Chapter 25

"W-what?" I stammered, my voice trembling with fear.

"I heard the wolves have been standing at the castle gates for hours, demanding an audience. They claim they’ve come in peace, saying the Lord Protector has something that belongs to them," Freya explained, her words sending a fresh wave of dread coursing through me.

"And they were let inside the castle?" I asked, my tone sharp with panic.

Freya hesitated. "They must’ve said something that finally convinced the Lord Protector to grant them entry."

My heart pounded erratically as my mind spiraled into chaos. How had they known I was here? Was there a spy among the castle staff reporting back to my father? Or perhaps someone at the auction recognized me and alerted the wolves? I couldn’t stop the wave of panic washing over me.

I hadn’t told Hadrian the truth about my origins—about where I came from or who my parents were. Now, it seemed too late. The situation was spiraling, and I couldn’t control it.

What could those wolves have said to earn an audience with Hadrian? The idea of them speaking to him, possibly revealing truths or fabricating lies about me, was a torment.

"What if Hadrian thinks I deceived him intentionally? What if he believes I had some hidden agenda to get close to him?" My thoughts churned with worst-case scenarios, each more catastrophic than the last.

Freya's unexpected visit left me still in my nightgown. I rushed to the closet, frantically pulling at the new garments stored inside, my trembling hands betraying my rising hysteria. Everything I touched slipped from my grasp.

"Here, wear this," Freya said, thrusting a sleeveless, fitted white dress with a high collar into my hands.

"This? Isn’t it a bit too formal? And too tight?" I grimaced, the idea of wearing something so elegant feeling absurd amidst my panic.

Freya’s expression remained resolute. "Clothes are a woman's best weapon. This dress will make you look both alluring and innocent."

"But... how am I supposed to move in something this tight?" I protested weakly.

"It has slits on both sides. Not too high, but enough for walking. Trust me," she insisted, slipping the dress over my head before I could resist further.

Arguing was futile; there simply wasn’t time. Begrudgingly, I wore the dress and hurried out of my chamber, my pace brisk as I made my way to the audience hall.

My breath hitched as I opened the door. I entered from the left side, my gaze immediately drawn to the platform at the far end of the hall. There, Hadrian sat on his throne, his piercing gaze shifting to me the moment I stepped inside. The coldness in his eyes sent chills down my spine.

Hadrian had never looked at me like that before. My chest tightened as panic clawed at me, though I forced myself to draw a deep breath. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of something—or rather, someone—I had been dreading.

"Princess! It’s so good to finally see you. Do you know how long we’ve been searching for you?" The venom-laced voice froze me in place.

It belonged to Malcolm—Merrick’s spiteful twin. I recognized him instantly, the scar on his cheek a permanent reminder of my escape ten years ago. He stood there, flanked by ten other wolves who had come for me, all in human form yet poised to shift at a moment’s notice, their claws ready.

The hall was eerily silent. Aside from Hadrian, the wolves, and me, no one else was present. Yet none of the wolves dared to act without the Lord Protector's permission.

"Thalassa, come here and stand beside me," Hadrian commanded, his voice cutting through the tense air.

Without hesitation, I hurried to his side, my heart hammering so loudly I feared it might burst. His expression was unreadable, his demeanor cold and distant. I desperately sought reassurance in his eyes, but all I found was indifference.

What had changed? Had Malcolm or one of the others filled his ears with lies? My lips parted, desperate to deny whatever they might’ve said, but Malcolm spoke first.

"We trust the Lord Protector will make a fair judgment," he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "Thalassa is the beloved princess of our pack. She’s also engaged to the Northern Alpha. True, she’s been rebellious and caused us some trouble over the years, but we want nothing more than her safe and happy return."

Each word felt like a dagger, his lies poisoning the air between Hadrian and me.

Hadrian’s cold smirk deepened as his gaze bore into mine. My chest constricted painfully.

"That’s a lie! You can’t believe them!" I cried out, my voice trembling with desperation.

"Silence!" Hadrian roared, his anger palpable as his teeth clenched.

I swallowed hard, the weight of my worst fears pressing down on me. His eyes were no longer filled with the warmth I’d come to expect; instead, they were clouded with doubt and hostility. Perhaps he truly believed Malcolm’s deceit—that I had lived a happy life among the pack, and now I’d deceived him for my own gain.

"Please, no..." I whispered weakly, barely able to find my voice.

Hadrian’s hand shot out, gripping mine tightly. He pulled me closer, his strength forcing me to lean toward him, his expression still cold and unreadable.

"If you don’t want to go with them, don’t say a word and don’t even think about resisting me," Hadrian whispered, his tone stern and unwavering.

