Chapter 8
After our casual chats, we all went back to our rooms to get ready for tonight’s dinner. I haven’t seen the producer since, but the cameras still stayed.
They didn’t get close enough to hear personal conversations but most certainly aimed to capture everyone’s responses to what was happening in the room.
I hadn’t noticed that they were filming, so no doubt the footage of me and Lyra will get some views. From what I heard, the cameras picked up on our confrontation and were close enough to hear as they weren’t warned to stay back at that point.
“Your dress for tonight.” May holds it up. It’s ocean blue with a sweetheart neckline. It’s the most beautiful thing I own. It’s simple, which is what was required for tonight’s meal.
Once I’m ready, I walk out, Sage meets me, and we walk down together. We walk in and see Darius and Kellan at opposite sides of the table.
“Okay, ladies. I will read out the name of those whom Alpha Prime Darius wishes to sit with him.” William opens the paper.
“Aurora and Elara. Please take a seat on either side of him.” Kellan grins, and it is one that says shit is about to blow up.
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Ignoring him, I take my seat.
“The two selected by Prince Kellan are.” William unfolds the paper and glances up. “We have an issue.” He glances at Darius.
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“Of course we do. My brother chose one of these two ladies.” Darius laughs slightly.
“We will move you to one side, Sir.” A maid quickly begins moving things around. Now, Darius and Kellan are with a space between them.
Aurora takes the seat, and I sit on the opposite side. It’s obvious that is who he picked.
“Kellan has picked Sage and Elara.” Everyone looks shocked.
“Please swap seats.” Kellan smiles at Aurora, she stands up quickly and we swap places. Yet her eyes glare at me as we pass each other. How is this my fault? I fight back the laugh and sit between them.
I wish it was Aurora, this is damn awkward. The other women. pick where to sit, and I sit awkwardly between the king and prince.
The plates are set down, and I notice Darius has something. different.
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“Do you not like sauce?” I peer at him.
“Allergy.”
Ah, well, that makes sense. I nod slightly.
“Not an allergy. He just uses that as an excuse.” Kellan laughs.
“I believe the hives I got after consuming it is a confirmation of an allergy.” Darius looks at him and then turns to me. “You mentioned you can’t remember your wolf being taken. Do you remember who cared for you when it was?”
I do, although I’m not sure if I should say. I swallow and glance around.
“You see, my brother is fixated on finding out where the wolves. are going. He thinks if you remember, it could be his way to figure it out.” Kellan smiles at me
He can find out easy enough. “I was living with Alpha Draven at the time.”
“Did he mention it to you?”
My head shakes. “No.” My word sounds cold and he tilts his head.
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“It is weird he never asked where your wolf went.”
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“He rarely spoke to me.” That is my excuse. He can clearly tell I am lying. Which for me is bad considering he is the king, and I just lied to his face multiple times.
“I think you should maybe talk to Aurora so she doesn’t feel left out,” Kellan smirks and Darius turns to her. She smiles at him, quickly covering the scrawl she had while staring at me.
“I would like to offer you assistance in the next event, Elara.” I look at Kellan, confused.
“I already get seen as having special treatment. We best not confirm it more.”
“You don’t want my help?” He smirks at me.
“Some women believe I am being giving special treatment and that has given me an advantage, I would like for them to realise that isn’t real.”
“You see, the next event is different, so my helping won’t raise questions.”
“How so?” I look at him. His eyes glance around the table, and people are listening. Maybe they can hear him?
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“I will explain later. Once it is announced.” I nod at his words. Darius had said I needed help because I didn’t have a wolf, so how would Kellan help me?
A guard steps between me and Darius, he whispers in his ear something. As he turns he knocks the glass onto me. I stand up, but it’s too late.
“I apologise.” He looks at me, but his words say it was on purpose.
“It’s fine. I shall go get changed.” Standing I walk out, as I make my way around the halls I feel a hand grab me. Spinning, I see the producer.
“You think I will let you push me out?”
“I did no such thing.” How am I to blame for his actions?
“No one wants you here; when the king realises how bad you make him look, he will be grateful I tampered with the results to try to have you removed.”
I don’t reply; I just turn to walk away, but he follows. “Alpha Draven has explained that you follow orders well.” I continue to walk as he follows. “He seems to think that you lied on your application. Is that true?” Turning I look at him.
“Alpha Draven couldn’t possibly know as he didn’t even know I
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entered.”
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“Even so, how did you put a number for sexual partners when you can’t possibly be sure?” My mouth opens and then closes. “You didn’t.”
“Ahm.” I look to see Kellan walk towards us. “Are you okay?” He looks at me, and I nod.
