ELLA'S POV
I lay quietly on the bed even as I hear the sound of footsteps and the creaking of the door as it is opens from the other side.

My body feels tired and drained.
After failing to figure out a safe way to escape Ethan's Palace last night, I decided to rest and forget everything for a little while. But for no reason, I began feeling this painful ache in my heart. The intensity of the ache had been so unbearable, that my whole body had contorted in anguish as tears streamed down my face. I would have concluded it was my scars that were hurting but it was a familiar pain, one that I had experienced before, like when Princess Hellen spent time with my mates, but this time it had hurt much more. She must have been enjoying herself with them now that they had gotten rid of me. But why would I be feeling the pain now, when our bond had long been broken?
Curling into a tight ball, I endured the torment, counting the seconds until the agony finally subsided in the early hours of the morning. The physical pain may have faded, but the emotional scars are there. I hate them so much.
"Wake up, Alpha Ethan wants to see you." I hear June's voice and paddling of feet and I roll over.
I sigh and open one eye, hissing at the bright light that is streaming through the window she has just opened.
I let out a groan and rub my eyes. I may not be thrilled about being confined to this room all day, but the thought of facing Alpha Ethan once more is daunting, especially since I haven't yet figured out a safe way to decline his request.

I look around to see June standing at the foot of my bed in all white, the typical uniform for all servants here from what I have seen.
"Quickly freshen up, we can't keep the alpha waiting." She orders.
I roll my eyes and get up.
After taking a quick bath with June's assistance due to my injured hand, she guides me back to the same room where I first met Alpha Ethan. I have already formulated a plan. I will play along with his scheme to send me back to Goldcrest to retrieve the crown, but once I am outside the palace walls, I will definitely find means to escape.

As we enter my gaze lands on alpha Ethan, seated in one of the chairs. However, my eyes widen when I see the man opposite him.
Sir William!
He appears to be whispering something to alpha Ethan but stops when he notices us, he flashes me a tight smile as our eyes meet.
Alpha Ethan shifts his focus to us and instructs June to leave us.
"You don't appear pleased, despite my efforts to provide you with every luxury you desire," alpha Ethan remarks with a snort. "Is there something that is not to your liking?"
He is concerned about my comfort? Why is he pretending to be nice when he really has other intentions? Why is he acting like I am in his palace willingly?
"Forgive me, if I am not easily impressed with your display of wealth, your majesty. My admiration is reserved for those with depth honor in their character, unfortunately you lack that." I boldly answer and to my surprise, he smiles, not seeming offended but rather amused.
"Have a seat." He requests gesturing towards the ornate chairs arranged around the grand table. "William has told me so much about you." he adds and I glance at Sir William, who offers a polite smile. What has he told alpha Ethan? Hopefully nothing that will jeopardize my plan.
I do as Alpha Ethan has asked and take a seat at the head of the table. There is a long pause as he sits watching me.
"I have also been told that your mates rejected you and treated you awfully after you helped them lift the curse." He says with causing me to look up at him in surprise. William told him! Offcourse he did tell him, he was there during the dinner his nieces embarrassed me infront of all their royal guests. There is no point in lying about it. And of course Alpha Ethan can already read from my face that I know what he is talking about.
He seems to be very good at reading and manipulating people.
"Yes, they rejected me." I tell him honestly realizing that my escape plan can not work anymore.
At my admission his lips curl up into a smirk. Is he not upset to realize that I can no longer help him obtain the crown he desires so much?
"I am sorry your mates are such cruel bastards that can't see the value in you. It's okay if they don't like you. Not everyone has a good taste." he remarks in a pitious tone, but I am not fooled into thinking he genuinely pities me.
He is no different from my mates who hurt and humiliated me. I am only here with him because he believed he could manipulate me into obtaining the crown for him.
"Then you now understand why I cannot return to Goldcrest," I state, and his expression darkens, I hold my breath.
"The fact that they rejected you is irrelevant now because William has just confirmed to me that their curse has returned, and now they will require your assistance more than ever," he discloses.
What does he mean by this? I turn my gaze to stare at sir William, seeking explanation.
"Apparently Princess Hellen didn't carry out the ritual properly, and now everything has reverted back to square one," William discloses with a smug grin.
Well that's interesting , but it doesn't change my decision to avoid returning to Goldcrest.
"Even if the curse has returned, I refuse to go back there," I assert.
"I anticipated you might say that!" Alpha Ethan responds, his voice soft and deceptively calm.
"William, please leave us," he orders, and Sir William complies, exiting the room while I watch, frozen in place by a mixture of fear and anticipation
What does he plan to do?
"There are people I thought you might be interested in meeting," he remarks with a smirk, just as the door swings open again and two guards drag two women into the room.
"Mother... cara.." I freeze, my heart sinking at the sight of my family, whom I haven't seen for the last five years. I may still have little love for them, but I never wanted to see any of them again, ever.
My mother's face is contorted with anger while my sister looks like a shadow of the lady she once was. It takes me several seconds to recognize her face without makeup. She looks pale, and her right cheek is swollen, with a massive bruise. Her lower lip is also split in two places, and there is a smear of blood on her chin.
They both give me angry, resentful looks with a silent accusation in their eyes, as if saying, "This is why we sent you away." However, they are unable to speak because their mouths are taped shut.
"No sentimental reunion. How depressing!" Alpha Ethan sneers, loudly and I turn to stare back at him, my heart pounding heavily in my chest. This had nothing to do with my family, he shouldn't be dragging them into this!
I should have expected him to pull this evil card. Just like my ex-mates he will do anything to get what he wants.
"Take them away," he commands, and the two guards drag my family out again.They don't put up a fight.
"Did you really think I didn't have leverage?" he taunts, approaching me with a confident strides. I fight the urge to flinch as he leans so close. His strong chiseled jaw lightly brush against my cheek. Objectively, he could be considered handsome, but I don’t feel even the slightest tug of attraction towards him. The only thing I feel is fear and disgust.
"If you don't agree to go back to Goldcrest and bring that crown to me. I will make sure that your little poor family will not live to see the next sunrise!" He hisses and I freeze in shock for several seconds.
But should I really endure facing my abusive mates again to protect a family that had disowned me?
My mother and sister are so not the kind of people I would feel honoured to suffer to save.
A plan immediately formulates in my mind.
"I don't care about them. You can do as you please." I snort and Ethan's eyes narrow in surprise.
"I think you're lying?" He argues. "You may not like them, but you wouldn't want me to hurt them because of your defiance, now would you?"
"They disowned me, I don't care about them. Not hard enough to want to suffer in exchange for their safety." I say.
He suddenly grasps my jaw with hard, cruel fingers. Leaning in, he studies me, his dark eyes gleaming coldly. "Do not think for a second that I am joking, princess. I am prepared to do all manner of things to get that crown." He warns.
Seems like the man has no compunction about hurting anyone. The bruises on my sister's face are a prove enough that he really wants the crown, and he is willing to hurt me or my family for it.
I swallow hard to suppress the rising bile in my throat. Damn bastard!