MasukChapter 173 Kaelen's POV The minute those words left his mouth, I felt my wolf struggling violently at the inside of my chest, screaming at me to open my eyes, leap off the bed, and crush the bastard's windpipe before he could even draw his knife."Are you insane?" the second guard snapped back, his voice rising in anxiety. "And what do you think the Mistress will do when she finds out you did that?""How would she know?" the first guy grumbled."You're saying that like she isn't going completely wild right now!" the second guard shot back. "Didn't you just see her out in the square? She literally made all the senior elders vacate the Great Pavilion and gave our breakfast hall to the servants! If she finds out that you drew blood on her mate while he's lying in a coma, what do you think she'll do to you?"The first guard went quiet for a second."Besides," the second guard added in a tense whisper, "word around the council is that the Mistress also has a gift of prophecy. She hasn't
Chapter 172Kaelen’s POV I spent the better part of two hours pacing a tight line across the bedroom floor, stepping carefully so the timber wouldn't creak. The silence inside the lodge was maddening. With Aurora out in the village square, every single second felt like an eternity. My chest felt tight, my skin hot, and my mind was spinning in circles. I stopped in front of the tall, dark standing mirror in the corner of the room, looking at my reflection. My hair was a messy nest, my jaw covered in dark stubble, and my eyes were wide, blue, and manic. I stared at myself, clearing my throat softly. "I think I have feelings for you, Aurora," I whispered to the empty room. I paused, staring at my reflection for three seconds before squeezing my eyes shut and clenching my fist until my knuckles turned white. "Fuck it," I muttered under my breath, shaking my head violently. "I can't put it that way. That sounds way too clean. Way too formal." I took a deep breath, flexing my fin
Chapter 171Aurora's POV Joshua led me out of the breakfast hall, well, it wasn't that anymore, it now belonged to the servants. I could see the elders still gathered around the place, whispering and glaring at me. But I honestly didn't care. Their reign was over and would stay that way as long as I was here. I knew I'd be gone eventually, but I hoped that before I did, these people would find the strength and courage to stand up to these fat old men once and for all. I had to hope for that. As we passed our lodge to the other side of the village, I looked towards mine and my heart ached. I didn't like the thought of being led off to meet some bloodthirsty alpha who was ready to start a war at the slightest whim. But well, being a ruler means being the ugly little things. Of course I had all these guards around me, but I still didn't feel so safe. Was Kaelen watching from the small bedroom window right now? Was he still lying on that cold mattress, forced to play dead while I w
Chapter 170Aurora’s POV"Liora... missing?" I repeated, my voice barely a whisper as my stomach twisted into a tight, sickening knot.I remembered seeing her just yesterday just before Grace interrupted us. She had been terrified, but she had still risked everything to help me. Did she fail to make it back to the cellar after our conversation? Or had Alistair caught onto her before the sun even came up?"Where did she go?" I asked, turning back to the older maid. "Did anyone see her leave the path? Did she say anything to anyone last night?""No, Mistress," the woman sobbed, wiping her eyes with the corner of her stained apron. "She just didn't come back to the mats after dusk. We thought maybe she was kept late doing chores in the upper lodges, but when morning came... her spot was still empty."I turned my head slowly, my eyes going straight toward Master Alistair.He was still standing near the elders with his eyes fixed on me. And oh, he didn't look shocked even one bit. In fac
Chapter 169 Aurora's POV I turned, addressing the whole group so every servant in the room could hear me."Henceforth, you will have your meals at the exact same time everyone else does, right here in this hall," I declared. "And you will have proper time to rest. We are going to create a fair schedule, one that allows some of you to work during the day, while others work at night. You will sleep on time, and you will wake up on time. You are not slaves. You are servants here to do a job, and you will be properly compensated for your labor."An older woman near the front, a woman with graying hair tucked behind her ears and dark, tired eyes, hesitantly took a step forward. She wrung her hands in her apron, looking deeply uncomfortable.“Is something wrong? Aren't you okay with any of these arrangements?" "No, Mistress..." the old woman murmured softly. "We are happy to serve. Our great-great-grandfathers were all domestic servants to the founding elders, and we were born into it.
Chapter 168Aurora’s POVAs the guards ran about, doing as I had just intstructed, I was standing by the center of the Great Pavilion, watching the chaos unfold inside.Several of the senior elders stood along the wall, their faces pale, their mouths slightly agape as they watched guards drag the fancy mats and cushions out the front doors. It was a sight really. I almost chuckled at their bemused expressions. Did they really think the rest of the pack can suffer while they have a fancy royal breakfast? How selfish and inconsiderate of them. In fact, I decided it wasn't just selfish, it was wicked. That was the word for it, wicked! “Faster! They need to come into their new quarters right now," I insisted as the guards continued to clear the place out. I would have made the servants do it, but I didn't want them involved in the ruckus so they wouldn't get hurt. The guards were big and strong enough to carry out the task. In the middle of the scramble, a serving tray slipped from a







