*Damon*Upon catching my gaze, Alpha Ryker's brow twitched momentarily, but he swiftly regained his composure. "We won't tolerate such accusations! It was merely a rumor they overheard and wished to clarify.""Is that so?" I queried, my lip curling with skepticism. "I merely posed a question, so why the sudden ire?" I chuckled.Not a single one of them cracked a smile at my jest. My laughter rang out alone, leaving them visibly uneasy.Alpha Ryker huffed. "It doesn't sound like a joke. You spoke as if we're under suspicion."Unperturbed by his raised voice, I maintained a smile as I replied, "Well, even if they are under suspicion, what concern is it of yours? It appears you're more agitated than those allegedly accused." As I spoke, I made sure to scrutinize each of their faces with a sidelong glance.I saw as their hands fiddle underneath their clothes, obviously trying to hide their anxiousness. My dark eyes quiver in mockery watching the sight of their fiddling hands.With my lazy
*Jane*“Mara, I feel so bored right now. What do you suggest we do?” I yawned, with my hands close to my mouth.Obviously, I didn't want to repeat the same daily routine as always. Although the castle is big and surplus food is available, I still don't want to be kept here.Mara glanced at me, while remaining silent. It was obvious she was contemplating.I didn't disturb her, until she finally said. “Should we visit outside the castle?” Her eyes sparkling, with enthusiasm.Uh? I blinked my eyes at her question, it was clear I never expected this sudden suggestion.Well it couldn't be said that I didn't expect it, afterall I remembered hearing her give such a suggestion one time.“Outside the castle?” I mumbled, my voice barely audible.“Yes.” Mara nodded her head, vigorously. It felt as though if she didn't stop, the small head of hers would be removed.I remained silent, in daze.Mara practically noticed my dazed self, and instantly panicked. She must have felt I wasn't interested, s
*Damon*“I’m not sure how it spread to the public, but I’m not to blame,” Alpha Ryker said solemnly.Just as I was about to snap at him, an anxious and panicked voice interrupted.“...”My eyebrows knitted together as I tried to determine if I had misheard.Looking blankly, I raised my head slightly to face Zeeb and asked, “Did you hear that too?” I was referring to the sound.Zeeb nodded, clearly surprised. “Yes indeed. I think the sound came from upstairs.” Hearing him say that made my mind tense up. Upstairs? Isn't that where the little girl is?I remained silent, in daze, not even fully concentrating on what the others were saying.“King Damon, we shouldn't start up any unnecessary argument. Since the Alpha's present wants to know about the girl brought to the castle, I think you should explain to them.” He sounded serious and determined.Alpha Brutus chimed. “Yes, Alpha Ryker is right. We shouldn't be kept in the dark about the girl brought here.” As Alpha Brutus commented, eve
*Damon*My thin lips pursed as I stared blankly at her. Is she alright?Clearing his thoughts, he looked at her intently before asking again, "Are you really sure you're okay?" His voice was filled with confusion.Jane didn't respond. Her expression suggested she thought he was crazy—what kind of question was that?Mara, however, stepped forward and spoke. "Alpha Damon, there's nothing wrong with ma'am," she said with a brief smile.I turned to Mara. Though I didn't want to, I knew I had to speak up to address my concerns."What was the noise I heard from downstairs?" I asked, almost stammering.Obviously, I didn't want to be noticed showing concern.“Huh?” Mara blinked her eyes in a daze. “A noise? I didn't think so.” She shook her head, after probably thinking.I sighed, about giving up. Since the little girl looks alright, there's not a need to pursue the matter to avoid the noise.Coming to that conclusion, I opened my mouth about saying ‘never mind ‘ however those words hang in m
*Damon* I glanced around, feeling confused. Why did she look so pale?Suddenly, it dawned on me that she might be afraid. Didn't she want me to know what had happened?While I was contemplating this, I heard Jane's shaky voice. "Alpha Damon, don't be annoyed that I brought you all the way to my room for such a useless reason."My brow furrowed as I listened to her cautious and distant tone. Is this girl serious? Who is she addressing with such detachment?Feeling upset, I replied coldly, "And what's the useless reason? Is being lost or looking terrified a useless reason?" Despite my irritation with her distant demeanor, I couldn't help but feel concerned.Jane swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. She could only bow her head slightly. He was right; her situation wasn't useless. She knew she had frightened Mara, so how could it be considered trivial? However, having Alpha Damon come all the way to her room felt like too much for her.She had a cracked face, as she tried giving off a
*Damon*Feeling uninterested in further chaos, I broke the awkward silence between Alpha Brutus and Zeeb. “Enough. Everyone here knows how secure this castle is, right? So how did the news of a new resident spread?”“Huh…”Annoyed, I cut in, “Don't beat around the bush, it's exhausting. Just answer my question!”No one responded. They all stared at the ground, clearly struggling to think of an answer but unable to.With no response forthcoming, I turned to Alpha Ryker. “Since none of you can explain how the information leaked, the case is closed. Alpha Ryker, you and your family must leave the castle by the end of today.”Hearing that, Alpha Ryker's eyes changed, as he quickly protested. “King Damon chasing me away seems very disrespectful. Although this castle isn't mine, chasing me out would bring a stain to my pack.” He said, solemnly.From his voice, he seemed very serious, and didn't look like one intending to follow my word. Knowing that, my dark eyes furrowed even more. Just a
