Chapter 27 Let's Make A Deal

Regina’s POV
…Did I want to know?
Did he even need to ask?!
“YES!”
I cried, half-anxious and half-excited, and grabbed Hover’s hand urgently, “How is he? How is Gray? Tell me!”
I could still remember the way Gray looked at me when we last saw each other, the way his back gradually disappeared into the distance when he left for the border.
We hadn’t had time to talk about that kiss yet.
If I knew that it was my last chance, I wouldn’t agree to wait for him to come back to talk.
Hover smiled faintly, “He is fine. Alpha Gray is still at the border. But I think that he has heard about the news of you missing.”
“Then has he tried looking for me?” I asked eagerly.
“No. Your mother let everyone believe that you eloped with Nigel.”
…Connie.
I clenched my fists angrily.
I knew that she was behind that kidnap!
I didn’t know why yet but apparently he wanted me gone.
“Even so, Gray will come and find me.” I said firmly, “He knew that I had made up my mind to leave Nigel. He would see that there was something wrong.”
I had faith in Gray.
Hover seemed less optimistic than me, “But your brother is facing a major crisis himself. Between you and me, there are several smaller packs coming together right now and they are planning on overthrowing the reign of Ever Moon Pack.”
…What?
I rounded my eyes in shock.
“Y—You are kidding, right?” I stuttered, “Ever Moon Pack has ruled for decades! Gray is a powerful Alpha! Nobody can do this.”
“Sure, maybe not one pack. But what about 5 packs, 10 packs, or even 20 packs working together? Does Ever Moon really stand a chance against that?”
A chill was sent down my spine.
So there was a coup.
I needed to alert Gray about this!
I shot up from the ground abruptly but Hover caught my hand the next second.
“What do you think you are doing?” he snapped.
“You said there is a coup! I need to tell Gray—”
“SIT!” Hover stood up as well and snarled, “I told you that to be nice. Don’t make me regret my decision! You won’t be able to escape under my watch. I thought we had made that clear!”
I bit my lips, my body quivering, “Then I am supposed to pretend that I know nothing? I—I can’t. And I certainly won’t let that son of a bitch Nigel touch me…”
Hover let out a long sigh.
He reached into his pocket and took something out.
It was a dagger.
“Use your best judgment with this,” he said briefly.
I was stunned.
He was giving me a weapon…Did that mean that I could stab Nigel with this?
I stuttered, “…I thought Alpha Torres asked you to—”
“He asked me to watch over you. As long as you are still in Nigel’s house, my job is done,” he said impatiently. “There is a war coming in Ever Moon Pack. You won’t be safe even if you go back. So stay here, behave, and I will protect you.”
I looked at the dagger and then backed at him, “…Thank you, Hover.”
There was a fleeting smile on his lips.
“I hate men who force themselves on women.” he said, “So I guess giving you this is good on my conscious as well.”
He turned to leave.
I quietly followed behind his back.
By the time we got back, Nigel had woken up from his slumber and was pacing back and forth in front of the house.
“REGINA!!” He roared as he strode forward and pointed a finger at me, “You vicious, fucking bitch—”
“You tried to rape me, Nigel,” I said coldly.
“I tried to have sex with my wife!” he growled and jerked around to Hover, “Why isn’t she tied? Tied this fucking bitch up right now—”
Melany cried behind his back, “Yeah! Tie her up and let us teach her a lesson!”
Hover narrowed his eyes, “I don’t take orders from you, Nigel.”
Nigel gritted his teeth, “Fine. If you won’t do it, I fucking will!”
He reached a hand to grab my shoulder.
I instantly drew that dagger and held it to him, “STOP!”
Nigel froze. Melany sucked in a sharp gasp.
I gulped and tried to keep my voice steady, “From now on, I will sleep with that dagger under my pillow. If you force me again, I will fucking gut your belly and chop your dick off. I swear.”
Nigel and Melany stared closely at my dagger, looking afraid.
“…You won’t. You don’t know how to work with a dagger,” Nigel hissed.
“Try me. I fucking strangled you with my legs. Surely I can pull this off.” I tightened my grip on the hilt.
Nigel cast a quick look at Hover and gritted, “Aren’t you going to do something about this, Hover?”
Hover crossed his arms and watched us with cold eyes, “No.”
“But Alpha Torres—”
Hover stepped forward and looked down at Nigel icily, “I am well aware of what Alpha Torres said. Yes, I ought to watch over Princess Regina. But if you push too hard and she fights back and gets herself hurt under your roof, none of you will get out of this alive. Let’s all agree that a princess’s life is more valuable than yours.”
Nigel’s jaw tightened. He looked furious. But he had to agree with Hover on this.
Amidst the tension, I spoke up freezingly, “Let’s meet halfway here.”
Nigel looked at me, alerted, “How?”
“You stop forcing me and treat me with the respect that I deserve, and I will consider…”
I paused, disgusted by what I was about to say, “…I will consider giving you a second chance.”
Nigel held his breath, his eyes rounded.
“For real?” he gasped.
“Yes.” I said, “But only if you woo me this time. If you prove yourself to be a decent man, I might get back with you and even give birth to your children. But you have to allow me to make this decision by myself! With time.”
Nigel looked reluctant.
I knew what he was thinking. Wining my heart again took time. It was way more time-consuming than forcing me to bed.
What a disgusting jerk.
So I dropped the final bomb, “If you don’t agree, I will go to Alpha Torres and tell him that I’d rather give birth to another man’s child!”
Nigel looked horrified, “No! You wouldn’t!”
“Yes, I will.” I snapped, “Alpha Torres just needs a baby, right? As long as I am the mother, it doesn’t matter who the father is! I think even Hover is better than you!”
From a peripheral look, I saw Hover snapped his head up and looked at me in shock.
But I ignored him.
It was just something I said to enrage Nigel.
Nigel balled his fists in fury. And after a long moment of pondering, he snarled, “…Fine. If that is what you want!”
“You are not using the right tone.”
Nigel’s face twisted.
He worked with his facial muscles and finally forced out a fake smile, “Regina, do you want to head inside and take a long, soothing bath? I will draw that bath personally for you.”
“Now we are talking.”
I put away my dagger and marched to the front door.
I lied.
I would never consider getting back with Nigel again. I just needed to buy myself more time.
Escaping proved to be a dead-end street now that Hover was staying in the house with us. I needed to figure out an alternative approach.
The proposal that I made would keep Nigel’s hands off me for a while.
I just hoped that I could get in touch with Gray before Nigel lost his patience again.
I needed to alert Gray about the coup.
…Where were you, Gray?
It had been almost a week since I went missing.
Did you really give up on looking for me already?