CRYSTAL'S POV His words were clipped and icy. And as they rolled out of his mouth, my heart was pounding relentlessly like a hailstorm against my chest.I swallowed as I watched him say those words. What the hell? He sounded so harsh! I don't even get this man at all. One minute, he sounded nice, and the other minute, he sounded harsh.But I needed that reality check, though. I was just his mate and an omega. I shouldn't forget that and get carried away. Maybe I was wrong after all.... all his so-called calm and nice demeanour towards me might be all a facade, and I kept falling right into it. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my prisoner.I couldn't just leave here if I wanted to. My movements were limited. I never knew who was watching me. My life could pretty much mean nothing to him, and yet I fell in love with him. What was I even thinking? Did I actually think that there might be some sort of hope after I found those romantic letters between Xavier and Alicia? C'mon, now,
CRYSTAL'S POV In less than twenty minutes, I was ready. I put on something simple and light. It was summertime, after all, and it was probably hot outside.I needed to bask in the sunlight for a little tan, so wearing a light fabric was the suitable option. I pulled up my long dark brown hair into a ponytail. The embroidered dress was a little below my knee, and I put on a pair of brown sandals to match my chestnut-coloured dress.After one last satisfactory nod, as I assessed my reflection in the mirror at the dresser, I stepped out of the room quietly, locking the door behind me.I should get to the servant's quarters... Emily should be there. Or what does she usually do at this time?I peered at my hand-held wristwatch. The time read 12:10 pm. Wow, it was still quite early. I suddenly remembered when Emily mentioned that, in the early hours of the day, she was stationed in the laundry room. I was already making my way towards the servant's quarters when I halted and turned arou
CRYSTAL'S POV "Thank you, Amber. I need you to get Emily for me. Tell her that I'm waiting for her now and it's urgent." I said to Amber.She nodded frantically. "Of course! Give me a minute, and I will be right back with her." She offered me a wide smile, which I returned.She disappeared into the Laundry room, and in a couple of minutes, she returned, dragging Emily with her.My eyes lit up when I saw Emily."Emily! I was already worried that you wouldn't be here. Thank goodness you are here." I said airily with my arms outstretched. Emily chuckled and walked into my open arms."You look stressed," I said, breaking the hug to look at a pale face riddled with beads of sweat.She dabbed her napkin on her face and huffed out a deep breath."It's been a stressful morning. I've been up since 5 am, doing the laundry." She said, her brows wrinkled with stress.My heart lurched forward. While Emily was working her ass off, I was busy lounging on the bed, fantasizing about a man that I w
CRYSTAl'S POV"Ma'am?" The guard called out, yanking me to the present. I blinked repeatedly in shock.Damn it! Remembering he asked me a question, I quickly shot him a rueful smile.I exchanged a confused glance with Emily, who arched her brows at me."Um, that must have been super early or something." I laughed nervously.The guards looked utterly baffled as they eyed me as if I were a psychiatric patient who had been let loose.I quickly clamped my mouth shut and shot Emily a help- me -look.I was making it worse. Damn it! I thought I could handle this situation. Emily cleared her throat and offered the guards an apologetic smile."Um, what she was trying to say is that she needed my services, but there was some sort of delay back at the laundry house, so she had to wait for me."The guards exchanged a confused glance.One of them cleared his throat and tilted his head towards my direction, giving me the once-over look.I gulped.What was his deal, and why was he staring at me l
CRYSTAL'S POV "You're kidding, right?" Emily squealed at me with widened eyes.I shook my head frantically in the negative. "100% certain. Her name was literally in the letters, Emily. It's a love letter between Alpha Xaver Fernández and Alicia Evans." I narrated how I went snooping around his private study and the event that happened before that morning.Her mouth hung open like a fish on a hook throughout the entire narration.After I finished, silence hung in the air like a guillotine ready to drop. After a couple of minutes of silence, Emily rubbed her hands gently as she shook her head."I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. I can't believe this!" She croaked out.I nodded, shooting her a rueful smile."Neither can I. Who would have thought that Alicia of all people would be capable of love? At worst, she and Xavier, for that matter!""I know right? It just sounded so sour in my mouth." Emily said, scrunching up her face which earned her a giggle from me.I swatted
CRYSTAL'S POVI nodded. "Damn right he did, word for word."She heaved out a deep sigh and shook her head."He's so cold for that. I mean, we know what went down about the video and all, but he had no right to say those words."I stifled a chuckle. "Did I say something funny? Oh, I'm sorry that I'm trying my possible best to cheer up my friend who's having a mental breakdown over some drop-dead gorgeous Alpha that she may probably not have a chance with and she's laughing her ass off. Just great!" She huffed as she rolled her eyes."I'm sorry Emily. It's not like that, I promise. But when you mentioned rights, I couldn't help but laugh. We are omegas, and we are not entitled to any rights given our circumstances, or have you forgotten?"She heaved out a deep sigh as the frown faded from her brows. She shot me a rueful smile as she stroked my arm."But still...you didn't deserve to be treated like that, Crystal. He's a jerk! Just because you are an omega and ex-slave didn't give him t
