8. Chloe's loyal shadows.

OLENA. 

"Did you know I was looking for you?" She asked, her footsteps light as she came closer, eyes searching my face.

My breath caught in my throat.

What just happened?

I stared ahead, my mind numb.

Mated… to a Lycan King? The king of the Lycan Kingdom?

And he rejected me?

A hollow ache settled in my chest, but I clenched my jaw, blinking fast. I wouldn’t cry. I couldn’t. He made sure I couldn’t reject the bond, just so he could walk away free while I stayed chained to him.

Why would Moon Goddess let this happen to me? Why would she give me this vicious beast as my second chance mate? Everything just keeps getting worse for me.

She nudged my shoulder gently. “If this is about that girl… don’t let it show. I suck at comforting people, but—” She paused and frowned a little. “At least smile, so they don’t see you shaking.”

She slipped her hands around my neck in a loose hug.

"June Joe," she muttered as I turned to look at her.

She grinned. “That’s my name,”

I nodded with a small smile.

I blinked and shook off my daze, looking around the big, crowded dining hall. Long wooden tables filled the room, scratched and worn from years of use. Quiet conversations buzzed in, mixed with the sound of plates clinking. A slow line of tired people stood by the serving counter, holding empty trays.

“This is the dining hall,” June explained. “Come on, let’s go to the line before Ms. Morgan shows up. If we’re late, we don’t get served.”

I hesitated, still dazed. “But… why’s it like that?”

My voice came out softer than I expected, like it was being smothered by the storm inside me. The memory of his hands on me, his touch, his pretty piercing red eyes and his rejection, it all swirled in my head. I didn’t know whether to scream or vanish. Everything just felt… tangled. 

We stood in line for what felt like forever. Eventually, we got our trays and moved to sit in the middle row of the hall. I stared at the sad-looking meal in front of me, cold, dry pancakes and a bottle of water. My stomach turned a little.

It wasn’t like I wasn’t used to eating stuff like this back at Crescent Pack. But still... Lycans are extravagantly rich. You’d think they could feed the people who worked for them something decent than the werewolves but this is way worse.

“Why aren’t you eating?” June asked, glancing at my untouched tray.

“It’s nothing. I just...” I trailed off, not sure how to say it.

“You should feel lucky,” she said, picking up a piece of pancake. “This is actually a good day. Sometimes, they give us spoiled food. Sour milk too.”

I frowned. “But why?”

A voice behind me cut in before June could answer. “Because we’re slaves, silver hair.”

I turned, catching sight of the girl who spoke. Her short purple hair framed her face perfectly.

“Don’t look at me like that.” She brushed a hand through her hair.“ Mine is fake and dyed. Yours is natural.”

She gave my silver hair a quick tap and then turned away.

“Just ignore her,” June muttered.

“She doesn’t seem dangerous,” I said, watching the purple-haired girl sit a little straighter.

June scoffed as I sighed.

I was about to eat when I noticed something. “Gosh, they could at least give us two more pancakes,” I muttered, staring at the sad little pair on my plate.

“That’s what they served,” June said between bites, barely glancing up.

“I only got two,” I said, my voice rising a little. I looked at her plate, she still had three left.

June raised an eyebrow. “Did you annoy one of the caterers or something?”

I shook my head slowly, confused. Why was mine different?

Before I could say anything else, a loud voice rang through the dining hall.

“No more food will be served!”

My head snapped up. There she was, Morgan. The same cold, sharp woman from yesterday. The same one I saw in the Lycan King’s room.

A few late kids walked in, holding empty trays. One of them tried to speak, but Morgan’s voice echoed across the hall.

“Are you daft? Begging? Don’t you know the rules, dumbheads? Get out of here before I hand you over to the warriors to satisfy them!”

What?

Some dropped to their knees, crying quietly. Silence filled the room. The girls froze, their faces pale, eyes wide with fear.

My heart sank. This wasn’t just strict. This was cruel. I turned to look at them again as I turned my face immediately when I noticed that her eyes were on me. 

The heck.

"This is evil, June," I whispered, my voice barely louder than the murmurs around us.

June didn’t respond but someone else did.

“They have other options though,” 

I looked back and saw the purple-haired girl again as she rested her chin on her hand.

"What kind of options?" I asked carefully.

She looked me in the eye and smiled slowly. "Like having sex with a guard or one of the warriors. That’ll get you better food."

My mouth fell open slightly as I glanced at June.

June gave a small nod. “Even clothes. That’s how some of them get new ones,” she said, putting her spoon down.

“Told you she’s weird,” June muttered, rolling her eyes. “That’s why I said to stay away from her.”

I watched June slide her tray away, as she sighed. 

I was just about to take the last bite of my pancake when a hand grabbed it right from my tray.

“Ugh, they really don’t give enough food here,” a voice said with an over-the-top sigh.

“Let’s share it. Don’t be selfish,” another added, already breaking it in half.

“Our silver hair is looking so cute today,” a third girl teased, roughly ruffling my hair and messing it up.

I felt my stomach drop.

I stood up, fists clenched at my sides, watching as they casually tore my food apart and ate it.

Ava. Isolde. Fiora.

Chloe’s three loyal shadows.

I had hoped it was just one of them.

But no.

Chloe sent all three.

She wanted me to suffer, really suffer.

“You guys should calm down,” Isolde said with a fake pout, her voice sweet and mocking. “Looks like our little silver hair’s already mad.”

Ava stepped up beside me, the smirk on her face widening.

“Awww,” she cooed, twisting my ear so hard as she pushed me back down into my seat.

I winced, gripping her wrist, but before I could react, her hand cracked against the back of my neck. My head jerked forward, and my forehead nearly slammed into the table.

“Hey,” she whispered harshly in my ear, voice dripping with disdain. “They told me to warn you. Why do you keep pissing people off, huh?”

I turned to look at her, rage burning behind my eyes.

“Lower your gaze, you fucker,” she hissed.

Then came the slap from the back of my head and this time, it didn’t stop my head from hitting the table. Pain exploded across my forehead.