Sold to the Alpha king

The transformation

Elira pov

“Before I go,” I said, voice low and urgent, “I need to make sure I won’t be recognized by anyone.”

Maria blinked at me, confused.

“What do you mean, Princess?”

“I mean,” I took a breath, steadying myself, “I need to disappear.”

Maria’s brow furrowed deeper.

“I don’t understand”

I smiled faintly, a bitter smile.

“I know I’m beautiful,” I said, brushing a hand over my face, “but I’ve always thought I looked quite handsome too, don’t you think?”

Her eyes widened as the meaning hit her.

“No. No, my lady. You don’t mean”

“That’s exactly what I mean, Maria,” I cut her off.

“I’ll disguise myself as a boy.”

Maria backed away a step, her hand covering her mouth in horror.

“But, but it’s dangerous. If anyone catches you, pretending to be a man if they realize you’re a woman.”

“Then I’ll deal with it when it happens,” I said sharply.

“Right now, it’s the only way. It’s the only chance I have.”

Maria wrung her hands, clearly torn between loyalty and fear.

“But what about your hair, your voice, your”

“Then help me fix it,” I said, grabbing her hands.

“Please, Maria. Help me disappear.”

Maria hesitated, her eyes wide with disbelief as she processed my request. “Elira, you can’t mean… you want to cut your hair? Change your whole appearance?”

I nodded, my voice calm despite the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “I have no choice. If I stay the way I am, they’ll find me, and they’ll drag me back. I can’t risk that. Not when it means losing everything.”

I clenched my fists, trying to steady the tremor in my hands. “I don’t care about being a princess anymore, Maria. Not when the cost of that title is my life. I’d rather disappear into the unknown, be forgotten, than live as a pawn in someone else’s game. If I’m going to survive, I have to do this.”

Maria’s eyes searched mine, lingering on me with worry, but then she sighed and nodded. “I can help, but you have to trust me. This isn’t something simple.”

“I trust you,” I replied firmly, rising from the bed, my resolve solidifying with each word. “Please, Maria. Help me get out of here.”

Her hesitation disappeared, replaced by a quiet determination. “Then let’s do this, Princess.”

We worked in a rush, the minutes ticking away as the urgency of our actions set the pace. Maria moved with practiced ease, gathering supplies, preparing everything we’d need to make the transformation complete. She didn’t speak much, only when necessary, her focus entirely on what needed to be done.

I sat still, my hands clenched on my lap, as Maria carefully began to cut my hair. The familiar sensation of my long chestnut locks falling to the floor sent a shiver down my spine. It felt as though each strand was a piece of my identity slipping away. The hair that had once marked me as the future queen of Eliron now a symbol of my royal past was gone in moments.

When she finished, I looked into the mirror, scarcely recognizing the reflection. Gone were the graceful curls that framed my face, replaced by the sharp features of a boy. My face, once a picture of royal grace, now looked harder,I looked like a beautiful boy.

Maria, standing behind me, let out a soft breath. She studied my face with a quiet intensity, taking in the transformation. “You look… different,” she said softly. “But you’ll blend in now. No one will recognize you.”

After that we waited in silence, as the palace grew quieter. I glanced over at Maria, who stood by my side, pale but resolute. A knot tightened in my stomach.

Leaving everything behind was harder than I had imagined especially Austin. My heart ached at the thought of him, but I forced myself to push those emotions away. I couldn’t afford to dwell on them now.

Maria nodded toward the door, breaking the silence. “It’s time.”

I nodded in return. Together, we moved quickly and silently through the corridors, my steps lighter now that I had shed the weight of my royal identity. We reached the servants’ quarters, where I knew the hidden passageways that would lead us to safety.

As we stepped into the secret path, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The sound of the door clicking shut behind us was a welcome sound, the familiar rhythm of escape. For a moment, I allowed myself to believe that we were truly in the clear.

“No one comes this way,” I whispered, my voice barely audible in the thick silence that enveloped us.

Maria said nothing, but her eyes flickered with a quiet understanding. We kept moving, careful to make no noise, as the passage wound deeper into the darkness. The only sound was the hurried beating of my heart, the pounding of my pulse in my ears. We had to keep moving, no matter what.

I couldn’t afford to look back. Not now. Not when I had already made the hardest choice of my life.

But then I stopped, taking off my coat again and turning to face Maria. Her wide eyes met mine, full of confusion and concern. “I’m going to continue alone.”

Her breath caught, and her lips trembled as she took a step closer to me. “What do you mean? Where are you going, Elira?”

“I can’t ask you to throw your life away for me,” I said softly, my heart breaking. “If you come with me, they’ll recognize you. You’ll be in danger. You mean so much to me, Maria. I can’t bear to see you hurt.”

Maria’s eyes filled with unshed tears, and I could see the conflict warring within her. She had always been loyal, steadfast, a friend and confidante, someone who had been by my side through every triumph and every tear. To ask her to stay was to sever a bond I had never expected to break.

“Please, Maria,” I said softly, my voice breaking as the weight of the decision pressed down on me. “You’ve been my light, my strength. But if you come with me, they’ll find us. And I can’t bear the thought of you being caught, or worse.”

Maria trembled but stood her ground. “But… but I can’t just leave you. You’re my princess. You’re my friend. I promised I would always be there for you.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I cupped her face in my hands. “I know. And I will never forget that. But you have your own life to live, Maria. A life outside of this palace, outside of these walls. You’ve always been more than just my maid. You’re my sister in spirit, and I will carry you with me wherever I go.”

She hesitated, her gaze searching mine, as though trying to read the depths of my resolve. But after a long pause, she let out a shaky sigh, the fight slowly leaving her. “I… I understand, Elira. I just… I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Live,” I said gently. “Live your life, Maria. Find happiness. And if I’m meant to come back, if fate has that in store for me, we will meet again.”

She nodded, though her face remained stricken. “You’re right. You’re strong, Elira. Stronger than I could ever be. But… don’t go without knowing I love you, okay? Always.”

I pulled her into a tight embrace, the tears falling freely now, soaking into her gown. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, but it was the only thing I could do.

“I love you too, Maria. Always.”

With one last, lingering look, I turned and slipped deeper into the secret passage, leaving her behind.

The tunnel was cool, and the faint smell of stone and old wood filled the air as I made my way through the winding passageways that would take me out of the castle. My heart beat faster as I neared the exit.

Finally, I reached the hidden door that led out into the gardens. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale light over the courtyard. I paused for a moment, taking in the beauty of the night. This would be my last look at the place I had called home for so long.

I stepped into the cool air, my heart pounding in my chest. My breath was shallow, my every sense alert. But then something caught my eye, a shadow moving swiftly across the garden, just outside the wall.

Someone was there.

My body froze as I stared into the darkness, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

I took a step back, my heart racing. Had they already noticed I was missing?

My pulse quickened, and I crouched down instinctively, trying to blend into the shadows, but my stomach twisted in dread. I couldn’t be seen—not now, not when I was so close.

The figure stopped. I held my breath, praying they hadn’t seen me, but my hope was short-lived.

A voice cut through the silence,“Elira…”

My heart dropped.

It was my mother.