Chapter 23
The betrayed Luna-
The soft rustling of leaves could be heard, soft hushed voices could be made out. The birds seemed to close that moment to chirp, it’s loud. The woman stopped a a safe distance, she lifted the cloak that had been placed against her head. “This is how far I can escort you. Here.” She grabs a bag and hands it to the maid whose eyes are large and scared, darting back and forth like they would be ambushed any minute from now. She swallows hard, hiding the bag underneath her clothes.
“Make sure you aren’t caught. This is as much as we can do for you.” The woman says and turns to leave. She hears the maid leap over the pile of stones to the other part of the woods, a tear trailed down her check and she’s quick to wipe it off, swallowing harshly and hurrying herself, not wasting any more time.
Frances stood on the balcony, her eyes trained towards the forest. She lifted the cup of tea and gently sipped it, her face void of any kind of warmth. Soon the door opens and the woman steps in, she walks towards Frances, head lowered. “It’s done, your grace.” The girl speaks up.
Frances turns to look at the girl, a smile on her face. “Perfect. Now, you won’t be charged for the poison and it won’t be traced back to me. This way, all our lives would be much simpler.” She says, sipping the rest of the tea.
The girl only nods, “Yes, your grace.” She replied. Frances smiles, dismissing her with a small wave. The girl walks out of the place.
Frances sighed, running her fingers through her hair. This is good news. Very good news. Ever since she heard Thorne give out orders to find the maid responsible for Natalie’s attempted murder. She had panicked, Almost letting the girl go but thankfully, he was there to help her, guide her.
“You love staying out here a little too much, don’t you?” The door opened and he stepped in, wiping his hands with a handkerchief. Frances turns towards him, rolling her eyes just a bit.
Jeffery cocked up his eyebrows, his jaw locked. “I helped take out the problem. Isn’t that enough to thank me?” He asks and she shrugs.
“You didn’t do anything special, Jeffery.” She winked, reaching out to brush off a spec of dust. He doesn’t allow her, he holds her by the wrist, pulling her much closer to him, much closer than she would like. She goes rigid, her eyes snap up towards him, a frown etched on her face.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She asks lowly. He smirks, lifting his hand up and gently caressing the side of her face. “You deserve more, Frances. You deserve more than whatever Thorne gives you.” He says quietly, staring at her like she was some project he couldn’t afford to sl*p out of his eyes.
She jacks herself back but he doesn’t let go, instead his grip tightens. “What do you see in him? He doesn’t want you.” He says again and she scoffs.
“Are you supposed to be the one to treat me like I deserve? Is that it? You’ve suddenly grown some weird feelings for me? Is that it?“. She asks again, the corner of her l*ps curling into a wicker smirk.
“Wake up. You’re not half the man Thorne is and you’re certainly not a quarter of what his wolf is. A Lycan! You want to compete with a Lycan.” She bites back, ignoring the way his orbs grow darker at her words.
“I’m better than him.” He grits out, his fingers had begun to dig deep into her skin. France smirked, tilting her head sideways.
“You? Wake up from your delusion.”
“I’m a Lycan too.” He says again, more like he was trying to convince himself he was just as good as Thorne or maybe better.
“You’re half Lycan! He’s a full–blooded Lycan. There is a difference and you know just how huge it is. He’s not the bastard one, is he? He isn’t the one whose mom was a whore.” She spat out wickedly. Jeffery’s eyes grow starkly dark.
“Shut it. I just killed a woman for you.” He grits out. Frances doesn’t back down, she smirks, eyebrows cocked up. “F**k you.” She spat out.
“Thorne. Thorne would never look your way. Not when he’s finally found his mate. You will always be old news to him, his past f**k. I’ll watch you whore yourself out to him and yet he’d reject you. Then, we would see who is the whore and who isn’t.” He smirks on seeing the anger burning inside of her. Seeing the frown slowly creeping up her face made him glad.
She jerks her hand free, ignoring the blood that already spouted due to his fingers. “Why
don’t you wait and see? See how he’ll come running back to me with just the snap of my fingers.” She spat out, turning to leave.
