JOHANNA.The whole building, both interior and exterior, were searched, yet the assistant chef was nowhere to be found. Blood drained on my face. My eyes narrowed as I stared back at my foster mother, who seemed to have gotten rid of the fear in her. “Where is she?” I inquired, slamming my right fist on my left palm. “Bring her out, and I will decrease the punishment.”My foster father glanced at her. “Do you know her? Then spare yourself all these….”I passed the centre table and squatted before her, my gaze affixed on her face. “I won't beg you to bring her out, but remember that I no longer see you as my mother and would throw you to the abyss like it's done to the rogues….so you would better save yourself this mess.”“Like I said earlier, I've not seen that face before.”“Then somebody must have impersonated you, right?” I stood on my feet. “Alright, let's see who will succumb soon.” I walked away from her and took my hand fan. “They must be under house arrest with little or no fo
JOHANNA.After listening to the laments of King Ramsey. To me, it was a lament—but I could sense that he had already given up on his throne, believing that I wouldn't take his side.Of course! I will take the side of a man who is now closer to my foster sister. I wanted him to lose everything—but not now. If he is dethroned, my father would instate Roger as the Lycan King of this Clan, and I will be the loser.If he ever takes that throne, I won't be able to find out everything that I need to know, and I'm sure that was his plan—to be the King and claim me.I stood before the mirror, dressing my hair while Evelyn and the other maids were all getting my belongings together.“How long will we spend in the supreme palace, Your Highness?” Evelyn pulled me outta my thoughts.I sighed and gave her a quick look. “Not sure for now. I will resolve everything with my father before we return here again.”“The Supreme King isn't aware of your return. Wont it be better to let him know?”I shook my
JOHANNA.The rest of the night seemed like hell to me. I pondered over what my father's consort just told me, trying to fish out the sense in it, but it still seemed ridiculous to me.I could recall vividly the night I chatted with Gillian until we both fell asleep, but I have no memory of having sex with him. I wasn't drunk—I could swear with my life. Then how did it happen that I wasn't aware of? Did he drug me? Was I just too tired that I didn't know what was going on?No way will I believe that I knew and allowed him to delve into me—I wouldn't believe that even in my dream.“The sun has risen—” I looked through the window, loving the brightness of it. “What is this mess all about? If it ever gets out that I went intimate with my father's son, what will people say about it?” I looked at the wall clock. “I will be demoted….”‘Isn't that consort ashamed of herself? What about the son?’ My wolf chipped into the matter. ‘I can say that it was schemed, or she wouldn't even dare to tell
KING RAMSEY.I opened the envelope that my Beta brought to me. I was taken aback to see that it came from Anna, requesting the presence of all the officials and Roger bringing forth proof that I am not entitled to rule.As much as I didn't want to smile, my lips pulled apart into a grin. “She's doing all these for me. I hope she will—someday—change her mind and accept me again.”“Not with the ongoing trick you're playing on her…” my Beta snapped me out of my thoughts.I dropped the envelope back to the table. “It's just for some time, and she will soon find out the reason I did it all.”“You think it will make her change her mind?” he scoffed. “I just hope so…”I stared at my Beta for some time and exhaled a deep breath. “She will soon realize the truth and won't blame me any longer.” I picked up my shirt from the sofa and had it on. “Gather the officials and Roger as well. He needs to explain to the Supreme Heiress why he wants me dethroned. I sensed he was the one working on it, and
KING RAMSEY.Anna snapped at me one more time and backed out of the room. I felt a rock blocking my breath—the hatred I felt within me was beyond words could tell. I just despised what I did, but what other option did I have at the moment, if not that?I looked at Nina, who was done eating and hissed silently. “Take it away if you're done. She made me lose my appetite.”She bowed to me and packed up the plates. “Maybe, you should order that she isn't allowed into your room or near the dining room when you are eating. You don't have to lose weight because of her.” she elaborated like she truly cared.I didn't say a word to her until she left, and then I sent for my Beta. “Have you spoken with the chef today?”He nodded to me. “She did as planned. Everything is working out smoothly. I just feel for Anna.”I swallowed my saliva. He didn't feel bad like me. The pain that lurked around her when I said those words to her was one thing I saw vividly. She doesn't deserve all these things, but
JOHANNA.Evelyn twitched into the room and bowed to me. She was panting, and I could sense that everything wasn't alright. She came near the bed and got to her knees, gazing at my face pitifully.“If you won't utter a word, then get out of my sight…..” I screeched at her, but she didn't stop staring at me. “What is it?”She rubbed her nose. “The assistant chef….”My heart sank deeply into my belly. If it was good news, Evelyn wouldn't be fidgeting this way. Was she also dead? Did they find her and kill her already? I adjusted closer to her. “What happened to her? Don't tell me something that will…..”She burst into tears before I could even finish. “The officials are already gathered because of her.”The officials? What business do they have with the assistant chef? I rolled my eyes, trying to answer those questions on my own.“She's dead—” she voiced out, finally spilling what she had been hiding.A cold pit formed in my stomach. My heartbeat increased.Why? Why would all these be ha
