Rhea's POV

　　"Lila," I dubbed, "How long have you been standing there?" 

　　"How long," she retorts with a dry cough.

　　"Why are you here?" I asked again, my heart was throbbing damn fast. Is it possible that she might have heard my conversation with Daemon?

　　"Wow! This is a hallway, Luna or have you forgotten so soon," a mockery smile broke through her lips, with her eyes amusingly staring at me.

　　I gulped hard, I could feel my fraying nerves but I decided to play cool. One thing I have noticed in this pack and as well learned in life is never to show them what they really want to see.

　　"You know eavesdropping is a bad habit and not a good image to a person of high rank," I addressed, pointing out her mistake but she just shrugged with a smile.

　　"Or should we say that the caring beta finds her dear Luna kissing and throwing herself at the king," 

　　"Don't you dare!" I quickly snapped at her, "I didn't kiss anybody, I am not a slut, and besides…"

　　I stepped forward, closer to her, " I have a mate and a husband," I said, clearing myself.

　　"You should have thought of that before getting intimate with him," she slurred, her face caressing in a deep frown.

　　I felt a sharp bang at my chest, feeling nervous within but I am not going to back down before she will have this false accusation fly all over the place. After all, I never did anything with Daemon. I guess that he was just mistaking me for someone else, practically maybe someone dear to him.

　　"Watch your tone, Lila!" I roared, "Don't you lay false accusations against your Luna," I scoffed, sounding enraged. 

　　Deadly smiling at me, she opened her mouth to speak when I heard Kian's voice behind us. I swiveled my head around and was met with not that happy-looking Kian.

　　His gaze trailed from Lila, finding mine," What is going on here?" He demands curiously.

　　Afraid of the next word that might leave Lila's voice, I suddenly spoke up, "Why are you here?" The question already left my lips before I even noticed what I just asked him. 

　　His black eyes became stony as they fiercely glared into mine," Is that a question?" 

　　I swallowed hard with a trembling gaze, "My apology," I muttered in one go with my head lowered.

　　After a few seconds of sending a murderous look my way, he then finally asked, "Have you seen the king and his beta?" 

　　My breathing quickened under the mention of the name, and my legs became too weak to stand. What is going on? What have you done to me Daemon, just the mention of your name had my body heating up.

　　"They already left though not that long," I turned around while pointing in the direction that they followed.

　　"How did you know?" His question sounds terrifying. I peered my gaze at Lila and then back to him.

　　"Didn't they inform you?" 

　　His face darkened, clasping his fists in anger. He spits with a growl, flinching me a bit," How could they inform me when you made a mess out there all in the name of food?" He screeched harshly, making it impossible for me to swallow the cold gladial that was aimed at my throat. Lila chuckled beside me, suppressing her laugh. 

　　"Yhnn, I am talking to you," he snapped at me, his gaze so intimidating and dominating that I had to shift my gaze from him.

　　"What?!" He growled, confusing me.

　　"Look at me when I am talking to you," spontaneously, my eyes fell on him, his voice on the other hand kept getting harsher and deadlier at every passing second. I look unblinkingly into his deep black eyes. 

　　"I instructed you to cook and not to make poison," he screeched in his usual domineering tone that I don't know if I can ever get used to. 

　　"I followed your instruction," I bite out the question anxiously.

　　"Don't you dare annoy me!!" He roared, "What happened there?" He harshly stresses out his words.

　　"Kian," his name suddenly left my trembling lips and that seems to have gained his attention amidst his outburst. Going mute he slowly stepped closer to me.

　　His sharp gaze pierced directly into mine, "I have warned you, moron, that it is Alpha to you," he authorized, earning a chuckle from Lila. He spoke to me like he was addressing his subject. 

　　My heart prickled at that instant, the way he kept humiliating me even in the presence of his mistresses not caring about my dignity. Giving them room to talk to me anyhow that they feel fits them.

　　I am his mate for crying out loud! I am hurt, but I play it cool by remaining calm to avoid problems.

　　Ignoring his words, I said, "I know what I cooked and..."

　　"You called that knowing what you cooked," he yelled, his hand pointing behind him in the direction of the ceremonial room. 

　　Pausing, his eyes became stony and his red plump lips curled up amusingly. Kian stepped closer to me, so close that our noses can almost touch. I felt his hot breath fan me, trickling the mate mark around my neck level. My breathing became hitched and my heart throbbed rapidly. The attraction between us was not as strong as that of Daemon.

　　What's happening to me, why thinking of another male with my mate standing in front of me? 

　　"You humiliated me out there, making everyone see how worthless my so-called wife was," he ridiculed.

　　"I still don't get why King Daemon requested another portion of that poison, maybe he feels pity toward you," I felt a sharp stab at my chest, gritting my teeth hurtfully. I didn't want to believe that Daemon felt pity for me but he seemed to be right.

　　Since that incident at the coronation, he has been feeling pity toward me, accepting the alliance because of pity. Checking up on me not that he cares but due to pity, requesting for food just to pull me out of shame.

　　Everything is due to pity!!! It hurts, but why does he keep calling me 'Mine', was that also a pity? 

　　I parted my lips to speak when suddenly his next words interrupted me, "And why didn't you hide those marks around your ugly neck?" 

　　"Hmm... you are trading on the wrong path, Rhea, don't bite the hand that feeds you," he let out a strict warning.

　　"I am trading nothing and besides one of your mistresses condemned the food that I personally made just to get to me!" I yelled, unable to condone the pain inside of me.

　　He turned to me, his eyes so brutal, "Watch your tongue, in this pack, you have been the acting Luna doesn't make superior and my women must be respected," 

　　"Acting Luna," I was left confused, acting Luna, how? But we are mates and he being the Alpha makes me his true Luna. Or is there something that he is not telling me?

　　"Yes, acting Luna," his words hurt me, if he loves his mistresses so much then why did he come to me claiming me as his? Why did he still keep me here? Lila grinned, his words seemed to have gladdened her. She moved closer intertwining her finger in that of Kian in front of me, his true mate.

　　"If King Daemon in any way cut off the alliance then consider yourself dead," he let out a threatening growl. He barely looked my way and started walking away to the entrance door, leaving me with Lila. 

　　The threats were clear and terrifying, I was left heartbroken, despite my effort to please him. The universe knows that I tried my best, lifting my gaze. I stared at his retracting figure disappearing behind those closed doors.

　　I just pray that breaking the alliance won't cross your mind, Daemon, if not I am doomed.