Chapter 32
Wilma hurled the vase from the nearby table across the room, smashing it against the wall. Glass shattered and rained down the floor as the maidservants scrambled to clean up the mess without a word, too afraid to breathe wrong in her presence.
“That woman!” she hissed, pacing like a caged beast. “Has he already been bewitched? He let her stay in the chamber next to his—the chamber reserved for the future Queen p>
Only the chosen Queen of the Alpha King was ever allowed to stay in the bedchamber adjoining his. It was a sacred tradition upheld by generations. And yet Gavriel had dared to place her there.
She had prepared everything already. Bedding, oils, silks. She even picked the most obedient maids. Everything had been planned for the whore’s temporary comfort, so she could be controlled, monitored, and discarded.
But Wilma had underestimated the strength of the mate bond between Gavriel and that cursed girl.
“Of all women, why did it have to be her?!” she growled, hands curling into fists at her sides.
Wilma could have stomached it if Gavriel’s mate was a common slave or even a rogue-born. But not Cain’s daughter. Not the blood of the traitor who drove her own daughter to insanity. That was unforgivable.
Her son was a cold, merciless Alpha—unyielding and impossible to manipulate. Even she, his mother, had long since accepted that no one could bend Gavriel once he had made a decision. Those who tried usually ended up in the dungeon. Or dead.
“She’s just a sex slave!” Wilma spat bitterly. “Nothing more than a tool to satisfy his instincts p>
Her voice echoed against the walls of her lavish chamber before she spun around and barked, “Summon Nilda! Now p>
Moments later, the doors opened and Nilda stepped in with a quiet rustle of cloth. The old Mage Healer bowed low.
“Your Highness. My Queen Mother,” Nilda greeted respectfully.
Wilma didn’t waste time. Her eyes narrowed. “Is the potion ready p>
Nilda blinked once, then slowly nodded. “Yes, Your Highness. Just as you instructed p>
“Good,” Wilma snapped. “I don’t care what bond she shares with my son. I will not allow that girl to bear him a child. I will not have Cain’s blood running through the veins of my future grandchildren p>
Her tone dropped to a dangerous whisper, cold as ice. “She may be his breeder, but she’ll never be Queen p>
She would make sure that woman—that breeder—would suffer a fate even worse than her own daughter Riela. If Wilma had her way, the girl wouldn’t just be discarded. She’d be ruined.
Her cold gaze shifted to her head maidservant, who stood stiffly by the door.
“Your Highness,” Marga began, bowing quickly. “Everything is arranged exactly as you instructed. The cook, the helpers, and all staff assigned to serve the breeder… they’ve been briefed p>
Wilma raised a brow. “And they understand what’s at stake p>
“Yes, Your Highness,” Marga answered with a nervous gulp.
“Good.” Wilma’s voice was sharp. “I don’t want a single mistake. No loopholes. Not when we’re dealing with Gavriel p>
He had marked the girl. That alone made everything more dangerous.
The mate bond of a Lycan—especially one as dominant as Gavriel—was not something to underestimate. Every move they made had to be calculated, precise, and executed without hesitation. One misstep, and Gavriel would turn on them all.
Wilma narrowed her eyes.
“Proceed as planned. I want her body broken, her spirit crushed. Slowly. Quietly. And make sure it never traces back to us p>
“Yes, Your Highness,” Marga said again, bowing deeply before retreating with quick, silent steps. Left alone, Wilma returned to her seat and picked up the delicate tea cup beside her, sipping calmly, as if she hadn’t just ordered the destruction of a life.
“She’ll regret ever setting foot in this palace,” she murmured. “Let the mating bond rage. I’ll make sure it burns her alive p>
Inside the Alpha King’s bedchamber, Althea woke to the now-familiar ache clinging to every inch of her body. Though her healing had quickened unnaturally, the tenderness lingered, reminding her of every kiss, every bite, and every possessive thrust that had claimed her through the night.
Gavriel had been insatiable.
If she hadn’t passed out from sheer exhaustion, she knew he wouldn’t have stopped at all. Not even the breaking dawn could deter the Alpha King once he was lost in that fevered haze—the mate bond driving him to devour her like a man starved.
“My Lady, you’re finally awake!” Melva’s voice chimed with relief.
Althea blinked, glancing around the empty bed before sighing quietly.
“The Alpha King left early this morning,” Melva explained, approaching her carefully. “He told me to stay and wait for you to wake p>
The maid’s eyes darted toward her exposed shoulder, and she gulped before grinning. “Look at those bite marks. He certainly imprinted himself on your delicate skin, didn’t he?” Fınd the newest release on ͟.net
Althea turned bright red but remained silent. She rose from the bed slowly, pulling the sheet around herself as if to shield herself from both the cold air and the teasing.
“Let’s just hurry to my assigned chamber,” she murmured.
“Oh, right!” Melva nodded quickly. “There’s a door inside. Your new quarters are right through it p>
Melva led the way, and Althea followed quietly. As they passed through the connecting doorway between her chamber and Gavriel’s, she noticed something—there was a lock on his side, but none on hers. It was a silent reminder: he could come and go as he pleased, but she had no power to keep him out.
As soon as they crossed the threshold into the adjacent room, Althea’s steps slowed. Two unfamiliar women stood inside. Both had their heads respectfully bowed, hands clasped before them as they waited.
Melva leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “The Queen Mother sent them… to assist you with everything p>
Althea nodded stiffly, then faced the women. Her voice was soft but firm. “Please raise your heads and look at me p>
The two maids obeyed, lifting their gazes.
Althea met the eyes of the first girl—a petite brunette with trembling fingers—and immediately caught the flicker of a thought swimming in her mind. ‘I’m nervous, but I must do what the Queen Mother wants. We need to slip the potion slowly into her food so she won’t get pregnant p>
Althea’s stomach clenched, but her expression remained serene. “What’s your name?” she asked gently.
“Mila, My Lady,” the girl replied, eyes lowered once more.
Althea nodded and turned to the other, a taller girl with narrowed eyes that tried to appear obedient but couldn’t fully hide the disdain burning within.
“And you p>
“Amy, My Lady,” she answered. But her thoughts betrayed her the moment their eyes met. ‘Why do I even have to address this whore politely? I should make sure she goes insane like the Queen Mother wants. She deserves it, not Princess Riela p>
A deep breath slipped from Althea’s lips, quiet and steady. She smiled faintly. “You two may leave for now,” she said calmly. “I am, after all, just the daughter of a traitor. I don’t deserve to have maidservants around me p>
The two girls exchanged glances, taken aback.
“I can attend to my needs myself,” Althea continued. “Please tell the Queen Mother that if she permits, I would like to meet her. I want to personally apologize for what my father has done p>