Chapter 15

ARABELLA

No. He can't mark me. If I let him mark me then that means I am submitting to him. We haven't sealed the bond yet but my wolf was already out of my control, what more if I let him claim me? What would happen to me then? Will I be a slave to him? Will I do everything he wanted?

"I have to do something,"

I walked back and forth while biting my nails.

"Think, Arabella. Think..."

I racked my brain, thinking of ways to escape that marking ceremony. Should I just run away? Will Lucien hunt me if I do that?

Or maybe I should call Alpha Ronan? I should ask for his help.

“Lady Sienna,”

My head snapped towards the door when I heard a familiar voice, it was the two omegas who dressed me as Sienna.

The older woman looked at me straight in the eyes while the younger one bowed politely.

“We received a letter from the palace. You will be marked tonight,” the old woman spoke.

It feels like a light bulb lit up. Right. They are here to rescue me.

I quickly grabbed my bag that was filled with Sienna’s clothes and rushed to the omegas' side.

“Thank God you came! I thought I would be marked tonight,”

I couldn’t think of ways to escape. I am glad Alpha Ronan sent them to help me. I thought he would just let Lucien mark me—

“We are sent here to help you prepare for the marking ceremony,”

Yeah, I know! They are sent here to help me prepare for the marking ceremony–wait! What?!

My eyes grew wide. “W-What did you just say? You were sent here to help me prepare for the marking ceremony? Not to help me escape?”

The older woman’s brows furrowed. “What do you mean help you escape? You plan to escape?”

Shit! So I had it wrong? I thought Alpha Ronan would be against the marking ceremony. He said he will make me his Queen then why would he let Lucien mark me?

“Alpha Ronan wants you to have this,”

She showed me a silver greyish stone that kind of resembles the moon. It has soft edges and is perfectly polished.

I took it from her palm and examined it closely. I even lifted it toward the ceiling light to get a better look.

"What's this?" I asked, returning all my attention to the old woman.

"A moonshard,"

My forehead creased. A moonshard? I haven't heard that before.

The old woman must have noticed my confusion, so she began to explain. “A moonshard is a moon-charged mineral that suppresses the mate bond. It was created by the oldest priestess in our pack to protect Sienna. She foresaw Sienna’s death in Alpha Lucien’s pangs, and to protect her from him, Alpha Ronan ordered the creation of a moonshard to suppress the mate bond. But even that stone couldn’t save Sienna.”

"Then why are you giving it to me if it wasn't effective?"

"The priestess said it holds more power than before since a sacrifice had been made,”

Sienna.

Pain flickered in the old woman’s eyes but it was quickly replaced with her strict demeanor. She must be close to Sienna. Maybe she’s the one who raised Sienna.

I want to confirm my thoughts but I don’t want to ask personal questions. I don’t want to open the wound she was trying to hide.

I looked at the stone again, staring at it for a few seconds.

“So…this is the only help Alpha Ronan could offer?”

The old woman nodded. “Helping you escape won’t benefit our pack. Besides, the news had spread that Alpha Lucien had found his fated mate. Werewolves are now after your head so the safest thing you could do is stay close to Alpha Lucien and stay loyal to Alpha Ronan,”

I hate this. I fucking hate this situation. I feel like the only thing I could do was nod and keep my mouth shut…but I won’t be stuck in this situation. I will do everything to reclaim my freedom.

“The marking ceremony will start in an hour, you should get ready,”

The old woman turned to the younger one. She didn’t say a word but it seems like the younger one could read her mind.

The younger one started stripping me. Is this all they do whenever we cross paths? They will strip me without even giving a warning?!

“I can bathe myself,” I told them, covering my naked body.

The old woman didn’t speak but she looked at me sharply. I wanted to fight back but I held myself back again. She should be lucky I respect Elders.

“That old woman…” I talked to the younger omega. “What’s her name?”

The young omega glances at the old woman, who is sitting on the couch, wiping her glasses.

“Martha,” the young omega shortly responded.

Nice pair of servers. An old omega who looks like she would skin me alive and a young omega who saves her words like it was gold.

“And you? What’s your name?”

“Andrea,” she responded without even looking at me.

Her head was bowed, her usual posture. She was too focused on scrubbing my skin as if her world revolved around it.

“You won’t get hypnotized if you look into my eyes,” I told her.

She slowly lifted her head and that’s when I saw her face closely. She has a red birthmark on her left eye that is shaped like a five-petal flower.

She looks beautiful…but she seems to be unaware of it.

“My mark is ugly,” she attempted to cover her left eye where her mark is located but I held her wrist and looked at her closely.

“It’s beautiful. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it. It makes you stand out,”

She bowed her head again.

“Are you always this quiet?” I couldn’t help but ask. I hope my question didn’t offend her though.

She just keeps her head bowed. I was about to throw another question when the old omega, whom Andrea named as Martha spoke from the outside.

“Take her out. We are running out of time,”

Andrea didn’t even complain. She just moved quickly and finished bathing me.

She wrapped my body in a white robe and stepped out of the bathroom while I trailed her.

“Help her with her gown,”

Andrea nodded. She looks like she was programmed to follow and never question any order. I suddenly feel bad even though I don’t have the right to pity anyone.

I am in a worse situation too. How could I label her life as something miserable when mine looks worse?

To make her work easier I willingly slid my naked body on a tacky red ball gown. A sixteen-year-old would probably love this gown but not a twenty-five-year-old woman like me. It’s too childish for my liking.

“Did you pick this gown?” I asked Martha.

She shook her head. “It was at the door of your chamber. Alpha Lucien probably sent it,”

No wonder because this gown was too tacky to be sent by a Royal Tailor.

“Can I wear a different gown? Maybe they have a spare?”

I don’t want to make things hard for them but the fabric felt itchy. I don’t think I can last an hour wearing this gown.

I started scratching my arms…my back…my chest but as seconds passes the itchy feeling started to burn.

It feels like I was thrown into a fire.

“T-Take it off,” I pleaded, my chest grew tight. “T-Take it o-off please,”

My vision turned hazy but I saw Martha rushing towards me.

They joined forces in freeing me from the gown but even when I am already standing naked, the burning sensation still lingers on my skin.

I couldn’t breathe…

I-I couldn’t b-breathe…