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CHAPTER THREE

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It has been several days since the warriors returned triumphantly. 

Tonight, the chief of the Akleri is hosting a grand feast to celebrate his sons, Eren and Aston, on their victory. 

The moon is full outside, and the sound of laughter and merriment can be heard throughout the castle and the entire village. 

Rene paces nervously. Everyone is so busy, and there couldn't be a better opportunity. 

This tiny room where his mother lies smells strongly like sickness and stale herbs.

Rene has already gathered their belongings, which only consist of a few rags they wear as clothes. 

"Mother, there's no time left!" 

"No, I won't leave. We will get caught, and you will be hurt again," Vera's eyes glitter with tears as she stares at Rene, who is still limping from the bruises he has suffered from the other servants. 

Rene sighs exasperatedly, he has been trying to convince his mother that this isn't a scheme that will land them punishment. 

It's real, they are going to escape."

"Don't you want to leave this place and start everything afresh with me? I hear there are good healers outside who can even treat your illness; you are just waiting for death if you continue to remain here,"  Rene voices softly, his heart wrenching with sadness; over the years, he has watched his mother become a poor reflection of the beauty she used to be. 

Her skin is packed with wrinkles from the years of affliction; only her hazel eyes, which are identical to Rene's, remain. 

Rene grasps her cold frail hands, gradually warming them with his, "No need to be afraid, they are all too busy to notice us, the princess is willing to help us leave, we may not live a good life, but it will be better than what we have here,"

"I trust you; I just don't trust any child of that woman; evil always tries to hide their true nature!" Vera's eyes flash deeply with the resentment that she has held over the years. 

She has always known that the chief's late wife is the culprit to her poisonous health. When Vera had been forced to become the Chief's concubine, the Lady Chief, who was known for being vengeful had punished her brutally for something Vera did not even have a choice in.

After the birth of her baby, the Chief also completely abandoned her, despising and blaming her for contaminating his pure lineage of Alphas with an abomination.

Seeing the sheer desperation in Rene's eyes, she sighs and nods slowly.

"Alright... I'll go," 

A relieved smile brightens Rene's face; he turns immediately to Soral, who has been standing in a corner. 

"I will go to the Princess now, take my mother and belongings and wait for me outside the castle gates, I will return shortly with the money,"

Rene had not been able to bear to think of leaving his only friend behind; they had grown up and suffered so many hardships together. Soral has skills and knowledge about herbs, he will be able to survive on his own once they leave this place. 

"Please, be careful," he and Soral exchange a look that lasts for several seconds, and they both nod as if to wish themselves good luck. 

Rene hastily makes his way to the Princess's chambers, but two guards stop him from entering inside. 

"The Princess s_summoned me," He lies, but he knows fully well that Kyra will see him. 

The door of the Princess's chamber suddenly opens, but it is not Kyra who Rene's gaze meets.

Javier, Kyra's fiance commands the guards to allow Rene inside.

Rene had not expected to meet Javier instead of Kyra; he stands uneasily inside Kyra's chambers; he has a solid reason for being nervous at Javier's presence. 

"Why do you want to see the Princess?" Javier breaks the silence, and Rene's lips are tightened shut. 

 "I believe she is attending the feast, you have to come back tomorrow to see her,"

Did Kyra forget about their plan? Panic strikes Rene hard like a hammer, anxiety crawls starkly on his face and he is not aware of the fact that Javier has moved so close until Rene is suddenly pulled in a tight embrace.

"I just came back from the war, are you not even the slightest bit happy to see me?" 

A low gasp of panic escapes Rene's mouth, but Javier's arms only tighten around him.

"I miss you, Rene,"

Rene's heart and brain are blaring with apprehension. He starts to struggle against the Alpha's grip, but their differences in strengths are not to be compared. 

"Let me go!" Rene hisses disgustedly; this is not normal; he may be an Omega, but a male regardless!

This is the way of barbarians.

Rene despises the fact that even though Javier is engaged to the Princess, he still tries to harass him at every given opportunity. 

"What do you think will happen if the Princess sees you like this? You have more to lose if she calls off the wedding!"

"I don't care. The Chief had arranged our marriage, so I had no choice but to accept her; I have no feelings for her; I love you, Rene,"

Why does Javier always say these disgusting things?

"I protect you from other males who want you, shouldn't you thank me by submitting yourself to me? Everyone would have had a piece of your ass by now!"

Rene starts to panic when he smells Javier's pheromones in the air, the Alpha is aroused and leering at him like fresh meat. 

He cannot continue to waste time here; he has to look for Kyra.

Soral and his mother must be waiting for him.

"Javier, let me go!" Rene's request is ignored by Javier who suddenly brushes his finger into Rene's golden strands, his eyes blazing with infatuation.

"Since I assisted in capturing the barbarian, the chief will grant me a wish; I plan to ask for you and your mother's freedom as a reward... And in return, you will let me have you!"

"I don't want you doing anything for me, and since you're already the princess's mate; you should be faithful to her!" 

Almost Miraculous when Rene pushes hard with all of his strength , he manages to slip free from Javier's grip.

Unfortunately, it's already too late. Kyra, who has silently entered the chambers, has seen the embrace. She overheard the conversation, too, and her heart pulses with jealousy.

Her fiance has been in the war for so long that he's starting to behave like those savages from the Dahome clan, lusting after a fellow male!

Kyra has watched many incidents like this, green with envy, Javier always seems to beg for even the slightest form of response from Rene.

She is aware of Javier's twisted obsession with Rene but chooses not to believe that a great warrior like Javier would want to tarnish his image and achievements.

Their laws forbid same-sex relationships.

It is evil.

Javier will lose his status if found. 

To prevent Javier from thirsting after Rene is the main reason she wants to send Rene far away. 

She wants Javier only for herself and she has made so much effort to earn his attention. Still, he won't love her, he is only interested in what she can give to him. 

This unrequited love makes her envious of Rene, and envy turns to jealousy and jealousy to hate.

' He not only resembles his mother, even though he is a male, it doesn't stop him from being a bewitching slut like her!' Kyra thinks angrily, her nails clawing deeply into her palms. 

All this while they have been engaged,  Javier has never looked at her with this affection, this longing burning right now in his eyes. 

Her heart is crushed, and so is her pride.

Kyra is even more disgusted to smell Javier's arousal; he is lusting after Rene; it's so sickening!

She cannot endure this foolishness any longer, her heart throbs with a vengeance; forget about helping Rene; she wants to teach him a lesson. Since he didn't learn what happened to whores who seduce the other's husbands from his mother, she will gladly remind him.

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