Six

Caralyn is in Riccardo’s arms, too tired to move.

She feels different types of guilt for liking the warmth his body emanates. It hasn’t even been up to a month since her mate died, and here she is under a man, as her last resort. She pitied herself for what her life had been reduced to.

She had been terrified to go back while everyone was looking for her, and the looming rage fit makes her want to stay so he could do what he did the other day, so she doesn’t have to suffer. A part of her wishes it never comes again, though, that perhaps Riccardo had gotten rid of it all that first time he sucked it out of her.

He must have noticed her reluctance, and she was surprised when he gestured for her to stay.

The sheets that bore evidence of her being made into a woman have been changed. It is now in the laundry basket.

That scares her, though. Their servants will be the ones who end up washing it, and that may induce questions concerning whose blood was on it. But for now, she does not want to worry about that.

She is too shy to even look him in the eye after what they did. She knows his eyes were on her, which is why she has her head on his chest, a position that will prevent their eyes from meeting.

He didn’t complain.

The clock struck ten, and that is when she started feeling it. It starts with a sudden chill, and her body goes cold. She swiftly turns to the other side, and Riccardo’s hands drop from her naked body.

Her palms ball into fists, and her body starts shaking violently. He didn’t hesitate. He raises his upper body from the bed, uses a hand to maneuver her so she is facing him again, then he places his hand against the side of her face.

Her voice drops into a whisper. “My Lord.”

She gasps as she feels the sudden rage rushing out of her. From the tip of her hair to the sole of her feet, she can feel things escaping from her. The feeling is both mysterious and scary at the same time.

When he is done, he drops on his back, and her eyes move to him.

“How-” she starts, but pauses when his face turns to the side, and his eyes meet hers.

There is no warmth in them; his gaze looks very cold. He sits up and starts putting on his clothes.

“Leave.”

One word that should have broken her heart but didn’t. She isn’t surprised, it’s not like there is anything between them relationship-wise. If anything, she believes she is the one who has used him. But she does not want to go out at that moment.

“Please, can I just-”

His eyes snap to her; the fierceness of his orbs makes the sentence die in her throat.

“Get out!” he commands with an icy expression.

She swallows and turns from him. She sits up, holding the covers to her chest as her eyes frantically start searching for her scattered clothes. Her eyes blur with tears as she dresses up, but she doesn’t let any of it fall, blinking rapidly while her heart stings like a salted wound.

She wasn’t expecting anything from him, but that didn’t mean she had expected him to shout that kind of order at her.

When she is done, she starts making her way out of his room, not looking back. She steps over the threshold and shuts the door behind her. Every step she takes makes her feel strange sensations in her lower region, and her legs are still shaking slightly.

She feels all kinds of embarrassed when she passes a guard. She knows they might not even know what had happened, but it doesn’t help that she feels naked in front of them.

She stops at the general entrance door, hesitating. She wonders how she will explain when she returns to the house with no rage fit when it’s that hour of the night. There is no excuse she can think of at that moment.

 “Your Highness.”

She jumps at the voice and turns around swiftly.

It was Alessio, Riccardo’s second-in-command. “You can stay in one of the spare rooms if you don’t want to leave now.”

Caralyn does not doubt that he definitely knows that something happened between her and Ricccardo. She gives him a nod, and he leads her to one of the spare rooms.

As soon as she shuts the door behind her, she slides down against it.

The dam becomes weak, cracks, and finally collapses.

The tears rush out of her eyes, and she starts sobbing silently. She feels like she just lost her dignity and gets treated in the most disgraceful way possible. But even in the middle of her breakdown, a part of her is still happy.

She didn’t have to suffer for two hours today. 

Everyone thinks the rage fit only gives her rage and makes her feel powerful, but that is not the case. It does make her feel powerful, but it also gives her pain. Extreme pain that affects and drains her, not only emotionally, but also physically and mentally.

It isn’t a walk in the park for her at all.

 

*

It’s the next day.

Caralyn had lied the previous day that she had locked herself in the tree house when she came back, and her father asked her where she had been. He was skeptical about her reply, but he let it go.

The Brooks were seated around the dining table, having their food. Of course, the table isn’t silent, like Caralyn would have liked it to be. She wondered why they always take meal time as their opportunity to gossip.

“Will you really do it?” Queen Brooks asked with a frown.

Caralyn continues listening to their conversations.

King Brooks scoffed. “Not in a million years. Apologizing to that fat rat in front of my entire court? Riccardo DeSantis  must think of me as a foot rag.”

“So what about the plan?” Princess Dora asked curiously.

“It’s progressing well. He won’t know a thing, not until three days later when his limbs suddenly go completely limp,” King Brooks said with surety.

Caralyn pauses mid-chew, her brows moving into a frown at the revelation.

“He’s right, Mom. There’s nothing to worry about. I was there yesterday too, the incense is burning nicely and strong,” Princess Dora assured the queen with pride.

‘The incense!’ Caralyn isn’t supposed to care, but she can’t help but be concerned. She knows she will have to do something, anything, to take the incense out of Riccardo’s study.

Three days! That is when Supreme Ultima Riccardo is supposed to leave. They are trying to kill the Supreme Ultima, a very stupid resort that will bring destruction upon the Lycan Dominion Pack if it fails.

 

“I do think it’s a waste, though. He’s such a handsome man, full of charisma,” Dora swooned. “Dad, is this really the only solution?” Dora asks with a little fake cry that irritates Caralyn.

“Get rid of your infatuation, Dora. He’s not right for you. You deserve someone better, my princess,” King Brooks says with affection.

Caralyn looks at him with disgust.

Just then, his eyes move to her, and she quickly adjusts her expression.

“You are not allowed to leave this building until your wedding, Caralyn,” he orders.

Caralyn’s face drops. “Why?!” she asked, her tone ruder than she had intended.

“Because I said so!” King Brooks responded in an equal tone.

“The guards will watch you closely, so don’t do anything stupid. Aside from your room and this living room, I don’t want you anywhere else!” the king said with finality.

Caralyn loses her appetite instantly.

Her movement is being restricted, which means she can neither escape to avoid the wedding nor can she save the Supreme Ultima.

Riccardo is going to die!