*Damon*My mouth dropped open as my eyes locked onto the little girl descending the stairs.Surprise quickly turned to a frown. What is she doing down here?Normally, I wouldn't mind her coming to the living room, but now was not a good time, especially since they wanted to see her."What are you doing down here?" I asked, my expression darkening.“Mm.” Jane was stunned, as she darted her eyes.“Return back to your room.” i said, From my standing, I could see how Jane's face darted in confusion. She opened her mouth about asking me, but she quickly stopped, and turned to Mara.“....”I couldn't hear what she said to Mara, since the distance between us was too much. Even though I couldn't hear what they were talking about, I wasn't really bothered about that.I was just anxious about them leaving back for their room. My biggest worry was her being bombarded with loads of questions by the many Alpha's.Fortunately, I saw Jane and Mara stopped talking, and turned, about climbing the sta
*Jane*Despite the confused and perplexed expression on my face, my mind was anything but. It was filled with vigilance.Mara, beside me, was equally on edge, sharing the same wariness.Earlier, as we descended the stairs, I had spotted everyone, and my first instinct was to run back upstairs.Unfortunately, my legs didn't cooperate. They remained still, perhaps due to anxiety or something else.Although I was aware of the situation, the tense yet calm atmosphere triggered something within me. It felt as though something significant had occurred before I arrived, but I couldn't quite grasp it, no matter how hard I tried.My curious, darting eyes eventually settled on the cold yet handsome Damon.Did I just think handsome? My face flushed, but I pushed the thought aside.I had to admit, I felt frozen, staring at him for a few moments. He seemed almost otherworldly. His posture made him look like an immortal. His black eyes alone were enough to take my breath away.I wouldn't have been
Jane POV From my hiding place, I could see that it was already night when I opened my eyes, yet the battle was still raging on. The sounds of tearing flesh and the scent of blood filled the air.It had been a full day, and the fight showed no signs of ending. On the second day, when I peered through a small hole to view the battlefield, I noticed that two-thirds of the 5,000 rogues had been wiped out.The heaviness in my chest eased slightly at this sight. However, my relief was short-lived as another wave of rogues appeared. They now outnumbered the remaining members of Damon’s side.Panic surged through me when I noticed a man among them who bore a striking resemblance to Damon. The only way I could tell them apart was the long, ugly sword scar on the face of the man with the rogues.“Haha, Damon, we meet again. Surprised to see me?” The man who resembled Damon laughed in a chilling manner.It was clear from the first glance that he harbored intense hatred for Damon. Fear and vigil
Jane POV “Jane?”In my dazed state, I noticed Damon looking at me, but his expression was unreadable, leaving me uncertain of his thoughts.Everyone around us turned to me almost simultaneously. I snapped out of my daze and stepped forward to join them.“Why are you here?” Damon asked in his usual tone, but if you listened closely, there was a hint of gentleness.My expression softened as I stood beside him. “Nothing, I just want to be with you.”“Jane, there’s a small crisis, and I don’t think it’s best for you to stay. Why don’t you go to the garden and get some fresh air?” His voice remained gentle.On any other day, I might have gladly listened, but not today. I couldn’t be at ease knowing Damon was facing this crisis alone, so I immediately shook my head.“I want to stay with you. Don’t worry, I’ll be as invisible as possible, and you won’t even notice I’m here,” I assured him.I was serious, being near him without causing any disturbance was exactly what I intended.Damon staye
Jane POV The trip to the market was incredibly fun, and I had to admit, it was one of the best moments of my life. I rarely go out, and when I do, the looks I receive are usually filled with disdain and scorn.The pack members treated me like a cursed pest, refusing to have anything to do with me. But here, things were different.I didn’t even want to return to Damon’s castle. I loved the freedom I felt outside, but I knew I had to go back.When I returned, I noticed that Damian was behaving differently—he seemed friendlier than usual.“Could it be because we spent time together?” I thought, my face flushing as memories of the other night flooded my mind.The months flew by, and Damon and I became more than just a couple. We were like two lovebirds, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the cold-hearted alpha would become the way he is with me now.As my life became smoother, I found myself waking up with a smile every morning, and today was no different.“Good morning, c
