Chapter Seven

Celine's POV

My legs carried me as fast as they could, and I almost tripped a million times as tears blurred my vision as they flowed in streams.

The minute I got into my room, I fell onto the floor and shook uncontrollably as I wailed. Could Anya be telling the truth?

No, she couldn’t. It could just be a huge lie to pull Kaiden and me apart. But my chest throbbed with doubt. I was just a slave. Why would a king want me?

If Anya wasn’t lying, why on earth would Kaiden make me vulnerable just to abandon me? Was I that worthless? Did last night mean nothing other than him getting pleasure from his useless maid? The thought of that caused me to sob harder.

Everything hurt.

But there were no answers on my room floor. I had to see for myself if I was just a tool to Kaiden, and the only way was going to do my duties as a maid at the party.

Just then, my glance darted to my bed, where a flimsy black dress lay. It was the uniform of the day and every bit of it was designed to make the maids look more like ornaments than servants. The thin straps, the short hem, and the deep neckline all screamed vulnerability. It was humiliating, but refusing to wear it wasn’t an option.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, forcing myself to stand. My knees wobbled, and my body ached from crying, but I had no choice.

If Anya was lying, I needed to confirm it with my own eyes. And if she was telling the truth… my stomach clenched at the thought. I didn’t know what I would do.

With trembling hands, I pulled off my dress and changed into the uniform. The fabric clung to my skin, making me feel more exposed than I already was.

My reflection in the mirror showed a girl with puffy eyes, flushed cheeks, and a quivering lower lip. A girl who had foolishly let herself believe she could be more than just a slave.

I inhaled sharply, straightening my shoulders. I had survived worse. I would survive this too.

When I reached the grand hall, the party was in full swing. But one thing I noticed as I went to my station was that I was the only one dressed in this.

All the maids dropped degrade-tory comments, and both unmated and mated males traced me with their eyes, almost salivating. This was to humiliate me.

My eyes stung with more tears, but I blinked them away, holding my tray and holding my head up high as I did my duty.

My fake confidence was working so far until I felt a cold hand on my lower back, causing me to instantly stiffen.

Liam. My father’s Beta’s son and a pest who couldn’t take a hint. I didn’t want him as the daughter of an alpha and I didn’t want him as a slave, but he refused to back down. I hated him and his arrogance.

“Hey, sexy.” He whispered into my ear, causing me to shiver with disgust as I jumped away from his touch, desperate to put a distance between me and the disgusting man in front of me.

“Liam.” I said with contempt as I sidestepped him, but he stopped me by gripping my arm and pressing against me, his breath fanning my ear as he trailed his fingers down my arm.

“Don’t you think enough is enough with you playing hard to get? Why do you have to make it so difficult? I know you want me.”

I snatched my hand from his grip and glared at him with a sneer. “I could never want you, Liam. I’d rather die than stoop to that level. Think about that before you lay your dirty finger on me next time.”

His eyes darkened at my words, and before I could leave, again, he gripped my wrist, twisting it in a painful angle as his face flushed with anger. “Oh don’t act so high and mighty when you are nothing than a slut.”

“What did you just say?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“Oh, Celine. Drop the innocent act. Stop pretending like you didn’t purposely dress like a slut to seduce all the men at this banquet. Because that’s what you are, a whore. And before you let any other person have a taste, I will have one first because you have been teasing me for years. Don’t worry I’ll make you enjoy it.” He slipped his hand under my dress and squeezed my bottom, and I gasped in anger.

“How dare you?” I cried, raising my hand and aimed to his face, but was stopped mid air by the sound of my brother’s voice.

“What the hell is going on here?”

I let out a sigh of relief as Liam immediately let go of me at the sight of my brother and knew he was going to get what he deserved as my brother stormed towards us with anger in his eyes.

“Spencer, I am so glad you are here. Liam has been-“ I started to say, but was instantly silenced by the sharp sting I felt on my cheek.

What? My ear rang as I tried to figure out what happened through the haze of pain and heartbreak.

Through my tears, I could see Spencer glaring at me and Liam’s smug smile, and I couldn’t believe it.

He was defending Liam, not me, his sister.

The sting on my cheek was nothing compared to the crack in my heart. My own brother… siding with him.

“Spencer…” I choked up as I reached to feel my cheek, tears rolling down my face. “You hit me.”

“How dare you openly disrespect my beta, slave?” he spat, gripping my hair in his fist. “Look at you dressed as a slut. Do you think you can do whatever you like now?”

My shoulders shook as he screamed hurtful words at me, calling me a disgrace while I wondered what I had done to deserve my brother’s hatred in this magnitude of humiliating me in a banquet.

“But I didn’t do anything wrong! He was the one who touched me!” I screamed but he hit me again, this one more painful than the last, causing me to fall onto my feet.

“Since you are dressed as a slut, he’s allowed to treat you as one.” He declared coldly and I gasped, fear enveloping me.

“Spencer please-“ I started to beg but he dragged me into Liam’s direction.

“You made your bed, now lie in it. Do what you like with her, she’s no longer my sister.”

“No, Spencer!” I cried as Liam ran his hands through my body as the whole banquet watched. I shivered in disgust as I fought against him, but he gripped me tighter.

“Don’t worry pumpkin, I'll make you enjoy yourself-“ Suddenly I felt him get pulled away from me and onto the floor, by no one other than…

My heart skipped a beat. Kaiden.

His eyes glowed with anger as his gaze ran through me, his eyes stopping momentarily at my throbbing face and my uniform. And his anger intensified.

He glared at Liam who was on the floor. “You weakling.” He growled. “How dare you lay a finger on her?”

Liam’s eyes widened in fear as he scrambled across the banquet hall floor. “N-No your highness… I didn’t-“

Spencer hid his fear and stepped forward. “I hit her, your highness. But I believe I have a right to discipline my sister if she crosses the line. I was just teaching her some etiquette.” He squared his jaw to look more intimidating but next to Kaiden he only looked constipated.

Kaiden’s glare zeroed on him and the temperature in the room dropped as he went silent, only the thumping of Spencer’s heart could be heard.

“Well, in that case, as your king, I would teach you some etiquette you would never forget,” Kaiden growled and with the speed of light, Kaiden dragged Spencer’s collar and threw him into the wall like a rag doll.

The deafening crash of Spencer’s bones meeting the wall echoed all through the hall.