JOHANNA.Finally, I was able to break up the kiss. I pulled away from him, and my breathing fastened. “Why did you do it?” Tears gathered in my eyes. I couldn't explain how I felt. “Just leave my room. I want to be alone.” I grasped my clothes, staring at the floor.He said nothing—not a single word any longer. Rather, he turned and vacated the room.My legs trembled and couldn't bear the weight of my body. I found myself on the floor, and my eyes dropped liquids on my cheeks.Why did I feel this way? Let's say it's because he didn't accept my rejection. But why will he not accept it when we no longer love ourselves?‘Who said so? Did I say that I don't love him?’ My wolf broke through between my worries. ‘You were the one who concluded that you didn't love him any longer—not me.’I sniffed and wiped my cheek. “But, is he truly our mate? We slept with him that day, and he kept saying that the lady he slept with was his mate. What if Nina came into that room before or after us? Then it
JOHANNA.My heart kept throbbing as I paced around the room. I grabbed my hair and pulled it, holding the scream that was supposed to elude from my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I wiped it off. “My father can't be sick. Not now that I found my family…" I sniffed and rubbed my nose.I wanted to go back to the Griming Manes Clan, but Evelyn was against it. She believed it was a trap and decided to go herself to know how my father was. It has been fourteen hours already, and she is yet to return.Even my father's consort never dared to reach out to me, making it feel like Evelyn was telling the truth that it was a trap. But still, who would lie with the Supreme King's health? This is something that shouldn't be joked around with.“The King is here….”I hawked and wiped my watery eyelids so King Ramsey wouldn't get to see the tears in my eyes. The door made a serene sound, and it slammed hard. “What brings you here?” I said to him, not sparing a single glance. “I wanted to be
KING RAMSEY.“Evelyn is missing as well, and no one is giving hope with their words. They all claim to not know her whereabouts, whereas she returned to the palace with the other servants.” Beta Sam explained to me.It's been over a day, yet Anna was nowhere to be found. At first, I thought Evelyn would be back, but she went missing the same day as Anna, and that's alarming. How can a Princess and her maid be missing and no one was talking about them like it was a setup? They are all less concerned, making it look like it has been what they wanted. Even the Supreme Consort isn't saying anything—the officials too.I turned to Sam, “Looks like we did not search well in the woods. We should go beyond the border like the last time. Bring all your men, the whole clan would be searched this time ....we must find them." I remarked, and he bowed to me.As we entered the car to return to my clan, my cell phone buzzed. I checked, and it was a message from an unsaved contact. The message made
JOHANNA.With the last statement the man made, I knew he just didn't know that I was the Supreme Heiress, but that he knew a lot about me and my family. I glanced at the cup that had slid my palm and at the man. “I'm sorry!!”He smiled at me and picked up the cup. He washed it with the water beside him and poured another drink for me. “I expected you to be shocked. Of course, you weren't expecting it….” he stretched his hands, handing over to me the cup of liquor. “So, can my Princess share with me why he left the palace?”I snorted. “Well, I think knowing you better will be the first thing before sharing something confidential. What relationship do you have with my family to know the source of my mother's death?”He dropped his cup and rested his arms on his thighs. I was beginning to sweat already…..my mouth was drying up.“I was the Supreme Kings Beta!!”For some time, I shut my eyes and opened them again. My father's previous beta!“I resigned after the death of Supreme Luna becau
JOHANNA.While the maids were asleep, I was awake, busy watching them. I had planned with Andriana on how I would leave, and I won't miss the opportunity. She had told me the time everything would be set, and to not miss the time, that's why I am still awake.I leaned on the wall while seated on the bed, watching as the clock ticked. That merchant with a big belly and a shapeless body would be stunned when he asked me the next day and didn't see me. If he is strong enough, then he can come after me in the woods, and leaving their town will give me the strength to do what I want.My arms rested on the pillow that I had placed on my thighs. I yawned and wiped my face to get over the sleep lurking on my eyelid.The door slowly opened, and I knew it was Andriana, so I got down from my bed as well. She sneaked into the room and helped me out of the room, and we didn't say a word to each other.As we climbed down the stairs that would lead to the balcony, she glanced at me several times.“W
