SAMANTHA
What?! Did Jayce not feel the mate bond?
Why was he rude to me and why did he have to talk to me that way? That triplet is honestly unhinged.
I looked at Jayce's retreating shadow, my breath struggling to be consistent as a wave of fear crushed me.
Even though he had already left the room, the trauma I got from the five minutes he was here was enough to push me to the edge.
I was so close to fainting!
His presence was still looming, filling the room as I struggled to hasp for breath, my body shaking as I pulled myself up. Fear gripped me and my legs wobbled. I stumbled forward like an electric toy who had snapped and before I could get myself, I collided with Darlington.
He caught me. His hands were cold and detached as his eyes were. His touch made me shiver. The mate scent..the mate scent was stronger while I was close to him.
Was Darlington my mate? Was the moon goddess playing a joke on me? From one brother to another. When would this end? For fucks same?
I could feel his icy aura emanating and pulling me through.
"Your majesty," I managed to say, my voice was low and unstable.
Somehow, I could see that he was surprised. Had he noticed the mate scent too? Was he going to claim me?!
But the surprise in his eyes banished very quickly and he pushed me to the side.
"No, please," I gasped, almost losing balance as I moved backwards.
I almost hit the wall but I barely steadied myself. I hadn't even remembered that I was still stark naked. I was so fucking humiliated. Stripped naked and almost passed around, in front of my mate?
I instinctively tried to cover my arms over my chest, desperately trying to shield myself from being vulnerable.
"I-I'm sorry, your grace…" I murmured, anxiety tearing at me.
I waited for his wrath, fearing that I must have moved too carelessly.
Shockingly, Darlington didn't do too much. He didn't even look in my direction. His face was studying the environment.
The mate scent grew, tormenting me and slowly, Darlington lifted the hand he used to hold me to his nose. This was the moment!! The moment he would tell everyone that I was his mate!
It was as if he also perceived the scent and he was trying to judge where it came from and then he gave me a sharp glance.
I could not tell if it was my imagination or the fact that I was stressed, but there was something dangerous moving in his eyes. It looked like I could mirror a beast. It was something scary. Something with menace!
It seemed as if Darlington was more ruthless than Jayce. Heat flushed my face and I moved my gaze, lowered my head and refused to look into his eyes again.
Maybe he would reject me! Maybe he didn't find me worthy! It's possible he didn't want a sex slave for a mate!
Ms Daisy Bond must've noticed the tension and she walked up to him to greet him. "Your majesty, welcome. Would you love to choose a slave? From all the pretty girls you see?"
"I'm not interested. Thank you!" Darlington replied coldly and Ms Daisy Bond flinched. His eyes moved to me again. "You can select the girl you'd want to give to my brothers, but since this one has pricked Jayce's interest, let her stay."
After that, he left the room as if nothing had happened. He didn't acknowledge me, didn't ask for my name and he didn't claim or reject me as his mate.
It left me to wonder if all this happening were real or I was dreaming.
Ms Bond, heeding to his orders, nodded and led me back to the main hall. Maybe finally, I'd be handed some clothes.
******
Once we arrived there, she personally picked a handful of young girls. Young girls she thought were fit to serve the triplets. The ones Ms Daisy Bond didn't pick looked very happy. Their faces were filled with relief and pity! Pity for us because they had seen what I went through in the hands of Jayce.
That alone had struck terror into their hearts.
I smiled bitterly, my intestines were tightening again at the thought of what the future held. Desperation to escape began to creep back in.
"Everybody be quiet!!" Ms Bond yelled, her voice quieting down the incessant chapter of the girls.
So, Darlington had not even recognized me. It had been two years. Two years since I left with my mom and Amanda, the backstabber. Two years since I ran away from this pack and somehow, fate brought me back to collide with them. Was this because they were my mates?
Or. Did Jayce feel the mate bond and he pretended not to? Could he tell I was his mate? Did Darlington feel the same way too? Was that why he asked Ms Daisy Bond to keep me for him and prepare other girls for his brothers?
Did they know that I ran away when I turned eighteen? Were they going to punish me for running away and not letting the mate bond activate?
A sea of questions flooded my mind. Soldiers began to lead the women who were selected away and Ms Daisy Bond addressed the rest of us.
Ugh!! Could I at least get some clothes?
"Tomorrow, you will all be shown to the king. For now, could you get dressed and prepare to rest in the room that would be set up for you?"
Relief swept over me. It seemed like this torment was finally getting to an end. Maybe I could finally soak myself in a warm tub and take a nap.
I was calculating the things I would do when a voice rang out.
"Stop! No one's going anywhere!"
The room froze and once again, goosebumps prickled my skin. A very beautiful woman with an air of pompousness walked towards us. Her high heel–a clear 7-inch stripper heels, clicking the floor of the tiles with every step she took. Her eyes were sweeping over us as if someone were inspecting some goods. She was checking us out with anger in her eyes.
Was this Ms Daisy Bond's boss?
Her angry gaze made me shiver. I found myself bending my head, my brows furrowing into a frown despite the fact that I was trying to compose myself.
Ms Daisy Bond's voice immediately shifted to being professional. "Hello. Miss Molly Hanes. How delightful of you to come. Is there any way I could help?" I could catch hints of anger and irritation in Ms Daisy's voice.
Milly Hanes let out a sharp and mocking laugh. Her eyes were filled with malice as she moved them from girl to girl. It seemed she had come here to rub it on our faces that she was better than us. "Well, I heard that Jayce showed an interest in a lady. Which one of them is it?!" She asked angrily, her voice was filled with anger.
Her question made everyone turn their gaze to me.
My chest tightened and my heartbeat began to fluctuate. Before I could say anything. Milly was already standing in front of me. Her expression was very cold and if looks could kill, I'd be dead immediately.
She looked at me from head to toe, as if I were not deserving of attention. "So, it's you! It's you who Jayce had singled out?"