Chapter 5

Celeste

The blade pierced through Edgar’s skin but before it could drive it all the way through, rough hands seized me and pulled me back.

“Unhand me.” I spat, my heart racing like I had swallowed a drum. My eyes blazed with anger and hate as I glared at the king.

The smug smile across his face did nothing to quench my hate and anger towards him. I could practically feel my blood boil and curl through the blood vessel.

It was unlike me to yell except when in battle with my men but something about Edgar inspired a ferocious distaste in my mouth.

His smugness, his arrogance, his disregard burned my pride like acid.

“Let her go.” His voice rang out, deep and commanding, silencing the room and shocking me.

The guards froze. I saw confusion flicker on their faces as if they doubted their ears.

“Your majesty?” One of them dared to ask.

“I said unhand her, are you deat? That is your queen and you will treat her with respect.”

If the guards could release me any faster, they would have. They both let go of me like I had turned to hot coal.

Edgar moved towards me with slow, deliberate strides. My chest rose and fell in sharp bursts, my thoughts filled with confusion.

He stopped just a foot shy from me, towering over me.

“I am sorry for their impudence, My queen. They don’t know better but I promise they will be dealt with accordingly,” Edgar said, glaring at the guards behind me. I couldn’t see their faces but I could sense the fear from behind and I felt a bit of pity for them.

He reached for my hands, I yanked them back instantly.

“Do not touch me.” I hissed, my voice dripping with Venom and distaste.

A grin spread across his face.

“Very well then, my sweet. You should rest, it's been a long day. I'll see you in the morning.” He said as if I had not just tried to kill me, then he did something even more perplexing,

He blew me a kiss.

“Take her to the adjoining chambers.” He glanced over at his men, his seriousness returning. “and make sure she lacks for nothing.”

“But your Majesty, she almost killed you. Surely, that is treason.” Gloria was the one to speak. She looked outraged by Edgar's calmness. I could not blame her because I felt the exact same way.

“Silence, Gloria, that is your Luna, you will accord her the respect you accord me, do you understand?” Edgar gritted, his jovial mask slipping away to be replaced with lethal authority.

“I. said. Do. You. Understand?” he demanded again with an even more scary and lethal voice, seizing her face in his hands and crushing his cheeks.

“Yes, your majesty.” She choked out, her face red with embarrassment.

“Good.” He let her go and straightened, his eyes flickering towards me. “Besides, it's only treason when I say it's treason.”

I stood there, still breathing hard and still absolutely dumbfounded.

There was no way this was real. My mind refused to wrap its head around it.

The guards led me through a door that led directly to another room.

This one was just as large as Edgar's chambers. There was just the difference of the floor to ceiling window that was all too happy to let in the full moon.

And instead of a King size bed, it was a four-poster queen size bed and the main theme was gold and white.

The guards let go of me as soon as I entered.

They bowed and exited the room, leaving me alone to wallow in my new found reality.

Even with the curtains open and the light of the full moon streaming through the window, all I felt was utter and complete darkness around me.

I felt lost, like I had been sent to sea with nothing but a bail. My stomach tightened as the reality of the day's events came crashing down on me. Not only had I been forced to marry a tyrant to protect my kingdom, the reason for the wedding would not be fulfilled. My cousins would remain his prisoners until he bedded me.

The bastard!

How had this come to be my life?

Yes, I had agreed to this sham of a wedding and knew what I was getting into somewhat but reality quite differed from preconceived notions.

In hindsight, I guess I should have predicted it; I should have known he wouldn’t be easily fooled. He wasn’t Edgar the tyrant Lycan for nothing.

I took a step forward and moved to the window. Just over the sea was my old kingdom. I wondered what my men were up to. This was usually the time we would eat dinner and talk about our life stories. I missed them. They weren’t just my army, they were my friends , my comrades, and they were the very reason I chose to make this sacrifice.

My reverie was quickly cut short when I heard a familiar sound coming from the other room.

“Oh, yes my king, give me your seeds.”

I froze, my eyes wide with disbelief. Surely, I didn't just hear what I thought I heard.

What in the ever-loving bloody hell?

“Oh, yes, my body belongs to you, Alpha.”

I had never wanted to be deaf so bad in my life.The sounds became louder. Gloria’s voice was the prominent one. The other she-wolf was loud but her moans were softer.

Disgust burned within me and I fled to my bed and clutched a pillow over my ears.but the sounds bled through. Only exhaustion pulled me into sleep at last, her voice still echoing in my skull.

………………………………………………

Edgar chased me through a dark forest covered with cobwebs. He was yelling out something but I couldn’t hear him, all I wanted to do was get away from him but the more I tried to run, the nearer he became.

I slipped and landed on the floor but swiftly scrambled off my feet, my heart beating against my chest like a Taki drum.

I found a small cottage ahead and quickly ran up to it. I knocked hard but when the door opened, I froze.

Edgar was the one at the door.

He pulled me into the darkness and I began hammering at the door for help as the darkness swallowed me.

I jolted awake to pounding. This time, at my own door. Sweat clung to my skin, my chest rising in sharp gasp.

Exhausted, I sat up, sweating profusely.

I stood when the knocking continued and made my way to the double doors.

I turned the key and was surprised to find a tall silver herd man , staring at me. There was something about him that gave authority. He looked nothing like any servant I knew. Especially his long silver hair and the glint in his eyes.

“Your Grace.” He bowed. “I am Sylvester Grandwich and I am a new servant and bodyguard.” His voice sounded like he was singing.

“I already have a servant, I do not need one.” With that, I closed the door but he was swift. He held the door before I could close it.

“Apologies, your highness but I am afraid the king will have my had if I return to him without you.”

I wanted so badly not to care but I had no choice but to care.

“Fine but I don’t need a servant especially not one of his spies.”

“Thank you, your grace.” Now that I took a good look at the wolf. He was a very sensual beautiful looking man.

“Here you are, a change of clothes. I shall escort you back to your main quarters once you are ready. Breakfast with his majesty is in an hour and a half.”