Kamrynn’s POV
She turns back, giving me her full attention. “Of course. What is it?”
I hesitate, unsure if I should bring it up. Her kind expression encourages me, but I still feel a weight of reluctance. “It… It’s about your altercation with Eloane earlier. I couldn’t help but notice how she… spoke to you.” I look down, fumbling with the edge of my dress. “I don’t mean to pry. It’s just… seeing her treat you that way bothered me.”
I brace myself for her reaction, half-expecting her to be annoyed or dismissive. Rmonica’s expression shifts, and for a moment, a shadow of sadness crosses her face. She nods slowly, taking a seat in the chair by the window. “It’s alright, Kamrynn,” she says softly. “I appreciate your concern.” She pauses, then sighs heavily, her gaze fixed on the floor. “Eloane wasn’t always like this. When we were younger, she was like a sister to me. She cared for me, watched over me, and we shared everything. But ever since she got pregnant with my child… she’s changed.”
I swallow, unsure of what to say. “Changed? How?”
Rmonica looks away, her voice quiet and strained. “At first, it was subtle-just little things. She’d make odd demands here and there, like wanting everyone to eat certain foods or asking to rearrange the rooms in the palace. It was strange, but I thought it was just the pregnancy hormones.” Her hands twist together as she continues, her voice growing more pained. “But as the weeks went by, her behavior started getting… harder to ignore. She began treating the palace staff poorly, barking orders and snapping at them for small mistakes. And lately…” Rmonica trails off, taking a deep breath.
“Lately?” I prompt gently.
“Lately, she’s been… speaking down to me,” Rmonica admits, her voice barely a whisper. “She reminds me constantly that she’s doing me a huge favor, carrying my child. That I owe her everything for this.” She laughs bitterly, though there’s no humor in it. “And in a way, she’s right. I do owe her. She’s doing something I could never do for myself. That’s why I try to tolerate her behavior, no matter how difficult it gets.”
My chest tightens at the sadness in her voice. “But it’s unfair,” I say, unable to hold back. “You shouldn’t have to put up with that, Rmonica. You’ve done so much for her too.”
“I know,” she whispers, looking down at her hands. “But she’s carrying my child. And that’s more important to me than anything. I want this baby to be born healthy and strong, so if I have to endure… then I will.”
The words hang heavy in the air, and I can see the toll it’s taking on her, the pain she’s silently enduring. “Does the Alpha know about this?”
Rmonica’s expression shifts, and she shakes her head slowly. “No. I’ve been keeping it from him. He’s already under so much stress, and I didn’t want to add to his worries. But… I don’t know how much longer I can keep hiding it. Eloane’s demands are beginning to get out of hand.”
I frown, my mind racing. “What… kind of demands?”
Rmonica hesitates, her face flushing slightly. She glances away before answering, her voice low and pained.
“Earlier… that argument you witnessed… it was because Eloane wanted something that I just… I couldn’t agree to.”
I swallow, sensing the tension in her voice. “What did she want?”
Rmonica’s face twists with a strange combination of sadness and disbelief. “She wanted to spend time alone with my mate… the Alpha. Said her hormones were… acting up, that she needed affection from a man-specifically the father of the child. Can you imagine? She’s asking for… access to my mate.”
My eyes widen in shock. “She… she asked that?”
“Yes,” Rmonica says softly, her expression deeply pained. “She says it’s just for comfort, that it’s ‘natural’ because of the pregnancy, but… I can’t agree to that. And yet, I know if I refuse her, she’ll make things difficult, for both me and the baby.”
“That’s… that’s outrageous,” I say, anger flaring in my chest. “How could she even ask that of you?”
Rmonica gives a small, helpless shrug, as if she herself can’t comprehend it. “I don’t know, Kamrynn,” she says, her voice wavering. “But what can I do? She’s carrying my child. I can’t risk upsetting her. If she becomes too stressed or refuses to cooperate… I might lose everything I’ve dreamed of.”
I feel a fierce, protective anger rising within me-anger that anyone would dare treat Rmonica this way, that she would feel trapped and helpless in her own palace.
The anguish in her voice breaks something inside me. I reach out, placing a hand gently on her arm. “Rmonica… you don’t deserve this. No one does. You’ve been so kind, so giving. There has to be a way for you to protect your dignity without compromising your dreams.”
Rmonica gives a weary smile, but her eyes are filled with a sorrow I’ve never seen before. “I wish I knew how,” she whispers. “For now, all I can do is hope that this will pass, that she’ll come to her senses.”
I squeeze her hand, feeling a fierce protectiveness over her. “You’re stronger than you think, Rmonica. And if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. You don’t have to face this alone.”
A faint glimmer of hope appears in her eyes, and she nods, giving my hand a gentle squeeze in return. “Thank you, Kamrynn. It means a lot to me… more than you know. Thank you… for listening. For being here.” She takes a breath, as if drawing strength from the moment. “Eloane has been… challenging, to put it mildly.”
I nod, feeling her pain. “I know it’s complicated, and I know she’s carrying your child, but… Rmonica, no matter what she says or does, please don’t let her get her way with the Alpha. It’s… it’s something you’ll regret for the rest of your life.”
Rmonica’s gaze drops, her expression troubled. “I keep trying to tell myself the same thing,” she whispers. “But she’s given so much to me. And yet… the thought of it-of him, of my mate-just…” She shudders.
“You don’t owe her your happiness, Rmonica,” I say firmly, meeting her eyes. “She might be carrying your child, but that doesn’t mean she owns any other part of your life. Not your mate. Not your peace.”
Rmonica’s face softens as she nods, and I see something in her expression change. “Thank you, Kamrynn,” she murmurs, a deep sincerity in her voice. “I needed to hear that.” She draws in a steadying breath, seeming to collect herself. “Let me know if you need anything at all. Truly.”
With one last warm smile, she turns and slips out the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
As I sit back on the bed, Rmonica’s words echo in my mind. Eloane’s behavior-her demands, especially about the Alpha-makes my skin prickle. It’s as if something darker is beneath the surface, something more than just pregnancy cravings or moods. Why would she want that level of closeness with Rmonica’s mate? I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right. Whatever it is, I need to be cautious.