CRYSTAL'S POV A sick feeling churned in my stomach as he grabbed my wrist.My brows pinched together in disgust and anger as I struggled to wrench free."Let go of me!" I squealed."I will only if you stay quiet. I just wanna talk, Crystal. " He said calmly, but his voice was laced with impatience."Talk? I have nothing to say to you, Leo! Now get your filthy hands off me!" I scoffed at him as I struggled away to break free of his grasp, but he was too strong. His grip tightened around my wrist, causing me to grimace in pain.A devilish smirk danced across his lips."Of course you do! We got plenty of things to talk about, Crystal. I won't take much of your time. Just follow me." He demanded as he attempted to drag me away but I stood on my ground, fighting for my release."Let go of me! I will scream!" I shrieked. "Oh no, you don't!" He growled as he clamped his other free big hand over my mouth, shutting me up.I muffled against his hand covering my mouth and failing helplessly a
CRYSTAL'S POV"Look, Crystal, I just want to tell you that I'm sorry about what I did the other time. Things went south and it was definitely not how I intended it to be. It was Alicia's fault. "Yeah right. Another pretence to deceive me perhaps, but tough luck, Leo because I certainly wasn't ready to buy that. I chuckled wryly and shook my head.What was he so desperate for?"I'm no longer the naive girl from yesterday, Leo. If you think I would fall for one of your stupid games, then think again. Just leave me alone ." I waved him off and attempted to leave but he stood right in front of me, forcing me to take a tentative step backwards.I arched my brows at him, my heart thudding in my throat.I quickly swallowed before I spoke for fear that my voice may come out in a croak. And this was certainly no time to chicken out and let him have control over me. I took in a deep breath and heaved it out."Let me go." I glared at him."I will if you would just calm the fuck down! I just
LEO'S POVOh shit! This wasn't good! Crystal was going to be kidnapped. What if I was already too late. I didn't exactly hear everything that they said. But I knew something was off, and I was already too late by the time I got to Xavier's chambers. I came just in time to see two men clad in black clothes and a mask covering their faces, carrying Crystal after drugging her. They put her in a horse-drawn carriage.I tried to follow the carriage as discreetly as I could until they stopped at a cavern beneath a high mountain.Damn it, but even if I wanted to rescue her , I was outnumbered.There was no way I could make it at this rare. I would just end up getting myself killed.Then what do I do at this rate? This was a matter of life and death. Crystal was in dire danger. My mother and crazy girlfriend had completely gone bonkers! I needed to get Crystal out of there as fast as possible before things got out of hand.I had no idea what exactly the two women wanted to do to Crystal. H
CRYSTAL'S POV It's has been a lonely evening....a lonely day, in fact. Xavier was hardly around. He had been very busy with having ceaseless meetings with his uncle, and tonight, he had mentioned earlier that he won't be available until later in the night or early in the morning so I shouldn't wait up for him.I puffed out a deep sigh. He had been very busy these past few weeks. I heard the coronation was drawing to a close. No wonder the discreet meetings with his uncle have risen. He had been working so hard with little time to rest. I hoped he was doing okay? I had insisted earlier that he took today's off, but he wouldn't listen.I slid out of bed and headed to the balcony for the view and to get some fresh air. Maybe that would help me relax and sleep better. Lately, I've been finding it somewhat hard to fall asleep easier.I also wonder if Martin was doing alright ever since he went exiled. At any rate, it was way better than remaining here. Alicia would have made life a livi
ALICIA'S POV Shit! Shit! Shit! As if things couldn't get any worse than it already was!Three days had passed, and I didn't hear a single word from Martin anymore. I had instructed Lucas to check on him in his quarters, but he was nowhere to be found. He didn't even report to work the following morning. So I had Lucas go to his bakcksmith shop discreetly to find out if he was there. But he wasn't....infact, until now we had no idea where he would have run off to.It's been a week and not a single word. What could have happened? If he had exposed my plans to Crystal or Xavier, I would have known by now. But something was strange. What did Martin do? He probably ran off somewhere. He was a spy, after all. It was easier for him to adapt.But damn it! I didn't expect my plans to be ruined. I invested so much into this, and yet I have nothing to show for it! What the hell was happening?! Did Crystal do or say to him? What really went down? I wouldn't be able to know when she tells me
