Xenra"Yes, my lady," the main guard answered firmly. With that, Akira turned around, and before she could walk away, she turned towards me again, a small smile on her face, before walking again.As soon as she left, I heaved a sigh, but I wasn't relieved at all. It was all messed up. I never intended to get into the palace, working as a maid. I knew I had to keep off.I knew I might not be able to keep up with any form of maltreatment, given the history of my heartbreak and hurt. I knew I might get tempted someday and say some things I wasn't supposed to, since I was someone who doesn't know how to bottle up my hurt.I realised working at the palace would get me tired down completely. I wanted to have some form of freedom.I was still fuming over the fact that I was selected when I saw the chief security latrine officer walking towards me. In that instant, I snapped out of the thought that had gotten me busy and forced a smile to my face.I wanted to rile him up and make him see how
XenraAs I made to leave, I was stunned to see a maid standing a few feet away from the door. When did she get in? I thought, as I began to ponder if she had heard my words."When did you get in? What are you doing here?" I threw my questions to her, my eyes narrowing as I attempted to read every one of her nonverbal cues.But my question seemed to have startled her instead. "Oh, I'm so sorry," her response came with a small stuttering."I was supposed to freshen up after you, so I came in here to get my things." Her words tumbled out in a rush. But I heard her last words faintly, as I had already drifted back into thought. Does that mean she had been standing there for quite some time?I took two steps closer to her, my gaze fixed intently on her as I determined to find out if she had heard me and how much she had heard. "Okay," I said as calmly as I could."So, does that mean you heard me just now? Like, you heard what I just said?" I asked her, my words dripping with suspicion as
XenraAs I dwelled on what I had just heard, I felt my blood begin to boil, even as my heart began to pulsate faster with a restrained fury, but then I knew I had to keep my anger in check not to give myself away."So tell me, what are the evil things you heard about her?" I asked as calmly as I could, forcing a smile to my face."Her?" She snorted, "Don't tell me you haven't heard about her," she said, her words dripping with disbelief.At that moment, I began to ponder what would make Zara respond that way, but since I wanted to get as much as I could, I shook my head in response, feigning a complete innocence.As soon as she saw my response, she took quick, short steps towards me, her eyes glinting with a sudden urgency that got me both confused and surprised.As if she were being careful not to be heard, she began, "I heard she's evil." Her words slammed into me, stirring something within me—anger. The anger I had managed to suppress earlier,I wanted to tell her to shut the hole
Xenra I was led by the head guard to Akira's palace. As soon as I got into her palace, I couldn't stop admiring the beautiful scenery, the large garden with a lot of lighting and poles, the spring in the middle of the compound, and the luxurious building. I was wowed by such high-level development. It was clear that Asher was taking good care of her. I had witnessed his care and love for her after the death of their parents, and I could tell that it didn't reduce a bit. Even though Asher was cold-blooded, I needed no one to tell me that he had a soft spot for his sister. The guard led me into a hall that was both large and beautiful. The walls were decorated with different portraits of her and her lovely brother, along with the portraits of their late parents. There were other artistic pictures of different scenery hanging up on the other side of the wall. A large chandelier hung down the high ceiling, with a fireplace at the other end of the wall. As I withdrew m
Xenra"What did you just say?" The chief maiden asked, her brows furrowing with shock and surprise written all over her face. The sternness in her voice was undeniable; she had totally put aside the gentleness I had earlier seen in her.Oh no! Did I just land myself into another trouble? Not again; I shouldn't have involved Asher."Oh, sorry," My response came almost immediately, but then I still needed to ascertain the extent of the trouble I had dived into.I turned instantly to the next maid standing beside me, "Was I loud?" I asked, and as I did, my gaze shifted to the next maid, who nodded her head in response along with the other one.Fuck!Inasmuch as I wanted to know how much they had heard, I didn't know how to ask them about it. I was so engrossed with my thoughts of how arrogant Asher was that I had forgotten to keep my lips sealed and gave myself away.I turned towards the chief maiden and lowered my gaze apologetically, "I'm so sorry, mistress; I didn't mean it that way.