“Fine, I’m getting changed. I go to walk away, and he stops me.
“Why are you in the contestant’s hallway?” He looks at the producer now.
“Apologising as I was told to do so by the king.” Apologise? I almost laugh at that.
“Is that so?” Kellan looks at me. I can’t say no, right now I can’t deal with more enemies.
“Yes.” I don’t want more drama.
“Well, you can leave now. I’m sure you could have apologised somewhere more public rather than following her to the bedrooms.” Kellan states, and I watch as he walks away.
I turn to go to my room, and Kellan stops me.
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“We’re not devil’s Elara.”
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“I know.” I never said they were. I go to move and he stops me again.
“We know you lied on your application.” My body stills. “We also understand that those particular questions were intrusive and would maybe make people feel like they would be excluded for the number. You didn’t need to lie.”
“I didn’t lie.” The number I put was random, as I don’t know the
answer.
“Really?” He looks at me, waiting.
“How can I lie when I myself don’t know the number? It only accepted numbers, there was no way to explain I can’t possibly know the answer when letters were not accepted.”
He peers at me, and the silence grows. I can see he is thinking something or maybe working something out in his head.
“You knew you could be punished and lied anyway?” He steps closer, and I nod. “Why?”
“Punishment from the king wouldn’t be any different from the ones I received almost daily. At least this way, there was a chance I wouldn’t be found out.” He moves closer to me.
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“You won’t be punished for lying about that number, however…” He steps closer, his body against mine. “We may need to discuss it in more detail to ensure nothing else was a lie.” I bite my lip at his words, his smile widening.
“That’s fine, I’m happy to be honest.”
“Bitten and claimed?” His body presses against mine. Shit, maybe not that honest. His finger strokes down my neck. I’m too busy moaning slightly to notice his finger pull my dress down from my shoulder.
My hand raises quickly to cover the area.
“Oh, now that…is interesting.” His eyes come to mine. “Bitten and claimed. Where is your mate?”
“I don’t have a mate.” His head tilts.
“You’re bitten and claimed.”
“Not by choice.” I didn’t want to be. I didn’t choose or agree. “Go on, tell him, have me punished.” He will.
“Hmm…I think I will pass; I’m intrigued to see how this will all work out. My brother seems interested in you, and he’s never interested in anyone.”
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“He’s intrigued, not interested. Like yourself.”
“Oh, no. He’s interested, as am I.” His head lowers, and I hold my breath, his lips almost on mine.
“Well.” I watch Kellan jump back. “Dinner has ended; many will be leaving soon once William announces the next event, and here you are.”
I watch Darius walk to us.
“We were talking.” Kellan smiles and steps back more.
“Close for someone who was just talking. You do remember you’re not allowed to sleep with the women, Kellan, not until you choose.”
“You mistaken my intentions, brother. I wasn’t sleeping with her.”
“I don’t mistake anything. You can’t sleep with the contestants, it doesn’t exactly set a good example does it!” I step back slightly, inching closer to my room.
“Ah, no, you don’t.” He looks at me. “Stay right there. I need to speak to you after.” Did he see my shoulder? I watch as he pulls Kellan away and discusses something.
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I watch Kellan nodding, and waiting as Darius walks to me. He stops in front of me. His head lowers to my ear.
“Do not indulge my brother Elara. It won’t end well for you.”
“I wasn’t…”
“Oh, you were.” He leans closer. “Although I can’t blame you, he has a habit of making people follow on his little missions to cause problems.”
Well, I won’t then. “I will keep space between us.”
“Please do. You can’t afford to have his bad behaviour used against you.”
“We both know I won’t be making it to the end and becoming Luna.” That’s impossible.
“You seem so sure? You were top for the first contest. You got both mine and Kellan’s attention in the last, that’s all it takes.” I hear something, and he steps back. Everyone is staring at us.
Kellan is grinning with the other contestants behind him, staring between us. This is making me a bigger target for their hate.
“Please go to your rooms; I am explaining the next event to Elara after she had to leave early I watch as they follow his
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order and rush to their rooms.
“The next event?” I look at him.
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“You will be talking to wolves. How well you connect with them will be the key factor. Your points from that round, along with the event after, will be added together. The one after is a ball, consider your gown, more details will be told after the next event.”
“Thank you.” I turn to leave, and he stops me.
“Please remember what I said. Kellan isn’t considering the impact of his actions on you. If the cameras had seen how close you two were…Well, it wouldn’t be good.” He turns and walks away.
Rushing into my room, I close the door. May looks up and smiles at me.
“We need to discuss your next dress, right?” I nod. That event will be essential as I am going to fail at the event tomorrow with the wolves.
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