FULL NOVELXO Chapter 11
needed. And now, she was in his presence once again, unsure of what would happen next in this tense and uncomfortable meeting.
THE DEAFENING SILENCE in the throne room made Helga nauseous as she was left alone with Alpha King. After making her bold announcement that she would sever ties with Incarnadine, he had swiftly ordered the Madden family to leave, their presence no longer "I have a request I'd like to ask you, Alpha King." she began, feeling a lot more courageous than she usually would be. She reminded herself that there was no point in beating around the bush, especially since she had shown nothing but boldness since arriving at the
palace.
"Talk," Siegren nodded his head once, his gaze locked on her.
"I'd like our conversation from yesterday to remain between us." she requested; her tone was serious. "I know Beta David is already looking into it, but please don't tell anyone else besides him. I don't want my plans to be jeopardized."
"Hmm," Siegren tapped his index fingers on the armrest of his throne, pondering her words. He turned to face Helga with a skeptical look on his face, giving her his full attention.
"How did you know that wench was using magic?" he asked, causing her to startle. She hadn't expected him to call Miranda a 'wench'. Though it was pleasing in the ears, she wondered if he couldn't remember her name or if he was just angry about the fact that she was using magic.
"I accidentally caught sight of her removing her necklace. It has a delicate blue pendant, shaped like a single glistening tear, hung from a thin silver chain. As soon as it came off, her hair and eyes turned into ebony." she answered which made Siegren scowled, his muscles tensing as if ready to unleash his powerful Alpha abilities. But to Helga's relief, he seemed to have control over himself today.
"Are you certain? Or are you just scheming things so you could get your revenge on her?" the words that slipped from his mouth stung Helga. She balled her hand into a fist, attempting to conceal any visible reaction, but it was proving to be a struggle. Perhaps it was because her fever was flaring up again, making her emotions more intense and harder to control.
"Are you suggesting that I'm lying just to frame her?" Helga's voice trembled with barely contained frustration and disbelief as she dropped the formalities and confronted the Alpha King. The accusation was like a slap in the face, lumping her in with the likes of Miranda. The very thought of using the same despicable methods as her-constant lying, playing the victim, manipulating others, made her shudder in disgust. These were all tactics she had grown accustomed to from Miranda, which only added insult to injury that she was now being accused of such childish and underhanded tricks.
"You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that," Helga flinched as Siegren's narrowed eyes and angry tone bore into her. But she stood her ground, refusing to back off or change her stance in the face of his nerves for speaking to him that way.
"I would never stoop so low as to lie in order to get revenge," she stated, her voice relentless, "I am not plotting anything here; I am simply stating what I saw and wish to hide the truth. Even if I were to reveal it, no one would believe me, anyway. For the past three months, all the members of Incarnadine have painted me as a deceitful and manipulative woman, even though I have done nothing wrong."
Her knuckles were clenched so tightly that they turned white. Her stomach churned with nausea, and she even felt like throwing up, but she knew she had to finish her piece to prove to the Alpha King that what she was saying was the truth. "I swear to the Moon Goddess that I am certain of what I saw, that Miranda was using magic."
"But what if your claim isn't true?" Siegren raised an eyebrow and questioned, "If David returns with a report that the wench wasn't using magic, what punishment should I give you?"
The weight of the question hung heavily in the air, suffocating Helga with its intensity. She felt foolish for assuming he would believe her words if she simply told him what she knew. Though she was aware magic was a delicate and touchy subject for him, it did little to ease the frustration burning within her. She was tired of constantly being accused and doubted, her credibility was always called into question no matter how much truth she spoke. It was a familiar pattern, one that left her feeling helpless and frustrated every time it repeated itself.
The weight of it all made her feel small and insignificant whenever she went.
"Execute me then," Helga's voice shattered the heavy silence in the throne room, her words ringing out like a defiant challenge. Siegren's lips curled upwards as a small smirk played at his lips, his sharp eyes glinting with amusement at her bold response. He couldn't help but think that for someone who had fought so hard to survive, enough to volunteer during Luna Selection, she was surprisingly reckless to choose execution as punishment.
As he sat on his ornate throne, Siegren hummed thoughtfully, tapping his index finger against the armrest in a steady rhythm that filled the tense air with sound. He then rose from his throne with a measured slowness, descending the few steps adorned in luxurious red carpet. Helga's heart raced as he approached her, unsure of his intentions until he halted right in front of her, his imposing stature towering over her as their eyes met. Her emerald, green irises clashed with his fiery red ones, both locked in a silent battle of wills as they tried to decipher each other's thoughts.
"You're brave, befitting for a Queen Luna, I'd give you that." Siegren's words were a mix of praise and warning, his low voice betraying his impressed tone. As he placed his hand on her shoulder, Helga couldn't help but shudder from the contact. She resisted the urge to crumple under his intimidating presence, clenching her fist and bracing herself. The Alpha King then leaned down, his breath tickling her ear as he continued speaking, "But don't get too confident. You haven't been officially crowned as the Luna of the Royal Pack yet. It would be wise to hold your tongue before you end up dying before your test even begins."
Helga's throat tightened and she could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she nervously gripped the side of her dress. The Alpha King stood up tall and locked eyes with her once again.
"Your answer?" he demanded, causing Helga to snap out of her thoughts, and all the anger and determination she felt dissipated, replaced by a sudden panic that made her quickly nod her head in agreement. "Yes, Your Majesty."
In a regal stride, the Alpha King walked past her, his red cape billowing behind him. Meanwhile, Helga stood frozen in place, her body tense like a statue. The sound of the heavy door closing echoed through the throne room. Finally releasing her grip on the delicate fabric of her dress, she let out a shaky breath and stumbled forward, falling to her knees. Her palms were slick with sweat as she tightly closed her eyes, attempting to steady her racing heart and calm her frayed nerves. She fought hard to maintain an air of composure, but inside she was trembling like a leaf in a storm.
"Are you okay?" Helga's eyes shot open at the sound of Portia's voice. The beta female was crouched in front of her, offering a helping hand to get up. Helga pressed her lips together; she didn't even realize Portia had arrived until she spoke, but the genuine concern in her voice made Helga appreciate her presence. Without hesitation, she took Portia's hand and allowed her to aid her in standing up.
"I'm okay," she replied, with a forced calmness in her voice. "There's no other option for me but to be fine."
"It's alright not to be okay, you know?" Portia said as she guided Helga out of the throne room. Her skin still feels hot to the touch, her fever worsening after she spent time alone with the Alpha King. "Don't force yourself to act like everything is fine when it's not. You'll only drive yourself insane and possibly hurt yourself in the process."
"Right," Helga let out a forced chuckle, her lips curving upward but her eyes betraying the pain she was trying to hide. Pretending to be fine when she clearly wasn't had become second nature to her, something she had been doing for what felt like an eternity-It had become a skill honed out of necessity and desperation, a way to survive in a harsh world full of cruelty...