Lead the way

Anabelle's POV

With a flick of his wrist, guards appeared from the shadows, moving toward me. I tried to free myself from his grip, but my strength was little compared to his. All I could do was struggle. When the guards finally caught up with me, they grabbed me. I felt a little bit relieved that I was free from his grip.

The realization hit me hard—there was no room for escape.

I was taken into another room. The room was barely illuminated by the candle, and I was dragged into it, the hinges slowly creaking as they shut it.

I fell on the tiled floor, my body trembling with sobs. Tears rolled down my eyes, and I cursed myself over and over again. I cursed my entire existence. Finally, I embraced the warm shoulders of sleep.

My eyes fluttered open, the rays of the sun resting on my eyelids. It was morning. My lips were dry as sandpaper, my head pounding violently, threatening to break my skull.

No sooner had I woken up than the door yanked open, and the maids walked in.

"The Alpha invites you to the dining table," they said in unison.

My eyes narrowed. I wanted to say no, to tell him to shove his words up his ass. On second thought, I swallowed my words. If I dared say those words, my punishment would be increased.

"Can I say no?" I asked politely.

They exchanged glances. I could read between the lines.

"No. He commands your presence," one of the maids said calmly.

With a frustrated sigh, I muttered, "Lead the way."

They took me to the bathroom. I sank into the bathtub, and they brushed my body, the scent of lavender oil filling the air. After they were done, I was dragged calmly to the room. I sat in front of the mirror and caught a glimpse of the woman I had turned into. My eyes were puffy and red, my cheeks red—a result of the late-night tears. It was useless. No amount of crying would save me from him. That, I was sure of.

My hair was tied into a ponytail. After they were done, they excused themselves, leaving me for a while to let my thoughts go wild.

My lips parted, a sigh escaping through them. I dragged my legs downstairs, my chin lifted high. The scent of bacon wafted through the air.

"Who are they?" I asked the maiden beside me, pointing at the women seated close to him.

"Oh. They are his… wives," she replied.

My jaw practically hit the floor.

"Wives?" I asked, still gliding down the stairs.

"Yes. Ever since you left, he got married to as many women as he could, just to keep himself busy."

I left?! When would they get it? I wasn't the runaway Luna. There was a mistake!

Their gazes snapped in my direction, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Nervousness clawed at the edge of my heart, and I felt like I was going to pee on myself. Their gazes bored into my skin, my body crumbling under the intensity.

I walked to the dining table, praying they wouldn't see through my cracked composure.

"I'm glad you acknowledged my invitation, considering how… rough last night was," he teased, spearing the bacon with his fork.

Like he left me a choice.

The ladies laughed in unison, except one. That, I presumed, would be my rival in this kingdom. There were six of them, and they had flawless skin. I sat opposite Ryan.

"Eat," he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

My hand trembled as I reached for the fork. While others ate with delight, I ate with fear. How was I supposed to eat when he watched my every move?

Just then, the question I dreaded the most escaped his lips.

"Why did you run?" he asked, his voice low.

The fork paused midway to my mouth. I tried to ignore him, but anything I did grated on his nerves.

"Leave," he commanded the other women.

They stood immediately, their gowns trailing behind them. I stood on my feet, and he shot me a glare that made me think twice.

I sat down quickly.

"I… I don't know who you speak of," I mumbled, hoping he'd believe me.

His temper flared, his fist slamming on the table. I flinched backward, my heart beating wildly.

"I gave you everything you wanted. What did you do in return?" he asked, his eyes blazing with fury. "You turned me into a laughingstock. You fucking humiliated me!" he thundered, towering over me.

My chest heaved, my face turning pale. For once, I thought he'd lash out and grant me the death I begged for—but he didn't.

He hissed through his clenched teeth.

"Your parents will be arriving soon," he muttered. "And if you keep on with this behavior, I'd have you executed at midnight!"

This was getting worse. How was I going to play this role when I knew nothing about the character?

"W… When?" I asked, my voice filled with fear.

"Three days from now," he replied calmly. He picked the cup, lifted it high in the air, and took a gulp.

Three days?!

Before I could say a word, he stood on his feet, the chair scraping on the floor as he walked out. The dining room felt too small, and it seemed like I was going to pass out, the air too thick to breathe in.

I stood on my feet, the weight of his words pulling me down. I dried my eyes with the edge of my palm. Just then, a thought hit me like a bolt of lightning.

I had to meet the healer. She alone could help me.

I walked out of the room, dragging my feet out of the castle. The gardens were well-trimmed, butterflies gliding freely in the air. I tried to mask the fear simmering beneath my skin with a straight face.

"Where can I find the healer?" I asked one of the maidens.

She stopped trimming the flowers.

"She lives in the woods before the golden lake," the maiden replied. She shifted her attention back to the flowers.

"Can you follow me?" I asked with a forced smile. Obviously, I had no clue where she was talking about.

She gave me a nod, dropping the shears on the floor. Walking to meet the old lady felt like walking around the earth. My heels ached real bad, but I didn't stop.

After what seemed like an eternity, I arrived at her home. Her house was built with mud and shells from the sea. It looked odd, considering the fact that none of the building materials were modernized.

I brushed the thought aside and pushed into the building. The room was dark—too dark for me to even see myself.

"Hello?" I called, my voice trembling. My voice echoed in the room.

I felt goosebumps crawl across my skin, my stomach churning with dread. Something wasn't right. I could tell.

Suddenly, a feminine voice sliced through the air, my breathing hitching.

"I did know Kyle loved sneaking to the old

woman's hut… alone."

I felt my pulse quicken, sweat rolling down my forehead.

It was her. It had to be her.

Selina.