6

Nyla

As the doors to the ballroom open, I walk in with Melanie and Penelope at my side.

All eyes are glued to my dark purple, strapless ball gown. The dress has a sweetheart neckline and a fitted bodice with a slight V-cut. The skirt of the dress is full, embroidered with floral patterns only at the top. It's made of layers of tulle or netting, trailing behind me in a long train.

My lavender hair complements the dress beautifully, and the tiara simply ties the whole look together. I strut in proudly as people begin murmuring amongst themselves

"Once again, the princess never comes second to the best dressed," I hear murmurs from a group of girls my age. "If I were the daughter of the emperor, I would do the same." Indistinct chatter bounces back and forth as I walk up alone to my parents and bow, paying my respects.

"Mother, Father," My eyes meet theirs as they nod in satisfaction, mostly my mother. She ensured she had the best seamstress in the kingdom make my dress. So, obviously, it was one of a kind.

"You always seem to catch the attention of everyone, even though it's not your debutante Nyla." Melanie compliments me as I slightly fanned myself. "Of course Melanie, she's the princess. She's the star, it's not her fault she shines the brightest." Penelope added, igniting a great stir.

"Oh stop it guys, tonight is not my night, it's the night of the debutees. As a matter of fact Penelope when is that twin sister of yours making her debut?" I watched as Penelope expressed disappointment. "I don't even know, mother has nagged Camila's ears off, she hasn't shown interest to make her social debut, mother fears she might die single at this point." Penelope expressed as Melanie places her fan over her lips to give her dramatic gasps a bit of some flare.

"Maybe if I sent out an invitation to her for my next tea party, she'll come," I say as Penelope chuckles. "Don't bother, Nyla. She rarely answers Duke Percy's letters," Penelope reveals as Melanie and I gasp. "The Duke Percy Giles? Since when did Duke Giles have time to write? Your sister is very lucky," Melanie pouted. She's had a crush on Duke Percy ever since I've known her. Not only her though, I did fancy him for a while, but he paid no attention to single women. It felt insulting that he settled his attention for a Baron's daughter, even one that barely wrote back to him.

Who am I to judge, goddess knows what that Camila has that I don't.

I try to maintain a cheerful expression even though my mood was ruined. Maybe I'll spread some rumors about Camilla or I'll give her the same fate of Adaline, my smile beamed wider just knowing Adaline's situation. I wonder how her face looked like at the moment?

How much pain she was going through

I had made sure to inform the every single staff in the castle to ignore her screams if they come across it, no one was going to save that bitch besides this can serve as a form of character development, how many people would do that for their siblings?

I was cheerfully laughing until Cole Giles stood in front of me. He's not normally seen at this kind of event, and on a daily basis, he's dressed like a commoner. To my surprise, he wore a green tunic with a high collar, worn over a gold-colored breastplate. A long, green cape flowed over his shoulders, and a brown belt cinched his waist. Fingerless gloves completed his outfit. The green and gold color combination, along with the cape and breastplate, gave him quite a regal look. Even his hair was neatly combed. I came to understand why my sister chose him for a night on my bed. He's handsome, but he doesn't come close to Alpha Grant.

"Giles, never thought I'd see you here?" I say as he bows. "A word?" He gestures as Melanie and Penelope wait on my reply. I looked around as all eyes gaze upon us. "if you have anything to say to me, say it right here. goddess knows what you said to Adaline to have you fuck her in my bed." I muttered angrily and almost audibly, either way a few people could hear us.

"That's fine," he paused. "It's bad enough that you denied me any rights to train in the kingdom but refusing my parents from doing business in the kingdom is too much." He says as I shrugged. "I had nothing to do with that, besides you should have been smart before you laid on my own bed with Adaline. What do you think was going to happen? A fucking wedding? If anything I'd have you beheaded if I could." I say as he just nods. "Behead me then, if that means the ban on my parents is lifted I'll do as you wish." He said getting down on his knees, bringing even more attention to the both of us.