JOHANNA.“You're going to be claimed by a merchant that would take care of you and your child, so don't be scared.” the man said to me.My lips dropped open. Was this man okay upstairs? How can you give out a married pregnant woman to another man to claim? This should better be a dream.“Let's go!!”Before I could say a word, he continued moving. We reached a pavement road, but it didn't seem like a major road, and he boarded a cab that drove us to a mansion filled with servants of different genders and ages.I stood still for some time. “These people aren't werewolves or lycans? Are they?” I shook my head. If they were werewolves or lycans, their scent and wolf should be lingering around me as a welcome to the new place, but nothing was happening. I sensed nothing like a wolf in them, and they didn't even give a damn to me.The man climbed the veranda, and I did so as well. Then we walked into the sitting room where an elderly man was sitting on the couch with three ladies around her
JOHANNA.Evelyn sat beside me, leaning on my shoulder. I had tried my best to save her and I succeeded, now we aren't sure where to head any longer, and I'm not sure if there's a route that would lead us away from this deserted river.I was weak as well, and I wouldn't be able to carry Evelyn, so I made up my mind that we would stay on the river bank until the next morning and we would continue our journey. But after about an hour, when she felt she had recovered lots of strength, she insisted that we leave that area.Despite how I tried to make her understand that she was too weak and I could even manage more than her, she insisted, and I had no choice but to give in. She struggled with her feet as we walked ahead, and the least I could do was to support each step she took.I ordered her to wrap her arm around my neck, and she did, and then we began walking slowly until we left the shore.Back to the woods, but in a different place that seemed to be in another Clan, we walked gently,
JOHANNA.Late at night, I slept and woke up. My heart was palpitating. I expected that King Ramsey or his Beta would be here by now. Was it that they didn't get the letter or that they had yet to find me? By sunset tomorrow, this masked woman will return here to hear from me, and I wouldn't want to face her.The fact that I can't agree to assure her of handing over the Supreme Royal file because I'm sure they would still assassinate me after that is one reason I shouldn't be here till the sun sets the next day.If King Ramsey or his Beta gets that letter, they would come here with their men, and my safety would be guaranteed because I'm sure that no matter how hefty the guards here seem to be, they would never fight against the royal guards and warriors.I leaned on the cage, staring at the dark sky. “I just hope it doesn't rain. I won't have to catch a cold here. My wolf is already doing a lot to protect me from the wind.” I muttered and moistened my lips.My mind was heavy. I prayed
EVELYN.I stretched my limbs and slowly opened my eyes to the sun already setting. “My Princess!!” I mumbled, not sure if my voice was audible enough. “Did I fall asleep? Why should I? " My eyes sprang open finally. I recalled that I was on duty and wasn't supposed to fall asleep when I should be protecting Princess Johanna.To my greatest shock, the other servants were also asleep when I sat up. “What the heck is going on?” I blurted, getting to my feet. “Princess!!” I called out, looking around, but I didn't see her.I rushed to the other servants and hit them all slightly, waking them up. “How dare we sleep off when we are entitled to protect Her Grace? Now, she's not here—" I was still looking around. “Get up, let's search for her.”As they gradually stood, the woman who had attended to us came out from her store and bowed to us. I pointed my finger at her. “You! What did you add to the drink you gave us?” My jaw became tense. There was no way I would just doze off after drinking
JOHANNA.As I struggled to open my eyes, I heard the sound of chains clashing against each other. Finally, I was able to open my eyes again to see myself in a cage. “What should this be called?” My eyes bulged as I glanced at the chain used to hold me like a criminal.I could recall how I was saved from being attacked by a cougar, and then the two men came to me and forced a substance into my nose, and then I lost it. I looked around, and the surroundings were strange. “Is this still the wood?” I contemplated even still, and I couldn't give myself an answer to that question.I looked through the tiny openings of the cage. “Hey!!!” I screeched the moment I set my eyes on a man standing like a soldier at the side. “Hey, you over there. Come get me out of here.” my voice raised. How dare those men bring me here? Why will they chain me this way like a criminal as if they don't know my status?Did I invade their territory? Even if I did, that shouldn't be a reason for them to do this.My e
JOHANNA.The wood felt haunted. It was supposed to be a peaceful area for hunters, but it seemed something evil was in the air. As I walked, I glanced around to be sure of my steps. My heart skipped each time I heard a sudden sound.I knew, deep down, that I was taking a very big risk, but I had to do it. That's what it takes to be the Supreme Heiress. If indeed a building stays in this woods and is haunting my people, then I'm sure they are waiting for their rulers to take care of it for them.Until I entered the deepest part of the wood, I didn't set my eyes on a hunter or a farmer. Everywhere was serene. The only sound that could be heard was that of a singing bird.I halted to take a deep breath for once. I leaned on a huge tree, still darting my eyes around. “Why do I feel like such a building can't be in the woods? I've already gone so far, but I've not caught a glimpse of that.” I thought, but the other side of me insisted that a building like that exists. “I've spent more than