Aurelia's POV
"Are you turning me down, Aurelia?" Prince Norton barked. He couldn't control his temper. He clenched down on his jaw till the vein at the side of his head popped out.
His Alpha pheromones slammed me like heavy wind in a rainstorm and my knees wobbled threatening to give out.
"Do I have to remind you who you're standing before?" He scoffed and marched towards me.
I staggered back, trying to get away from him but he caught my arm in his tight grip and pulled me against him. His other hand grabbed my chin forcing me to look into his blood lusteyes.
I whimpered in fright as I twisted and turned in his grip, trying to set myself free but it proved impossible.
"You dare to reject me?" He asked with mock astonishment and arched his brow. His breath fanned my face and tears welled up in my eyes.
"You're hurting me," I whispered the words hoping he would let me go but his expression was bland and unreadable.
"No," he said with a slow shake of his head. "You're hurting yourself. You're making me do this to you. Is this what you want?"
"I simply wish to treat you like a princess, Aurelia. Why would you turn me down?" He tilted his neck and my heart only pounded more in fear.
"We took you in, fed and clothed you. Don't you think marrying me is a blessing to you?"
His words pierced my heart and this time, a tear ran down my cheek. My lips trembled and my breathing was becoming laboured and harsh.
"I have chosen you as my bride-"
"No-"
"... I will present you to my father and you will accept our marriage-"
"No, please let me go. I won't be with anyone who isn't my mate. Please try to understand-"
"You will never find your mate!"
I gasped at his sudden yell and I shuddered in his hold.
"Oh! I'm so sorry," his face fell as a sad expression took over him immediately. He let go of me but I didn't expect it so I crumbled to the floor.
I was still trying to catch my breath and calm my racing heart while I watched him from the corner of my eye pace the room back and forth, running his fingers through his curly brown hair and pushing it away from his face.
Silence fell between us and when I was finally getting myself. Norton stood at a corner staring at me sending chills down my spine.
"I didn't mean to hurt you, Aurelia. I promise," the sadness in his voice stung at my ear.
I lifted my head to him and I almost drowned at the sadness in his eyes. How did he go from zero to hundred in less than two minutes?
"You being with me will do you good. We'll rebuild the pack together. You're the last surviving Beta. I'm sure your parents would bless our Union wherever they are,"
No, he knew nothing about my parents. I doubt he even knew their names or what they were like!
Mother and Father would never want me to sacrifice my happiness for anything regardless of what it was. They talked a big game about the moon goddess and her choice of mate being the best.
Mother and Father were each other's mate and they never let a day go by without telling me how beautiful the mate bond was.
"You don't know that," I whispered and dropped my gaze to the floor. "Wolves are supposed to wait for their mates. It's the right thing to do-"
"Again with this?" He scoffed. "Don't be so naive. Our union is for the betterment of our pack-"
I was already shaking my head. I knew he didn't believe that. Those were just mere words to get me to agree to it before his father.
Norton simply wanted me for himself. I suddenly felt an object waiting to be possessed and owned by him.
"I like you, Aurelia," he said and took a step towards me. My ears perked up and once again, I started to panic.
"I've liked you for as long as I can remember what beauty means. I want you--"
"You want me as a trophy-"
"It doesn't matter how I want you, as long as I want you," he finally stood before me and squatted to my level with a smirk on his lips.
"I will own you and break you into submission. Oh Aurelia, you will be mine."
* * *
I returned to my room still shaken from what happened at the royal courtyard with the Prince.
Unfortunately for me, Maggie was in my room probably waiting for me to get back so we could play chess together.
She picked up on my trembling body and rose to her feet immediately with worry on her face.
"What happened? What did the Prince say?"
I walked past her and sank down on my bed trying to catch my breath. The day was still young so it would be hard to avoid Maggie.
"You're scaring me, Aurelia. Did you get in trouble with the Prince?"
I gulped as words failed me. I didn't know what to say to her but I also couldn't shut her out. She would only continue to ask till I said something
Once again, I reached for the pendant of my necklace and fiddled with it, gathering strength and calming myself down.
Norton words flashed in my head once more and I shuddered from it.
