Chapter 38 Standing her ground
Aloria
The dawn breaks, casting pale rays of light through the ornate curtains of my chamber, illuminating the remnants of my restless night.
I can’t remember the last time I got a full night’s sleep, and this one sure was not different, worse if anything really, the memories of the Prince’s chilling words echoing in my mind like a haunting melody. I feel both stupid and naive that I let myself lure into the idea that my parents needed me, that I was doing a good thing.
I push myself out of bed, urgency thrumming in my veins. I need to speak with my parents..: or the King and Queen as I have begun to call them in my mind. They must hear me, must understand the horror of what’s to come and why I can’t go through with it..
I do not bother to call for a maid, but dress quickly. I can feel the weight of the kingdom pressing down on my shoulders, a suffocating reminder of the role I’m meant to play… but I tell myself that I have to think of myself too, I deserve more than misery and abuse.
I stride through the halls, my footsteps echoing louder than the whispers of the servants who scatter away, a mix of curiosity and pity in their eyes, as they give me a quick bow or bobs me a curtsy. But I don’t care. I’m past the point of caring about anyone's judgment. I push open the grand doors to the throne room, my heart hammering in my chest.
“Mother, Father,” I say, relieved to find them both there, undoubtedly planning my wedding, my voice steady but laced with urgency. They look up from their thrones, surprise flickering across their faces. “I need to talk to you both. Now.”
The Queen raises an eyebrow, her expression shifting from curiosity to annoyance. “This better be important, Aloria. Our time is precious, the wedding is today and we still have a lot of details to get done.”
“It is important and no need to worry about details... I can’t marry the Prince. I refuse to be his or your pawn.” The words tumble out of me, raw and unyielding. I can see my father’s expression harden, but I press on. “Last night, I went to talk to him… I walked in on him… he was…”
“Enough!” my mother snaps, her voice slicing through the air like a blade. “What nonsense is this? And why would you go alone to a mans bedroom?”
“Nonsense? I needed to talk to him… how Can that hurt when we were already meant to be married?” I feel my anger surge, hot and unrelenting. “But I won’t, most of because he was raping a maid, Mother! He treats her like an object, like she doesn’t even matter… I could never marry a man like that.”
The Queen’s face twists in irritation, her lips pressing into a thin line. “She was just a servant, Aloria. It doesn’t matter… who cares?. You need to understand that this is how the world works. Power dictates everything.”
I feel my stomach churn, disbelief crashing over me in waves. “How can you say that? How can you dismiss another she-wolf’s suffering so easily? Also he told me he is going to rape me, to force a bond to be formed… did you know that?”
“Of course, that is the way of a royal wedding,” the Queen says an for a short moment I see a flicker in her eyes, like a bad memory, maybe of her own wedding, then it is gone. “That is what we have to endure as females.”
“Well I refuse to… I already have a mate… I should not have come here.” I shake my head. “How can you let your own daugther get raped?”
Her gaze hardens, unyielding. “Because, dear, this is not about morality. It’s about alliances, power, and the future of our kingdom. You’ll learn this soon enough.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head vehemently again. “This isn’t how it has to be for me. I won’t accept a life where I’m treated as a mere possession. I will leave.” The words spill from my lips, igniting a fire within me.
The King’s brow furrows, his voice booming like thunder. “You can’t leave, Aloria. You have a duty to this kingdom, to your family… We made a pact.”
“Watch me,” I retort, my heart racing. The thought of escaping this twisted fate fills me with renewed determination.
“Guards!” the King bellows, his voice echoing through the grand hall. “Seize her! Lock her in the tower until the wedding.”
Panic surges through me as the guards rush forward, but I feel something else, something primal rising within me… a surge of power that I’ve never tapped into before. The realization hits me like a lightning bolt: my wolf is awakening.
With a sudden rush of adrenaline, I let the transformation take over, the world around me blurring as my body shifts, muscles rippling beneath my skin. The guards falter, their eyes wide with shock as I become the creature I’ve always been deep inside. I feel the strength of my wolf, the freedom pulsing through my veins.
But as I leap towards the door, my only escape route, I see it’s blocked… guards standing firm, ready to seize me. I can hear the King’s voice, filled with authority and fury, but all I can think about is the Prince’s dark promises and the life I refuse to accept.
I’d rather die than be trapped in this life, I think, my heart pounding as I gather my strength. I turn surge forward, my wolf’s instincts driving me.
In one swift motion, I leap through the window, the world outside blurring into a chaotic swirl of colors. The air rushes past me, a fleeting moment of freedom before the ground rushes up to meet me.