Chapter 46
2451words
"Rise and shine!" I was awakened by the loud knocks on the door.
Looking at my bedside, I found that it's only eight in the morning.
"Why are you here so early?" I asked upon opening the door for Fae but I'm not finished speaking yet when she walked in my house like she owned it. Well, what could I say, we're close friends after all.
"How are you?" she asked, looking back at me while placing a grocery bag on the coffee table.
She then pulled me to sit on the couch beside her. "There's still marks. Does it still hurt?" she worriedly asked.
Fae was holding my arm and looking at my wrist that still had faint chain marks on it. It still burns but the feeling was more emotionally than physically. I could remember everything that happened last night. All those dirty touches and licks which still disgust me until now, and those marks on me were just the best reminder for it.
Faking a smile, I shook my head and replied, "It's already healing. Look, it's already faint and could barely be seen."
"Those fucking bastars!" she angrily cursed.
"Fae!"
"What? They deserved to be cursed after what they did." After saying that, she opened the bag she brought and there I saw ointments and tea.
I couldn't help but smile at her obvious care and concern.
"Let me apply this for you. With your wolf and this, that mark will surely be gone by tomorrow. And drink tea for the meantime instead of coffee so you can have a good night sleep." She continued saying more reminders as she diligently and gently applied the medicine for me.
We were still having small chats when someone knocked again.
"Expecting someone?" Fae asked and I simply shrugged.
Opening the door, I saw one of the palace warriors.
"Miss Della, the Lycan Prince is asking for your presence at his office."
With my affirmation of going, the warrior left first and Fae suddenly sneaked at me, taking me by surprise. "He's calling you? He won't punish us, would he?"
Fear started to crept on the both of us. I narrowed my eyes and jokingly looked at Fae with accusement. "This is your fault. You're the one who insisted of leaving last night."
Realization hit Fae and she immediately pouted and gave me puppy eyes. She held my hand and said, "Oh, my lovely friend, please save me! What if he whipped me as a punishment? Oh! Oh! But what if…"
"What if…" I waited for her to continue as her voice changed from a hint of panic to mischievousness.
"What if he punished me with sex? Then, don't intervene if that's the case!" She had that huge smile on her face and a spark in her eyes.
I could only amusingly shake my head at her mischievousness.
After changing, we both get in the car that Fae drove with.
While on our way, she suddenly asked while giving me a side glance. "Why didn't you tell Kylian that you're Prince Jackson's sister? That you're actually the Lycan Princess?"
I kept quiet for a while. I guess… I was afraid. Every werewolves had their fated mates especially chosen by the Moon Goddess. It's fate that no one could run away from.
Pushing what we wanted could only cause the both of us to suffer greatly.
I couldn't be with him. We're not fated to be with each other. If he knew that I'm the princess, he's more likely won't let me go even more.
"It doesn't matter. He didn't need to know." I simply replied to her with a small smile.
"But he's already thinking that you're a playgirl because of many misunderstandings."
And that's what I wanted. If he keeps believing that, sooner or later, he'll stop pestering me. I smiled and replied, "It's for the best."
After arriving at the castle, I left Fae to park her car and stay with Haley and Carson who's in the lobby of the castle and went straight to Jackson's office.
I knocked a few times and opened the door only to be greeted by my brother who's fuming mad.
'Okay, now I'm scared,' I thought to myself as I froze after closing the door.
"What were you thinking, Della? Are you still a child? I told you not to leave the castle, didn't I?" he asked one after another as he stood up and slammed his hand over the table, creating a loud banging sound that echoed in the entire room.
"I… calm down first. I was just…"
"Calm down? How can I calm down after knowing what happened? Tell me?!"
'Damn! How can I answer all his questions when he's this mad? I can't even interrupt him.'
"I'm sorry that I worried you. Like I'm saying, I was just…"
"You were just what? Wanted to play to ease your mind from Kylian? Look what that gets you? You even had both my Beta and Steward to help you escape. This is ridiculous!"
Oh no! Haley and Carson… He won't punish them, would he?
"It's just an accident, Jackson. And they're not part of it. I was the one who initiated to sneak out and…"
"An accident that wouldn't have happened if you listened to me!"
That shut me up. He's right. I had no excuse, I brought this to myself.
He walked closer to me, looked me deeply in the eyes, and questioned. "And after what you get through, are you actually letting Margot go? And for what? Because of your cheating bastard husband? Do you still love him and want to get back to him?"
"No… It has nothing to do with Kylian...Just Margot… She's sick. She's already living a hard life as it is…" I tried to explain to him, denying that Kylian was part of the reason as I knew for sure that he'll get mad even more.
"You didn't listen to my order, you sneaked out, and even failed to protect yourself." He pointed out one after another.
When I didn't reply anymore, he called out outside. "Bring Haley and Carson here!"
"Wait no…" I was about to protest but he gave me that deadly scare by his Lycan aura.
"Alpha," Haley and Carson greeted at the same time upon entering the office. All I could do was to look at them apologetically. I disobeyed my brother, and here they were being scolded on my behalf.
"One simple job! I told her to stay in the castle, and what did both of you do? Help her sneak out? My own Beta and the Steward of the Lycan King's Castle, actually help someone disobey me!"
The two of them only lowered their heads, not daring to answer back. I couldn't handle it.
"Look, it's my fault, okay? You don't have to drag them into this. I was being stupid, I know. I am really sorry." I sincerely said. It was true. The moment I was kidnapped and in lack of protecting myself, I regretted that I didn't listen to him.
With the wave of his hand, he dismissed them. Right after they left, he intently looked at me.
Before he could even say anything, I said, "Punish me… I will accept it."
After a while, he let out a sigh.
