Maniac….
“Finally, she’s starting to understand her place in this house,” I said, a hint of satisfaction in my voice.
“Yes, my lady. It’s something everyone has been anticipating for so long. The fact that it was His Highness Simon who did it makes it even better. Honestly, no one expected it, so it was a bit overwhelming,” Amira responded, her voice laced with relief.
“Exactly! I didn’t expect it either, but I’m thrilled it happened. Now we know what to do. As they say, it’s better to strike while the iron is hot. With the tension in the mansion, we should move to the next step soon. Simon is unsure about keeping her around, and while he’s still indecisive, it’s the perfect time for us to act and tip things in our favor.”
“Yes, that’s right, my lady,” Amira agreed, nodding her head slightly.
“Go get my phone; I need to check something,” I ordered. She hurried off, leaving me in the opulent yet stifling room that seemed to close in on me with every plot I schemed. The walls, draped in rich crimson velvet, mirrored the growing intensity of my plans.
Unknown to everyone, including Ashley, I had recently installed a surveillance camera in her room to monitor her every move. I hadn’t been consistent in watching it, but whenever I remembered, I quickly checked her room to see what she was up to.
“Here you go, my lady,” Amira said, handing me the phone. I snatched it from her and turned on the camera feed. The screen flickered to life, revealing Ashley curled up on the floor, her face wet with tears. The sight filled me with a twisted sense of joy. The dim lighting in her room cast eerie shadows, making her appear even more pitiful.
“This is just the beginning. There are many more tears for you to shed once I’m done with you,” I whispered to myself, my voice cold as the marble floor beneath my feet. I watched her for a few more minutes, her sobs echoing faintly through the silent room, before I turned off the phone and threw it across the bed, the device landing with a soft thud on the plush bedding.
“Amira, go charge my phone; it’s running low,” I commanded, my voice sharp with impatience.
“Okay, my lady,” she responded promptly, taking the phone and plugging it into the ornate socket by my side table, its gold-plated surface reflecting the warm light of the chandelier above.
“Good, now you can leave. I want to be alone,” I dismissed her, waving her away with a flick of my hand.
“Okay, my lady,” she said, curtseying deeply before leaving the room, the heavy wooden door creaking slightly as it closed behind her.
Alone at last, I exhaled deeply, sinking into the lavish bedding that smelled faintly of lavender. The intricate patterns of the silk bedspread brushed against my skin as I laid back, my thoughts racing with schemes and plots. The relationships in the mansion-between myself, Simon, Lucas, and Ashley-were a tangled web of power and desire. The very air in the room felt heavy with tension, the kind that sticks to your skin and makes it hard to breathe.
But I was determined. I would not share my status as queen, and I certainly wouldn’t give it up for a lowly slave.
The idea of killing her crossed my mind. If I could find a way to finish her off, I would be free to claim my place without fear of obstacles. Yet, doubts lingered. It wouldn’t be easy. First, everyone knew I despised her. If she suddenly died, Simon and Lucas would undoubtedly investigate, and it wouldn’t take long for them to suspect me.
Moreover, killing her might backfire. Wolves have a deep connection with their mates, especially after the marking ritual. If Simon or Lucas, or even worse, both, had marked her, they would feel any harm done to her. A simple scratch would cause them pain, and killing her could leave them grieving for ages. During that time, they’d be unreachable, and if they did recover, who’s to say the Moon Goddess wouldn’t grant them another mate-one that wasn’t me?
These questions and more swirled in my mind as I tried to devise a safe way to end her life.
“Damn it!” I cursed under my breath, biting my lip in frustration. My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the loud ringing of my phone. I instinctively called out for Amira.
“Amira, get me my phone,” I ordered, before realizing with a sigh that I had already sent her away.
“Oh, right. I’m alone,” I muttered, dragging myself up toward the side table. The soft rustling of my silk gown filled the quiet room as I reached for the phone, its screen glowing with an unknown number. Normally, I wouldn’t entertain unknown callers, but something urged me to answer this time.
“Hello?” I greeted cautiously.
There was silence on the other end, which only served to irritate me further. I was about to hang up when a voice finally spoke, smooth and unsettling.
“Your voice is still as beautiful as the shine of the moon,” the caller said, sending a shiver down my spine.
“And who am I speaking with?” I demanded, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Whoa, there, princess. Don’t tell me you don’t remember my voice. Well, that’s too bad, but how can I blame you? You were too busy screaming and moaning to actually hear me speak,” he taunted, his words dripping with mockery. It took a moment for the realization to hit me-this was the man from that night.
“You!” I spat, my blood boiling with rage.
“I see you’ve finally remembered me. That’s good to know,” he replied smugly.
“How dare you call me? And how in the world did you get my number?”
“Not so fast, princess. You shouldn’t be raising your voice like that. Save your energy for when you’re in my arms again,” he said shamelessly, a chuckle escaping his lips.
“Can you just stop saying that?” I snapped, feeling my temper flare.
“Saying what? That we both enjoyed ourselves? Taking in each other’s bodies without any hesitation or regret?”
“That’s what you think, but I hate it! I hate that we met; I hate that we ever crossed paths!” I shot back, my voice trembling with anger. He let out another chuckle, and my scowl deepened.
“What do you want from me? Do you need money? I can give you as much as you want, just please leave me alone.”
“No, I don’t need your money. Go use that for a shopping spree or something,” he sneered.
“So what exactly do you want from me?”
“Very simple and cheap. I want you.”
“What?”
“That’s all I want. I want you.”
“Are you crazy? Who the hell do you think you are? Do you even know who I am? If you knew the kind of people I’m involved with, you wouldn’t dare talk to me like this.”
“And who the hell are you? The spoiled daughter of King Norway? The betrothed but rejected so-called wife-to-be of the Lycan twin kings? Or are you the one fighting for your place against who? An ordinary slave that they brought into the house?” His words cut deep, hitting every nerve.
I was speechless. He was right, but I wasn’t going to let him toss me around so easily.
“Fine, you know so much because you’ve been stalking me. Do you think I’ll let you talk to me like that? Screw you!” I hissed, ending the call with a growl.
Not even a minute passed before I received a video message from him. I hesitated to open it, but curiosity got the better of me. My heart dropped as I watched the first few seconds-I was mortified.
“This creep! He actually recorded it?” I exclaimed, turning off the video in disgust. I had thought he only had the picture he took of me when I woke up. But the video was damning-it clearly showed us in the act, and my face was unmistakable.
His call came through again, and this time, I shivered as I reluctantly answered.
“So, princess, shall we continue our conversation? I assume you accidentally hung up earlier,” he said, his tone dripping with amusement.
I was trapped, cornered by this lunatic. He had to go, for the sake of my safety and peace of mind.
As I gripped the phone, my breath quickened, and my heart pounded against my chest. I couldn’t let this creep ruin everything I’d worked for. But before I could say anything, his voice slithered through the speaker again, dripping with malice.
“Now, now, princess, don’t hang up on me again. You wouldn’t want this little video to make its rounds, would you? It would be such a shame for the amazing Kngs- Lucas and Simon to see just how… involved you were with me.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. The thought of that video getting out-of anyone seeing it, let alone Lucas and Simon-was unbearable. I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my voice steady. “What do you want from me? Just tell me and be done with it.”
“Simple,” he replied, his tone almost playful. “I want you to come to me. Alone. Tonight.”