What did he mean by breaking me into submission? I was scared for my life. The first time I ever felt this fear was when I returned from the field to find my pack on fire.
The fear of the unknown was enough to give me the chills.
"Aurelia!" Maggie grabbed me roughly by the shoulders and gave me a fierce shake. When she stopped, she leaned closer to my face, "Say something!"
"S-Sorry... I spaced out," I swallowed hard. "It's nothing, I'm fine-"
"Like hell I'd believe you! Did you get in trouble?"
I thought of what to say, "We talked about the three year death anniversary of my pack. I guess I got too... shaken up."
"Oh," her face fell. "I see. I'm so sorry but that's not in another three to four months," she pulled me into a brief hug. "For a second there, I thought you got on the bad side of Prince Norton."
I shook my head, "No, never."
"That's good then. I'm so sorry. I hope one day when you remember your parents, you won't cry this much," she offered me a sad smile.
Maggie was nice enough to understand that I wasn't in the mood for a conversation. She quietly left my room, promising to come check on me soon enough with dinner.
I didn't feel the slightest bit of hunger. The only thing that raced in my mind were the words that Norton said to me.
"I can't marry him," I mumbled to myself. Besides that he wasn't my mate, I didn't even feel any attraction towards him.
Was it my fault then? Did I get too comfortable in his castle and let myself be taken care of? But I tried to pay for it by working in the royal garden. I've never wanted to feel indebted to anyone my whole life.
I prepared for bed and was brushing my hair when there was a knock on the door.
Maggie stepped in with her head lowered holding a black and white outfit in her hands.
"Why are you holding your uniform?" I wondered. She was already wearing her maid outfit. Was she perhaps going to shower in my room?
"Aurelia, the Prince has ordered that you work in the castle as a full time maid. You'll be starting tomorrow. This is your outfit."
Aurelia's POV"The Prince wants the Royal Hall swept and mopped before morning," Maggie informed me. Her eyes were sad and she looked everywhere but me.It has been a week already. Who would've thought that time would fly so fast yet feel so slow when scrubbing the castle grounds and weeding till one becomes very familiar with looking at bloody hands?I turned down Norton a week ago and ever since, I have paid with my blood, my sweat and my tears."Maggi," I called her name in a breathy whisper. "It's 10p.m. everyone knows that the maids retire to bed once it's 10p.m." I clenched my fists by my side and bit down on my jaw. My resentment towards Norton grew inside of me like a tumour.Why wouldn't he just let me be?"I know," Maggie ran her hand up and down her arm as she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other."But, he called me to his study and told me this. I can't make it up," I knew she wasn't lying and I wasn't saying that she was lying.I was simply on the side that
Aurelia's POVThe sound of the thin cane hitting my back made me jerk but there was nowhere to run to.The two guards who held my arm did it with such power and I wondered if I wasn't as little as I thought I was.Norton grinned maliciously as he watched them whip me with a thin but excruciatingly painful wooden cane."This will teach you not to put your hands on me," he said with satisfaction. In the end, he had dashed out only to return with a few guards to punish me, lying that I had pushed him to the ground.I counted over ten strokes with gritted teeth and when they finally left me, my back was bleeding.I was exhausted but I still had to clean the Royal Hall and I wasn't even halfway done. I cleaned myself up and got to work immediately.* * *"Ow, ow," I winced as the ice touched my shoulders but I had no choice but to relax into it."Sorry, dear, it'll be over soon," Maggie sighed as she watched Barbara, one of the maids I was
Aurelia's POVI stomped my feet on the ground over and over again to get rid of the mud under my worn out shoes. I looked up into the sky with a hand blocking the harsh rays of the sun that had made my clothes sticky with sweat.The sun should be coming down soon and once again, it will be nightfall.I dreaded the hours of the night.Our wolf senses were much sharper and stronger. Norton's guards could be close again to finding me. Our game of hide and seek was a dangerous one that I didn't enjoy but I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.Once Norton found out I was missing, he rolled out guard after guard and in all the three days of my journey, it has been nothing but fear and looking over my shoulders while keeping a watchful eye on coming across any familiar face.My clothes were torn from passing through the most unlikely places in hopes that they wouldn't follow me but their determination went beyond my expectations. I found myself running even in the middle of the night.I h
