"Say!" Iron spat, wrapping his hands in the back of her hair to force her to look him in the eyes again “Show that there is still at least a drop of wolf honor left in you and admit that it was you who conspired with the lions! It was you who stood next to my sister at the gates that day and made it easy for our enemies to invade our Kingdom that day! It was you who allowed children to be killed, women to be raped and so many of us to be tortured in their dungeons! You’re the reason Hannah was almost dying in that bed, unable to wake up!"
Deborah even tried to open her mouth to say something, but the shock ended any words she could have formulated, while Iron just continued, his tone increasingly full of hatred and pain.
"Every day, I have to control the urge to tear apart my own skin, to get this off me! And do you really think this last year was enough to punish you? Nothing I can do to you will come close to the pain you made this kingdom feel, Deborah!”
As had happened a year ago, Deborah remained static, just staring at Iron, until the burn flowing from her eyes and staining her face made her part her lips.
“So... That's the reason...?” If he hadn't been so close, she would certainly have collapsed to her knees on the floor “That's why you locked me in this place, made me suffer through rejection and slept with my cousin?”
“Don’t you dare play the victim! The guards told me they saw someone with red hair talking to Hannah before she fell from the guard tower. They saw this person use magic that could only be performed by a follower of the God of Discord! Someone who has no connection with the Goddess... Not even a wolf spirit.” His disdainful tone managed to gnaw at her a little deeper “Maybe that's why the Goddess never allowed you to transform. She knows what kind of person is unworthy of receiving this blessing. And don't you dare keep pretending to cry! I will never allow myself to be fooled by your act of purity again! I've had enough of all the mistakes that the heat of mating forced me to make in your bed, over the last year! Do it! Admit your sin and beg for the mercy that none of those lions showed for your people!”
“I can't admit guilt that I don't have.” Her tears continued to fall, but Deborah kept her voice steady “This pack never treated me like one of you, but it still never even crossed my mind to do something like that. But what's the point in saying I'm innocent, right? You didn't even think to question me about this, before you tried to destroy me from the inside out. In the end, the reason is exactly what I imagined. You never really loved me, not even enough to hesitate for a moment before using me to take out the hate you feel.”
“I never loved you?” One of his fists slammed against the wall, the claws making a loud growl as they pierced the stone “Do you have any idea what would have happened if I had revealed to the pack that it was you who tried to destroy them? Your body would have been torn to pieces slowly, until there was nothing left! You would have been killed and I could only watch...” Gradually, his eyes dropped to her neck, the blood pounding through her veins as Deborah realized what he was thinking.
No! He couldn't kill her! Not there, not after she had regained her will to live, after months of thinking about ending that nightmare herself.
Not now that she had something truly precious to protect.
“Please, Iron...” she found herself begging, as one day she would have begged for the version of Iron that she once loved “Please, no...”
A part of her hadn't expected her desperation to have any effect on him. But little by little, that bloodlust disappeared from his face and, for just an instant, Deborah had the distinct impression that she was looking at her Iron again, the man she wanted to marry and start a family with. The male her body still yearned for and her mating mark burned.
However, in the next second, he released her, so abruptly that she almost fell.
“If what you want is to continue with all of this, then so be it.” He growled, his tone harsh and his eyes cold “From tomorrow onwards, you will become Evangeline’s servant. I'm sure she'll have a lot of fun giving you all the worst tasks possible. And, don’t forget, when I return from my visit to the borders in two days, I hope I don’t hear another word from the maids about you trying to kill yourself without food.” Iron ordered, turning his back to her “That's a death too easy for someone as despicable as you.”
Watching him walk away, Deborah took a moment to catch her breath and keep her head straight, even after everything she had discovered. More than ever, keeping her feet on the ground and thinking clearly was what she needed.
Yes, she would go back to eating and staying healthy from then on. Not for him, but for the wolf who had truly given her a reason to live.
The baby she was carrying in her womb.
