“There's an Alpha in her room...”

Severo can't sleep because when he closes his eyes, his eyelids burn from the memory of Ken's tears. His words keep ringing in the prince's ears no matter how hard he tries to push it all away. 

How could he be so clueless? All this time Ken was right here offering him all his love and affection and he didn't know. He didn't know how Ken's heart yearned for his. 

The loud ticking of the timepiece on the wall shatters the peace he craves. Severo runs a restless hand through his hair strands and drags it down to his face. There's an unknown sentiment weighing down on his shoulders that is hard not to notice. 

Ken keeps resurfacing in the back of his mind over and over again and he is forced to remember that Ken loves him. Romantically loves him. An unwanted question keeps whispering to his ears, 'Would he fall for him if he hadn't found his mate?'

Even that mere thought is making Severo feel like he is committing a crime that he didn't realize is a crime. Should he be thinking about another Omega when he already had a fated one?

Severo heaves out a sigh as if he reckoned all of his anxiety would fly out of him through its heaviness. 

His eyes wander outside the window, the moon is out, drenching the marble-cladded walls in its silver light. It is beautiful but the prince can't seem to soak it all up. 

He needs to get out of here, maybe some fresh air will do him some favor. 

He fastenes a silk robe around his bare skin before slipping through the door. A cool breeze laced with the scent of roses slithers through the moon-drenched hallways to caress Severo's face in welcome. 

He is about to step onto the balcony when he catches a motion from the corner of his eyes, his head instantly snaps to the side of the hallway where it meets the stairs. And now he can clearly see the silhouette of someone moving to the stairs. 

A flicker of confusion skims through him. Who is wandering through the palace at this hour of the night? The shadow clearly isn't a man's, it is so similar to a woman's. 

Severo squints his eyes at the silhouette, trying to get a clear view. The shadows of the dress she wore is so identical to a Maid's as she deliberately moves to the stairs. Is it a maid? The prince takes a few steps forward, careful enough not to make a slight noise. 

Is that Fanney? The light brown hair that shimmers in the moonlight screams that it's none other than her. 

"Fanney?" Severo calls out her name and it is loud enough that the woman almost falls face-first into the stairs. Against his expectation, she didn't turn around to him or even acknowledge his presence. She just runs. Runs like how a thief would do if they were caught by someone. 

The next moment Severo is running behind her, fast enough that he is in front of her even before she could make it down the stairs. 

"Did you really think you could escape me just like that?" Severo cocks his head to the side, eyes going wide when he meets her red-blood orbs and tear-stained cheeks. She is shaking, her lips trembling as she pleads to the prince, "Please, your Highness, have some mercy on me. It isn't what you think it is. I didn't do anything!" 

Is it what he thinks it is? What is she up to?

"What happened, Fanney?" His deep voice slashes through the cold air and makes her shudder. She takes a few steps back, her back meeting the wall behind her. "Why are you crying?" The prince's voice has a soft touch to it as he stare into her tear-brimming eyes. 

"I'm scared, your Highness—" She shivers, her palm coming up to conceal a terrified sob. "She will kill me— My child—She will kill all of us! I don't know what to do— Please save me, your highness!" She begs him. She falls to her knees but the prince catches her before she can make contact with the marble beneath them. 

Severo's chest tightens at her words and tears. Who is she afraid of? He cannot imagine anyone in the palace being such a threat to her. 

"I cannot save you if you don't tell me anything, Fanney. What happened? Just tell me…" Severo stresses each of his words in hope that she would tell him what happened even though she looks like she is about to faint from the terror. 

"It wasn't my intention to give her away like I did—I just didn't have any other way." Her words are wet with the tears she pours out. 

"Who are you talking about?" 

"Please save, Lady Micah—" The prince's soaring thoughts are shattered by her words, making his eyes go wide. 

"What?— From who?"

"There's an Alpha in her room."