Chapter 42
BRIANNA’S POV
I gulped and my lips parted slightly in shock on hearing Catherine’s last words. I knew I had told Sebastian to let me go. I had told him to just say the word and I’ll be out of his sight and castle forever. Mentally, I had prepared for it. But now that I was faced with it, I realized that I never thought of where to go. This wasn’t my kingdom. I didn’t even know my way around it.
“But…but I don’t know where to go?” my voice grew small and brittle. “I don’t have any other place aside from this castle. I don’t even know my way around this kingdom.”
“Oh, honey,” she taunted, her lips twisting into a grim, mocking smile. “I’m terribly sorry, but I have to admit that I don’t give a fuck about your next destination. That’s entirely your concern. Slums, sewers, the wilds or why not under a bridge? It’s all the same to me, you see? The only thing I do care about is this: after my dinner party tomorrow, I don’t want your presence polluting this castle. I have zero tolerance for your suffocating Omega scent and your pitiable countenance. I’d prefer it to remain forever absent from my sight. Has that registered into your thick empty skull?”
Was she serious? How does she expect me to live in any of those places? How inconsiderate and cruel of her.
Her expectant gaze lingered on me. Expecting to see me shatter. To see me crumble. Broken. But I stiffened up and maintained my control.
“Yes, my Luna.”
“Good,” she smirked, still sneering at me. “You can start packing your little belongings now to make it easier for you. Oh!,” She placed her hand against her lips. “I almost forgot. You are a slave. And slaves don’t have belongings. But since this used to be my chamber, I’m willing to be generous enough to offer you those worn-out clothes of mine in the wardrobe and closet. Pack them and get ready to say your last goodbyes.”
I nodded almost reluctantly.
“Good girl,” she put on a wide grin and left.
Closing the door, I rested my back against it. And slowly, screeched down. I cradled my legs to my chest and buried my face in the depths. The tears I was holding in check were now flowing freely, staining my cheeks.
If leaving the castle meant that Catherine would be happy. Satisfied. Feel less insecure. If it meant that her and Sebastian’s marital life would be less threatened and return to the blissful one it was before I arrived. If it meant her position as the Luna wasn’t threatened. Then… I just have to go. I didn’t want to cause trouble. I didn’t want to be known as the maid who was sleeping with her Alpha King. The maid who snatched the Alpha King from his Luna. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I didn’t want to be…a murderer.
Another hard knock on the door startled me and I rose in an instant, quickly wiping my tear-stained face and arranging myself. If it was Sebastian, he wouldn’t be happy seeing me like that. And if it was Amelia, she’d start worrying and would probably tell Sebastian about it.
On opening the door, I groaned inwardly on seeing Catherine’s sneering face again. The moment she saw my reddened eyes, the smile on her face grew wider. More triumphant. Quickly, I averted my gaze, regretting why I let those tears out.
“I almost forgot. Not a word of this to Sebastian or any of the maids. And while leaving tomorrow night, you’re to sneak out from the back. Not a single soul should see you. Got that?”
“Yes, my Luna,” I muttered.
“Good. And also I have some clothes and sheets I kept for you in the laundry room. Do well to wash and iron them properly before I get back. Safe journey, Slave girl.” Her evil laughter continued to echo as she made her way down the corridor.
****
In the laundry room, the soft hum of the washing and drying machine filled the air as I carefully sorted through the pile of clothes Catherine left for me.
“Are you absolutely sure you don’t want a hand?” Amelia’s voice rang out for what felt like the hundredth time as she leaned by the doorway, her persistence unwavering. “I mean, Luna Catherine is out already and wouldn’t know if I did it for you. And hey, don’t forget, you’re still recovering. Look at you, your eyes are all red and a bit swollen. You’re in no position to do this. And you still haven’t taken your breakfast and medication this morning.”
“Thank you, Amelia, for your kindness,” I groaned, growing impatient with her persistence as I transferred a set of freshly washed clothes into the dryer. “But I’m fine on my own. I’m almost done. It’s just this last set and then ironing. That’s all. After I’m done, I’ll eat and take my medication. You don’t have to keep worrying for me like I’m your child.”
