Chapter 132

For a moment, I’m too stunned to speak. How could I have gotten this so wrong? How could I think that Caleb would be reasonable, and want to save me from further hurt, when everything that he’s ever done until this moment has only been in his own selfish interest?

Of course, he wouldn’t want to free me from this torture. Why would he? Not when he can have what he wants by forcing me to stay here.

This is a man with a harem. He doesn’t understand what monogamy means, or why anyone would want it.

With a heavy sigh, my entire body sinks, pulled down by the weight of knowledge of the pain to come. There will be no escape for me, then.

What if they have children?

Oh, gods.

I put my hand on my stomach, willing myself not to be sick.

“If you mean what you said, about me mattering to you more than I realize, then why would you want to torture me like this?” I ask.

“This won’t be torture,” Caleb says. “Nothing will change between us.”

He’s delusional if he believes that. Or, perhaps more likely, he has no idea the kind of relationship that Annabelle wants. Will he even release his harem at her request, or does he fully intend to make her miserable too?

Nothing will change? Everything will change.

“You will have a wife who will expect things from you,” I say.

“She will adapt, as you will.” He seems so damn confident, like he has it all figured out. Like he believes everything will be as easy as Do what I say.

Feelings don’t work like that. They aren’t logical. I can’t just not be heartbroken because he wants me to stop.

I don’t even know where to begin in trying to explain that to Caleb, not when he is so damn sure of himself. He won’t listen to me. I’d just be wasting my breath.

“Please, Caleb,” I try pleading instead. “I don’t want to be here for this. She is going to be your wife. I can’t be the other woman…”

“Our situation is not like the typical relationships you are used to,” Caleb says, softening slightly, like he’s purposefully trying to be kinder – more understanding. He doesn’t know how damn patronizing he sounds. “I’m a king. I can have any number of relationships I choose with whomever I choose.”

“I don’t want that for myself,” I say.

“You won’t have it,” Caleb says. “Your only lover will be me.” His fingers curl tighter around my shoulders, biting into my skin. He’s not just stating what he believes to be facts; this is a warning. I will not take other lovers, or they will likely be killed. I can read between the lines well enough.

“Caleb, I can’t do this…”

“You can, and you will,” Caleb says. “I’ve already started to make arrangements. The two of you will forever be separate. You won’t even walk past each other in the hallways. It will be like the other doesn’t exist.”

“But she will be Queen,” I say. Which means, I’ll be the one kept to the shadows, forced to hide away while Annabelle attends all the events. If she starts coming down the same hallway as me, only one of us will be asked to move. It’s not going to be the Queen. “Please, Caleb. Just let me leave.”

“No,” he says sharply. “And do not ask again.”

With a disgusted snarl, he drops his hands away from me, then turns and heads to the door – just as Bethany is returning with two suitcases.

“Take those back to storage,” Caleb barks at her. “Harper will never leave this palace while I’m still breathing.”

Bethany dips her head while glancing sideways at me. “Of course, my King.” She cannot tell the King no, but she’s still looking to me for what she should do.

I close my eyes and give her a stilted nod.

Without his approval, I won’t be able to take one foot out of the palace without being dragged back. He’s probably on his way to tell the guards right now to keep a closer eye on me, in case I try to run again.

Bethany wheels the suitcases back into the hall. Caleb waits for her to leave, then follows her out the door without looking back.

When they are both gone, I gaze longingly at my pile of clothes. I thought I was so close to freedom, but I wasn’t. It been an illusion; I wasn’t close at all.

Picking up the dress on top, I hold it against me, trying to imagine myself wearing it while I walked as a free woman down one of the streets on my pack lands.

It’s a nice little dream. Impossible but nice.

I draw my hand down the fabric, pressing it to my body, when I feel something oddly shaped in the pocket. Digging into it, I fish out a pendant necklace.

The one Samuel gave me. The one he kept. The one he asked Bethany to give back to me.

I wonder what our lives would have been like I never been disgraced. We would have married, most likely, and I’d be Luna of our pack.

Would we be happy right now? Would we have children?

My feelings for Samuel have changed in the past few months. I’m not sure I would have loved him forever if we had married… If Caleb never came around…

But it still would have been a good life, with children and friends. Family. Purpose, as a Luna.

What is my life now?

A harem girl. Even favored, I’m just a tool for my King’s pleasure. He’s said that only his mate will have children, so I’ll never have my own. And now, I won’t even get to stand beside him at events. I’ll be some kind of shadow mistress.

It hurts. It all hurts.

There has to be something I can do to save myself from this fate. But what?

Another week passes, and soon, it’s time for the Alpha Council to return. I stand off to the side in the Hall, surrounded by the other harem members, as each Alpha and his entourage are introduced to the room of supporters and advisors. King Caleb is mysteriously absent, but that’s fine with me.

We haven’t seen much of each other since our last argument. That was fine with me. Every time I faced him, my chest ached.

Then, the announcer declares, “Alpha Samuel of the Riverwood Pack, accompanied by his mate, Leah.”

I look over, surprised to find Samuel entering alone. Leah was introduced. Where is she?

Samuel keeps looking behind him as he enters the Hall, as if something is wrong.

A sinking feeling pushes down on my gut. Caleb promised he would get the truth from Leah when she arrived, but he’d also promised that I would be there.

Has he moved on his own? Has he taken Leah without me?

Gods, he’s going to actually torture her if I’m not there to stop him.

Pushing through the crowd, I go to Samuel. “Where’s Leah?” I ask.

He still seems somewhat dazed, and keeps looking back at the door to the hall.

“We were separated. The guards said she’d be right behind me…”

Caleb’s made his move then.

“I’ll find her,” I tell him, and rush toward the door.

I have to find her – before Caleb kills her.