CHAPTER SIX

Delora's Pov

I had to remain here or death awaited me at Alpha Otto's palace. How would I carry the news about the princess' death? I had been enslaved to them my entire life, how could my life be spared when the princess was dead?

The gentle grip suddenly hardened with Luther's eyes piercing through mine. "You are one of them" he muttered in a strained voice.

"One…of who?" I managed to ask.

"Leave!" He screamed, almost like he had caught the person who kept him in his misery. Yet, I gladened that he had attained such strength to howl.

I fell on my knees, positioning my forehead on the bare ground, and my hair ruffled on the floor. "I am your slave, Master. It is of dignity that I am…accepted by you. I plead that you give me a purpose. Please…Master Luther-"

I looked up, awaiting mercy.

He parted his lips to speak, but yet I interrupted. "Your bedding, your sores, your dirt, your health…I can earn my keep. Grant me a task and I shall demonstrate my devotion. I am not…one of them-" I assumed what he meant was one of those people who had mocked him and took pleasure in watching his pain.

I had seen inklings when I was in the carriage, how Luther was despised by his people. How could I reasonably anticipate his validation?

He looked away for a long time and lay down, refusing my offer to help as he groaned in pain.

As I left his room with tears soaked on the bed of my balls, I strolled around the garden to gather herbs for his evening supper, headed to the kitchen and preparation became rapid.

"Zibah…" the froggy voice of Wesley startled me and I almost cut myself with the chopping knife. I was getting used to the silence of this castle I had forgotten the parasitic presence that clung to me.

"Or, is it…Princess Zibah?" A harsh laugh escaped his mouth and the breath of wine hung around the room. "I see you are attending to your husband…personally, just like I instructed"

"The Alpha requires continual feeding and I am obliged, as his…wife" my breath itched. "-to make him desirable dishes"

"As a Princess, isn't that a suspicious task to run?" He staggered further into the kitchen and his wooden jug of wine splattered to the ground, staining the white marble, scaring me.

For some reason, I feared he might hurt me. Just like everyone did.

"I maintain my position as the princess in my castle while tending to my servants too. I had learned a lot…" I was bad at pretending to be Zibah and if Wesley knew well who the Princess was, he might have never allowed me into the palace.

"Simply put, Zibah, you must have a lot to learn about Luther from me." He smirked and walked forward, his height an intimidation. "As the steward of this stronghold, Alpha Luther takes pride in my work even when I am paid less than I am supposed to…" he clenched his fist as if the statement angered him. Faking another smile, he continued. "My Lady - what would you like to know, about your husband?"

"Steward Wesley, you have taken quite a lot of wine, you-"

"Are you saying I am drunk, My Lady?" He grunted and my stomach twisted at his tone.

"I am not."

"Do you question my duty, Zibah?"

"I could not-"

"Stay in your place, woman!" His hands landed on my shoulders, the weight causing me to crouch a little.

I struggled to look up and meet his eyes, but he swiftly looked away to the pile of cooking mess behind me. His face roughened as he pushed me off the way and reached for the herbs I had taken in the garden.

He sniffed them aggressively, his eyes going to and fro from the plant and me.

"Where did you find this?" He charged at me

"At..at the garden"

"How dare you take them…?"

"I am familiar with…"

"You do not do as you want here!" He grabbed my hair, tightening my scalp. The pain cramped my throat, silencing the words that were expected to come out of my mouth.

"The liquid diet. That is the instruction!"

"I did feed him, I only thought to add…ah!" His claws pierced into my shoulder. "Please…" I cried. "Please stop" My legs cramped, folding themselves until I fell on my knees and Wesley let me go, unbothered about the blood spurting out from the hole he had clawed on my shoulder.

"The liquid diet is the Prince's food. If you feed him anything except that, I will inform him that you were sent to the end his life"

"I wouldn't…" I choked back tears.

"There is no escape from here, Zibah. You do as you are told!"

"Understood"

"Good" he spat at me. "You were brought here as a wife to make things easier for me, not complicated. You have no one here to help you contact your powerful father. You're stuck with me! "

I nodded as I listened to the rest of his rant. This place was a trap either for Zibah or me, Delora. We would need to fend for ourselves either way and that was why I was meant to have followed the Princess - to endure her pain.

"I promise to do anything that ensures the betterment of the prince's health" Even when my throat was sore from crying too much, I spoke to Wesley's understanding.

"Good Night, My Lady" he tackled, walking out of the kitchen.

I held onto my shoulder and struggled to stand up, wincing in pain. It was one of the few bearable tortures I had received back at Alpha Otto's castle.

This will pass too, I assured myself.

Back into the storage room where I had been spending the night, I lay to take a nap and sleep-clouded my eyes, until it didn't and I heard voices I had wished I had not heard at the back of the room.