006

AESPIA’S POV

“So far as you can safely bear my child after a year then I'll let you go. I will even help set you up so you can live comfortably in another pack. That is if you don't want to stay here.” He said and I bit my lips as I looked into his deep dark eyes.

Is what he was saying true? I didn't know if I could trust his so-called promise to give me freedom as every man that had appeared in my life with a promise of better days had always ended up giving me hell. Still, I knew I didn't have a say otherwise.

Although I was a bit out of it during the auction, I was able to hear the price he bought me clearly. It wasn't an amount I could hope to ever pay back. At least not in this life.

I sighed in defeat. “I agree.”

His gaze became deeper, twinkling with a predatory light. “Good girl. That will be all for now. I'm sure you might be starving so someone will take you to your new quarters so you can freshen up and come down for dinner.”

“Your highness, can't I…”

He frowned, a hint of displeasure coloring his eyes and I stopped talking, fear gripping me. Was he going to hit me? Did I do anything wrong?

“It's Xyren. When we're alone, call me Xyren.”

I stared at him dumbfounded clearly not expecting the Alpha King to suddenly allow me to call him by his name. Yes it was in private but still….

He clearly didn't care for my reaction as he stood up and then strode out of the room.

I stood for a while there, my mouth still slightly parted in surprise until some servants walked in. They didn't speak much as they directed me to my new room.

*****

Immediately I stepped into the large dining hall, every chatter, conversation and laughter seized. I felt numerous pairs of probing eyes on me as everyone sized me up.

I cringed and shrunk into myself. Normally, before all this happened. Way before things got so bad with Enzo, I was able to face crowds even bigger than this with a steady gait but after having every confidence I had beaten out of me, I felt naked and vulnerable.

None of them were familiar faces and even Xyren who I could at least claim to have had an interaction with was nowhere to be found so it made me even more intimidated.

I looked down at my feet unsure what to do next.

Suddenly a pair of cream colored flats appeared in front of me. A soft hand cupped my chin and raised my head so I was looking into the most beautiful pair of hazel eyes I had ever seen.

The woman before me was breathtaking, every part of her face screaming soft angelic beauty that had me entranced. She giggled and even her tone sounded like music to my ears.

Get a grip on Aespia. This is a woman for goodness sakes.

“Hi there. You must be Aespia right? I'm Cara.” she said softly.

I bit my lip and nodded, my body relaxing undee her kind eyes.

“Nice to meet you Cara.”

“Insolence! How dare you address Luna Cara as such?” A short haired petite woman dressed in the same attire as the servant who took me to freshen up suddenly shouted.

Luna? She was the Luna here? Doesn't that mean that she was married to the Alpha King? Oh no.

Memories of the bad times I had with Dalia immediately popped into my head and I looked at her warily, stepping back a bit.

She turned to glare at the servant. “Hey Georgia, stop scaring her.” She then turned back to me, her gaze softening while her lips curved into a warm smile. “Don't mind Georgia over there, she's too rigid and protective. You can call me Cara. I prefer that anyway since we are going to be close from now on.” She stretched her hand towards me. “Come, let's go have dinner. You must be starving.”

I bit my lip hesitant on whether to trust her but her warm smile eventually pulled me in so I decided to hold her hand.

To say dinner was uncomfortable would be an understatement. First off, Xyren never showed up and Cara said he was at a meeting or something. Cara was sweet to me making me relax but it didn't make the gazes of the servants boring to me any less malicious.

It was like they wanted me dead so I could barely get food down my throat.

Eventually, Cara left first so I decided that I was done.

Thankfully, I had a good memory so I was able to retrace my steps to my room so I didn't have to ask any of those servants for directions.

I stepped into my massive room and made to close the door but I suddenly stumbled forward as I was shoved harshly from behind.

I gasped as I caught myself but before I could straighten up and turn to see my assailant, my vision went dark and a cloth was placed on my face.

My heart rate was through the roof as I struggled but it was of no use as my attackers were clearly more than one.

They easily overpowered me and then I was dragged off in a direction.

The cloth was removed and before I could get my bearings, I was pushed down and I suddenly found myself submerged in water.

I struggled even more fiercely as my lungs were being deprived of oxygen but it was of no use. Just when I had started to see spots and had lost my strength, I was suddenly pulled up.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, I began coughing as my lungs burned. I had barely been able to breath properly before I was shoved into the water again till I almost went under.

I didn't know how long this torture went on for but I knew that by the time I was eventually released, I was out of it. I couldn't move and even breathing was difficult. I couldn't open my eyes either.

Someone suddenly grabbed my hair and I groaned weakly as my scalp tinged with pain.

“Luna Cara asked us to leave this message for you. Don't have ideas you shouldn't have and disappear quietly or the next time, we won't stop until you meet the grim reaper.” With that, the woman released my hair and I heard footsteps receding as they walked away.

I lay there, tired, sore, burning and a step away from death's door, tears trickling down my cheeks as I wondered why I had to have my cruel fate repeated.

And here I naively thought Cara was an angel.

Turns out she was as much a devil as Dalia was, maybe even more.