Frances stepped out of the place angrily. She couldn’t believe the nerve of Jeffery. Yes, she’d agreed he could help her back then when he decided to be dramatic about knowing her secret. She agreed, after all, it’s better than having no help. They both agreed to use Leslie as the scapegoat in case someone would go down for poisoning Natalie and she was perfect. Frances had told the girl to bring her friend and she had done that. Ella thought Leslie didn’t know anything that night when she had seen her but she did. Leslie saw her and pretended like she hadn’t. She had fallen to her knees begging Frances to let her live but Frances had already made up her mind. Leslie would be the scapegoat. And so she offered her money to leave the pack. The girl grabbed the opportunity immediately but what she didn’t expect was Jeffery staking out for her already. The moment she crossed to the other side of the woods, that would be the end of her life.
Frances halts in her steps, her hands tightening into a fist. She couldn’t believe the nerve of Jeffery. How dare he even start to instigate things with her? She heaved heavily, running her fingers through her hair. This will not go on further. Not anymore.
She began to walk with only one destination in mind. She reaches the kitchen, about to turn towards the stairs when she hears it. She stops for a bit, eyebrows furrowed, trying to make out what was being said. Two maids stood by the kitchen island, talking to each other in what they believed was a hushed tone.
“Are you serious? I heard it being said but I couldn’t believe it.” One of them says, surprise evident in her voice.
“I couldn’t believe it myself but I saw it. He hugged her. He hugged her so tightly and didn’t even notice everyone staring. Have you ever seen the alpha act in such a manner?” The one relating it says and the other shakes her head.
“Not even with Frances.” She says but Frances catches it, her face growing red with anger, jaw locked as she seethes with anger silently.
“I know and this makes it even more shocking to everyone. I wonder what’s even going on anymore.” The other shrugged, grabbing a bowl of ice.
“You think? We are all in the dark here. We all know he’s engaged to be mated to Frances but this.. I wonder if he still thinks of her that way, after all, things have been different ever since her arrival in the pack.” The one relating speaks up.
Frances swallows back the tightness in her throat. She ignored the rest of their words and confined the way she was heading earlier. Minutes later, she stood outside the door, her
5
heart beating wildly in her chest. She knocked on the door twice, waiting for his call. It came in barely seconds after she knocked then she opened the door.
Thorne was sitting behind the table, a pile of papers and documents spread out before him. Frances smiles at him and walks towards him. “You’ve been stuck in here all day and I have barely seen you this whole week. You don’t miss me?” She says as sultrily as she can, walking behind him, she stops and places her hand on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, there’s just been a lot going on. How are you?” He replied a little to formally than she wanted. Her smile falters and she clears her throat. “I’m fine, I just really missed seeing your face freely and outside this place. We have barely talked, don’t you think?” She asked and the man nodded, he placed his hand on hers, pulling her from behind him so she could stand in front of him instead, her hand still In his.” Frances’s eyes drop to his hand holding hers, and a smile creeps up her face.
“We should talk.” He says a little more seriously than needed.
“I’ve been meaning to but with Your maid’s poisoning and all, I couldn’t. Although I suppose it’s easier this way. We should talk about our mating ceremony, don’t you think?” She asks, ignoring the way he stills at the mention of their mating ceremony.
“We still haven’t set a date. I think it’s long overdue.” She starts but he’s quick to cut her off. A frown etching on his face like the thought of mating her irritated him. He quickly withdraws his hand from hers, leaning back against the chair.
“Not now, Frances.” He spat out, unable to keep the bark out of his voice.
“Then when? When I’m old and filled with grey hair and unable to produce an heir? We have been engaged for a year. I think it’s the right time. I’ve waited for you for years, Thorne. I deserve this.” She says just as quickly.
“Don’t start, Frances. I have other things to focus on.”
“Like what? Natalie?” She says snarkily before she’s able to stop herself. Her chest heaving heavily like she’d run a mile, her eyes red with unshed tears. Throne stared at her quietly for a second, and not a word was said after that.
“Yes, Natalie.” He says simply. Frances’s whole world crashes at that very moment. Her face was stunned at his words, the ringing of nothing loud in her ears.
“W–What?” She croaks out
Thorne sighed. “We have to talk Frances. Things are-” he paused for a second on seeing the
great fear in her eyes, her b*dy trembling with fear.
“I’m lifting Natalie’s status. She’s no longer going to be a slave. Not to me or anyone else. She’s going to be her person. I’m telling you this because, after this, we will have a proper conversation.” He says calmly but she is the opposite of that.
“You’re going to lift her status?” She croaks out and he nods.
“Fine. I’ll wait for you after this.” She says after a beat and turns to walk out of his study. There is absolutely no way in hell she would lose him to Natalie, not in this world and not in the next.
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