30!

BRIANNA

I stood in shock , unable to understand what just happened. Why Liam is acting the way he is and what exactly is going on.

“What was that?” I asked Trish and Layla, demonstrating with my hands.

“If I didn't know better, I would think he is trying to prove something to someone,” Trish said.

“Prove something?” I asked, looking confused.

“What the hell does he need to prove?” Layla asked.

We all sighed, each other deep in our thoughts. The door suddenly opened, Duchess Mikeal walked in.

“Your grace, the man who poisoned you has been caught,” she said and we all walked after her.

We got outside of the castle and met a bonfire. “What happened?” I asked.

“The man is being burnt alive,” she said and I gasped.

I rushed towards the bonfire but Trish stopped me before I could use my magic.

“No, Bri,” she held my hands, “you can't. There is nothing you can do for him right now,” she said.

As I walked away from the bonfire, I stopped beside Liam, “what the hell is this?” I asked him, hitting his chest.

“What the hell?!” I kept hitting him and screaming.

“You need to behave yourself,” he said to me firmly but I didn't want to hear any of it.

“Why will you let something like this happen?” I asked in tears. This man might have tried to kill me but that doesn't mean he deserves this kind of death.

“He tried to kill the future Luna, your grace,” Duke Mikeal said, “he deserves far worst,”

“No one deserves to die like that,” I said to him.

“That's your compassion speaking,” He said to me. “But you will need to get it out of you, if you want to be a great Luna,” he said and walked away.

“A great Luna,” I scoffed, “are you serious?” I asked him. He stopped and turned to me.

“Yes, I am. That is something my daughter would understand but then she isn't betrothed to the future King,” he said, bowing down.

“That's right. I am,” I said firmly and he walked away.

“How could you let this happen?” I asked Liam.

He tried walking away but I stopped him, “I'm speaking to you!” My voice shocked the ground in which we stood.

“Leave us,” he said and everyone walked away immediately.

“You can't do that,” he said when everyone left our midst.

“Do what? Ask questions that clearly need answers,” I said, pointing at the man's dead body.

“He tried to kill you, why would you want to save him?” He asked me.

I scoffed, “there is something called due process, Liam. The court of law, where a person is charged,” I said to him.

“Not when it comes to the life of a royal family,” he said.

“So, how can we find out how he got the poison if he has an accomplice? Or if he was sent to do the dirty work of someone with authority?” I asked him.

“What are you saying, that my father did this?” He asked.

“That's not what I'm saying,” I said to him, “we need answers. I need answers, someone died. It could have been me!” I yelled.

“But it wasn't,” he said, holding my shoulders. His eyes filled with love and affection. Something that wasn't there before. “This won't be the last attempt on your life. You will get another taster, that's why it's better for you not to know them,” he said and walked away.

“Are we okay?” I asked him and he stopped and turned to me.

“We are better than okay,” he said and walked away.

“He is hiding something, Brianna,” Dia said to me and I sighed.

“Isn't that obvious enough?” I asked her. The way he spoke to me still clouds my mind, wondering why is even harder to think about.

“I will try to see if I can get something off his wolf,” she said.

“I won't hold my breath,” I said to her and walked towards the stream.

It wasn't as big as the one I have by my castle but it will do for now, because I badly need a swim.

It has been a long time since I had one, visiting parts of the kingdom hasn't made room for me to have time to myself but I guess now we do.

I took off the huge gown on me and jumped into the stream. It felt relaxing just as the water touched my skin. I felt relaxed and calm, something I haven't felt since my taster died.

Someone would say it's a bad omen, my first official outing and an attempt was made on my life.

A lot of people want me dead, ranging from the King and to the lowest anybody. But the only person born enough to do it here, could also be the king or the Duke himself.

“You are absolutely right,” I heard Liam's voice in my head. I turned around in an instant and there he was.

“How did you get here without me knowing?” I asked, speaking out loud.

“Don't speak out loud,” he said in my head, swimming towards me.

“How are you here?” I asked, using my mind to speak.

“I came in silently,” he said, trying to hold me but I backed away. “I deserve that,” he said and I gave him a puzzled look.

“What was earlier for?” I asked him.

“A gift to my father to back away from me for a while,” he said.

“Are our words safe this way?” I asked him.

“Yes, it's between people who are already connected. No one can hear us,” he said and I smiled.

Then my smile turned into a frown, “why do we need to do this hide and seek?” I asked him.

“To make my father believe I'm not in love with you,” he said, smirking.

I took my eyes away from him trying to cover up the fact that I'm blushing heavily.

“You are in love with me?” I asked.

“You know I am,” he said, grabbing me by the waist. I gasped at the reaction it gave to me.

“Why do you want your father to believe you are not?” I asked him. He let go of my waist and swarmed away from me.

“Say something Liam,” I said to him.

“That's because our betrothal isn't real,” he said and I felt my heart drop.

“Wh-what do you mean by our betrothal isn't real?” I asked him.

“He doesn't want you as my mate, Brianna,” he said, “he just wants you closer to him,”

“That's the easiest way for me to kill him,” I said with gritted teeth.

“Or for him to kill you,” he said and it was then it all made sense.

The King only betrothed me to Liam so getting my powers and doing what he had always wanted will be easier.

“But I'm not going to let him,” Liam said, holding my hands.

“I'm going to be the Highest Alpha King and you are going to be my Luna,” he said.

“Sooner or later this will happen and there will be no fear anymore,”