Chapter 23

Leo's POV

I saw Diane freeze, panic etched across her face as she stared at Mara, the chief maid who stood at the door with her whip in hand.

Mara hadn’t expected me to be in the room and by the time she found out I was in there, it was already too late as I had seen her.

In one hand she held her whip, and in the other, a jar which I didn’t need to look inside before I recognized it to be the wolfsbane.

Diane trembled beside me. Only she knew the torment she had endured under Mara since she came into the vampire kingdom.

Many werewolf maids and slaves I knew had taken their lives after suffering Mara’s torture and I had no doubt Diane was next on her list.

Mara's eyes widened when she saw me standing in the room after I had let everyone think I had gone into the forest to be alone, and she had clearly thought this was the perfect opportunity to give Diane the beating of her life.

“G-Good... morning, my prince,” she stammered, bowing her head low.

Diane shuffled toward me and slipped behind my back, clinging to me like a frightened child.

“That woman is wicked,” she whispered, breathless. “I’m scared of her.”

I narrowed my eyes at Mara. “What brings you here?”

She shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing much, I just came to check on her since... she’s been unconscious for a while.”

“Oh? Since when did you become a doctor?” My voice was low, dangerous. “And is that jar of wolfsbane part of your medical kit?”

Her hands darted behind her back, trying to hide both the whip and the jar.

“No—this isn’t for her. I was coming from the slave quarters,” she lied, her tone casual, as if I’d believe her.

I stepped forward, my rage simmering just beneath the surface. “You know, Diane carries my child. Why do you keep torturing her? Do you want her to lose the baby?”

“No, my prince! I would never dare,” she gasped. “I’m just doing my job as the chief maid.”

“And what exactly did she do this time? What part of your job involves beating someone in a hospital bed?” I snapped, my voice thundering through the room.

"I am sorry. I didn't know the prince was suddenly concerned with how this werewolf slave is treated." She mumbled, glancing up at me, and I could read through what she meant by those words.

I was showing too many emotions that would put Diane into trouble.

“What nonsense are you insinuating? She’s carrying my child, you wretched bitch!” I spat, trying and failing to conceal the depth of my emotions.

She saw through me, and I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me Diane would be in real danger sooner than expected.

“But she’s neither your wife nor your mate,” Mara said calmly. “You claim to hate her, like every other werewolf. Yet you beat Zena for punishing her. My prince, I believe you know how manipulative and cunning werewolves are." She sighed.

"What are you trying to say?"

She stepped closer and leaned in.

"What if that baby is a trap? What if everything is a setup by her people to infiltrate our kingdom? Remember what their Alpha did to us. What he did to your mother? Do you think she is any different from him? The same blood runs in their veins, and they obey their Alpha before anyone else."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, burrowing deeply like a painful truth I’d buried long ago.

What if she’s right? My inner beast whispered, for the first time, doubting the girl we had fallen for.

“I only care about my child,” I said coldly. “Once she gives birth, do whatever you want with her.”

Mara’s lips curled into a faint smile. "My prince... We are not even sure there is actually a baby in her womb. Why not have her take a pregnancy test—here in our kingdom?”

"I can vividly remember planting my seed inside her and the doctor in her pack also showed me the pregnancy report." I growled and turned to Diane. "Why would she lie with such a thing?"

"They are despicable and evil," Mara replied curtly.

"Alright, I will personally take her to the doctor for the test. For now I still believe she has my baby so make sure you don't beat her much to have a miscarriage!" I hissed and glanced at Diane again.

She was staring at me silently but clearly reading between the lines. She understood I was only playing along for her safety.

“Very well, my prince. I promise not to harm the child,” Mara said with a bow.

I nodded and headed to the exit door, but I had barely stepped out when I heard it.

A loud, piercing cry from Diane.

Fuck.

My fists clenched, and I gritted my teeth as I forced myself to keep walking, resisting the urge to turn around and rip Mara apart.

Although I expected this while bringing Diane to my kingdom. I knew it would all happen, but now that I was faced with it I realized I wouldn't be able to put up with it for long.

I picked up my pace, trying to escape the sound of her cries and the sickening snap of the whip.

If I kept protecting Diane, it would become obvious. They’d see the truth: I was in love. The excuse of the unborn child wouldn’t be enough. My father would order her assassination.

As I left the hospital building, I turned toward the road that led to the training school. For years, my father had begged me to join the trainers and help prepare our vampire warriors. I had always refused.

Ever since I lost my mother, I’d been consumed by darkness, numb to love or affection. I was always angry, cold and cruel.

As the strongest vampire after my father, he wanted me to train the warriors myself. But that would mean being surrounded by adoring girls, and I wanted no part of it. So I shut myself away.

When I returned from my mission in Diane's pack without Alpha Kane’s daughter, my father was shocked and furious. The mission seemed easy, given my abilities. But I had failed.

I had to lie to cover everything up, knowing full well it was all ruined because my cold heart found the girl that melted it, and she was a werewolf. I had fallen for her before I even realized it. And as if the moon goddess were mocking me, she turned out to be my mate.

There was only one place I felt at peace, and it was everywhere around Diane. Hearing her voice was like a soothing medicine to my restless soul.

She wanted to train to duel Zena and I couldn't even reject her offer, but instead here I was heading to get enrolled as one of the teachers.

As I approached the school building, I felt every eye on me—staring in shock. Students scrubbed their eyes in disbelief. Even the teachers bowed in stunned silence.

What is he doing here?

Has he changed his mind?

God, I hope so…

These were the murmurs as they paused their training.

I ignored their whispers and made my way toward the principal’s office, hands clasped behind my back.

No one knew it yet, but I had finally agreed to become a trainer. And it was all because of Diane.

She was the sole reason I changed my mind.