Chapter 6

***Serafina's POV***

The whole ride back to the palace was filled with silence. I could feel him looking at me, but I directed my gaze outside, trying to distract myself from King Calixto staring at me.

I am waiting for him to talk. To insult me again, but he did not say anything. He just stared at me as if something was interesting to look at my face until it struck me.

Fuck. My face is wounded. I might end up getting a scar. A Queen should remain unscarred, but I have a huge scratch on my face. That must be the reason why he is staring at me intently.

I immediately covered my face using my hand to hide the wound that those rouge gave me.

"Why are you covering your face?" he asked, confusion evident in his tone.

I lowered my hand a bit, still not showing the part of my face that was being wounded.

"This huge scratch might leave a scar on my face. Your Queen must remain unscarred," I swallowed the lump in my throat and bit my lower lip when I felt tears about to fall from my eyes again. "Does this mean you will get rid of me? I am no longer suitable to be your Queen?"

He chuckled, taking this situation lightly. Well, maybe for him, this is nothing, but for me, this is a life-and-death situation. Maybe he is happy because he can finally get rid of me, but for me, losing the spot as his Queen means losing everything that I have...my pack...my family...my entire world.

The tears that I had been suppressing fell from my eyes. I could feel a sting when my tears fell on my wound, but that was nothing compared to the pain I was carrying inside my chest.

I failed them. I failed my pack. I failed my father.

"Are you seriously crying right now?" he asked, suppressing his laughter.

I sniffed like a little kid as I wiped the tears on my face. "This might be a joke for you, but this is a serious matter for me, King Calixto. If I failed to become your Queen, I would lose everything I have, something you will not understand because everything works in your favor. This may be a game for you, but my life depends on this,"

I finally burst out. All my emotions that I had been bottling up exploded, leaving him in a state of shock.

"Are you mad at me, Serafina?" he asked in disbelief, pointing at himself as if he couldn't fathom that I dared to blame him.

"Yes! Fucking yes, I am blaming you, King Calixto! If you had not brought me to the forbidden forest, none of this have happened. Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep my body unscarred?! I did not even have a fun childhood to have flawless skin, and you will cruelly throw me in that forest filled with rouge?"

He took a deep breath as if he was losing his patience on me. Well, I don't care. If he is running out of patience, I am fuming mad. I fucking hate him.

"Looks like you have never experienced being hurt, seeing how you overreact over a small scratch,"

He took the space beside me, making our body touch. I can feel his warmth, and there goes my heart again from beating too wildly. I stopped breathing when he touched my chin and pulled my face closer to him.

He was too close. His gaze was fixated on my scratched face while I stared at his luscious red lips. It looks so soft.

"It was not that deep, Serafina. It won't even leave a tiny scar, so stop overreacting,"

When he looked me in the eyes, I immediately looked away, and that was the exact moment the palace guard opened the carriage, revealing Cressida, whose eyes were filled with rage when she saw our position but immediately smiled when our eyes met.

"I am glad you came back alive, Lady Serafina," she uttered, loosening King Calixto's hold.

He cleared his throat and immediately stepped out of the carriage. He looks guilty as if he had been caught doing something illegal.

I saw how King Calixto's eyes tried to catch Cressida's gaze, but Cressida did not even throw a glance at him because her gaze was fixated on me, waiting for me to step out of the carriage with a smile on her face that I could not feel the sincerity.

I could feel the tension between them, and I wanted to escape this situation, so I took the hand of the palace guard and allowed him to help me step out of the carriage.

"You're hurt, Lady Serafina," Cressida uttered the moment I got closer.

She looked at me, filled with worry, but I couldn't tell if she was faking it.

"I am fine, Cressida," I responded, trying to dismiss her. I don't want to get caught in the middle of their tension. I had a long day and want to rest and escape the reality I am in right now.

I stepped inside the palace, heading towards my room. Cressida followed me from behind, and King Calixto followed her.

"Go to my room, Cressida. Let's talk," I heard him say.

I just rolled my eyes. Why do they have to act like this when I am still around?

"I need to clean Lady Serafina's wound, King Calixto?" Cressida firmly uttered, so I stopped from taking another step to face them.

"It's fine, Cressida. I will be fine. This is just a small scratch. It will heal in an hour,"

I gave her an assuring smile, but she still got the nerve to shake her head. "It might leave a scar if not cleaned properly,"

Why does she have to be hard-headed? Why can't they leave me alone and have their alone time together? That's a win-win situation.

"Serafina already told you that she will be fine, Cressida. Now come with me, and let's talk?" King Calixto butted in, getting impatient by Cressida's hard-headedness.

I thought Cressida would give in because if I were in her position, I would have already followed his words, but Cressida did the opposite; instead, she turned around and took a step forward, bravely facing King Calixto.

"I need to clean Lady Serafina's wound, King Calixto. If you want to talk to me, wait for an hour,"

For the first time, I saw him look at someone defeatedly. I never thought he would be this obedient in front of someone.

"Fine, but promise me you will come to my room later?" he gently asked. He took Cressida's hand and gently kissed it.

Cressida nods before pulling her hand out of King Calixto's hold. "I promise," I heard her utter before she turned around to face me again with the same sweet smile plastered on her face.

"Lets's go Lady Serafina,"

I threw a glance at King Calixto. Our gazes met for a moment before he walked away.

"Lady Serafina," Cressida called my name when I remained glued on the floor so I looked at her still confused before I started taking a step.

The moment we reached my room I look at her intently.

"Why? Is there a dirt on my face?" she asked as she try to wipe her face.

"How did you do that?"

She looks confused so I took a deep breath as I try to compose the question inside my head.

"I have not seen King Calixto like that. I never saw him follow anyone but when it comes to you he acts like an obedient puppy. How did you do that Cressida?"

She smiled this time it looks genuine. Her smile looks like it came out from genuine happiness.

She took a step forward closing the gap between us.

"Because he loves me Lady Serafina. I own him,"