chapter 3

“Fuck!”

I jolted awake, light blinding my eyes and a pounding headache in my temples. My hand reached out to caress my head and block the sunlight.

“What happened?” I asked as pain came from different angles starting from my core.

“I should be asking you that!” Lucas thundered and I squinted to see a cloth tied across his waist and my eyes widened as I noticed that I was in his room with nothing but sheets splayed on my chest. I sat upright and clenched the sheets in my hand.

“What did you do Lucas!?” I screamed and a knock sounded from the door. Lucas and I exchanged glances as we stilled.

“Lucas? Hun, are you okay? Your father and I have to speak with you,” the unmistakable voice of Lucas’ mother called from outside and my eyes widened.

Lucas immediately mouthed words and I quickly sprinted from the bed, the effect of a hangover making me push a vase to the ground shattering it instantly.

“Lucas, we’re coming in!” his father shouted.

“No, don’t!” Lucas responded but it was too late as the door opened and everyone paused in shock as I paused in transit, and Lucas had his hand stretched to help me hide.

“Lucas?” his father asked and I managed to stand on my feet as shame covered me as well as hickeys.

An uncomfortable silence fell on the room and his parents walked in completely while his mother’s eyes continued to look at me before walking towards me and grabbing my chin forcibly.

A gasp rang out of their lips and I shared a look of confusion.

What was going on?

“Why didn’t you tell us?” his father suddenly shouted and Lucas looked white as a ghost.

“You marked her and you were letting her rot in secret when you could have told us? She is not a stranger Lucas, when were you planning on telling us?” his mother broke the ice and my brain spun.

“We were waiting for the right moment..?” I heard myself say and the anger that stemmed off of Lucas somehow felt like brimstone and fire.

“Well, I have to let your parents know and we have to start talking wedding and kids! And to think we wanted to remind you about the ultimatum of finding a bride soon,” his father chuckled and clapped him behind his back.

I was still standing, clutching sheets to my chest when they left. I let out a sigh and turned to face Lucas but he had the nastiest scowl on his face that I had to double back.

“Lucas?” I said and he immediately walked out on me.

Wait. What?

“We will look for another way, I can’t be married to you Jessica,” he coldly said and I winced.

Was I that bad?

“Yes, definitely but why would you mark me?” I suddenly asked, anger sipping into my bones.

He turned and looked at me as though I asked an insane question.

“You seduced me but yet, you ask me why I marked you?” he said as though he couldn’t believe how stupid I was and the question got me annoyed.

“What do you mean by I seduced you? I am asking why you would mark me when I am not your mate. It doesn’t make sense,” I said and he growled.

What was wrong with him?

“You came on to me--”

“And you marked me? Do you realize what you’ve done?” my voice raised as the realization dropped in.

If we went our separate ways, I would be shammed and I would never find my mate. My mother would kill me.

“How could you be so stupid?” I asked him and he walked towards me, his figure towering over me and yet I stood my ground unflinching.

“I saved your rat ass last night and then you seduce me and ask me this morning why I marked you? I think the question should be ‘have you always been a slut?’” he asked and anger welled inside me so much that I landed a slap on his face.

The look he gave me was enough to make me regret my actions.

“Lucas, I’m sorry,” I said, moving forward but he shook his head, his rigid back turned and leaving the room with nothing but the cloth tied on his waist.

Time passed as Lucas’s mother sent clothes for me and maids to help get me dressed up. I was at the end of getting my hair styled when a knock sounded from outside.

Thinking it was Lucas, I rushed from my seat and opened the door to find a guard standing there. A frown descended from my eyebrows as disappointment hit.

“Ma’am your parents are here to see you,” he said and I nodded. I didn’t bother to look at a mirror to know my hair business was finished. I walked behind the guards to where my parents stood, inches away from the palace’s gardens.

My mother saw me and gasped while my father had an air of pride.

I was instantly filled with shame.

“I am so proud of you Jessica!’ my mother yelled and hugged me while my father placed his hands on our shoulders to show his support.

Did she just say proud?

“I know I threatened you with a man but you really outdid yourself. A prince?” she asked still in awe, something we both now shared.

“I remember you telling me that you had a plan, if you had told me you were going to catch and bring me the prince, I could have eased off on you, I could have let you have some peace.”

“I don’t think that was what I meant --”

“Nonsense!” my fathers voice was loud as he spoke.

“Look at us, you have made us proud with your well hidden plan to have the prince,”

“Tell us, how did you do it?” my mother asked and my skin crawled.

“I didn’t, I--”

“She merely expertly seduced me and made me fall for her charm,” I turned swiftly as my eyes met Lucas’s .

My parents bowed swiftly as Lucas came towards us, a drink in hand and a smile that didn’t get to his eyes.

My body grew cold at the realization that he had eavesdropped. My parents smiled at him and he returned it.

“If you will excuse us, we need to find your parents and make arrangements,” my father said and guided my mother away from us.

The moment they were out of ear shot, the air turned cold.

“You betrayed me,” Lucas coldly said and downed his drink.

“Lucas, no. I swear---”

“I am going to make your life miserable and that is a promise,” he said and walked out on me immediately.

Something inside me broke as nausea rushed from my stomach. I quickly found a bathroom where I emptied my stomach.

The more I thought about the way Lucas looked at me with hatred, the more I puked.

I finally finished and began washing my hands in the sink when I noticed my fingers, my eyes met my reflection in the mirror as I confirmed the worst of the worst.

No, it couldn’t be..

I was pregnant.