“I’m only carrying out Alpha Sebastian’s order,” she spoke with emphasis. “You do know he’ll jump on me and the rest of the maid’s throat if he sees you doing this.”
“I know,” I said as the dryer beeped and I proceeded to take out the clothes and stack them on the table, ready for ironing. “Which is why I’m doing it quickly so he won’t see me. And if unfortunately, he happens to see me. I promise not to implicate you guys.”
Huffing out an audible breath, she rolled her jade stone eyes away from me.
“I just don’t get why he didn’t tell Luna Catherine about your condition. If he did like he was supposed to, then there is no way she would have told you to do this.”
A chill silence fell between us, only the sound of the machines was heard. I still couldn’t believe Sebastian didn’t talk to Catherine like he promised yesterday after she saw us together on the bed. He promised. But I didn’t have to worry about that anyway since I was leaving tomorrow.
“So,” I cut in, trying to break the silence between us. “You’ve been here long enough. How do they normally celebrate their anniversary?”
After a moment of not hearing her response, I looked up from the clothes I was ironing and folding and my heart skipped a beat on seeing Sebastian staring at me with eyes that screamed “You shouldn’t be doing this!” Amelia was frozen beside him, her green eyes screaming “I told you! You’d better tell him I tried my best to stop you but you insisted!!”
He stood by the doorway, beside Amelia, exuding a relaxed confidence that scolded me. His floral vintage shirt had a laid-back charm, with the top buttons undone. The tailored shorts he had on, showcased his strong legs, adding to his handsome appeal.
I swallowed a mouthful and shut my eyes, trying not to focus on all that. After today or tomorrow, I won’t be seeing him again. I didn’t know why, but it was wounding my soul a bit. But it was for the best. For the greater good.
“Apologies, Alpha Sebastian,” Amelia’s words tumbled out, laced with a hint of fear. “She’s just so stubborn. She wouldn’t listen and won’t accept help from any of us.”
“Don’t worry,” his voice was calm, his scolding gaze steady on me. “You can go. I’ll take it from here.”
With that being said, Amelia cast one last furious glance at me and hastened out, leaving me to suffer my fate alone.
“Brianna Campbell,” he sauntered to me. That was the first time he was calling my name in full. And it sounded a bit strange. Just like the first time, I called him by his name. “I have been searching the entire castle for you. This is the least place I expected you to be in your condition. You seem to like doing chores and working so hard. Even in your condition… Why?”
I wasn’t in the mood to talk to me. Not after he failed to fulfil his promise. Not after everything Catherine had said to me earlier this morning.
I tried to focus on ironing the clothes on the table. But when he closed the gap between us and held my hand to stop me, the thick, high wall I built against him collapsed all of a sudden. When I met those intense black satin eyes of his, I turned to jelly.
But I shouldn’t be feeling like this. Why was I feeling like this? All weak. And always ready to surrender to him whenever he was close. It has to stop!
“You're making it sound like I'm crippled,” I said almost defiantly, trying hard to resist him with every means in my power. “It was just a headache. It's nothing. Luna Catherine had told me to help her with these clothes. This is the last set. I’m almost done. So you don’t have to worry like you always do.”
The hard truth was that I liked doing chores. While at Aunt Gigi’s place, I practically did every chore in the house because her children were still little. I guess I grew up with that trait.
I tried to release from his grip. But he held on tight to it, his gaze sharp. Unfathomable. Still intent on me.
“Tell me the truth. Have you been crying? Your eyes look sad…and angry.”
“No, I haven’t been crying,” I said, tearing my gaze from his and fixing my attention on the iron that’ll soon overheat and burst into flames if he didn’t give me space to adjust the dial to its lowest setting within the next minute. “It was just the headache.”
“Have you had breakfast and taken your medication?”
“No,” I said hesitantly. “I’ll do that as soon as I’m done with these clothes.”
The washing machine and dryer beeped at the same time. He left my hand and switched off the iron, unplugged the connection before doing the same to the dryer and washing machine.
Returning to me, he reclaimed my hand and pulled me to the door to my surprise.
“Let’s get you something to eat so you can take your medication.”