My stepmother burst into my room only seconds after I did.“Selina—what in the seventh hell is that?”“What my father should have done a long time ago,” I answered irritably.“No!” Helena yelled, and I turned to look at her, shocked at her audacity. In the years that I’d known her, I’ve never seen her explode like that. “Your father wouldn’t disrespect his friends like that. He would be calm and rational about it—”“Like what you are doing right now?” I asked sarcastically before turning my back on the older woman again. “They are not his friends. Not after what Henry did to me.”“I have talked to Camilla. This whole thing is just a big misunderstanding—”“Big misunderstanding his face,” I scoffed. “When I came to borrow their jet, she never mentioned any of that.”“—And she implored us to discard the letter that Henry stupidly sent to us.”“—She didn’t even apologize about her son’s behavior.”“Whatever happened to you two? You used to be so in love.”I scoffed. “In love? Henry lied
“Our hold on Volfenheim is slipping. I’ve…” It seemed like my father did not know how to explain his thoughts. “I’ve been sitting on this knowledge for days now and I can’t… I don’t know what to do.”“What... what do you mean? What is it?”“A good number of Volfenheim soldiers left their bases x days ago. They went back home, and I’m not sure when they’ll return. IF they return.”I perked up at that, spine rigid, heart pounding loudly in my chest.Henry did that?“Oh... is that bad news?” My stepmother asked.‘Yes, you stupid cow,’ I had scoffed. ‘This is what happens when a common s*lut is appointed queen.’“Helena, this means they are withdrawing their military support,” my father explained. “They are not even being subtle about it. I don’t know what they are thinking. They know we need those soldiers.”‘Everyone knows what will happen if they do that. Maybe they need them back home?’ I had rationalized to myself. ‘It could be nothing. Maybe they’ll come back. Henry nor Camilla woul
“Princess Selina, over here!” a bunch of children called out to me as soon as I got out of the car. They were waving at me happily from the window of the building, shouting my name, doing everything they could to get my attention.I smiled as I recognized each rowdy child by their faces and waved at them. Theirs was by far the warmest greeting and welcome I’d ever received since coming back to Aldervolf, Volfenheim. I took a step forward to get to the kids, but a firm hand on my waist stopped me from moving. I looked up to the person holding me.“Going somewhere, honey?” Hearing Henry’s saccharin tone and seeing his fake smiling face made me want to throw up.I was instantly transported back to the reality of the moment. Henry and I were outside Mother’s Love Orphanage in our first public appearance in Volfenheim after getting back together. It was the hundred year founding anniversary of the orphanage. Empress Camilla had other engagements, so she delegated the two of us to attend. S
It wasn't even the end of the day when the articles were posted. I was trending again. The reporters completely twisted the little boy’s story, making ME a cheater and painting Jasper as a victim of my ‘evil charms.’ The trolling and cyberbullying got harsher after that. Not only do I have to endure Jade and Henry’s fans… I suddenly had to face Jasper’s as well. I knew he was popular with girls, but I did not realize how massive their numbers were and how rabid they could be.They were overprotective and obsessive about him. Every single one of them. They were all extremely rude, isolating me, drawing graffiti on my desk, locker, and dormitory door, leaving hate mail, notes, etc. I just ignored them and they’d eventually lose interest… until the next thing that they would find annoying about me. However, there were some who took it to the extremes and were downright sociopathic. Those people were not afraid to leave me ‘gifts.’ Dead animals in pretty little gift boxes, sometimes with
“Did he choose this, too?” I asked sarcastically when I stood before the king’s lover, grabbing her left hand to have a good look at the simple gold band on her ring finger.I’d never seen it before and I would not even notice it had she not been trying her best not to draw attention to it earlier. Henry must’ve sent me these boxes of jewelry to hide the fact that he gave her a ring, something that he never did for me before. Maybe I was just overthinking it, but Henry was essentially saying that he was more committed to her than he was to me. Jade tried to pull her hand away from mine, but I held firm.“Isn’t that lovely?”“Y-Your Royal Highness…”“What?” I turned over her hand to see if it was just a band and was disappointed that it was. No stones, not even a tiny bit. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not doing anything... yet.”The maids exchanged nervous glances in a subtle manner which irritated me. They must know I could still see them, right? I dropped Jade’s hand and spritzed some
We all froze when we caught each other’s eyes. They stood awkwardly like children that got caught doing something they shouldn’t, scratching their necks and napes.“H-hi, guys!” I recognized them as the classmates I tolerate. I invited them so that the party could have some people who didn’t mooch up to me or actively hate me.“Princess Selina,” one girl said, stepping forward. Her smile was awkward, but kind. I think her name’s Grace. “We were just... um...”It was painful to watch her try to explain what they were doing in the shrubbery. They stunk of alcohol, cigars, and something grassy and sweet. They don’t look wasted or tipsy, though, and the girls don’t look disheveled. So they drank and smoked in the garden. Big deal. I know some people who’ve done worse things there.“Are you enjoying the party?” I finally asked to end her suffering.“The party’s lame,” came a male voice from the back of the group, half-hidden by tall vegetation.“Paddy!” Grace scolded him before turning to
TW: Depictions of vio*lence, d*rugs, and s*exual a*ssault_______“Have you tried a love potion yet?” Shania asked, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like she’s just asking about the weather.“What?” I found it funny that she would entertain an idea like that. “Are you serious?”“Yeah! Desperate times call for desperate measures.”“You know that’s highly illegal, right?” Grace said, bothered and shocked. “Not to mention immoral and unethical.”Speaking of bothered, I was sweating like I was having hot flashes. I felt so uncomfortable. I took off Jasper’s jacket and drank some more of the cold beer they offered.“So is having a side piece? What’s your point?” Shania scoffed.“Where would you even get a love potion these days?” Helen interjected thoughtfully. “All the witches are in Melcoria. The rest are just a bunch of l*wlifes looking for an easy buck.”“There’s one right here in Aldervolf!”“What? You?”“No, silly.” Shania took her phone and showed us a picture of an
“What do you want?” Patrick asked his visitor with a condescending tone.I trembled in shock when the door flew off its hinges, and knocked Patrick off his feet. I never felt so relieved to see Jasper standing by the doorway than at that very moment. His face was blank, but his eyes were glowing dangerously as he stared down at Patrick.Then our eyes locked, and I saw his brows furrow, gritting his teeth. The duke seized Patrick by the neck and yanked him off the ground.“What did you do?” he asked angrily, shaking him, but the guy was unconscious. He dangled like a rag doll from Jasper’s grip.I sniffled and the Lycan turned to face me again, frowning. He let go of Patrick's neck and he dropped to the ground with a loud thud. Jasper walked to the headboard and grabbed the belt. It snapped in half as he yanked it off.“Are you okay?” Jasper asked while untying my hands.“H-he tried t-to r*ape me,” I said, sobbing. I closed my eyes tight, ashamed of myself for being in this compromisin