CLAUDIA Getting to the packhouse, I stormed to Annette's chamber and threw a heavy kick on her door. “Open the bloody door, Annette!” I banged on her door with my hands. “Claudia, please take it easy,” Clarence said, but I didn’t listen to him. Only I knew how hurt and angry I was. I could feel the wild in me arise in great rage. “Annette, if you don’t…” I stopped yelling when her door finally gave way. She was about to talk when I grabbed her freely loosed her and pulled her out of her chamber. I dragged her out and let go of her with great force that she fell to the ground very hard. “What the bloody hell!” She barked and sprang to her feet. Before I could do anything, she threw a very hot slap on my face, and I staggered backward, holding my chin in pain. “How dare you lay your filthy hands on me!” She yelled again, and Clarence moved closer to us. “Can you two please calm down?” He asked, and I shook my head. “Not until I vent all my anger on her. She killed my father, Clarenc

CLAUDIAI held mother’s hand and pulled her back to the site nervously. ‘What could have gone wrong this time? Why are the king’s officials invading the place all of a sudden?’ As we got back to the site, I saw the men in uniform jump down their horses. All the youths were standing in front of the house, waiting to hear the news these man had brought. I slowed down and stopped walking, also waiting to hear what Alpha Everett was planning this time. “Who is Thorsten?!” One of the men on uniform asked, and my gaze narrowed at them almost immediately. ‘Thorsten? What do they want from Thorsten?’ I stared at Thorsten from where he stood among the other youths, and I watched him step out. I wanted to interfere, but I kept my cool. I needed to know the reason they were after him first. Immediately he got in front of the official that had called him out, the King’s official lifted his hand in the air and threw a large slap on his face. “Ahh.” I gasped in awe, and so did everyone that wa

CLAUDIAAfter Everett walked out, Nellie walked into the chamber and locked the door. She looked at me with a bright smile. I furrowed my brows and watched her approach me. “Why are you smiling?” I asked, and she sat on the bed. “Didn’t you notice something is off about the King? I don’t mean off in a bad way, but a good way. He seems…” She paused to find the right word to use. “Nice?” I asked, and she hurriedly bounced her head. “Yes! That is it. He is nice, and he even smiles freely now,” She added, and I chuckled. “I noticed it too, and I am as shocked as you are, Nellie. I don’t know what they had fed him on the business trip he went. He must have eaten something strange,” I said, and she broke into laughter. “I wouldn’t mind eating something strange too. I love how happy he is now. He even brought you gifts.” Nellie looked at the bags in front of the closet, and I heaved a sigh. “I still find it hard to trust what he is doing. No matter how hard he tries to be nice, it doesn’t

CLAUDIA “Can… can you please excuse me? I need to use the toilet,” I mumbled as he hugged me, and I felt his grip around my back loosen. He bounced his head and looked at my teary face. “Don’t stay long. We are yet to eat,” He said and cleaned my tears off my face with his hand. I nodded and turned to leave. I lowered my head and hurried out of the sitting room. I could feel everyone stare at me as I headed out. I got to the corridor, and I began to run. I headed for my chamber. The guards at the door opened the door when they saw me approaching, so I ran right into the room. They shut the door behind me, and I rested my back on the door. I was panting very hard, and I slowly held my chest, directly on top of where my heart was thumping against it. “What is going on?” I mumbled and grabbed my head. I moved away from the door and dragged my feet on the floor to my bed. I sat on my bed and lowered my head. Many thoughts rushed into my head, and I began to overthink them. ‘Why is he s

CLAUDIA I groaned softly as I turned on whatsoever I laid on. I could feel I wasn’t comfortable even from my sleep. Maybe because my subconscious mind wasn’t at ease, or because I wasn’t laying on a mattress after all. I tried to slowly open my eyes, but I felt my eyelashes were glued together. I could guess it was from my tears last night when I was captured. I rubbed my eyes with my finger and tried opening my eyes the second time. This time, my lashes didn’t feel glued together anymore. I opened my eyes and slowly looked around. I was still in the same place. It was still that same nightmare. I checked where I laid and noticed I was on a wooden bed. The only thing that separated me from the wood was the thick bedspread that was on it. I looked around the room and found out that it was totally empty. Only the bed I laid on was in the room, and it was placed at the center of the room. “Where is this place?” As I looked around, I could remember all that happened last night. A stra