I nodded nervously, too desperate for his protection to even consider defiance. A cold chuckle escaped his lips as he released my hand, turning his piercing gaze to Malcolm and the other wolves.

"You claim she belongs to your pack... and yet, she’s a human," Hadrian remarked, his voice laced with indifference.

"Nonetheless, our Alpha treasures his daughter deeply..." Malcolm countered, his grin stretched thin as if trying to mask his rising tension.

"Ah, but will the Northern Alpha still cherish her, knowing she’s been marked by a vampire?" Hadrian’s laughter rang out, dark and sharp.

I swallowed hard, my gaze darting to him in alarm. His words were a deliberate provocation, one that struck at the very core of the wolves’ pride. Nothing was more abhorrent to them than the thought of something—or someone—that was theirs being tainted by a vampire. Furious snarls erupted from the wolves, and for a moment, they looked ready to charge toward the throne. Their forms began to shift, but Malcolm’s enraged roar halted them in their tracks. Reluctantly, they stepped back, their eyes blazing with anger as Malcolm turned his glare on both me and Hadrian.

"With all due respect, I don’t believe our princess was marked," Malcolm hissed through gritted teeth.

"You doubt my word?" Hadrian asked, his cold smirk deepening.

"I demand proof," Malcolm replied, his jaw clenched tightly.

Without warning, Hadrian grabbed my hand and pulled me onto his lap, forcing me to sit sideways across his knees. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart pounded wildly. The precarious position left me no choice but to wrap my arms around him for balance. His hand settled firmly on my waist, holding me in place as his icy eyes dared the wolves to challenge him further.

This was too much. I had promised not to resist, no matter what he did, but this? My cheeks burned with embarrassment under the watchful gaze of the wolves.

"Shall I rip the collar of her dress to show you the marks I’ve left?" Hadrian mused, his tone mocking. "Though I doubt it will help much—those on her neck have likely healed by now."

His words ignited the wolves’ fury anew. Foaming at the mouth, they looked ready to snap. Their anger was palpable, filling the air like a storm about to break.

Hadrian seemed to revel in their torment, his wicked grin only widening. He brushed his fingers along my neck, then slowly traced a line down my chest.

I gasped, my breathing ragged, my heart racing uncontrollably. His eyes locked onto mine, glinting with cruel amusement.

"Do you know how sweet her blood tastes?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "Even sweeter when she’s aroused..."

Suddenly, his hand slipped through the slit of my dress, trailing up the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. Panicked, I tried to push his hand away, but he caught my wrist in an iron grip, yanking it aside.

"Stop resisting, or I’ll give you to them," he hissed in my ear.

I froze, mortified, as his touch lingered. My body betrayed me, trembling under his control, and I hated myself for the way it responded to his slightest provocation. Tears pricked my eyes as I pleaded silently for him to stop, but he only pressed his nails into my thigh, the sharp sting drawing a muffled gasp from my lips.

"Such a delicate spot on her inner thigh," he said, his voice laced with venom. "Shall I show you where I love to sink my teeth?"

His game was unbearable, a cruel spectacle designed to enrage the wolves. Malcolm’s furious growl echoed in the chamber.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, my voice trembling with fear.

Hadrian’s only response was a vicious glare. His cruelty was like a mask, hiding whatever emotions might have once existed beneath. He thrived on the humiliation, delighting in the wrath burning in the wolves’ eyes.

"Even if she is marked, she still belongs to us!" Malcolm barked, his fury boiling over.

Hadrian clicked his tongue in mock disappointment before shoving me off his lap like a discarded plaything. I scrambled to the side, putting as much distance as I could between us.

Hadrian rose from the throne, his gaze settling on Malcolm with predatory intent. "Have we met before?" he asked, tilting his head curiously.

"I... I don’t believe so," Malcolm stammered, taken aback.

Hadrian turned his attention to me, his smirk deepening. "You know why this red-furred mutt looks so familiar, don’t you?"

I clenched my fists and shook my head, feigning ignorance.

"You’re disobedient again," he snarled, his patience wearing thin.

My resolve faltered under his glare, and I spoke through gritted teeth. "This is Malcolm. You’ve met his twin brother, Merrick."

Recognition dawned in Hadrian’s eyes, and his grin turned feral. "Ah, now I remember!"

He descended the platform, each step deliberate and menacing. Malcolm bristled, stepping forward to meet him.

"And how is your brother?" Hadrian asked mockingly. "I trust he’s recovering well... after I broke every vertebra in his spine?"

The tension in the room exploded. The wolves’ fury reached a fever pitch, their bloodlust barely contained.