Malia’s POV
I willed my brain to work really fast.
“Honestly, I have no idea why. I was just his sex slave.”
“I would’ve said that maybe he thinks I’m going to rat him out and everyone would finally know what a disgusting man he is but who would believe the word of a servant over an Alpha?”
To my credit, there were real tears in my eyes probably because I was damn scared and was remembering again how horribly Zade had treated me by sleeping with his ex-girlfriend.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “Or perhaps you stole something of value from him.”
“I beg your pardon. I’d never do that,” I replied with indignation.
He was beginning to piss me off.
Ryder squeezed my hand gently and I inhaled deeply.
“She’s not a thief. In fact, I was the one who found her in the woods quite far away from here, surrounded by rogues. She had nothing with her apart from the clothes on her back.”
“If you don’t believe me you can ask the guards I went hunting with together. They helped me fight off the rogues,” Ryder said to him.
I gave him a grateful look and briefly wondered why he was doing this for me.
Lucien didn’t look totally convinced but he didn’t ask any more questions. “I’ll take your word for it then.”
“But I must warn you. The Alpha has placed a price on her. He has enlisted the help of other packs in this country. Her picture has been sent to the packs. Anyone who finds her will be handsomely rewarded.”
I heard Ryder’s sharp intake of breath.
My mouth suddenly became dry and my heart threatened to burst out of its cage.
Why was Zade doing this? I wondered. I thought he’d be grateful that I was out of the way and live a happy life with his suitable Luna. Someone who had a wolf.
“We’re not going to be showing that picture to anyone. Do you understand me?” Ryder said to Lucien who had the grace to look offended.
“Of course. I’m not dumb,” he replied with a scowl. “In fact, I’ll be deleting it now.”
Ryder and I watched as he scrolled through his phone. He showed us his phone screen. It was a picture of me on the training field. I was holding a sword and my face was animated with purpose and determination.
He pressed the delete button and I released a sigh of relief.
“But you know this is not going to help completely, right?” Lucien asked.
“We might have members of this pack who are in other packs where her picture will be broadcasted. What are you going to do about that?”
That was going to be a real problem. I thought.
“Thankfully, the members of this pack are loyal to their Alpha. And it’s even part of the law that in situations like this, they report their findings to the Alpha first,” Ryder replied.
“So what are you going to do if one of the pack members who has seen the picture in another pack sees her? You do not mean to keep her locked in the palace do you?” Lucien asked.
“Well, they’ll come to me and I’ll pay them off. Easy-peasy,” he replied.
Lucien nodded and sighed. “Let’s just hope it is going to be as easy as you think.”
“Will that be all?” Ryder asked. “Why are you even here? You’re supposed to be vacationing until next year.”
“I missed you, so I had to return,” he replied.
Ryder snorted. “Indeed.”
“I’d like us to talk about some other things. I’m not sure you’d want her to be present for that,” Lucien said.
I didn’t even want to spend an extra second in the room with him. His piercing gaze made me feel uncomfortable.
I looked expectantly at Ryder and he nodded. “You can leave now.”
As I got up to leave he spoke.
“Do not think we’re done. We’re having dinner together and you’re going to tell me what else you and my brother have discussed.”
I wished I could just disappear. There was no escaping Ryder when he really wanted something.
As I entered my room I thought about pretending that I was sick so that I wouldn’t need to have dinner with him.
I kicked off my shoes and plopped down on my bed. I was mentally exhausted.
Why couldn’t Zade just leave me alone? I wondered.
At that moment I hated him. Hated him for making me love him in the first place. For making all of those promises to me and for making me leave my best friend, Lily.
I started to sob. I turned my face into my pillow to muffle any sound as I allowed the tears to flow freely. There was no need to alert Ryder or Lucien. I’d die of embarrassment if any of them walked in on me crying.
I cried until I was spent and not surprisingly I dozed off.
When I woke up, Ronan was lying beside me scrolling through his phone.
“How long have you been here?” I asked with a croaky hoarse voice.
I promptly coughed to clear my throat.
“Wow, you sound like a rusty engine,” he teased as he turned off his phone and turned to look at me.
His amusement instantly shifted to concern. “Why are your eyes swollen?” He asked, his forehead creased.
I reached out a hand to smoothen his forehead. “You’re soon going to have wrinkles if you keep on doing that.”
“Don’t try to change the topic, Malia.”
I pulled my fingers away from his head.
“Lucien told me that my picture has been sent to all neighbouring packs. Anyone who finds me will be rewarded.”
“Oh,” he said.
His eyes told me that he already knew about it.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure my brother is going to do everything in his power to make sure you do not return there. I’m going to play my part too, Malia. Just know that you’re safe here.”
I nodded. “I know. But I don’t want to be a burden. Already, I’ve made Ryder lie to Lucien.”
Ronan took my hand. “You’re worth it Malia,” he said fiercely.
I blinked in surprise at his intensity.
I didn’t know if I should say thank you.
“There’s something I must tell you.”