Williams POV
“Mate…” Waylon growled.
“What?” William asked, panic rising through his body.
“It’s her. She’s the one. She’s the one we marked. I can’t mistake that touch anywhere else. Don’t you feel it?” Waylon urged.
“She doesn’t have a wolf,” William reminded him.
“I know. But it’s her. It’s Doris.”
“Why should I trust you this time?” William asked.
“I told you something was off! But you didn’t listen to me!” Waylon howled. “I couldn’t sense the wolf the night we marked her. But I remember the way she felt and the scent of her hair. Not to mention how our body felt against her.”
“How could you not sense her before when we rounded the maids up?!” William hissed, furious about the mistake made.
“Probably because I can only sense her when she’s an inch away. She hasn’t been close enough to us,” Waylon cried. “When you closed the door last night between Melody and Doris, the mate connection broke. I told you something felt weird, but you went ahead and did it anyway. You bedded the wrong person in front of our mate!”
“Shut up. I was in heat. She’s the one who keeps hiding from me. Told you fated mates are just bullshit.” William hissed.
(Doris’ POV)
“Your majesty…” I said, attempting to curtsy, but I nearly fell over again and had to bring myself back up.
I was in such shock; I hardly knew what to say.
“My majesty!” Melody said, running out of his chamber. Her hair messily fell around her narrow features and her eyes were large and alert as she stared between the two of us.
William straightened his stance and cleared his throat.
“Your maid is quite clumsy,” William said to her as he turned away from me.
My face reddens once more, and I stared down at my feet.
“I’m so sorry…” I whispered, hardly audible.
“Did she hurt you?” Melody asked, searching around his body before her icy gaze landed on me.
“No, I’m all right. I’m used to women falling at my feet,” William said with boredom in his tone.
I lifted my gaze to stare at him; he thought I was weak-kneed and falling at his feet like I was one of his fangirls? My breath got caught in my throat; that wasn’t the case at all. I was so tired, that I lost balance.
“I promise, she will not get away with this,” Melody said, still eyeing me with her icy wolf gaze.
I swallowed hard, trying to imagine the punishment she was going to give me.
William said nothing more as he passed Melody and went back into the chamber, slamming his door shut behind him. I felt tears filling my eyes once more; he hated me so much and let Melody think that I was after him when I wasn’t.
What was she going to do with me?
Her lip curled up in disgust as she stormed toward me; she grabbed onto my wrist and her grip was so tight I winced in pain. Her nails dug into my flesh and left light pink markings in their place. I had embarrassed her in front of the prince; I knew I had embarrassed her, and she was going to make me pay for that.
She violently pulled me down the hall; we made it passed the grand stairs and towards Melody’s bedroom. As she pulled me in, I nearly fell to the ground once she released my arm from her grip. She was breathing heavily, and her eyes flashed the silver of her wolf.
I could see her wolf’s fangs coming through her mouth and the silver fur poking under her flesh. Her wolf was fighting to be released; it wanted to tear me apart. I feared that Melody was going to allow it to do just that.
“You thought you could try to take him from me, did you?” Melody seethed through her clenched jaw.
“No… of course not, my lady,” I tried to reason with her.
I couldn’t let her think such things; not while I was trying to gain my freedom from this palace.
“Liar!!” She hissed; I could hear the growl of her wolf deep in her throat. “You have been nothing but dishonest. I see the way you look at him.”
“I don’t know what you think you see, but…” I tried to say again but she shot her hand up and I felt the sharp impact of her force across my face, stopping my words.
I exhaled a shaky breath as I touched the tender area where she slapped, knowing it was bright pink and painful. I winced at the pain and dropped my trembling hands to my side.
“You think of me as a fool. Like I’m blind,” she said, lowering her tone as she took a step closer to me. “You think I can’t see what you’re doing?”
I did everything she had asked me to do; I spoke to Prince Martin on her behalf, and I sat outside Prince William’s chamber door all night while they made love. I did everything for her, and she still thinks I’m out to get her.
There was no pleasing her.
“I’m sorry, my lady,” I whispered; it was all I managed to say.
She rose her hand to slap me again but a small knock on her door stopped her. She looked annoyed as she turned to open the door, but the annoyance melted away and in its place was pure shock.
Lady Jane stood at her doorway, as elegant as ever, staring amongst the two of us.
“Lady Jane?” Melody said, breathlessly. All senses of anger left her body; Lady Jane gave her a small smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes.
“May we have a word, Lady Melody?” Jane asked.
Melody nodded quickly.
“Of course,” she said, turning to me her eyes narrowed and her lips turned into a thin line. “Stand outside the door. Strip bare, kneel to the ground, and keep your hands risen.”
My eyes widened at her words.
She couldn’t be serious.
“I… I’m sorry?” I stammered, even Lady Jane looked surprised by her orders.
“You want to act like a whore, then I will treat you like one. Let the palace see exactly the kind of maid you are,” Melody hissed through her gritted teeth.
She was serious.
“What is it she has done?” Lady Jane asked, raising her eyebrows.
“Dishonored Prince William,” Melody said, turning back to Lady Jane. “I can’t have my handmaiden dishonoring my prince.”
Lady Jane was quiet for a moment as she thought about what Melody had said, she finally nodded once.
“I suppose not,” Lady Jane said, nodding for me to do as Melody had asked.
I felt my breath getting caught in my throat.
“What are you waiting for?” Melody asked, loudly. “Get out.”
“Yes, my lady,” I said, hardly audible as I stepped passed Lady Jane and into the hallway.
I turned in their direction, my fingers trembling as I lifted my blouse over my head and allowed my skirt to hit the ground. I stood in the hallway, covering my naked body with my hands, my body trembling uncontrollably as they stared at me.
Melody stared with disgust on her face as she assessed my body.
“Gross…” she hissed. “Lift your arms and kneel to the ground. You’ll stay like that until I say.”
I fell to the ground with my arms in the air. She scoffed and stared at me a moment longer before disappearing into her room with Lady Jane.