Chapter 5

Lycan King Thomas needs to convince everyone, even in his own household, that we love each other. He wants the public to know that a King like him is changed. He holds a reputation for being a ruthless leader of the Blue Moon Kingdom before, and now that he has found his mate and is engaged to her, does he think he could fool the public? 

It depends on our acting.

Everyone is watching our move. The maids may seem to be running around doing errands, but they were gaping at us. And so, I do my part. I tiptoed and brushed my lips on Thomas’s right cheek. I felt him stiffened for a second, but he smirked after that.

“I m-miss you, too.” I said, a little bit too loud, for others to hear.

Thomas’s eyes sharpened, and I have the last laugh inside of my head. He was surprised with my move. In order to not appear it more awkward, I went to the seat and smiled widely.

“Thomas? Come and take a seat.”

Thomas’s jaw clenched as I said that. He sat next to me. Usually, he sits at the far end of the table facing me. However, right now, he was sitting beside me.

Thomas raised his hand and snapped his fingers while he was intently looking at me. “Cina. My wife’s already hungry. Make it fast.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I didn’t say I was hungry, but I guess he wanted to end this acting already and we go in separate ways. I felt the wild monsters churning in my stomach as we stared at each other’s eyes deeply. I couldn’t help it anymore, so I broke our eye contact. In my peripheral view, I could still see him enjoying his sight of me, being nervous around him.

I’m sure he knows his effect on me, and oh boy, he’s clearly pleased making me nervous. When Cina put the plates on our table, Thomas’s hand immediately found my thighs. He squeezed it softly and sent me to heaven. I felt something in between my thighs.

“What are you doing?” I asked, whispering because there were maids near us.

“What?” he asked, acting oblivious when it’s obvious.

“Get your filthy hands away from me.”

He smirked devilishly and leans in. “Why? Does it bother you?” asked in a baritone voice.

“Of course not,” I smiled at him, showing him that he doesn’t affect me. “They can’t see it under the table, so stop it.”

“I want to do it,” he said in a firm voice.

“It’s no use, Thomas. Get your hands off me!” I hissed and looked around the table. Thomas, the devil as he is, smirked and started making circles in my thighs. I was wearing a full-on white dress, and his hands fisted the fabric of my dress just so he could touch and do illegal things in my thighs.

Thomas leans in more that he was basically fucking my ears. “Do you want me to stop, Margareth?”

“Y-yes,” I said half-heartedly.

“Hmmm…”

“T-Thomas, I’m hungry.” I figured what he’s doing to me is making me hungry.

“Uh-huh…”

“So stop touching me and let’s eat.”

“This is normal for couples. Why are you so dense right now?”

“I’m not dense! I’m just hungry!”

He chuckled in my ears and sat up straight in his chair, “If my wife is hungry, then I’ll let her eat.”

I looked around to see some of the maids, including Cina, looking at us happily. I swear I even saw someone giggling.

If they only knew…

Thomas and I eat in silence. In my peripheral view, I could feel him smirking because he knew I was nervous around him. He’s clearly enjoying it when he’s asserting his dominance at me. That night, we went to separate rooms. I couldn’t sleep, so I walked around the dark corridors of the mansion.

I was on my way to find some water in the kitchen when someone grabbed my wrist. Gasping, my eyes widened when I saw a familiar face inside Thomas’s mansion. It was my best friend, Zen.

“Zen – “

“Shh!” She put her hands on my mouth.

“Zen! What are you doing here?” I hissed and looked around to see if someone saw us. It was a relief there are no CCTV cameras in this area, and there were only two of us.

“That doesn’t matter. Listen to me, Margareth. I found a way to get you out of here.”

“What?!”

“Meet me tomorrow at eleven oclock at the backyard. In the Mahogany tree.”

I was so shocked to see her inside Thomas’s mansion. A lot of questions were running inside of my head. Why was she here in the first place? And why is she wearing a maid uniform? How and when did she get here?!