CRYSTAL'S POVI was such a fool! How come I didn't realise that Alicia had been playing a trick on me all these while?! Xavier and Emily, my best friend, warned me, and yet I didn't listen because I wanted to give Alicia the benefit of the doubt for once. I had hoped that something good was going to come out of our friendship after she supposedly rescued me that day. Rescued? But come to think of it though...now that Martin had exposed the truth, what if Emily had been right that the whole idea about Alicia randomly showing up that day and most especially in the nick of time to save me, sounded so thought out and planned. What if Alicia also had a hand in that as well? She had insisted that Xavier get me a new bodyguard because she had been plotting to bring one here herself, which was Martin. How come I didn't see that coming?! I was so blinded to the fact that Alicia was turning a new leaf and wanted the best for me. What a fool I had been! Now, thanks to the moon goddess for swa
MARTIN'S POV A video?! Why does this sound so familiar. "What?! What did Leo do to you if you don't mind my asking? Did he-""No!" She blurted out before I could finish. I didn't want to complete that statement in the first place, silently hoping it wasn't true ."No, he didn't! I'm glad he didn't." She said shakily, and I couldn't help but feel the pain seared through my chest, watching how hurt she looked.She must have been through a lot. I wondered what really went down that day...Thankfully, Leo didn't rape her as I thought. She paused and sucked in several deep breaths before she continued:"He tried to have sex with me but I'm glad it didn't go through....so a video was made and I was threatened that the video would go public if I didn't do as I was told. I had no choice. Before I could gather my thoughts together, I ran out. I was mortified, broken, and scared to death. "She paused as she bit her bottom lip frantically before she continued again."I wanted to run away an
MARTIN'S POV I resumed work the following day as usual, but this time, it was different. The emotions writhing inside of me were relentless. What do I do? I was restless, and I couldn't even concentrate on my job.I think the moment of truth was finally here, and for the first time, I was going to follow my heart to hell with the consequences. I would rather voice out the truth that will set me free than bottling up all these lies and guilt nibbling at me steadily.As usual, we met for her morning run, and when we slowed down for a break, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to tell her the truth. At this rate, what was even the point of hiding the truth?! It was utterly useless because I quit! I wouldn't stand by, fold my hands, and watch as an innocent, young lady's life was torn apart, and I had a hand in her destruction. No! I wouldn't be able to live with myself after that. I would blame myself for as long as i lived! So instead, why didn't I try to make things right?G
MARTIN'S POV I sucked in a deep breath as I swallowed.She arched her brows diametrically at me as she peered up at me, eyeing me closely.I cleared my throat."What brings you to this crappy side of the royal palace. It was rare seeing you here at this hour. This place doesn't suit your fancy, my lady." I said, with a sly smile curling up at the corner of my lips with an intent to taut her.She rolled her eyes as she moaned in exasperation."Oh for fuck's sake, Xavier drop the stupid formalities and step aside!" My eyes widened slightly as curiosity creased my brows.Don't tell me she was planning to step inside my shithole of a room!"Um...what on earth are you planning to do, Alicia?" I dipped lower as I whispered fiercely, looking both ways to ensure that no one was within earshot and in sight.She waved me off and pushed past me as she entered my tiny room. But the good part was that she didn't have to duck her head like me.I puffed out a deep sigh of resignation. There was
MARTIN'S POV Days passed by like a blur and then weeks and before I realised what was happening, two months had gone by. And in all of those times, a day didn't pass without my mind being preoccupied by the thoughts of Crystal Thorne, the lady whom I served under. The lady I had sworn to protect with my life. And you know what? I would gladly lay down my life for her. No one deserved that, but Crystal Thorne! Where on earth has she been all these while?! If only I had been a little earlier, we could have ended up together. Hopefully..... Well, at least, she wouldn't have had the opportunity of even crossing paths with Alpha Xavier Fernández. If only I had come into her life earlier. Maybe she didn't have to suffer. We could have run off somewhere and started a new life as a couple who shared a somewhat similar past. But was it too late?Maybe it wasn't too late after all.... how else could the both of us have met anyway?! Crystal Thorne had been locked up within the four walls of t
MARTIN'S POV"I'm sorry once again, Crystal," I said again when we were outside alone and after we had jogged around the open fields of the royal palace.She shook her head frantically."It alright, Martin. It is fine. I understand that you're still trying to find your feet," she paused as she shot me a rueful smile."You know, I used to be like you when I first started my job. I was confused and scared. I wasn't sure about what to do. I was so clueless like a fawn parted from its mother."I smiled warmly at her as I listened to her.I couldn't help but admire her beauty. She was indeed breathtaking. On top of that, she was a strong young lady who had survived a lot. I owe her some respect for that!"Thank you for understanding, Crystal," I said gently, shooting her a wide grin.She was not only empathetic to my plight, she was gentle and nice towards me.I wish to know more about her, and it had been eating deep at me. The curiosity to know what lies in the deepest recess of her he