The Alpha's Eternal Mate

Chapter Nine: Fate in disguise (II)

Kathryn's POV

I was basically dragged through the town back to the place I had escaped from. Talk about fate making jokes.

“He was caught stealing.”

They forced me to kneel as I looked up at the figure sitting on a makeshift throne at the top of a podium. The Hall of Judgment in the Keller mansion was as grand as it was suffocating, its walls a testament to the wealth and power of my family. My family members of course had to be present to show off their wealth and look down on the commoners while trying to butter up and curry favor with the Alpha King. But from his expression, I knew he didn't care. I couldn't help but hide a smirk as I thought about their reaction if they knew I was the one kneeling before them.

My family would probably be ecstatic to see me dragged through the whole place as a criminal then killed or something. But I wondered what Marcus would do settling a fickle case such as this.

“Stealing?” His clear voice rang through the hall clear and commanding as he stared directly at me, his eyes lingering a bit longer than necessary. I had properly done my makeup, right? He couldn't possibly recognize me like this.

“What did he steal?” He asked, finally breaking contact and looking away, leading me to sigh in relief.

The spectators looked in between one another hesitantly before spewing the words. “F..food.” One of them finally stuttered. “She was caught stealing bread from one of the stalls at the market.”

The silence that followed was almost comical. The clinking sounds of metal could be heard faintly as the statue-like guards standing on both sides of the Alpha King, shifted slightly from their standing positions. It took everything in me not to laugh at the incredulous expression on Marcus's face and the awkwardness that followed after their report. Was this some lame attempt at a comic relief by the moon goddess? Nice try. My miserable life needed one at some point.

Marcus’s brow arched, disbelief written across his face. “Bread?” he repeated, his tone laced with incredulity. Then he cleared his throat and continued, “Punish him according to the laws of the Zenox empire. Ten lashes of the horse whip and release him.”

They seemed horribly disappointed that he hadn't said something like ‘Off with his head!’ Or ‘Chop off his hands.’

“You can leave.” He surprisingly ordered them to leave me be. “Since you brought him to the Keller household, then he'll be punished here.”

They bowed reluctantly and made to leave. The guards bowed, prepared to drag me away, but I wasn’t about to let them off that easily. I wouldn't be Kathryn if I allowed them to leave peacefully after wrongly accusing me. They had to get their fair share of punishment for stupidly dragging me here without confirming my identity.

“Alpha.” I called out in a trembling voice, activating acting skills I didn't know I possessed. “I have been wrongly accused.”

“Shut up, you slime!” The one who seemed more outspoken, bellowed at me. “You dare to speak out of turn before the king?”

What a hypocrite. Weren't they just yapping in front of him about such an almost baseless report?

“Speak.” Came the one worded reply of Marcus, cutting him off. I smiled as my brain went on overdrive and my mouth began to spew a true retelling of what exactly had happened with a few spices and twitches here and there. By the end of my recount, I bowed lowly, eliciting pity from the majority of the crowd as I sought for justice.

“Take them to the dungeons to be punished for wrong accusation.” He simply said after I was done. I won't lie, I was taken aback by his verdict as I expected more questions about who the true culprit was, evidence and the entire court shenanigans I had to watch in my past life.

“The next time this happens, you won't be alive to retell the story. I believe you had a town head or chief who could settle this issue. But you deemed it fit to come directly to the King. You must be hating the feel of your heads attached to your necks.”

They shivered in fear as he glowered at them and bowed their heads lowly. The guards dragged them off and he looked to me, still bowing there.

“Bring him to me.” To my shock, he ordered the guards to bring me to him and dispersed the crowd.

My pulse quickened. Had my act been too convincing? Or had Marcus seen through my disguise? What the hell was going on now?