Chapter 20: Hiding powers

*THALIA'S POV

My eyes widened. I never anticipated that Ellie would be sleeping with her mistress' husband.

"You could get caught, Ellie," I whispered, my shock still evident in my tone.

"Surprisingly, you think you can judge me, Thalia, when you are sleeping with the king!" Ellie whispered loudly, scoffing afterwards. "Do you think I am a fool or what? I know you are sleeping with him, and I also know you just started not too long ago, but do you know how long I have been Kaleb's lover?"

I shook my head slowly, still surprised by my friend's shamelessness and courage. The fact that she could call the beta by name made me shiver.

"I have been his lover for two years now, since I became of full age," Ellie confessed. "And before you judge me, just know that I am not wrong."

I stretched my hand to Ellie apathetically; she hesitated but eventually let me pull her to my side.

"What we are doing is not right, Ellie. They are married men," I stated, keeping my voice as low as possible.

Thankfully for us, the room before ours was isolated due to maintenance issues, and our room was the last one at the far end. It would be impossible for others to hear our conversation unless they had special hearing.

Ellie rejected my statement. "You may be doing the wrong thing by having an affair with the king, but I am not doing anything wrong since Kaleb is my true mate," she revealed.

The revelation struck me like lightning. "Ellie..." I gasped. "Forgive me."

Ellie heaved tiredly as I pulled her in for a hug. "You are stronger than I am. I only just started, and I am already tired and want to quit. The alpha is also my mate," I confessed.

Ellie stiffened up; she looked at me with shock glazing in the core of her eyes. "His true mate?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Yes. The goddess is rather cruel to us."

We cuddled each other to sleep, our hearts heavy with the burden of our mates. In the morning when I woke up, Ellie was gone, but I saw her again when I was passing by the garden of her mistress.

There, Beta Kaleb was having tea with his wife, Karina. I could feel Ellie's discomfort from a mile away.

"How dare you stare at my husband in that condescending manner?" yelled Karina as she struck Ellie.

Ellie, as stubborn as a mule, kept her lips sealed even as her lips cracked. She gathered her strength and rose again without muttering an apology to Karina.

"I hear not your apology," Karina said between her teeth, her voice dripping with venom.

Yet again, Ellie kept silent, her stubborn wolf spirit refusing to let her pride drop. Between us, Ellie was more courageous; she rarely annoyed her mistress, but when she did, she would rather get tortured before she apologizes to her mistress.

Back then, I used to wonder how she managed to have a radiant skin days after she had gotten a beating that was supposed to scar her for life. Then, I thought it was because of her wolf spirit, but now I know it was because of her mate.

Before Karina could strike Ellie again, Kaleb interrupted her. "Enough." He slammed his fists on the armrest of the chair he was sitting in. "I came to have tea with you as you requested, not to watch you play with your slave."

Karina immediately bowed, sending off Ellie. "Forgive me, my lord and you, return to my chamber at noon."

Ellie bowed but didn't reply to her mistress. She strode out of the garden confidently even though I knew she would be severely punished today for embarrassing her mistress in the presence of her husband.

I wanted to speak to my only friend, but before I could, a guard startled me from behind.

"The king has summoned you," he said with his croaky voice. "Do not follow me; go on your own."

I bowed understanding that Savior wanted no one to suspect us in broad daylight. It would be strange if someone caught me following the special guard of the king. I would either be suspected of being the guard's lover or having something to do with the king, neither of which I wanted.

I waited a while before I used the secret passage to find my way to Savior's room. I had frequented the place so much that his guards didn't bother to usher me in. They easily granted me entry into the corridor way.

I knocked three times before entering the room, but immediately I entered, I wished to escape.

The atmosphere in the room was icy cold, mirroring Savior's demeanor. His face had no expression as he stared at me like some animal heading for the slaughterhouse.

"My king." I bowed.

"Come here," he ordered.

I didn't bother to swing my cane as I hastened my pace to his feet, kneeling the instant I was near him.

"You have been keeping secrets from me," he accused.

My head remained bowed but confusion etched deep in my forehead. "I know not of the secrets you speak, sire."

"Liar!" Savior barked, pinching my chin to look at him. "Your dragon powers have surfaced, right?"

"What? No." I shook my head. "I have no powers."

Savior's eyes narrowed then hardened. "I don't mind breaking every bone in your body to get the truth out of you, you filthy wretch."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I know not of what you accuse me, my king."

"You still have the audacity to lie? Even though I saw it with my own two eyes?" Savior yelled in my face.

Even with my heart racing, I truly had no idea of what he was accusing me of or where he got the idea from. Or was this the doing of Janette?

"My king, I am innocent; I have no powers," I tried to defend myself.

"Lies! You must think of me as a fool who is quick to forget, but I am no fool," Savior insisted, his voice certain. "Your secret surfaced on the night of the attack."