Chapter 9
[ 975 words ]
Arabella Toussaint:
The sharp sting across my cheek jolted me awake. I straightened immediately, clutching my burning cheek. A young Omega stood near me, looking too pleased with herself.
“Nina…” someone called her from the hallway. So that was her name.
“I’m sorry for the slap,” she said with a shrug, “Helena called your name twice. Go ask about your duty.”
She turned and walked away, giggling as if slapping me was some kind of achievement for her. I gently touched my cheek. It still stung.
I hurried towards Helena on my knees.
“Slave!” She snapped the moment she saw me, “The queen has been waiting. She wants you to accompany her and Sheena.”
Sheena?
Now who the hell was this Sheena?
I lowered my head and turned to leave the hall. The moment I stepped outside, I found the queen already waiting in the palace garden. Beside her stood the fluffiest puppy I had ever seen.
A tiny white Maltese bounced around her feet, wiggling its tail. She was adorable.
“You’re late bitch,” she muttered without even looking at me.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
She thrust a large sun umbrella towards me, “Hold it over her head.”
I frowned and then blinked. Holding the umbrella while staying on my knees. How was I supposed to…
“I’m talking about Sheena, you fool,” she pointed at the tiny puppy, “Keep the umbrella above her. The sun shouldn’t touch her precious fur.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The queen unleashed Sheena, who shot forward like an arrow. I scrambled after her on my knees, stretching the umbrella as far as I could to keep it above the tiny furry ball.
“Sheena!” the queen called her sweetly.
The puppy quickly changed direction, and so did I. Pain shot through my knees. A moment later, Sheena dashed towards a flower bed, and I hurried after her.
I was almost dropping the umbrella, trying to keep up. I turned to look at the queen, who had a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
She wasn’t here to take the puppy for a walk. She was here to punish me. She planned it.
“Sheena…” I said between labored breaths. The tiny puppy was now running after a butterfly. The umbrella was now wobbling above my head as I tried to keep it over her tiny body. A sharp pebble dug into my knee, and now, at this point, I simply wanted to give up.
If they wanted to throw me into the dungeons, I would welcome it. At least I wouldn’t be crawling there like this.
I might be allowed to sleep and take rest. My aching body might recover for a few hours. Tightening my grip on the umbrella, I dragged myself after Sheena.
Moon Goddess. Do you even love me? If you do, then please end this pain. End this suffering. Please. I beg you, Moon Goddess.
***
Lucien Volkov:
“No,” I said coldly, tightening my grip on the phone, “The royal treasury isn’t a charity. Until the investigation is complete, not a single coin will be released.”
“But, Your Majesty…”
“You heard my decision. Now fuck off!” I barked into the phone before disconnecting the call. Rubbing the bridge of my nose, I walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
That was when my gaze landed on the royal garden where a familiar figure was running around on her knees.
Arabella Toussaint. The slave.
She was crawling after that ridiculous puppy, and I didn’t need to watch my mother’s face to see that she was enjoying it.
Even from this distance, I could tell that the weak girl running after that animal was exhausted. Out of nowhere, a dull ache brushed against my chest.
It must be the pain I was feeling for my sister, right?
“Don’t be a fool!” Zorro growled, “You’re feeling her fear through the mate bond.”
Mate bond? Fuck the mate bond.
Zorro wasn’t wrong. I could feel her pain, exhaustion, and humiliation through the bond.
“Don’t you think this is too much?” My Beta’s voice came from behind me. I didn’t answer.
He walked beside me and followed my gaze, “She is chasing puppy on her knees,” Bradley whispered.
I remained silent. Zorro let out an annoyed growl inside my head, “Go down there. She’s in pain, Lucien.”
“So, am I?” I snapped at him.
“Lucien,” Bradley spoke again, “As a king, you can stop this.”
I clenched my jaw. Zorro was now getting more restless, “Lucien! Go!
My fingers curled into a fist when, for a split second, I felt another stab of pain through the bond.
“Fine!” I snapped. Bradley and Zorro fell silent. I turned towards Bradley, “Go to the queen. Tell her that she has gotten a call from Amora.”
Amora was my mother’s oldest friend, and attending her call meant she would be busy for a couple of hours. They always had something to gossip.
Bradley nodded, “And the slave?”
I sighed before closing my eyes, “Send her back to her room….” I hesitated before adding, “Don’t forget to send her painkillers.”
For a moment, neither of us spoke, “Your Majesty…”
Beta Bradley. The bastard! He was trying hard to control his smile.
Before he could utter another word, I shot him a warning glare.
“I’ll do it, Your Majesty,” he quickly bowed to me.
Before he could say another word, I turned on my heels and strode out of the office.
If I wanted her to serve the royals as a slave, she needed to stay healthy. A broken slave was of no use to anyone. That was the only reason I was doing this, right?
“Painkillers? Huh? Are you becoming soft?” Zorro snorted in my head.
“Shut up!”
“Accept it, Lucien. You never behaved this way.”
I didn’t say anything and kept walking, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reply.
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