Chapter 128

I can’t speak against Annabelle. I might be in the King’s harem, but she is an honored member of a powerful pack and favored to be the Queen.

What would I say, even if I could? No? Caleb needs to keep his harem?

That’s not what I want. If I could have my way, Caleb would free all members of the harem anyway. All of them but me. Though I’d prefer not to be a harem member anymore either.

I can’t ask Annabelle to exclude me from this equation, not when I want her out of the picture too. If anything, I could understand exactly how she felt. I certainly couldn’t fault her for it.

Though the words still hurt me. As much as I also don’t want to share Caleb, nor do I want to lose him. My feelings have budded these past few weeks, especially during our time at the farmhouse.

To walk away from him now…

Perhaps he will release the harem into freedom. He is putting money into an account for me and our non-existent child, wanting us to be taken care of. With it, I could have enough funds to survive. I wouldn’t have to return to my pack to survive a second disgrace and become a slave again.

I could go anywhere.

Where would I even want to go?

My head spins. There’s so much to think about, and none of it will matter at all if Caleb tells Annabelle no.

What did she say? That she’s not going to ask him to release the harem until after the wedding? In that case, to keep his new bride happy, he won’t have much choice.

However you look at it, it seems my days at Caleb’s side are numbered.

Maybe it’s for the best. Being close to him, with these feelings of mine… it’s only led to heartache so far. I can’t imagine that will change. Caleb won’t – and can’t, given his lack of genuine feelings for me – understand.

“I’m sorry,” Annabelle says. She holds some measure of sympathy in her eyes but her mouth is a hard-pressed line. “But you must see things from my perspective.”

“I do,” I assure her. “If I were you, I would want the same.”

She looks at me a moment as if studying my face. Then, she nods. “I’m glad we understand each other.” Looking away from me, she returns her attention to the nearby flowers. Some bumblebees are floating around, pollinating.

“You can go now,” she tells me.

I don’t need to be told twice. Standing, I rush out of the gardens and back toward the palace. I don’t stop until I am safely inside of my room.

Bethany was expecting me to stay away longer and is off tending to other duties while I return alone. Though I deeply enjoy spending time with Bethany, she is a dear friend, I prefer to be by myself right now.

These feeling within me… I don’t want to have to try to explain them to anyone else, not even Bethany who already knows much of how I feel. Having been around the harem so much for so long, she wouldn’t understand my general level of distain towards it.

I’ve never liked it. One man does not need one hundred lovers all living under his roof, waiting and ready for him at any moment. It was the very picture of excess.

Yet to my knowledge, Caleb has only been with me since I’ve been added to the harem. He’s entirely ignored the rest of the harem.

Maybe that’s why this feels so much like a personal snub against me.

I suppose what I need to do is back off of Caleb totally, before he has the chance to push me away. Would this be enough to protect my own heart? I’m not sure, but it’s worth a try. I can’t just sit around and do nothing, just waiting for my heart to be shattered into pieces.

I can’t distance myself physically, but I can start to safeguard my own feelings by putting some emotional distance between us.

Later that day, when I’m summoned to join Caleb and Annabelle for dinner, I stand off to the side as they eat and flirt, and pretend that I am somewhere else entirely, somewhere very far away.

It only mildly works. Too often, the sound of Annabelle’s bell-chime of a laugh calls me back to the present.

Once, I glance over and see Caleb offering her a small smile.

He never smiles at anyone. This cuts me tremendously deeply.

When he smiled at me, I thought I was special. Now, I know I’m not special at all. At least, no more so than Annabelle.

Eventually, the date ends, thank the gods, and I start to head towards my rooms.

“Harper,” Caleb calls after me. “Wait.”

Even though I want to ignore him and escape, he remains my king, and a ruthless one at that. He’d see the act as a personal slight against him and the crown, and likely chase me to tell me so.

Not in the mood for a chase, I stop and wait for him to catch up with me.

“Don’t retire yet,” he says. “I need you to come with me.”

“Where?” I ask.

He lifts his brow at me, as if scolding me, letting me know that I should know better than to ask him questions like that and question my king.

If he thinks I wouldn’t ask anyway, he doesn’t know me at all.

Turning, he walks down the hallway away from me. A few feet away, he slows, as if waiting for me. I don’t really have any choice, so I fall into step slightly behind him. Once my footsteps echo alongside his, he continues forward.

Together, we walk toward the guest wing, and then through the hallways of empty chambers. There is one, larger in size than the rest at the very end of the hallway. Once we reach it, Caleb straightens somewhat, and knocks.

“Enter,” says a male voice from within.

Caleb pushes open the door and we both walk through.

This guest chambers consists of a large living room area, with a couch and a fireplace, as well as a small table and chairs. A large bed sits on the other side of the room, divided by a partition.

Caleb’s parents are sitting at the table as we enter. When Hector, Caleb’s father, sees us, he stands. Kira’s mother continues to sit. Both watch their son curiously, not paying any attention to me.

“To come here at this late hour, I trust you have some news you wish to share with us,” Hector says. The late hour is only 8 pm, but who knows when Hector and Kira actually go to bed.

“I do,” Caleb replies. “I’ve decided that I’ve found the perfect woman to become my wife.”

Kira’s brows go up, just as Hector’s go down. They both turn to look at me.

“I am vehemently against it,” Hector says at once. “A harem girl will never be Luna of this –”

“I don’t mean Harper,” Caleb says quickly. His brows furrow like he too believes the thought to be outrageous. That look slices deep into me. “I’m talking about Annabelle. I intend to propose and make Annabelle my wife.”