“There we are, my dear. But, please, remember, feather steps. It could be the end of both of us, if they catch you here.”Deborah smiled when she heard the kindness in that voice, despite the fear and apprehension. Every time she and her aunt sneaked through the narrow passages hidden between the castle walls, Anastasia was terrified, looking everywhere, as if expecting a guard to emerge from the shadows to chop off their heads at any moment.But even so, she never refused to help Deborah.“It’s okay. You can go back now, Aunt Ana. Even though all the soldiers are a little less alert now because of the change of patrol to accompany the King to the borders, I will be careful, I promise. And fast, too.” She promised, reaching for Anastasia's hand, her heart aching to realize that her aunt's bones seemed more protruding with each passing day “I... I just want to have a quick chat. That’s what always calms me down.”“Oh, my poor girl...” Anastasia sniffed, moving closer so she could hold
“Evangeline?” she felt her blood run cold, her eyes darting between the sharp blade and her cousin's livid expression “What are you doing here? What... What did you want to do with Hannah?” Anger rose in Deborah's voice when she realized why Evangeline could enter her best friend's room with a sharp weapon.“You...” her cousin murmured, barely looking like herself, with that cold, glassy look “You're always trying to get in my way... But, not this time. Thanks to you, I will achieve even more than I expected tonight.”Still with her face empty, Evangeline just remained looking at her for a few seconds, in total silence. When she began to raise the dagger, Deborah feared for herself and for her child, and prepared to try to find a way out of there, even if it was through the window, taking a chance on the ledges outside... However, what Evangeline did was turn the weapon on herself, moving it towards her arm until a cut appeared there, staining the white nightgown she was wearing.Jus
“Wretched witch! I don’t know why we didn’t kill her sooner!”That harsh growl sounded at the same time that Deborah was thrown to the ground, the roughness of the earth and straw from the courtyard in front of the palace tearing her skin through her already filthy dress. That pain, however, seemed almost like a joke after all the punches and kicks she had received while trying to free herself from the restraints on her wrists and legs. Eventually, when a hard punch in her stomach made her cough up blood and fear for her baby, Deborah decided to stay as still as a dead animal.Still, the attacks did not stop. She could feel the bruises and concussions forming on her arms, legs, abdomen and head. Even her scalp was burning in a place where one of the servants had pulled her hair, perhaps even pulling out an entire strand.But even through all the agony, all she could focus on as she lifted her head, the gag still burning the corners of her lips, was Evangeline's tearful expression befo
“Get my mate out of this fire right now!” Iron’s form was visible even on the other side of the heat and flames.“My King…” the guards’ voice trembled “We… We surprised her trying to kill the princess after she attacked Evangeline, so we thought…”“I gave you permission to decide for yourself what her punishment would be?!” Iron snapped “Put out that fire right now! And, whoever is responsible for this, better step forward, if he doesn’t want to be replaced by Deborah on that stake.”“It was... It was Evangeline who gave the order my King.” It seemed that the servant who took so much care of Evangeline was not that loyal, as she responded promptly, cornered.“You bitch...! I told you not to touch her!”“But... Iron...” Evangeline whimpered “She tried to kill me and your sister...”“Then you should have locked her in the room and waited for me! You are not the Queen to make decisions in my place... Put out that fucking fire before I kill every one of you!”“Is the mating bond that stro
“You look so beautiful, Debbie... Isn't it amazing how that dress makes your hair color pop?” Evangeline hummed, and, even though she struggled, Deborah had her chin held and was forced to look at her own reflection in the mirror before them.“You… You really think so?” she swallowed nervously.“Of course! This will be perfect to shut up all those mean girls who are always talking about how this beautiful red is a mark of the God of Discord. Oh, I would give anything to have hair like that too...” Evangeline sighed, running her fingers through her perfectly straight, snow-white hair."Do not say that. Your hair is perfect. How could it not be? It is a symbol of the Moon Goddess.” Deborah turned to face her cousin, intertwining their hands “And, don’t worry. I know that before I was always wetting your shoulder with my tears because of this, but... Iron is always saying that my hair is beautiful, so... I have no reason to cry anymore. Whenever he tells me I'm completely perfect... I fe
The Pack's judgmental look threatened to destabilize her, but Deborah sought comfort in her mate, knowing that none of it would matter, as long as Iron was with her. He had made her happier in that last year than she had ever been in her entire life, after all. Deborah trusted her mate to help her face the challenges of being a queen. The contempt of those wolves was just an obstacle on the path to the happy life they would build together.As the mating ceremony etiquette dictated, Iron turned her toward him, holding her hand in front of all those witnesses, making her chest swell with that warm joy that Deborah could never have imagined would be bestowed upon someone like her, who had not been considered by the Goddess as worthy of having more than one form. However, Iron did not return her smile or appear to notice the caress of her thumb on his palm, when he began to speak.“It is my duty as Alpha, once I have found my fated mate, to stand before the four packs, as your Alpha and
“Your servants have complained that you are not eating again.”Normally, that voice would have made Deborah freeze the fork's path to her mouth. However, that day, she just dipped the meat in the sauce, not even turning around when answering the King.“I appreciate your concerns, but this will no longer happen.” she commented calmly, beginning to chew her dinner, as a menacing growl responded.“For your sake, I hope so.” Iron spoke and finally, from the corner of her eye, Deborah noticed the stern expression on his face, plus the way Evangeline was sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck like snakes around a prey “I don’t remember giving you permission to starve to death.”“As you wish, my King.” She just nodded softly, refocusing solely on the plate in front of her, as Evangeline murmured, her voice sweet as honey.“Should we retire to the bedroom, my King?” Even though she wasn't looking in their direction, Deborah knew that her cousin was moving provocatively on Iron's