All eyes focused on me and Cole, my father watched from afar waiting for my next move and the next words that comes out of my mouth should not disappoint him. "I won't have you beheaded. I'm not a monster, gosh, what do you take me for?" I chuckled as Penelope and Melanie nodded in agreement. "But I'll consider lifting the ban on your parents under one condition."

I bend slightly till my mouth was close to his ear and whispered. "Abandon Adaline. Treat her like she doesn't exist." I whisper watching Cole react to my request. On lookers were curious what I whispered to him. "Oh, did you mark her?" I muttered as everyone gasps. This made this even more better as I watched his reaction. No wonder they've been acting inseparable until lately.

"He's already marked her?"

"But she's already betrothed to Alpha Grant."

"Doesn't this make them mates?"

"Does this mean the engagement is annulled?"

Everyone muttered to themselves in indistinct chatter. My mother walks up to us. "Stand up young man." My mother ordered as Cole slowly gets up, standing upright. "Did you mark Adaline?" My mother repeats the question as Cole nods slightly without looking her in the eye. "Reject her immediately the moment you see her, she is Alpha Grant's possession and I'll see it that the ban on your parents is lifted." Everyone praised my mother's wise words and immediately the doors opened wide revealing Adaline all bloody, I immediately stole a glance at my mother, she seemed rather excited at the initial sight.

"Adaline.." my mother gasps as well as everyone who couldn't hold their shock, as for my mother it was her excitement.

Adaline locks eyes with me and I immediately looked away. "Adaline, what is this nonsense? Whose blood are you drenched in?" Father asked. My heart raced as I fear any moment from now she would call out my name.

"It doesn't matter father, I'm here for my debutante. But if you must surely know by all means. I was drugged and two men were sent to my quaters and they raped me till I was unconscious." She said as everyone gasped.

"Who drugged her?"

"What happened to the men then? Are they in the room with us?"

"They need to be executed."

"Even for lady Adaline, that is too much."

"Who are the men that raped you?" My father asked her as balls her palm into a fist. "I couldn't make out their face, after they were done a man, no, a demon came in and murdered them but had left me alive. But it healed me and I came here as soon as possible." She said and that alone made everyone switch up on her.

"Demons in the castle? She must still be drugged."

"I knew she was begging for attention the moment she said a demon had heal her."

"Classic Adaline, for all we know she might have cut herself, bled out and come in here to remove attention from her previous scandal."

"I believe you Adaline." I say as all eyes focused on me. "What happened to you was horrible, who ever dared drug you and plot such foul doesn't deserve to live." I forced myself to tear up a bit as everyone suddenly felt bad for me. Adaline looked disgusted but she immediately had the expression of someone who had lost hope. If she just calls me out she'll be labelled as bitter and ungrateful.

Immediately the doors open wide revealing Alpha Grant, who as well was covered in blood. You couldn't miss it, not only because he's an Alpha but he was white attire was stained with blood as well. My heart sank to my stomach, piecing remnants of Adaline's story.

Was he the one that saved her?

Adaline didn't look back, she remained frozen in her steps. Her reaction confused me even more.

"Alpha Grant, why are you covered in blood?" A familiar blonde man who was sharply dressed immediately investigates him. "Hold on Theodore." He says as he marches towards my father. "I caught two of your men forcibly having their way with my Luna. Your staff ignored her audible screams till I investigated and killed the bastards myself." Alpha Grant said and now I was more scared than ever.

"Is this how you run things here, when I made her my bride it was obvious she was off limits. So tell me Alpha Alexander, who should I hold responsible for this crap?" He questioned, his aura demanding silence. No one dare utter a word for fear of having their life cut short.

"Alpha Grant." My mother spoke up. "Why don't we ask Adaline, she'll reveal the culprit." My other muttered in a menacingly sweet voice. "Adaline sweetheart, who did this to you?" She asked. I could see the pure fear in Adaline's eyes and that alone proved I was safe. She wouldn't dare utter my name, my mother would make her suffer for it.

"Nyla, Nyla did this to me."