***Eleanor Hawthorne***

“Alethea?”

His voice cracked like something inside him broke.

Eleanor froze.

What did he just call her?

“Pardon me my king, I'm El—”

But his finger pressed against her lips, silencing her.

That touch sent shivers crawling up her spine not of pleasure… but dread.

“Shh… no need to talk,” he whispered, voice cracking, haunted. “I’ve been waiting for you… I’m sorry, Alethea. I need you.”

Before she could speak, he pulled her in, one hand gripping her waist, the other trembling ever so slightly.

“W–wait—” she tried to say, but her words were swallowed as his lips crashed against hers.

Her hands pushed weakly against his chest. Her body tensed, but something in his kiss was so broken, so desperate it made her falter for a split second.

Not from want — from confusion. From fear.

He wasn’t kissing her.

He was kissing a ghost.

“Kylian, stop—” she managed to breathe out, but he swept her off her feet before she could finish.

The world spun, and the next thing she knew, she was inside a grand chamber, her back hitting silken sheets, the king above her like a shadow crashing down.

Her heart slammed against her ribs. “Kylian, this isn’t—”

But then… he stopped.

Just like that.

His body slumped over her, the strength gone, the tension melting away as fast as it came.

Then silence.

Eleanor blinked.

“My king?” she whispered, breath still shaking.

He didn’t answer,he was out cold.

Passed out— deadweight, lying across her like a storm that forgot how to rage.

She slowly, carefully pushed him off, crawling from beneath his limbs, breathing heavily.

She sat up, trying to piece together what just happened.

Then his fingers curled around her wrist.

“Don’t…” his voice rasped, barely awake. “Don’t leave… please…”

The plea wasn’t one of a king. It wasn’t a command.

It was broken and Human.

Before she could react, he pulled her back, her weight crashing onto him. His arms tightened around her. Not like a lover — like a prisoner afraid to be alone.

Trapped in his arms, she stared into the darkness, stunned, unsure if he was even awake anymore.

Who was this man?

This wasn’t power.

This was a pain.

She thought about screaming… I thought about running. But her body, drained, made the decision for her.

Her eyelids grew heavier. Her heartbeat slowed.

And despite everything — despite the terror, the confusion, the storm inside her — she fell asleep on top of the same monster who’d dragged her here.

•••••••••••••

Morning came and the sun shunned brightly on Eleanor's face, piercing into her eyes. Enough to wake her up but what she first said wasn't comforting.

The man who dragged her to bed last night was now glaring at her, before Eleanor could even react he grabbed her by the neck and tightly squeezed it making her gasp for air.

“Who are you?...I didn't request a companion last night so what are you doing here?”

Eleanor was scared and confused, he was acting like he didn't know what happened.

“I'm…I'm Eleanor Hawthorne.” Eleanor said while gasping for air.

He released his grip on her neck making her collapse and fall at his feet coughing.

“Who did you say you are?”

“I'm Eleanor Hawthorne”

“Hawthorne?” Kylian scoffed “I should've known this was your plan, is this how low you are? forcing yourself on someone the first time you see them?”

Eleanor remained silent…confused.

“I know house Hawthorne has no omegas…so why are you behaving like one”

Kylian said with a look of disgust all over his face.

He grabbed her by her hand and moved like she was some thief he caught, eyes followed but he didn't care. They took quick glances afraid to be caught. Eleanor didn't understand what was going on.

Kylian dragged her all the way into the courtroom where the queen was and dumped her in front of the queen.

“Here's your bride Kaitlyn…next time tell them not to send a slut”

Kaitlyn smirked.

“I see no reason why this is a problem kylian, after all she's already your bride”

“No!, she's nothing to me…you married her so you keep her”

Kylian stormed off.

“What is your name child?”

“Eleanor Hawthorne…your majesty”

Eleanor had figured it out, it wasn't any royal that dragged her out,it was the king and she ruined it.

But it wasn't her fault now he acted like he didn't remember.

Kaitlyn got out of her seat and stepped down slowly.

“Get up” The Queen commanded.

She pulled Eleanor's red hair backwards, “Such a beautiful thing” she spoke in a little bit of admiration.

“Lilith, escort lady Eleanor to her room and prepare her for tonight…you will continue to serve her personally, understood?”

Lilith nodded.

As they walked countless eyes followed, deadly glares and side murmurs, Eleanor could tell…she wasn't welcomed. Fear sent chills down her spine. She's going to die here, lycans never liked werewolves.

They've been fighting for centuries and her father just tossed her into them like she was nothing…

Maybe she was.

A suiting prey waiting to be devoured.

As they entered the room Eleanor was marveled, it was huge. Bigger than what she's seen any bedroom look like.

“Is there anything I can help you with, my lady?” Lilith asked in a jovial tone unlike others she's met.

Eleanor could sense something,Lilith wasn't a lycan, she was a werewolf.

Omega at most, the most hated more hated than rogues. The outcasts most of them were used for only one purpose. To satisfy the alpha's, sex workers.

At least living as a maid was better than that,far better.

“No Lilith, I'm good thank you”

“My lady, your bath”

She reminded her of Teresa and that's what made her worried more.

“No…I'm okay you can leave, thank you”

Lilith slowly left,closing the door, leaving Eleanor to ponder about what was going on, what happened to the king, was he drunk? Or was he playing her.

