"Stay away from her, Melody." Beth said. Her hands shook a little as she spoke. "You'll be kicked out of here too if you don't watch it. Prince William advised you to stay away from Doris."
Doris gripped Beth's hand and casually stepped in front of her. She knew her friend was scared. She was so proud of her friend for speaking up instead of staying quiet. The fact that she did it for Doris melted her heart even more. The last thing she wanted was for Melody to hurt her in any way.
"It's nice to see you're enjoying the role you stole from me." Melody said with a false smile. She ignored Beth completely as if she didn't even exist. It infuriated Doris but also made her glad that she didn't use her opportunity to bully her. "I knew that was what you wanted all along! All those days I caught you staring at him and falling into him like a pathetic cow!"
"I stole from you? You are the one that pretended to be something you're not. You knew that when you put that fake mark on your neck!" Doris took a small breath. "There is no use in fighting me, Melody. You don't belong here and everyone knows it."
"It was my role!" Melody shouted, then immediately lowered her volume. "It was mine. I was his lady. I was the one he was destined to be with. You could never measure up to me or what we were!"
"You are not his mate, Melody. You know you're not. I am. I may have run from the role before, but not anymore. I am Prince William's mate." Doris said calmly. No matter how gentle she spoke, it only seemed to make Melody more angry. Doris took a small step back. "There is no point in you being here if you're only here to terrorize me."
"I'm not here for you, Doris. I'm here for William." Melody took a small step forward. "I know he cared for me when we were together. It's not easy to just forget how you feel for someone!"
"I don't know what you think will happen, but he is not with you anymore." Doris said. "He's not going to leave me for you just because you want to help him. A mating bond means more than everything you had with him, which was nothing."
"You think he won't leave you eventually too?" Melody laughed. "He'll need someone pretty to lay with when you're big and sweaty. Just wait. I bet he's already returning to bed long after you've been asleep. I can't imagine he would remain happy with someone like you."
Doris felt her cheeks heat. Just as Melody wanted, the insecurity planted itself in Doris's mind like an infection. She tried to shake it away, but it clung on tight. "You might as well leave, Melody. Whatever you're planning, it won't work."
Melody took a small step towards Doris almost threateningly so. "It's a shame that cart didn't hit you in your stomach. I would have loved to see you bleed out until that child inside you is no more-"
It happened so fast, Doris didn't even have a chance to say a word. William appeared behind Melody as if he came from thin air and snapped her neck before she sensed him. Her eyes were wide, lifeless as she fell to the floor. Beth screamed and ran back to the tent as if she was running for her life.
If Doris didn't know better, she would have done the same. Doris trembled as she watched him move her body out of his way as if she was trash. Her head was turned completely around, it sent shivers down Doris's skin and joined the lump of bodies that already crowded her mind.
"I told her not to talk to you. I told her to stay away from you." William said as he neared her. Doris forced herself not to back away from the man she cared for. "When she comes for my child, she doesn't get another chance. I should have cut her open and let her bleed out in the middle of the camp like the animal she is."
"I-" Doris tried to grasp for words but she felt breathless. As much death as she had seen, it never got easier. "I..."
William gripped her shoulders lightly. "I would never let anyone hurt you, do you understand? Never."
"Y-yes..." Doris whispered. Her eyes kept trying to look at the body behind him but he refused to let her. He gripped her chin and made her look him in the eye while he spoke but all she hear was the sound of Melody's neck snapping over and over again. "I-"
"It's okay." William held her so carefully with the hands that were so violent and covered in blood. He took her in his arms and carried her back to their tent. She couldn't stop herself from watching Melody's lifeless body. It almost looked like she was watching her right back with eyes that didn't close.
He laid her down in their bed and brought the covers over her. She hadn't realized she was shivering until he did so. "Rest. I'll find where Beth ran off to and send her in to help."
Doris nodded slowly. He left without another word and Melody's body flashed before her eyes her and over again. And over and over and over. Piled on top of all the people she saw die right in front of her. Ones from the north and those from the palace. In the end, they were all the same. They all ended up in the same lifeless pile.
Beth came in her tent like a scared animal that didn't want to be there. Doris sat up and held out her arms for her friend. She'd almost forgotten-it was Beth's first time seeing someone die. How could she erase it from her friend's mind when she couldn't do that for herself?
"It's okay." Doris said gently. Beth hesitated before she crossed the room to Doris. "I'm so sorry you saw that."
"I heard he did the same to Prince Jack too... I didn't realize Prince William was like this." Beth said quietly. She kept glancing at the door.
"He knew Melody wanted me to lose the baby, he wouldn't have hurt her if she didn't threaten me." Doris rubbed her back slowly. "Don't be scared, Beth. He would never hurt you."
"Me? I'm not worried about me! I'm worried about you, Doris. What if you say the wrong thing and end up like them?"
"He would never kill his mate! After what happened to his father, I don't think he can even stomach the idea of the same fate." Doris said. Deep down, she wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more. Doris had seen William kill countless times and each time was more shocking than the last.
Now he was killing people he knew well. People he once cared for, but now were nothing but part of the earth that they walked on. She knew they were horrible people, it still made her stomach feel uneasy. Clearly she wasn't alone.
"Maybe he was right, you should be off with Prince Daniel until all of this is over." Beth said quietly. "It would be safer for you and you would be around the best care."
"I couldn't sleep at night if William was here while I was off somewhere far and safe. My wolf needs to be near him for her to feel calm. We both need each other."
"I know." Beth sighed. "I'm just worried about you. I don't know what to do."
Doris gripped her hands. "You are doing everything you need to be. Don't worry about me."
"I just-"
The flap of the tent opened and William stood tall. Beth was already moving away from her before she could think to grip on tighter. "Are you well?"
"I am. I'm fine, thank you." Doris watched as Beth slipped out of the tent. "I think I'm just a little shocked, is all."
"I shouldn't have allowed her in the camp." William closed the tent flap as if it was a door he could slam. "I hope your maid doesn't make me an enemy to the rest of them."
"She would never do that, William." Doris stood. The world felt a little blurry, she gripped onto the table but William was already there to help her up.
"I thought you'd like to join me in the main tent. I know I've kept you in the dark about all of this, but I don't want to do that any more."
Doris wasn't sure if she was entranced by his eyes, or his words. All she could do was mindlessly nod while he led her out into the snow and towards all the things he's been planning for his army.