Chapter 6 6
Lena's pov
It felt like a thousand eyes peering into my skin, seemingly burning as the minutes went by.
There were only 10 of them but it felt like I was being scrutinized under their gazes. I played with my fork, staring at the variety of food littered across the table in a lavish spread.
The table which was wide, spreading over several centimeters wide and almost 9 foot long in length, similar chairs with gold carvings marring each side till the end where the head chair sat.
The same chair that has been unoccupied in the last three days.
Suddenly, an Omega approached me, refilling my glass, and I realized it was the third time she's done so. All I ever did was drink while my food got cold. As much as the food was delicious, appetizing to look at, I couldn't bring myself to eat anything.
"His Majesty insists you don't wait for him. He's been kept back at the Council meeting and won't be back till dawn." Mercy, the Omega with the half burnt face, who was appointed my hand Omega, stepped forward.
My chair scrapping back earned me attention, but I barely acknowledged their aghast expression as I beckoned to the trays.
"And these? What will happen to this much food? I obviously can't finish it all," I turned to them. "What happens to the leftover food here in the pack."
"Food is not allowed to stay overnight in His Majesty's Kitchen, so it's thrown out." Mercy replied and the others bowed in acknowledgement.
I stared at them in disbelief.
"Your Highness, please what are you doing?!"
I ignored them, stacking trays over the other while their protest ran in the background like a synchrony of noise. When I was done, I ordered every single one of them to handle a stack of tray.
At some point they knew better than to protest even further, given I was relentless. How could I not? Things were run pretty much the same way as in my father's pack. If Lucien was going to treat me like a common guest after taking my innocence a few nights ago, then I better make a good well use of my time here.
The corridors were lit as we walked down the cobbled steps down the quarters of the servants. Guards manning the entrance were just as confused, but with hesitation, they let us pass.
Once I arrived at the main doors leading to the quarters, I swung it open, and stood at the entrance as the chatters came to a cease, watching the scene play before me in astonishment.
Most of them were seated on the floor, some against the wall. Small cracked bowls of what looked like food was been distributed around and they ate from it with their hands.
The silence was scorching, it seemed like the prickling heat through my skin from being stared at became even severe times worse.
I ushered the Omegas in and had them go around serving the trays. Commotion suddenly sprang alive again in the crowded quarters as everyone climbed over each other, tearing through the huddle to get a serving.
My heart sank to my stomach watching the state of the place, the servants and I remembered how my father would punish me by sending me down here for weeks. And it was even much harder for me since the servants back home knew me as the Alpha's daughter. They made the experience a terrible one for me knowing it was going to be shortlived.
But no matter what, no one deserved to have to live like this. Their status as Omegas were made very degratory compared to their impact regardless small to the pack.
"From today henceforth," silence reigned once more as I cleared my throat, aiming to be as laudable as I could. "No food in this pack will go to waste. Not a grain, not a crumb, not a seed. Anyone who cares defy this order," I look to Marcy and the rest, steeling the tone of my voice. "Will be punished. Sternly."
"Who is she?"
"I heard she's our soon to be Luna!"
"Oh don't be ridiculous, do you really think the Lycan has had a Luna since his lifetime, it won't start now."
"I hear she was supposed to be mated to his Nephews but she seduced him!"
"How can we trust someone like her? How can she come around ordering us around"
"Your Highness..." Mercy suddenly approached me, and there was an urgent plea to her voice despite her usual stoic expression. "We have to leave."
Confusion clouded my features as I wondered at the sudden shift in the air, the tension arising from the murmurs in the room, the scornful glares and suspicious ones I received from all ends of the room.
Before I could make sense of what happened, I gasped.
Mercy's eyes widened, her burnt one doing a minimal job of keeping slightly open before rolling back shut.
Food. In my hair. Another, on my clothes.
They were- throwing food at me.
"What will Her Highness do? Will she punish us for wasting food she couldn't bother eating?"
Scorned mocking laughter from all sides of the quarters rang in my ears. Mercy, along with the other Omegas at dinner quickly ushered me out and shut the door, but not without having some food thrown all over them as well.
I ran my fingers through my hair, still in shock from what just happened, but the stickiness in my hair dawned heavily on ne that I wasn't just imagining.
"Your Highness, I tried to tell you, they- "
I raised a hand to stop her, before drawing my gown off the floor, holding it up in a bunch, to gawk at the mess made around it. "They are not easily trusting. It's fine. It's Understandable. I will retire to my chambers alone."
Without another word, the others left, but Mercy stayed still, a feet behind me as I marched out of the quarters. Even the Guards at the entrance exchanged not so discreet mocking glances at my appearance as I stalked away.
Lucien apparently would have sewed Mercy to my side if he could. She was given strict orders not to leave my side for a minute. I wondered if that was his way of keeping tabs of me. But then again I shouldn't think highly of myself. He was merely doing a charity by keeping me here.
Thinking about any affairs concerning me should be the least of his worries.
A few hours later, I'm seated at my dresser, staring blankly at my reflection while she brushed my hair, quietly, without a word, humming her usual tune.
There's a hallow gap in my chest. I can't be quite certain if it's from what had ensued at the quarters or the fact that as much as I've gotten the freedom I do badly have craved from my father, it feels like I'm in another prison again, only much so designed to be my new home.
This bond with Lucien. I can't see it, but I feel it strain by the minute I don't see him. I don't expect much from him, he's already done his part, he's had me, and as someone who catches the eyes of multiple other more fascinating women, I shouldn't be his priority.
But is it bad that I crave something more.
Ash comes to mind but I numb my feelings so I won't have to think of him, but unlike other nights where I perfectly hold on the mask, it slips and the tears roll down my cheeks. My chest feels heavy and my heart is still hollow, hurting from betrayal.
I expected a lot from my father, not that I was surprised. But Ash? It still stung. Hurts even more that he never bothered reaching out. Or was anything we had at all real?
I shake my head, a silent order and Mercy respectfully backs away. She bids me goodnight and leaves. And for the next couple minutes, I remain at my dresser staring into the mirror.
I've been treated like shit and let people walk all over me like nothing at my father's pack, room abuse from my own father, the one person I trusted from birth after my dead mother not to ever hurt me, and he did worse than that. He left room open to the servants to abuse me, do as they pleased.
And then he tried to sell me off like a whore. The Twins may be my chosen mates, but he knew what they were. And he only cared that I was gone and he got whatever he exchanged me for.
And Ash. The one person I trusted betrayed me without considering the trust I've had for him.
I will never let that be the same here. I will never let it be my fate. Lucien will have to understand that I beat his mark, he took my innocence, we became one and completed the ritual. I was the Lycan's Luna, and things will not be the same anymore.
As I stand, wrapping my satin robe tighter around my body, a gust of wind throws my window open. Rubbing my shoulders from the sudden cold, I approach the ajar window and move to shut it.
From the corner of my eyes, through the bars of the window, I see something. It's fast and almost slips out of eye sight but it's quite fast.
My heart drums in my chest as the familiar scent hits me. It's meant to be the comforting scent of my mate but it causes the hairs at the back of my neck to stand and my stomach to drop.
I quickly shut the windows and bury my back against it, sliding down with a heart pounding hard in my chest.
Alpha Riven or Kael? I wasn't quite sure who. But they were here. Worse. It could be both.