?”
He nodded tensely.
“It’s about your wife.”
My eyes narrowed for a moment before I accepted it, ripping it open.
As my eyes quickly skimmed over the words scribbled there, slowly, anger began to build within me, turning into molten rage by the time I was done reading.
“Where did you get this?” I demanded sharply, my jaw clenched.
“From more extensive research in her pack. She’s specifically working in that department in their pack’s palace. A lot of people verified and confirmed it.”
The rage within my chest was almost bubbling over.
How come this same person I defended from her father and Jaden on the day she was given to me, is just as worse as the rest of the people in her pack?
In the envelop that just arrived, it was confirmed that she worked right in the department where women slaves are made into sex toys or auctioned off to sick alphas to do whatever they want with them.
That’s the same department from every pack that I get sent a maiden as a tribute every three years.
I always believe only the sickest people ever could stomach working in such a place without rebeling out or try to fight for those women.
Which was why I stopped associating with all the other packs.
They all spread countless rumors calling me all sort of names, meanwhile they were the actual monsters for having such departments in their packs.
According to the envelop, Ivory didn’t just work there.
because of her father’s influence, she was in a high enough position to help in vetting women before they get sent into various destinations… from whorehouses, to the black market, to be sent off to me as a tribute…
Disgust suddenly gripped me hard and I saw stark red, flashing through my mind.
How can she work in such a place and then have the audacity to act all pure hearted in front of me?
Like someone’s who’s never hurt a fly before.
Since the beginning of all of this, I had felt bad for her, cause she kept exuding this clueless, innocent energy.
But, turns out that was never true.
This whole time, I was thinking she was this clueless and innocent little thing that’s gotten sold off by her father.
What I had no idea of, was that she was actually a monster just like the others in her pack.
Just like her father and pack’s prince.
One that was utterly heartless.
Any little guilt I was already feeling for punishing her today went out the window at once, and it got replaced with rage so thick, it gripped my chest tightly.