Xenra"You," the chief maiden pointed at Zara. "You'll be working in the kitchen department," she said. But that was what I begged for; why didn't she just give it to me instead, since she knew she was sending someone to the kitchen?She turned and rang a small bronze bell in her hand, and immediately the maid that had gathered together dispatchedAs I stared at their retreating figures, I couldn't stop wondering what was going on. Why were they suddenly walking towards different exit doors?I was still in my thoughts when someone's voice broke into my head. "That's a dismissal bell and also an assembly bell. For now, it means we should resume our duties," Zara said."I have to go now; let me go begin my duties," she said again. Well, fuck off! Is she riding on the fact that she was working in the kitchen?I wasn't in the right frame of mind; the chief had totally set the pace for a bad day already, and the last thing I needed was someone butting in.As soon as she left, I turned tow
XenraHow dare you, Asher? After all these years, you're still arrogant, rude, and selfish!Well, that was supposed to be to his hearing, but I couldn't get myself to say it to him. I felt my muscles clenching tightly as the weight of his insults settled in my heart, causing my breath to grow heavy, and as I stared at him, I felt like punching him in the face.Well, in reality, I was doing all I could to not show any emotions. But what was he really feeling like? Does he think he was someone so mighty and strong? If not for his guards, I'd have dealt with him already and left a mark he'd never forget in his urgly face.'Did I just say ugly? Come on, he's not ugly, though. That part of him being ugly is definitely a lie.' I felt my anger residing as my attention shifted to his face.Well, that face of his was something I could kill for. How could he be that handsome and cold-blooded? If only he was a little warmer and caring, I'd have been his Luna already."How dare you? Are you sure
Xenra "Xenra," I answered, my lips curling inwards as I silently waited for the shock that would give them away. I wanted to see Asher's reaction when he hears my name, so I secretly stole a glance at him. Two seconds passed and there was no reaction from them, although I was more concerned about that of Asher's. 'Wait! What is going on? Maybe they didn't hear me or they're pretending not to,' I reasoned within me. This time around, I was going to make sure they wouldn't be able to conceal how they feel about me and the impact my name had on them. "I said my name is Xenra," I repeated, a little firmer this time around. Although I wasn't directly looking at Asher, I could see him with my side eyes, and I could see the mask of indifference that had coated his features. Akira herself didn't seem concerned or affected by my name. Oh, wow! Was I that insignificant to them? I couldn't deny the hurt I had felt at their indifference towards me. Everything seemed to happen
Xenra "You should have been a comedian instead, Xenra." She said, causing my brows to furrow, even as I began to wonder why she had found my words rather funny, but as I tried to wrap my head around what it could be, her voice came again. "Do you really think you can deal with her?" She posed her question to me, which sent me deeper into confusion. "It seems you don't know who she is. She's like the final say after Lady Akira, so it'd be very difficult to want to get her into submission," Zara explained, her words dripping with certainty. 'Oh, I see why she thinks she's above every other person. So much power and authority in the hands of someone not qualified to be in the possibility of a leader,' my words rang in my head. Little wonder she was always haughty and spoke the way she pleased to anyone. I was still pondering my thoughts when Zara's voice broke into my head. "I need to start going; we've been asked to prepare for the Alpha's mate's arrival," she stated. At the ment
XenraWith the same intensity coursing through me, I opened my mouth to speak, but just before the words could leave my mouth, I recalled I wanted to avoid every form of trouble as much as I could.Given that realisation, I slowly let out my breath as I attempted to calm myself down."Why should I be the one to hunt for more firewood?" I asked as calmly as I could, my brows furrowing with displeasure.At my words, she rolled her eyes and let out a scoff. I could see the disbelief written all over her face as she attempted to enforce her dominance.Did she think I would've readily accepted her orders like an obedient puppy? No matter how much I wanted to be polite and avoid eyes from being on me, I just couldn't see the logic behind what she had asked me to do.Before she could respond to my question, I said to her, "I'm supposed to be working with Princess Akira, so why should I be the one to hunt for more firewood?" I asked. I wanted to let her see how unreasonable it was to ask me t
Xenra"Oh, you're really lucky then, because everybody I had worked with had treated me cruelly," she stated, the sternness that had plagued her voice, gradually giving way for understanding.But just when I had started to believe it had died down, her voice came again: "So tell me, which of the Alphas did you work for, that was so benevolent to help you?" She asked, her words laced with interest as enthusiasm gleamed in her eyes. Her words struck me instead, and for the next three seconds I was both shocked and dumbfounded. Although I had known that was coming, I never expected it so soon, and at that instant, I couldn't wrap my head around whom to mention."Oh," I chuckled after I snapped out of my daze, "Alpha em..." I began, and right there my mind was already running around the globe as I tried to think of any other Alpha I had heard about, apart from that heartless Asher.But the more I tried, the more I realised that I had not paid attention to the rest of them, apart from Ash
