Five

RAPHAEL POV

A few hours later Delicia left, a shrill cry sounded making me wince.

"Let go of me!"

Rubbing my temple, I squinted as the door to the throne hall swung open, revealing my prized possession. She was shoved inside, landing with a thud on the sapphire rug in the center of the room.

I clenched my hands and shot a glare at Johnson and the other guards. Even in the dim light where I sat, I suspected they caught my reaction, given their trembling.

"Sorry, sire... We didn't mean to be rough..." Johnson bowed, and I waved off his apology. "This is the princess," he added before hurrying out of the room.

As soon as he left, my gaze returned to the girl, and I sighed. Almost instantly, my throat tightened.

That strange feeling resurfaced, the one she had stirred in me the first time at the auction house. My heart pounded, and I clenched my fist as a new fragrance, different from what I was accustomed to, filled my nostrils.

I couldn't quite pinpoint it, but I suspected it was a blend of sweet vanilla and lavender. It had to be her. Neither Johnson nor the other guards could carry such a lovely scent, and Delicia wasn't in the room.

Besides, I knew Delicia's scent, and this wasn't it.

The girl before me was breathtaking, as if the goddess Aphrodite herself had taken special care in crafting her beauty. The first time I saw her, I hadn't had the chance to truly appraise her, overwhelmed as I was by the stifling atmosphere and her entrancing scent, making me almost want to pull her off the stage.

And then there was Nikolai, the Alpha of the Moonstone pack, eyeing her with intent. Bidding on her had been on my mind, even though it wasn't my initial intention. Whatever Nikolai coveted, I was certain it was worth keeping.

He'd been my rival for as long as I could remember.

Yet, at that moment, all that mattered was her. I wanted her, regardless of how she felt about me.

"What am I doing here?!" Her face shot up.

For the first time, my gaze met the rarest shade of green I had ever seen. One part flecked with silver, the other a leafy green. I wondered if she suffered from heterochromia.

She tilted her pointed chin defiantly. Her button nose wrinkled, then she blinked, as if trying to discern my presence, I presumed. Only my shadow was visible. I saw no need to reveal myself.

I observed her more closely; her skin was fair, and beneath the dirt, she was flawless. The most prized possession I had ever acquired.

"I repeat, what am I doing here?!" She persisted.

I cringed and glared at her. "You'd do well to know when to speak, and if I didn't ask you to..."

"Are you a coward who can't face me?" She interjected, cutting me off.

I sneered. The impulse to yank her off the ground and reprimand her surged, but I knew better. I knew better than to let my emotions control me. So, I remained in the shadows, observing her.

"I think I struck a nerve?" She taunted, a fleeting smile playing on her lips before it vanished.

This infuriating woman! I took two steps toward the curtain that separated us, then stopped when the door swung open.

Delicia entered and stood beside the girl. "What is your name?"

"What does it matter to you?" She snarled.

Delicia's hand grazed her hair, giving it a firm tug, then she crouched and whispered in her ear. "Because I am going to be your master as well. I am the Luna in this place, wolf girl. So mind your words..."

Though spoken softly, I heard her. My ears twitched once more, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

Delicia scoffed. "You seem to be enjoying this, I assume. She's just a brat, and it seems she believes the world revolves around her because she's some sort of princess." Delicia's gaze lingered on mine before returning to the girl.

"Oh, she truly is a princess," I remarked, my gaze fixed on her arms. There was an inscription I had glimpsed earlier, but it was concealed by the dress she wore now. I suspected it was a mark unique to the royals of her tribe.

"I repeat, what is your name?" Delicia pressed.

CINZIA'S POV

I didn't want to utter a word, but the witch might resort to violence. She claimed she would be my master, and I wondered how the king could tolerate such a witch.

"Cinzia," I grumbled.

"After the goddess Artemis," the woman stated.

She didn't seem much older than I was. She was flawless in every way, except for her unpleasant demeanor. And, like me, she was a she-wolf.

Even though I hadn't triggered my curse, I could distinguish humans from supernatural beings. My father had told me that this discernment was a gift passed down through our ancestors. While my abilities were still rudimentary and hadn't fully developed, I knew there was much more they could do beyond this simple recognition.

I believed that when my wolf emerged, I would devote a great deal of time to honing my skills.

As the witch released my hair, she moved away from me towards the curtain where I had heard the chilling voice of the man - the one whose tall shadow was all I had seen.

She paused in the middle of the hall and fixed her gaze on me. "If I were you, I wouldn't provoke the hybrid King. He's quite formidable and doesn't show any mercy. Not even for a pretty face." Her thin lips stretched into a smile, then she vanished.

The Hybrid King? Who was he? The first time I heard his voice, it didn't provide much comfort.

He didn't say much, only issuing a command for me not to be touched. Today, he remained mostly silent. Despite his composed exterior, he seemed poised to seize my neck and rip out my heart.

I bit my lip and gazed at my broken nails. What had I gotten myself into? I wasn't sure exactly what it was, but I doubted I'd be able to extricate myself any time soon.

The woman returned, standing before me. "Do you plan to stay here all day?" She taunted and kicked my shin.

I scowled, "What's that for, bitch?"

"How dare you call me that?!" She shrieked, slapping my cheeks. My ears rang for a few seconds, and I clenched my hands, then looked up at her.

Her eyes blazed as she glared, "Call me Lady Delicia. Any other term will result in severe consequences."