*Jane*For a moment, I couldn't help but feel an urge to strangle Mara. I had thought her admiration for Damon had long since faded, as she no longer talked about him, but her actions now made me realize I was wrong.Mara wasn't bothered by my pushing her away; instead, she clung even more. "Well, I think what King Damon said is good. It’s not bad having him come along to protect us." She grinned excitedly."What nonsense are you talking about?" I pushed her away again. "How can we let him follow us?"His presence alone would be too distracting for me to check things properly. No, I can't let him come.Before I could scold Mara further, I heard Damon address her directly."What do you have to say about this?" he asked in his usual calm voice.Caught off guard by the question, Mara's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Without thinking, she nodded vigorously. "Yes.""Yes, what?" Damon asked, still composed.I felt an impending headache, knowing Damon's strategy. He was trying to get
*Jane*My voice caused everyone to turn their eyes to Florence. It was clear they were curious to know whom I had called.Oh, I gasped as I blinked, realizing what I had just done. It wasn't just Mara who turned to look at Florence, but also Damon and the passing servants.Their faces showed various expressions, as if they were surprised to see me speaking so familiarly to Florence.“Hehe...” I coughed slightly, my expression awkward. “You guys should stop staring like that. It's making me uncomfortable,” I quickly said, feeling my face heat up.“Who's she?” Damon asked, his eyes dimmed, with a mix of confusion.When I didn't speak, he muttered something, as though he was confused. “Isn't it only Mara who you do talk to? Where did Florence come into the picture?” I smiled forcefully before explaining, even though I don't like the idea at all.“She’s Florence and she's here working to help her mother for the time being.” I will introduce myself briefly.I didn't dare to introduce Flor
*Jane*I pursed my lips in silence, after hearing his question. I felt embarrassed.Even his voice seemed to hold a disbelieving tone. I could understand why he was surprised, afterall I don't normally wake up this early.But Zeeb should at least have this self awareness. He shouldn't just say this anyhow. Perhaps he didn't notice, but to me, It always felt insultive knowing I'm always a sleepyhead. Argh,I smiled at him before speaking. “There's no reason. I just saw myself waking up. I'm also shocked.” I lied but I didn't blink an eye when speaking. Zeeb wasn't satisfied with my response. He still wanted to ask more, but before he could do that, I already beat me.“Where's King Damon? Is he still sleeping?” I asked, quickly.I didn't want to ask about him, but I had to ask, just to distract Zeeb from asking me any further question about me waking up this early.He was stunned but nevertheless spoke. “Should I call him for you?”“Uhm?” Hearing that, I almost choked again. What sort
*Jane*I don't want to think too highly of myself. Even though I wasn't thinking much, I still felt I should ask Zeeb, maybe that wasn't what he meant.However, before I could do that, Zeeb had already continued.“Uh, aside from Florence, there haven't been any new servants brought in.” He replied with certainty.Looking stunned, I asked. “Are you sure?”Although I knew he was being truthful based on his certainty voice. However, I would always want to confirm. “Yes.” He wasn't offended by my doubt, and replied to me.“Oh.” I have nothing else to say.“Why did you ask this all of a sudden? Is there something wrong?” He asked, feeling curious.I didn't reply to him, but instead I asked another question. “Did you see Mars talking to anybody yesterday?” I asked, softly, with my eyes darting around for anyone eavesdropping.Zeeb seemed surprised at my whispering voice. “Are you talking about Mara, a good personal maid?” I smacked my forehead at his dumb question. “Yes.” If it wasn't her
*Jane*I shouldn't have bothered to care, now I'm having an unnecessary headache.Since he wanted to give attitude, then I would return it in full potion. “Fine, let's forget..” I haven't even completed my words, when my voice trailed off.Damon has already left. I watched as his proud back walked away from me, and went upstairs.Argh, I even got snubbed. I can't help but feel upset knowing Damon had walked away from me.I sneered, before also going upstairs to my room. When I got there, I jammed my door very hard to vent my anger, and then fell on my bed.Perhaps, due to the anger piled up within me, I slept very late.When I woke up the following day, it was pretty late in the morning.I yawned and stretched my body on my bed. Feeling normal, the midnight incident all flashed into my mind.Just remembering that, made my mood deepened.Gosh, why do I have to think of him this early morning! I frowned, angrily.I even slammed my legs hard just to vent my anger. However, too bad it was
*Jane*I couldn't know if it's my eyes, but a gentle smile formed on Damon’s face, and that was for a quick moment.Having given him the permission, I watched as Damon filled the spoon with omelet and slowly moved it to my mouth.Feeling super hungry, I didn't wait for the spoon to get to my month, before moving forward to grab it.Damon seemed to have noticed my hunger, so he wasn't as slow as the first time. After eating six spoons and about taking the seventh, I heard Damon speak.“Eat slowly.” He said.I blinked my eyes but it was only for a moment. I nodded at his words, and continued to eat from his hand.After some minutes, the full plate of omelet seemed to have been cleared with nothing left in it.I glanced at the empty plate and my face flushed. Gently raising my head to glance at Damon, I saw him also looking at me.“Uh, thank you.” I gulped my throat before finding my voice to speak.I couldn't let him know I was feeling embarrassed for eating that much. It doesn't look