Destined To Be Theirs

Episode 9

Adija's Pov

“Please…” I begged as I sprinted after her, desperate to catch up. She had stormed out of the small house, heading straight for the castle. There was no doubt in my mind that she was about to tell Veronica everything, and I could only imagine what would happen to me after that. I owed no real loyalty to Alpha Zarek. Everything I did was out of necessity, survival. Sure, I enjoyed some of it, but if it meant keeping Lycan Remus quiet about my origins, I had no regrets, no guilt. I was just trying to survive, to stay alive.

“Please, just leave me alone,” she said, quickening her pace, but I knew better. She was going to tell. I lunged forward, grabbing her hand, pleading desperately. But no matter what I said, it was like she couldn’t hear me, her mind was already made up.

“You really can't tell anyone, please—”

“That you are the Alpha’s mistress, sneaking around with Lycan Remus? The situation isn’t that bad considering they share everything,” she said with a smirk, and I frowned in confusion. Share everything?

“But from the looks of it, the Alpha doesn’t want to share you. And now you have gone behind his back to meet Remus.” She flashed a sinister smile. “You should be scared because I will make sure my mistress Veronica hears every word. You have been a thorn in her side since you arrived, and now that I have the chance to get rid of you for her, I will take it. I can't wait to see your head on a pike by morning,” she said, her voice filled with so much malice.

Just as she turned to leave, an arrow shot through her head out of nowhere. I gasped in pure shock, stumbling backward and falling to the ground.

What the hell just happened? My heart pounded wildly as I stared at her lifeless body on the floor, her blood pooling under her. My hands shook as I forced myself to look up, and to my horror, the one holding the bow was none other than Lycan Remus.

He had shot the arrow, his face calm, not a little bit of remorse for what he had just done.

He walked towards me, towering over my trembling form as he said, “You disgrace me by bargaining with a lowly maid.” His cold gaze shifted to her lifeless body before settling back on me. “I’ll have someone fetch you new clothes. Stay here!” And with that, he turned on his heel, walking away like he had just performed the most ordinary task in the world.

Tears stung my eyes for reasons I couldn’t fully understand, maybe it was from the overwhelming fear or the shock of what had just unfolded before me. My mind raced, trying to grasp the situation. It was horrifying. How am I managing to get into even more trouble than I planned?

____________________

“Where is she?” The door to my room suddenly burst open, and Veronica stormed in, her face filled with anger. Hours had passed since that terrifying moment with Remus, and now it was nighttime. I sat on the bed, biting my nails, the image of that arrow piercing Laura replaying in my mind over and over. Now Veronica was here?

“Where is who?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Don’t play dumb with me. Where is my handmaiden, Laura?” she demanded, storming toward me. My throat tightened. I wasn’t a good liar, and this situation was already spiraling out of control. “I will kill you if you deny it. I sent her to spy on you, so where is she?” Her anger grew with each passing second.

“I... I don’t know what you are talking about. I haven’t seen her,” I stammered, hoping to keep my voice composed. Her eyes darkened with rage as she raised her hand, ready to slap me, when a growl interrupted her.

“What do you think you are doing?” A deep voice echoed through the room. We both turned to see Alpha Zarek, arms folded as he leaned against the doorframe, a casual expression on his face.

Veronica froze, panic flashing across her face. Her eyes moved between me and Zarek. “My handmaiden... I don’t know where she is.”

“And how does that concern Adija?” Zarek asked, his tone calm but authoritative.

“I sent her to sp—" She stopped herself, shooting me a hateful glare, clearly embarrassed by her slip. “I want this mistress of yours gone, Alpha. She has no place here.”

“It is not your place to decide,” Zarek replied coolly.

Veronica clenched her jaw, nodding stiffly. “Fine... but my father will be here soon, and all of this will come to an end.” With that, she stormed out.

Her father? That sounded like a threat. But who was her father, and what did she mean by all of this coming to an end?

Alpha Zarek’s eyes stayed locked on me, the way he was staring at me was intimidating, making me feel small and exposed under his scrutiny. What was he doing in my room? I suddenly grew uncomfortable at that moment as I lowered my eyes, unable to look at him. I had so many questions swirling in my mind.

I quickly rose to my feet, offering him a slight bow. “What brings you here, Alpha?” I asked, trying to stop my voice from shaking. He remained silent, his expression unreadable, which only made me more anxious. My palms grew damp, and I rubbed them together nervously. Finally, he spoke.

“I have a question for you…”

A chill ran through me. What kind of question?

“What might that be, Alpha?” I asked, my voice showing all of the nervousness clawing at my insides.

He began to walk toward me, each step closing the distance between us. My heart raced in my chest, pounding so hard I thought he might hear it. I bit down on my lower lip, my eyes dropping to the floor as his presence became too much to handle. His silence stretched on, dragging the moment out, intensifying the discomfort in the room. I felt unworthy even standing in his presence, he was just so intimidating without even doing anything.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he asked the one question that made my heart stop cold in my chest.

“Why can I smell my brother on you right now?