"Della...did you lose yourself because of love now? Don't forget you're the daughter of Lycan King. How dare they hurt you? Do you know what they did? They asked someone to rape you! And trying to post your video online, she is forcing you to die... How can you forgive him? Do you know how sad father and I would be if you were really hurt? Are you going to abandon your loved ones for him?"
Jackson's voice was calm and flat, but I could see his face flushed slightly with anger. I don't know how to explain. Silence fell among us.
I don't know how long we were deadlocked, but he finally took a deep breath and continued: "The mental illness that can hurt people should be locked up in the hospital, not allowed to meet anyone."
"And you, you must completely sever ties with Kylian. This is an order from Prince Lycan."
The determination in his voice surprised me. It's as if there's no room for argument.
"What?"
"Promise and swear that you'll divorce Kylian, or I'll punish the punishment Haley, Carson, and Fae as they deserve."
"No! It's my fault. Jackson, you can't do this."
I sneaked out on my own accord. I couldn't let them suffer because of me.
Although divoring Kylian was what my plan was about. But hearing him said it suddenly made it feel more true. That it would really happen.
Looking back, my relationship with Kylian had caused a great stir in our lives that brought pain in me, in my friends, and in my family. It was the right thing to do. It's what I must do.
I took a deep breath as I started to swear to leave Kylian. "I, Della Campbell, swear under you and the Moon Goddess that I will sever my ties with…"
"No, wait!" Suddenly, the loud opening of the door interrupted me and I heard the voice of the man that just flashed in my mind.
"Kylian, what are you doing here?" I was surprised.
Kylian gave me a quick glance before bowing to Jackson and looking at him with determination. "Your Highness, I don't know what reason you used to force my Luna to swear to divorce me. But I know, I won't agree."
When I opened my mouth in shock, he gave me a look with his pupils full of anger and...jealousy?
What？Did he hear our conversation just now? Or was he more determined that I wanted to be Lycan Prince's Luna?
"I'll hand over Margot. I am willing to hand her over to you so she can accept the punishment she deserves for what she did." he continued.
Looks like I'm not the only one confused. Jackson narrowed his eyes, as if reading Kylian's mind.
With his eyes on me, he continued, "I can do that… But I can never let anyone take my wife. She's my Luna. My only Luna."
I inhaled deeply. 'She's willing to hand Margot? His sister? He… He's actually… This can't be true…'
Suddenly, Jacson laughed, which took our attention.
"You're handing your sister over? You really want me to believe that?"
Kylian fisted his hand and kept his eyes on Jackson. "What Margot did is unforgivable. She'll have to face the consequence of her actions."
"I heard what you and Della are talking about. I won't divorce her."
In a matter of seconds, Jackson was already in front of Kylian and was already grasping Kylian's collar tightly around his neck.
"You're not her fated mate. You hurt her and made her miserable when you didn't reject that mate of yours and you're telling me that you won't even give her the freedom she deserves?"
"I love her! Fated or Chosen mates… I don't care what kind of mates we are. I love her. She's my wife and my Luna and that's what mattered."
He said he loved me...after he had rejected me.
I think my heart just stopped at this moment. I couldn't even breathe. I was just frozen at my place as I stood on the side, watching them.
"You don't deserve her!" With that, he threw Kylian on the ground, and called the guards outside.
Five men entered and with the wave of his hand, they surrounded Kylian and started beating him.
"J-Jackson, what are you doing?" I finally got my voice.
"Don't get involved in this, Della."
"How can I when you're…" I pointed at the scene in front of me as the five guards continued to beat Kylian… and he didn't even fight back.
This was by no means the style of the bloodthirsty and brutal Alpha Kylian. What's up with him? Why not fight back? Was he already injured?
With a glare from Jackson, I couldn't do anything. After all, he's my brother and he's the prince.
"I want Della to go home with me." Kylian uttered gasps as he took in the hits. He then looked at me and continued, "Go home with me, Della."
I bit the inside of my cheek as I saw bruises formed on his extremities and blood on the corner of his lips.
"Stop!" I ordered the guards. They looked at me for a while before hesitatingly backed off.
Momentarily staring at Kylian who could hardly stand, I looked at my brother. "Prince Jackson, Alpha Kylian did save my life. If it weren't for him, I would have been violated. Worse, die. On the grounds that he did save me, I want to propose something to you."
I intently looked at my brother. I wanted him to see that I'mn determined, serious, and above all, knew what I was doing.
When he didn't reply, I continued, "I'll stay for a month at Dark Moon Pack to show my gratitude for being saved. However, if I don't change my mind at the end of it…" I looked at Kylian, "then Alpha Kylian must sign our divorce paper without a fight."
"No! I don't agree with that. It's his sister's doing. He needs to save you. He ought to! There's no need for you to compensate him in any way."
"Margot's doing is her doing. What he did is his alone. They're different people. What's wrong should be punished, and what's right should be rewarded. Isn't it? Besides, this would end things faster. At the end of the month, if I don't change my mind, we'll get a divorce."
With determination, I added, "Let's end this drama."
It took a while before Jackson replied, "One month! No later than that. Understand?"
I nodded.
He looked at Kylian and commanded, "For one month she'll stay with you. She better be treated right or else you'll know what to come to you."
Hope immediately flashed in Kylian's eyes. He stood tall and replied, "You don't have to tell me that. She's my Luna. In one month, I'll make sure that she'll stay as one for the rest of our lives."
"Remember what you just said, Della. You'll give me one month to change your mind. I'll make you stay." Kylian looked at me and smiled as he looked me in the eye with determination.
It's only a month. I think both of us deserve it. But changing my mind would surely not be that easy.
No… In fact, it would be close to impossible.