“Zen, this is too dangerous. If Thomas caught you, you will be killed - “

“I don’t care! My best friend is in the Lion’s den! I should do something about it – “

“Zen, you don’t get it – “

She keeps on interrupting me. “No, you have to listen to me Margareth. I know you’re just being sold to your stupid and ridiculous father. I know the story, alright? And it’s okay. I’m here, and I’m going to help to get out in this hell.”

I sighed heavily and looked at her in the eyes. “Thank you, Zen, but you really need to go. I get that you want to help me, but it’s too dangerous for you to be inside. Thomas will come for your family if he knows you sneaked inside his den.”

“You think I didn’t know that? I do, Margareth.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

She looked at me, like she was hurt because of what I had said, but we heard a noise near the corridor. “Tomorrow night at eleven, okay?”

“Zen – “ But she already disappears in my sight. My heart beats rapidly. My best friend is inside this house when she’s not supposed to be here. What am I going to do?

I couldn’t sleep that night. I was looking for Zen around the house, but she seems so good at hiding that I didn’t see her roaming around and acting like one of our maids. At night, I was about to meet her in our planned place, but Caleb appeared in front of me.

“Where are you going?” he asked suspiciously. I stared at him; my hands couldn’t stop shaking so I hid them behind me. He seemed to notice it. “Just taking my nightly stroll.”

“You take your nightly stroll after dinner. It’s already past ten in the evening.” His eyes squinted. I bet he knows. He knows it.

He took a step forward and lowered his head just so he could whisper at me. “I figured you’re wiser than this, Margareth. Tell your friend to get out of here and I’ll turn a blind eye of what she did.”

“What are talking a-about?”

He doesn’t have concrete evidence that Zen sneaked inside Thomas’s mansion.

Caleb asserted his dominance at me and acted like he didn’t hear what I said. “If Thomas knows she went here, he will kill your friend even if you beg for his mercy.” I know. I wanted to tell him that.

“My friend? What are you talking about, Caleb? Zen’s too busy finding her mate.”

“Ah, so the girl’s name is Zen.” His upper lips curled at the mention of Zen’s name.  Damn it. I clenched my jaw and looked at him deadly in the eye. Aggressively, I walked towards him and pointed a finger at his chest. “I swear to God if you touch my friend, I will kill you!”

He laughs without humor and grins at me.

There’s no use pretending. I said, “She didn’t do any harm to me.”

“For now, but she will… just to get you out of here.”

I heaved a deep sigh and snapped my forehead. Looking back at him, I said, “You won’t tell him, right?” Caleb just smiled at me and went away. I cursed and bit my lip. What am I supposed to do?

I should do the right thing. I can’t let my friend be in danger.

Going at our meeting place, I saw Zen pacing back and forth. When she spotted me, she immediately gave me a hug. “Did he treat you well?” she asked in a concerned voice.

“You should go, Zen…” I told her. Zen’s smile drops. I continued, “Or else my husband will kill you.”

“Husband?” she chuckled without humor.

“Yes.” I answered in a cold voice.

“You’re not married yet! Did he put a spell on you?”

“No.”

“Margareth!” She shook my shoulders and looked at me in the eyes deeply. “This place, itself, is so dangerous! That Lycan King could kill you if he wanted to.”

“He won’t!” I defended.

“You’re crazy! What did he have on you? Did he blackmail you? Just tell me, Margareth!” I wanted to tell her so bad about my situation, but I know that she shouldn’t.

I have to do this… to protect her. I’m doing this to protect her. I keep on reminding myself about it.

“No…” I swallow, “in fact, I love him already.” She was taken aback by what I had said. Her eyes bulged out, and she took a step backward, shaking her head no.

“You’re.. not in the right state of mind!” she asserted. I looked at her angrily. “So, are you! Why are you here? How did you get here? You should’ve stayed in the pack!”

“I hate you!” Zen cried. “I risked my life just to get inside here, and you’re pushing me away just because of the man you only knew for a couple of days!” A tear streamed down her face while looking at me. Deep inside, I was breaking. My best friend risked her life just so I could get out of this hell, but in order to protect her, I have to push her away.

And I successfully did.

“I don’t need you here, Zen,” I said. She wipes her tears and shakes her head disappointedly. “So please leave.”