Chapter 26

Hand in hand, we walked down towards the ballroom, where we knew that the Palace occupants would be gathered for the lunch banquet. Even though I was silent, my mind and wolf were alive with worry. What if the Palace didn’t accept me or my new ranking? What if the Palace rebelled against the Alpha Prince? How would all the other bed maidens feel, knowing that essentially, I was the one? Davina would be so mad. She was already angry enough that I was as close to Kieran as I already was. This announcement officially stating my new ranking would surely tip her over the edge, which bought my mind to my grandmother’s body lying in the Palace’s morgue. Did someone from the Palace kill her? Was I really in that much danger for only falling in love with the Prince?

Nervously, I glanced up at the hulk of a man walking beside me. His muscles moved harmoniously under his tanned skin and golden armour. Sensing my affection, he turned his head towards me. He smiled reassuringly while rubbing his thumb delicately over my dainty hand. His gentle touch left a blazing trail of desire flooding through me. Only days ago, I was a virgin, shy, innocent and utterly unaware of pleasing a man. But now, as if a beast had been finally woken, I craved this man and his touch. The more of this man I consumed, the hungrier I became. The thought of him and his thick cock hammering away inside of me made me blush furiously as I quickly turned my head away in embarrassment.

“Did I ever tell you that since we Mated, I can read your thoughts?” Kieran announced silkily, grinning down at me devilishly. “Was our little tryst earlier not enough for you? Have you really become that insatiable, my dear Elena?”

I looked up at Kieran in horror, my face burning crimson red at the shock of being found out. How many more thoughts did Kieran know of mine? Why didn’t he tell me this little trick sooner? Making a mental note to keep my thoughts to myself, for when I was alone, I peered up at Kieran and smiled awkwardly.

“I-I, just, um, enjoy our trysts that much that I can’t seem to get enough,” I stuttered, unable to find the right words. “It just feels so good. And I don’t think I will ever be able to get enough of you.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Kieran grinned wildly. “I can always make it better. Trust me, baby. I haven’t even started yet. You have so much to learn. Oh, and your thoughts? It doesn’t matter if you are with me or not. I can still hear them.”

My eyes widened in shock as Kieran simply chuckled at me, his eyes blazing like coals on fire before gently pulling me towards the ballroom. The sudden hum of hundreds of voices drawing nearer began to make my heart pound. Suddenly the grand oak doors were upon us, and Kieran simply pushed them open as if they were only made of thin material. The hum of voices abruptly stopped as hundreds of pairs of eyes instantly focused on us as we walked towards the top table and our empty seats. My eyes immediately flicked to Davina, who was sat back in her chair, arms folded across her chest haughtily, but on her face wasn’t a scowl. Instead, she had a smirk plastered right across her face while she looked me up and down. I had changed into a floor-length silk emerald green gown with golden lace and taffeta that flowed around me elegantly. My long brown hair was flowing freely around my face and down my back, a style Kieran had told me he loved. Finally reaching our seats in front of a sea of expectant faces, we were met with a sudden loud clapping from Carlton's end of the table. We watched as Carlton stood up, clapping loudly in mock approval.

“Oh, look who it is. Finally, Kieran has decided to grace us with his presence,” Carlton sneered loudly. “With his whore, Helen, by his side, I see. My dear older brother, we have missed you. Where have you been?”

“That’s for me to know, and you never to find out,” Kieran replied in a bored tone, glaring at his brother. “And the whore’s name is Elena. Not Helen. And she is not a whore. Don’t you ever dare call her that again!”

“Well, it's just that we haven’t seen her in a few days,” Carlton continued, strolling towards us. “One just naturally assumed that you had followed the family's tradition when it came to these women.”

“Family tradition?” Kieran growled, shooting an anguished look at his brother. “I do not know of this tradition you speak of. Come on, dear brother. Enlighten me!”

“You know the rules, Kieran. Father taught us if you remember,” Carlton continued while stroking his beard. “These women, you find them, you fuck the shit out of them, and then you forget about them. I just assumed that is what happened to Elenor.”

“ELENA!” Kieran roared, standing up abruptly and slamming his hands loudly on the table. “How many times do I have to tell you? Her name is Elena! How dare you continue to disrespect her in front of me. I shall never be like you or our father!”

“Shame. You are too weak and too soft to run this kingdom,” Carlton whispered, his face fearless of Kieran’s bubbling anger. “Which brings me to my next point. Your days are becoming numbered. I can almost taste the kingdom on my tongue. When I become king, you will be gone from here. Make the most of it, Kieran, because I will take your women and make them mine, and you shall be on the streets with nothing. Oh, I’m looking forward to getting to know Elena inside and out before I kill her slowly, right in front of you.”

I shrank back in my seat nervously as Kieran glared at Carlton in utter hatred while his hand flew to the hilt of his sword. I watched as Kieran's body began to shake violently as his breathing increased to fast gasping intakes. I knew he was fighting with his wolf, who was eager to burst out and rip its brothers head off for even daring to contemplate the foul things that came out of Carlton's mouth. Before I could stop him, Kieran stomped around the table and marched right up to Carlton. Effortlessly, Kieran picked Carlton up singlehandedly around the throat, as he did to Reginald earlier and threateningly held him up in the air.

“I will be King, and when I do, I shall make sure that I destroy you so that you can never harm Elena,” Kieran raged, spitting out his words venomously while Carlton choked and gasped for air. “You are no brother of mine!”

“You won't kill your dear old brother,” gasped Carlton weakly. “I’m the only family you have left. You're all mouth, and I know you won’t do it. You can’t even find yourself a wife. When I am King, you shall pay for this act of brutality. Mark my words!”

Sneering gleefully, Kieran glared at his brother before shaking his head slowly before flinging his brother across the ballroom into a heap in the corner. “You have it all so wrong, dear brother. I have an announcement to make.”

Turning around to face a shocked crowd, Kieran glanced back at me and smiled. I could see he was still enraged, but his wolf was no longer trying to burst out and attack Carlton. Coughing loudly, he glared across the sea of terrified faces looking nervously up at him. At the same time, two of the girls from Carlton's harem quickly ran to Carlton's side, who promptly brushed them away angrily.

“I have an announcement to make. And I’m only going to say it once, so make sure you all listen, and you listen well!” Kieran bellowed, his Alpha shining through. “I am putting my bedmaidens up for tender. As of today, all of my girls, except for Brooke and Hollie, will be available for anyone to have.”

Shocked gasps echoed out from a large number of girls seated in front of the Prince as they looked around amongst themselves, visibly upset. Davina was clearly livid as her eyes found mine and bore through me with pure hatred. However, the Palace ministers hummed and muttered approvingly while eying up the girls hungrily. Holding up his hand once more, Kieran bought the room to silence one more.

“Following this, I am up-ranking Hollie and Brooke to official Royal servants,” Kieran continued, scanning the room thoughtfully. “And, while I am here, I would like to announce that Elena is now and forever, my official Royal bedmaiden!”