Liam's POVI ran my hands over the lapels of my dark suit as the maids polished my shoe and dressed me up with shaky hands.I watched and heard them gulp, each one of them afraid to meet my eyes. They kept their heads lowered and their hands moved in haste.I noticed they were trying not to waste my time and I was pleased at how dedicated they were to serving me and making me comfortable but I didn't see the need to hurry today."Take your time,"They jerked in shock at my voice but soon relaxed and bowed their heads before heeding to my adviceThere was no need to rush me even as the ritual wouldn't commence without my presence, I still didn't want to go so early.The Blood Moon Ritual was happening today. It was a day taken out for mates to find each other. This event happens every year but I have yet to find my mate.Every year, I sat on my throne and watched the wolves find their mate while I, their King returned with no one by my side.I felt like a personal Circus for the moon g
Aurelia's POVI felt the air sucked out of my lungs as I stared into those dark eyes that seemed to scan me like I was a piece of art ready to be explored. I wasted no time doing the same.His black hair fell across one side of his face landing on his thick dark brows that furrowed slightly in shock. Those hard jawlines looked sharp enough to cut and his lips were full and inviting.His pheromones were slowly stroking my desire, wanting to fill me with need and longing. I glanced at his arms and admired his wide shoulders and his biceps. He was simply a work of art.His focus was on me and it felt as though I could feel his hands gliding under my clothes. My mate looked like a god on that throne and the way he stared at me left me feeling naked and bare before him.I found him, Mother. I thought to myself as I touched my necklace over my scarf. My lips curled in a smile and I took a step forward in his direction when someone leaned beside him.His eyes grew darker, forcing me to halt
Aurelia's POVThe guards were shaking like a leaf and so was I.We were yet to lay eyes on him but his mere presence and his deep gruff voice was enough to shake us down to our very core."W-What do we do?" One of the guards asked with a frightening tone. He sounded like he was about to piss himself."I've heard about the Purple Sun City. What if... What if the Lycan King-""Shut up! He is definitely too busy to worry about trivial matters like this!""Keep it together! We've come a long way searching for this bitch. We cannot return empty-handed-"They were still arguing when something, with the speed of light, moved past us.The wind blew up in my face, slamming me hard but it wasn't as hard as how three of the guards fell to the floor lifelessly."Wh-What was that!"One by one they dropped to the floor and soon it remained just me and the guard holding me as a shield.I was panting with my heart threatening to fly out. I couldn't recall that werewolves could move with the speed of
Liam's POVAndre shut the door to my study with his hands over his mouth as he stared at me in shock."Swallow it," I turn away from him and head to where a bottle of scotch sat. I poured myself a drink and brought the glass to my lips, emptying the content in my mouth.Even after tasting the blood of trespassers-- If I could remember correctly, I bit one's head off-- I still wanted something down my throat."My Queen?" I mumbled to myself, tasting the word and shaking my head. "Did you, by any chance, smell the mate bond on her-""I apologise, my King. I was overjoyed when she said that," he placed his hands over his crotch area and lowered his head.He was much calmer now than when he blurted that out."But, was she telling the truth?""Oh, I see. We're acting rationally now, are we?" I cocked a brow and folded my arms. Andre looked away. He was most definitely feeling ashamed of his actions."Forgive me, my King. I let my emotions get the better of me," he apologised once again but
Aurelia's POVWas he… My mate was… he's the Lycan king!I stared at him with a gaping jaw. His expression only hardened into a frown as he stared down at me with a look that instilled anxiousness in me. His eyes were so deeply trained at me, one would think I was a puzzle he was trying to piece together in such little time."Is this anyway to greet your saviour and the King?" He inquired in a bold and deep voice that shook me out of my trance.He was right. Just simply staring at him was outright rude. Despite him being my mate, our rank put us on a whole different level from each other.I lowered my head instantly, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I-I was in shock so I didn't… I was trying to process the information… I hope you're not offended, your highness-""Offended?" his voice came from behind and I lifted my head to see he wasn't in front of me anymore. I hadn't even noticed when he passed. "When you're done giving honour to the breeze, you can shut the door and look at me."I sl