Chapter 4 MATE, NEVER

The pain in my side throbbed as I struggled to regain my composure, trying not to show how badly the Queen's hit had given me.

My hand trembled as I held my side, but I didn't dare let myself fall apart.

Not in front of them.

The Queen's words kept playing in my mind. "You're here because Kelvin needed someone... not a wife, not a companion. Someone useful."

I couldn't shake the weight of those words. It was clear now-too clear for comfort-that I wasn't here because he cared about me. I was just a tool, a thing to be used, nothing more.

But deep down, something inside me stirred. Anger. A sharp, burning feeling that made me want to scream, run, or do anything to fight back. But I couldn't. Not here, not now.

The King's coldness lingered, his distance crushing me.

Stay away from my wife, he had said. His words hurt, but not for the reasons I expected. His indifference, his lack of care-they were what really hurt.

I wasn't a threat to him. I wasn't even important. I was just another problem to deal with, another thing to be managed. And that truth weighed on me.

But before I could let myself get lost in the anger and the confusion.

The door to my room opened, and a maid stepped inside, holding a tray of food.

It smelled faintly of herbs and meat, but I wasn't sure I could eat.

My stomach churned, twisting with everything I'd learned today.

"Dinner, my lady," she said, placing the tray on the small table near the window.

My lady.

How I wish I actually deserved that name, infact I wanted more and more.

Love, a good man, to be called sweet names and not negative ones.

"Would you like help with anything else?"

I shook my head, too exhausted to say much. "No, thank you. That will be all."

She hesitated for a moment, then sat down at the edge of the room, folding her hands in her lap.

Her eyes were gentle, kind even, and I couldn't help but feel a little comforted by her presence.

"Are you alright, my lady?" she asked, her voice soft, like she was treading carefully. "You seem to have been through a lot today."

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the question. .

Am I alright? I was far from it. But I couldn't say that. Not to her.

"I'll be fine," I said quietly, focusing on the tray of food in front of me.

It was too soon to eat, but I wasn't sure what else to do.

She nodded, though there was a little of sympathy in her eyes.

"The Queen... she can be very harsh. But she's not the only one in this house. If you ever need someone to talk to, or if there's anything I can do to help..."

Her voice trailed off, and she glanced down, as if unsure how far she could go.

I met her gaze, grateful for her kindness. "Thank you," I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know what I would do without someone to talk to."

The maid smiled softly, and I could see the weight of her own struggles in her eyes.

She might not be in the same position as me, but she knew what it meant to live under the King's rule.

To serve.

"I'll leave you to eat, then," she said, standing up slowly.

"But if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

As she left, I sat there in silence, my eyes resting on the food.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to eat. I wasn't hungry. I didn't know what I was anymore.

I felt trapped-alone, surrounded by people who saw me as nothing more than a tool. The King's cold words echoed in my mind, mixing with the Queen's cruelty.

I didn't know how much longer I could keep going, but I had no choice. I had to survive.

I did before with my parents and the other werewolves, so this time its like I leveled up and I will survive.

Just as I began to gather my thoughts and get determined something strange happened.

A voice-soft, clear-whispered inside me.

"Lila..."

I froze, my breath catching in my chest.

"Lila, listen to me. You need to understand. He is your mate."

The words hit me like a wave.

My heart raced. The king? I whispered in my mind, unable to fully understand or even accept it.

The hell, why would I ever.

"Yes. He is your mate. He just doesn't know it yet."

The realization hit me hard. The kinv-cold, distant King Kelvin-was my mate. The thought made my head spin.

How could it be him?

But my wolf inside me wasn't wrong. I could feel it, deep in my bones. The bond was real.

"Yes, he's your mate," my wolf repeated softly, "and you can't run from it."

I wanted to deny it, to push the thought away, but I couldn't. The pull was there, deep and undeniable.

Impossible, never, he can never be my mate.

I will never let myself fall for such a person.

He would make me look like a fool and even reject me.

That was if the bond wasn't one sided.