18

***ISBERLT.***

"Be careful,"

Rio says with a stroke on my back as we both stands before the Alpha King's room, and I nod with a smile on my face, before turning back to the door.

"You may come in,"

His voice comes through seconds later, and Rio gives me one more smile before walking through the hallway we both came from; his frame disappearing within seconds, and leaving me with sweaty palms, and a trembling body as I analyze the last moments I saw this man.

It was very ugly, because I transgressed him, and for the sake of myself— I hope he doesn't say anything that will make me snap.

Wrapping my fingers around the doorknob, the metal felt cold against my skin— I push the door open, and take in a low whiff to calm down my racing heart before stepping through the door, and closing it behind me.

I stand there, suddenly paralysed as I take in the Alpha King's form that stands meters away from me, his back turned to me, and his head bowed in concentration.

"Alpha," I stop my sentence midway when the image of him telling me not to call him Alpha King as others do runs through my head, and I bite down on my lips, before bowing, and saying, "Master. " I raise my head to see him still behind the desk, no acknowledgement of me.

With no response from him, I stand there, and take in his room, unconsciously.

He must love black a lot.

Black sheets. Black chairs. Black closet, with the black nightstand hanging by the side.

Practically everything in here is black. Except for the bright light that elucidates from the chandelier that reclines off his ceiling.

"I see you're awake, and well. "

His voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and I flinch when my gaze takes in his form before me— my brain registering on the fact that he's exceedingly near to me. Too near if you ask me.

His now grey eyes sweep over my body, taking my figure in, and making me feel so insignificant under his harsh gaze as his eyes move from my dress to the collar that rests against my neck, then to the skin right above that collar— conceivably inspecting my bandage.

"I am," I take in a subtle breath to calm down my racing heart as I meet his gaze, and say, "I am, master. "

He watches me for a few seconds— saying nothing, but just drinking me in— before he switches in his stand, and start to move around me in a circular motion with his arms crossed behind him.

"Do you have any idea the feud you caused last two nights? "He questions, and I swallow the lump in my throat at those words.

The dispute I caused? If I can remember clearly; wasn't I the victim?

"You pissed off an Alpha, Isberlt. " There's an edge to his tone at the end of his words of my name rolling off his tongue, and I try not to think much into it as I bow my head, and clutch my dress in my hands.

"I wouldn't have if she hadn't insulted my family. "

I tell him, and he stops behind me; the heat radiating off his body swirling around mine, and trapping me in my stand.

"And what achievement have you gotten from reacting to her words? She outraged your name, and you retaliated. Yet, you're the one who suffered?"

Does he know about what she did?

I feel him take one step closer, and my heart races a bit for a very weird reason when I feel the thin fabric of his shirt brush against the length of my arm that's bared from the dress.

"She's the Alpha's daughter, Isberlt. And you are a slave. A rogue that's been taken as a slave, and as a betrayer to her kind. What makes you think anyone would listen to your voice over hers?"

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆— 𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏.

So he did know. He knew I was speaking the truth about Rita, but chose to believe her over me instead, and have me penalized for something that wasn't my fault.

𝑨 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅.

The real reason I'm here.

Turning back swiftly, I bump into his chest with a low gasp, my head falling against his chest, and I can feel the echoes from the pounding of my heart through my ear.

I grab a fistful of my dress as I slowly raise my head to meet his gaze, and I gulp down the anxiety that flows through my body when I suddenly remain paralyzed in that position— hypnotized by the vigour of his gaze.

"Move back, wolf."

He growls, startling me, and I almost lose my stand as I sprint backwards— cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

What the fuck is that about?

"You do not intrude my personal space, do you understand me?"

He says, his tone harsher with anger dripping off his voice as nothing but resentment, and hatred dances through his orbs, and I feel my anger bubbling inside me; my hands clenching into fists by my sides.

𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆? Is he fucking kidding me? He is the one who moved up behind me.

"You stand no less than two feet away, do you understand me, Slave?" He enunciates again, and I bite down on my tongue to stop the string of cusses just at the tip of my tongue, begging to be vent with the bitterness percolating through my veins.

Stay calm, Isberlt. Stay calm. We shouldn't get into any further trouble.

We are here to find out about the lost wolves. Not create more troubles.

"Yes, Master. " I let out as I take one step forward, my hand folded before me. "I will like to make a request. " I lift my eyes to meet his before saying, "I will like to see the wolves the Sera was used on. "

A muscle ticks in his jaw at the words that fall off my lips, and he cocks his brows at me before saying, "Why will you want to see them? And what makes you think you have the right to make such a request?"

"I don't know if you will believe me or not. Scratch that— I know you won't believe me, but I will still say it anyway," When he gives no response, I continue, "I didn't know about the wolves. Yes, I was working with the company, but I had zero knowledge about what was going on, until hours ago. I might have somehow got them into danger, but I didn't know about it, and I'll like to see them. Try to help at least. "

I lift my gaze to meet his again, and he scoffs, before moving from his stand, towards his desk. "So you mean to tell me that you had nothing to do with the Sera? Do you mean to tell me you knew nothing about the Sera? And how it was to be used?" He shakes his head as he flips through some papers on the desk.

"I didn't. " I respond, and when he turns back to meet my gaze; fear creeps through my body at his darkened eyes.

"Do not fuck with me, Slave. You will not mention the wolves, and you will not be seeing them. Do you understand me?"

"But I want to help!" I snap, the switch to my control flipping. Wrong choice of words.

No longer had the words leave my mouth, before I can take another blink— he has me pinned against the wall with his claws digging into my skin; not enough to draw blood, but enough to cut my breathing short.

"You will not mention the wolves again. Do. You. Understand. Me?" He growls, claws digging deeper, and grip going tighter.

I nod, unable to form coherent words, and he clenches my neck tighter for a few seconds before letting go, and stepping backwards.

I let out a gasp as I fall back against the wall, my hand going to my neck, and fingers swiping over the skin, feeling the soaked bandage up the collar.

"Out. "

He orders coldly, turning back towards his desk, and I grit my teeth before storming towards the door, my hand wrapping around the doorknob, only to be pushed from the outside before I can pull it.

Katniss stands before me in her so ever-elegant dress, her breast spilling out of the dress, and a smile gracing over her lips.

Ignoring her presence, I make my way out of the room, and storm towards the end of the hallway with my hand clutched against my neck— black dots appearing in my vision, and my feet wobbly.

I shouldn't interfere, right? Well, I don't give a shit about what he says.

I'm going to set things right. Whether he wants it or not, cause there's no way in hell they are getting anywhere without me.

"Fuck,"

I groan as I stop in my stand, resting against the wall with my vision blurring, and the world closing up on me.

"Shit,"

I whisper, feeling myself slip away; landing against a rock of muscled chest with strong arms wrapping around me.

And I let the darkness in.

***
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