“Here she is, your Grace.”One of my Eunuchs pushed me so hard that I fell, scraping my knees and the palm of my hand on the rough floor. I gasped, my throat swelling but I refused to cry. I already have an idea of what was happening. I knew it was about me hurting Beta Emyr. I never thought he would tell the Emperor about it! Such a huge coward to feel threatened by a wolf-less girl like me.But I know what I did was unforgivable. No one can hurt the Emperor’s subjects and what I did to Emyr was a huge impertinence which is unforgivable.I stood from where I fell and put a brave expression on my face. Up from the platform, Emperor Aster sits on his throne with one of his hands propped on his face. Our eyes locked and he seemed unhappy at what was happening. I look around and I am surrounded by so many people inside the King's throne room. So many unfamiliar faces looked down on me with disgust and hatred and it is just funny how people hate without knowing the real situation and wha
[LAURENT’s Point-of-View]I followed the Emperor… no. Aster went to his study room. After witnessing how he hit lady Eodelle mercilessly with a round stick that indeed left a severe injury on her small back. I couldn’t control my anger. My whole body is trembling but I have to refrain and remind myself of the differences in our power. He is no longer the desperate man who used to negotiate with me. He is the Emperor of this land. At first, I was so proud of how far he got from being just a low merchant, turning into an Alpha of a pack, and then into this cruel ruler who hurts a small lady just to please his subjects.“I can’t believe you hurt her like that, Aster! I thought that you care a lot for lady Eodelle!” I hissed at him between my gritted teeth as I watched him sit down on his chair and run his fingers through his hair. I hate that he even had the right to look upset right now when it was all his fault. He was the Emperor. No matter what his subjects wanted he still had the po
[LAURENT's Point-of-View]"Your Grace, I regret to tell you that no one is allowed to enter Lady Eodelle's room for time being…" After knocking several times, I felt saddened that I cannot even get to see Eodelle and check her condition. Fear crossed my face when I saw the maidservant wiping the fresh blood from her hand with a clean cloth."Let me in. I need to know how she is doing," I said patiently to the maidservants whose faces looked so pale and worried after I refused to go. There is no way I'll let this night pass without seeing Eodelle. I have to see her injuries. So I would know how much I could help to lessen the agony she feels."But your Grace—" "It's ok, Nina… let him in." My eyes widened to hear Eodelle's weak voice. I never expected she was already conscious after receiving such horrible lashes from Aster's punishment. I quickly stepped inside her room where I immediately saw her useless Eunuchs standing against the wall, both were on guard. Their eyes moved to lo
[LAURENT’s Point-of-View]“What are you doing!”I pushed him against the wall so hard that I heard his back thud from the force of it. I trapped him with my arm on his neck, pushing it into his throat, making sure he won’t be able to escape. I pushed him up, his feet kicking desperately five inches from the floor. I have no intention to kill him. Just hurt him. Or maybe warn him. I will never forget that because of his lies, lady Eodelle’s life was almost in danger. “Let me go! You—”“What? You will tell everyone that I made an attempt to kill you so the Emperor could punish me?!” I growled at him between my teeth, my eyes glaring red. I saw him grimace in fear from my unanticipated attack, “What now, Emyr? What are you going to do?!”“Please, Laurent! I don’t know what you are talking about!” he struggled from my tight grip, his hands on my arm but he was too weak for an Alpha like me. My brows deepened into a frown and my teeth gnashed together. Even in the face of a threat, he st
[EODELLE’s Point-of-View]I don’t understand what is happening around me anymore.All I know is the head-splitting pain inside my head. All I remember was my determination to get to Laurent as fast as I could. To stop him from doing what he wanted to do. At first, I thought it was all just a dream. I thought It wasn’t all real. But my back was torturing me step by step inside the corridor while my hands were on the wall as I tried my best not to fall down the hard, bricked wall. I am just glad I was right in time before Laurent killed Emyr.Confused, I have no idea what is going on already. But I felt Laurent put me down on a soft bed as I heard voices that I am not familiar with. There was a commotion inside as one of them pushed me to my side to check on my back. I grimaced and moaned as I felt the indescribable pain all over it, making the rest of my body weak. I wanted this pain to be over and wished that I could recuperate as fast as the others, who have their wolves in them. B
From the corner of my eye, I saw the healer gesture to all her nurse attendants to leave the infirmary chamber. I wonder what made Alpha Aster visit the infirmary after refusing to see me for over a week after the punishment he had to make to please all the witnesses during the ordeal. I wanted to lower my head more, to know I am grateful for his presence. At least he got the concern to let others know that he hadn’t abandoned me completely as his concubine—to let others know that I am still under his protection from their hatred despite what had happened between both of us.I have to be rational about Aster’s decisions and words. I know I cannot trust him with my heart but I can trust him with my life. With what happened, the ordeal has already taken one of my eyes off or cut off one of my hands. But Aster gave a punishment where the council and the people of this place won’t give permanent damage to me. He saved me actually. Maybe not totally, but he did his best to make the least d
It can't be… Aster looked at me with dread on his face but he let go of me and went with the guards toward Helena if the rumor was true. I, on the other hand, froze from the side of my bed, still couldn’t believe what I just heard. As if it was so surreal, the kind of nightmare just like I had with Aster’s g*dd*mned Beta.My mouth was gaping but I could barely breathe. Will this suffering end? Will I ever get a chance to have peace of mind just for a while before the world hits me again with another tragic news?!My head started to fill with rage as I clenched my teeth and screamed, throwing away the pillows and pulling the bedsheet away from the bed, ripping it with all my strength. I could feel the wounds on my back tearing open as the blood dripped down and the metallic smell of blood filled my nose like I almost tasted it in my mouth.The nurse attendants immediately rushed towards me and five of them tried to pin me down to bed, stopping me from doing any more damage to my body.
Meal time is always the time of the day when I wish to just vanish in thin air.I once asked not to attend dinner with them but Helena, who seemed to enjoy tormenting me with Aspen’s presence declined my request. She told me that as the Emperor’s concubine, I had to be always present in every repast to keep the good harmony and relationship between all the concubines and the people that the Emperor wanted him to join with his dinners.I kept my eyes low. The last thing I ever wanted was to catch a glimpse of Aster looking back at me because it will be torture to see him sitting beside Helena while they are discussing something that only both of them could hear. I wanted to eat fast and leave the dining hall as soon as I could but that would be so inappropriate and disrespectful, especially since there are five wealthy and powerful merchants that Emperor Aster invited as important guests of the palace. While in the middle of the dinner, I caught some of them looking at me with shy sm