Xenra"Let's go have breakfast," Zara's voice rang with excitement as soon as she finished making her bed."Breakfast?" I asked as her words settled in my heart, "I'm not going," I swiftly added, my brows furrowing at the thought of what would be served to us."Really? It seems you had quite enough to eat from the Alpha's table last night," Zara teased, her tone dripping with a mix of mockery and surprise as she stared at me with anticipation glinting in her eyes."Oh, don't speak of it!" I expressed, rolling my eyes as I quickly dismissed every emerging thought of what had transpired the previous night.Zara, at my words, chuckled; she seemed to have understood how difficult it was, tending to that routless monster of an Alpha."So let's go have breakfast before you end up having nothing to eat at all this morning," she urged as she reached out for my hands. Her words made me scoff in disbelief, as if not having breakfast wasn't far better than the rubbish being served to us."I wou
XenraReluctantly, I had apologised to him; if it were deemed fit that I should, I wouldn't have, not after he had addressed my mistake in the most degrading way ever. Beside, if he hadn't insulted me, I wouldn't have lost my composure.Asher was as rude as ever; no matter how I thought about it, I still couldn't see what had warranted those insults from him. His words had stirred up anger within me and had evoked memories of our past.Even as I stood there, I kept telling myself that leaving him was one of the best decisions I made. I was still lost in my thoughts when his angry voice broke into my head."What are you still waiting for? Get out from here!" He ordered, his voice a deep growl like a wounded beast. His words snapped me off my thoughts, and I turned toward him to find him staring at me with a tight face."Brother," Akira's urgent voice came almost immediately, even before I could take a bow. "Brother, you're just being paranoid for no reason," I heard her say as I began
Asher Right in the dining room with my sister Akira, the table was filled with a spread of dishes. As I settled on the chair with Akira, ready for dinner, her voice broke into the thoughts that had gotten me busy. "Why are you looking so excited this evening? Is there any good news?" She asked, her eyes flicking from my face to her plate. My lips curled upwards as her words settled in my heart: "Yes, there's good news." I responded with a matching intensity, and I felt her gaze on me. But before she could ask another question, I swiftly added, "I'm expecting someone special," I said at the same time gesturing towards Akira's fat maid to serve the appetisers. Almost immediately, she began serving the meatballs, and when she was done, she stepped backwards, standing beside Akira at a considerable distance. "Hm!" Akira's voice dropped with surprise. "The last time I heard a thing like that was how many years ago..." Akira trailed off and tapped her fingers on the table
Royce"You should still be careful, Royce; apart from Asher, you also have the pack to worry about." My mother's words broke into my thoughts, snapping me back to the present. I turned towards her, my brows furrowing as I began to wonder what she meant by that, and before I could say a word, her voice came again. "The pack might not support you," she said calmly.Her words had hit on my fraying nerves even as the weight of their betrayal settled on my shoulders, but my mother wasn't done speaking."Every one of them believes that your father was evil and sentimental for trying to overthrow his brother," she said, her voice edged with worry. Her eyes glinting with concern.Her words ignited the anger that had been swirling within me, and my hands shot out with a fierce intensity, pointing towards the palace again."Evil?" I asked, my lips and chins quivering with restrained fury, "Then they are all dumb for thinking that way. Maybe they were bribed by Asher's evil father, which was wh
RoyceWith a fierce determination, I left Asher's office that evening. Spending the whole day with him wasn't just torturing but degrading as well, yet I had to put up with his insults and humiliation. "You're back already." My mother's voice broke into my head as I stepped into the living room that evening. I turned towards the kitchen where she had emerged from to find her staring at me with a warm smile on her face. Finally, I could rip off the mask I had been wearing for a whole day and be myself. I could be who I was without having to pretend to be so submissive and address him with the honorifics he never deserved. "Mother, how long am I going to put up with this nonsense?" I asked my voice a rough growl that echoed the anger brewing inside of me as I allowed the words to flow from my heart. I had been keeping it in all through the day, but being right in my own space, I had no reason to do that anymore. "Royce, what is going on?" My mother asked, her brows furrow
XenraUpon hearing her words, my curled-up lips gradually spread into a wide, empty smile, and I slowly nodded my head twice."Of course!" I exclaimed with my eyes popping open in a feigned excitement, "I'm your friend." My smile grew as I attempted to make it as real as possible.At my words, she reciprocated my gesture, grinning widely this time around. I could tell she was so excited about it, but if only she knew who I was, she'd have understood why I couldn't be friends with her.Although I wasn't a proud person, how could I, Xenra—the most dreaded, respected, and beautiful vampire queen—be friends with a lowly Omega—a lowly slave at that?I snorted at the absurdity of it. 'I could be in a lowly, despicable skin, but that doesn't mean I had forgotten who I was and am, and for someone like Zara, ewww! That's not possible,' I affirmed within me.Although I treat everyone right, that is the least I wanted for myself."When I was coming, I heard the maids talking about the fat, proud