She felt uneasy, she ought to be,house Hawthorne was known to be one of the top warriors.

Ruthlessly killing lycans during the war and unlike werewolves lycans age slowly.

They were known to bear grudges, barbarians that were just too powerful to beat.

Their way of revenge?

Probably to kill her in a bid of revenge, lycans were known to hold grudges they never forget and that was a truth that every werewolf knew in the back of their mind. Either way she's going to die.

A knock took Eleanor off her thinking as she nervously jumped off, like a cat caught stealing.

“Who's there?” Eleanor nervously questioned. Trying to keep her voice steady.

“It's Lilith my lady”

“What are you doing here?”

“I'm here to prepare you for the welcoming dinner her majesty is throwing”

“Dinner? But it's only been…” that's when

Eleanor realized the whole room had turned dark, she'd been drowning in her thoughts that she didn't realize that night had arrived.

Night very came early in kalyndra, the days were shorter than the nights that's why they call lycans night creatures.

While Lilith dressed Eleanor, she nervously stared at the torch that gave the room light, her heart was beating faster, enough for Lilith to hear it.

“Don't let them smell it my lady”

“What?”

“Don't let them smell your fear, they get vexed by it.”

“I'm not afraid.”

“I can hear your heartbeat, you're uneasy. Try to calm yourself down.”

“Thank you Lilith…But how'd you end up in the black castle anyway?”

“My father, he sold me to them when I was a girl, he couldn't have an omega in his household.”

She said with a painful smile.

“Oh…so sorry to hear that.”

“Don't be my lady, it was the best thing that could happen to me,we both know what happens to omegas over there.”

“But how is it any different here?”

“Luckily for me I was one of the Queen's favorite slaves, it gave me some kind of protection.”

Eleanor breathed deeply when Lilith was through, she walked confidently ignoring the eyes, even though her insides told something different.

She was terrified but refused to show it, she couldn't let them she her weak

When she arrived at the dining hall the queen sat with a smile on her face,it made her uneasy.

Eleanor was even more terrified but apart from Lilith,that was the only welcoming face she's seen since her arrival, she had to go with it.

“Come on my dear have a seat” The Queen said while sipping her wine.

“I trust Lilith took her of you”

“Yes your highness…”

The dining hall opened and kylian walked in.

“I didn't think you would come”

“Nonsense mother…I have to know my bride right? It starts from dinner…Now let's eat. I'm starving.”

He said in a very different mood that made her cautious.

Before Eleanor could take three spoons, queen Kaitlyn asked her the first question.

“So Eleanor, tell me more about your family.”

“Yes Eleanor…what else does House Hawthorne do when they're not haunting and plotting ways to kill our people?”

Kylian added.

Eleanor should've known, this ‘welcoming dinner’ was a trap…a skillful interrogation.

“Well we…” Kylian stabbed the fork to the table “you know what, I've suddenly lost my appetite, excuse me”

He stormed off, just the same way he came in.

“Ignore him dear, enough questions enjoy your meal”

So the worst was over or so Eleanor believed, until she saw a familiar face, she couldn't quite know where she saw him but the face felt very familiar…too familiar.

The moment she locked eyes with him he left, Eleanor felt the instinctive need to follow him so she took a urine excuse.

When she went outside the man had already disappeared, until someone grabbed her from behind and closed her night, pulling her into the dark before letting her speak.

“The unfortunate one…what are you doing here?”

“Who are you?” Eleanor asked but the man ignored the question.

“You're not supposed to be here…your mother promised not to let this happen”

“You knew my mother? How?”

“No time for questions girl…. there are things happening that you don't understand,you need to leave, run. He can't catch you if he does, we're doomed.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What you see in him is only a vessel...soon it will awaken and it will be too late.”

He clutched her hand and left a bruise.

“Run girl, run”

The man was gone, she couldn't understand what he was talking about, who was he talking about?

“My lady…I was looking for you, worried you might have gotten lost, the queen had something important to attend to, so she left. The dinner's over.”

Lilith said as she covered Eleanor with the scarf.

Eleanor thought about the man's word, he looked scared and crazy, she covered the bruise to avoid questions.

How did he know her mother and what promise was he talking about?

While Lilith started undressing her corset. Eleanor asked the question that has been disturbing her.

“Who's Alethea?” Eleanor asked and Lilith paused.

“Where did you hear that name from?” she asked, frowning.

“Do you know her?”

“No I,I don't” Lilith stammered.

“But you know something” Eleanor faced Lilith.

“Please you have to tell me, I don't know what's going on, but I'm guessing that name means something.”

“That's the name of the king's late mate, our late queen” she whispered looking around.

“What? what happened to her?”

“She died in the castle,it happened long ago before I arrived,they say…”

She hesitated.

Eleanor's eyes widened by the suspense.

“Please.”

“Her and the king got into a huge fight and he killed her,”

“What? That's…How?... the king killed his mate?”

Lilith covered her mouth.

“This is the castle's most guarded secret…let no one hear about this, please my lady.”

Eleanor slowly sat on the nearest thing she could find, she's married to a king that killed his mate.

Was this her fate? Or perhaps worse?

And she's supposed to spy on him?

What has her father gotten her into?

‘oh dear moon goddess, what have I done to deserve this?’