Little Penny

| • Penelope’s POV

Glad there was no one around to hear the words I had just uttered from my lips.

A slave? Much less to the enemy who had pointed a sword to my neck?

And my answer? I couldn’t care less. 

Even if it means earning a scowl for my father, who had loved me a little too much all these, I didn’t mind. He would come to realize later that this was the reward I was giving him—for taking care of my life.

An Alpha’s daughter submitting herself—not as a wife, but a slave—to the king of all living thing in Lycos.

I was intimidated. I felt myself crumbling like wet sand, no matter how hard I tried to hold his gaze. It was as though he could see every corner of my soul through those bottomless golden eyes, that looked like molten lava.

It made my skin crawl to the point I tasted bile in my throat.

But I bit down on my tongue, restraining myself from doing something foolish—because the power this man held made the lords of the Dukedom look like playacting boys.

“A slave?” He repeated, voice laced with mockery before laughing—cold and amused. “Gideon, can you hear this little girl? She wants to be my slave.” 

Their laughter stung worse than the words. It chipped at me, hard enough to make my eyes burn.

I had mustered all this courage. Was it all going to be for nau—

“Tell me, Penelope Ernaut. What exactly can you offer me as my slave?” 

I choked on my own saliva as his voice breathed coldly into my ears, that’s when I realized—he had closed the space between us.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I tried not to look scared, but judging from the way his lips curled into a loathing smirk, I knew he had caught that whiff of fear.

‘He could kill you with one breath, Penny.’ My wolf whispered, as if she were afraid the Lycan King could hear her.

I ignored her. How could I nudge her into silence when a bigger predator was already hanging my neck on a stake?

I forced a slow breath, searching for the words—and when they finally came to me, my eyes gleamed. I parted my lips and spoke.

“I will serve your PERSONALLY.” I enunciated every letter, delivering my intentions right where I wanted. 

There was a spark in his eyes, and I knew I had struck a nerve, but then his smirk widened—just as it dropped.

He was planning something. That alone made me frown.

Did I perharps say the wrong thing.

“PENELOPE ERNAUT!” my father roared and I jerked my head toward him in surprise. He had never called me out like that before. 

“What in the madness do you think you are doing?! If you refused to save yourself by fleeing, why throw yourself into death’s arm?!” 

His voice boomed with fury, but beneath I could feel the tremors of hurt in his voice. 

He tried to sound stern, to look intimidating—but his soft, watery eyes gave him away. He couldn’t understand that I would never allow him to leave me again in this life.

My eyes hardened. It took only a mere moment to drag the tip of a soldier’s sword to my own neck. Blood trickled down as I stared resolutely at my father.

“Do you prefer I die right now?” I asked coldly.

He struggled against his constraint, fear burning in his eyes as he stared at the thin trail of blood. 

“Because it’s either my life—or your decision to allow me do whatever I choose. Your choice father.” 

My voice was devoid of want. Heavy and cold. Equal in weight to the silence that followed after.

He stared at me in disbelief. I tightened my grip on the blade, ignoring the burning sting trailing down my spine.

“You—” His voice broke with emotion before he closed his eyes and turned away. “Since you are hell-bent on dying, then go ahead and do what you want. If you won’t die now, then you would definitely die later.”

He returned equal fervor as if he was cutting ties with me, and as if to prove that he was, he added:

“From this moment on, you are not my daughter.”

My eyes widened. I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces, but apart from hurt and pain, all I felt was relief.

My eyes softened and a smile curved at the corner of my lips.

“Then so be it,” I murmured, “I am glad I was your daughter—even for a time, Duke Ernaut.” 

He didnt’ even look at me as if shutting me out completely.

I turned my gaze to the man of the moment—the King which I loathed. That took everything away from me, because he lacked a proper investigation.

He stared back at me, confused at first, then parted his lips and spoke with firm authority. “You are willing to give up all this and become a petty slave?”

I scoffed, “What is a title, riches and luxury—when we all die?” 

He clicked his tongue and stared at me, long and hard, all of a sudden the friction between us became tense, and I found myself trembling under his cold, unreadable gaze.

What was he thinking? Was he finally going to stop all this small talk and give us all a swift death? Did everything i said fail to move him?

Ba-thump. 

My heart pounded violently.

“Your Majesty—” 

“Halt, Gideon,” He ordered, voice thick and raspy, his eyes dragged from my face down to my cleavage. My face burned and I really wanted to shrink back but I bit down on my lower lip and held my ground.

This was the only way to survive.

“But my king—”

“We shall take her in as a slave.”

His voice rang out, loud and thunderous befitting the king he was. “From this day forth, Penelope Ernaut belongs to me—the King. And since I am a merciful king, her family shall be spared—but will be monitored strictly.” 

Wolves bowed to his command.

While my head remained bowed, but I could not stop the immense joy rising in my heart. A victorious smile curled at my lips as I breathed heavily.

My family was saved!

“But my king, she is a stain to your throne.”

“Please rethink your decision, Your Majesty.”

My eyes widened as the objections rang out one by one. What was so wrong with having a slave—especially one of noble blood? 

I waited silently for the King’s final decision.

“Your Majesty—”

“One more word from the lot of you,” he growled, “and I shall rethink the heads that connects to your bodies.” 

The whole place went silent. The servants whimpered, sweat trickling down their brows.

“And you...” His voice softened. I looked up, startled, meeting his gaze. “Your wish has been granted...” I sighed in relief, but then he dropped the bomb on me, “You will earn it.”

I blinked.

Earn what?

“Take her,” he ordered Gideon, without giving me a chance to say even a word of agreement.

Gideon seized my arm and slapped a thick silver chain around my wrist, I hisssed at the pain but didn’t falter. I kept my eyes on the king.

Then his words slithered out like a drug, “We are going to have lots of fun, little penny.”