Chapter One-1
1842 Words
"Rip…"
Her clothes were torn open, revealing her breasts—soft, pale, and delicate.
With her last ounce of strength, Ella struggled and screamed, "My blood will be on your hands… forever."
But the sharp fangs still sank into her neck…
…
The dungeon was freezing.
Water trickled endlessly down the stone walls, cold to the touch.
The air hung thick with the smell of mold, rust, and fresh blood.
Ella’s blood.
She was curled into a ball in the corner of the cell.
The chill cut straight to the bone. Ella’s thin dress did nothing to keep her warm. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest.
It was the only way to hold onto a little warmth.
But only a little.
Her body felt like it was burning, yet she was unbearably cold, trembling uncontrollably.
In the distance, she thought she heard footsteps approaching, growing clearer and closer with each step.
They were steady and heavy. Every thud against the stone stairs felt like a blow to her heart.
Soon, the cell door swung open.
Ella squinted toward the entrance. It was a familiar figure.
“Was that… him? Did he come to get me out?”
A flicker of hope stirred in her chest.
In the doorway stood Ryan Fantor, silent and expressionless as a statue.
The look he gave Ella held none of the tenderness it once did—only confusion and resentment.
Behind him stood a woman of striking, almost sinister beauty.
Her fiery red fur coat did little to hide her curvaceous figure, instead accentuating every curve.
As princess of the werewolf clan, she despised anyone more beautiful than herself—especially other women, and most especially those who dared compete for her man.
Serena’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
“So this is her?” Her voice was sickly sweet as she twirled a strand of hair. “She doesn’t look like much, does she?”
Ryan said nothing. He stepped into the cell, his boots sinking into the damp, sticky floor. It made him feel dirty.
Ella tried to stand, but her legs were weak and numb.
She braced herself against the wall, but the stone was slick and offered no grip.
The icy chill of the rock seeped into her skin, sapping the last warmth from her body.
“My lord…” Her voice came out hoarse, startling even herself. “I didn’t… I never saw that guard. I swear… Please believe me…”
Beside her, Selena let out a soft laugh.
She pulled a small cloth bundle from her bosom and tossed it carelessly at Ella’s feet.
It hit the floor and came undone.
A necklace spilled out—a silver chain with a wolf fang pendant. Next to it lay a few crumpled notes, scribbled with meeting times and places.
“Found in your room,” Selena said, bending down with a hint of disgust. “A token from your little rendezvous. And this handwriting… It’s yours, isn’t it?”
Ella’s eyes widened. She snatched up the notes, her hands shaking violently.
“I didn’t write this! It’s fake! Someone set me up!” She looked up at Ryan, tears brimming in her eyes. “You know my handwriting. Look—it’s nothing like mine…”
Ryan glanced down, his eyes barely skimming the note for two seconds.
“Looks like yours to me,” he said, his voice flat and cold as ice.
Ella’s heart sank.
She scrambled forward on her knees, reaching for the hem of his cloak.
But before her fingers could touch the fabric, Ryan stepped back, his gaze full of disgust.
Her hand froze in mid-air, her heart plummeting.
“My lord, please believe me…” Her voice trembled with every word. “I’ve served you for three years. I’ve never lied to you…”
Selena clicked her tongue.
“You can’t judge a book by its cover. Maybe you’re the one who can’t be trusted.”
Then she turned to Ryan, her tone turning smooth and persuasive. “Your Highness, I know you have a kind heart. But keeping a traitor around is asking for trouble. Especially now… with our families about to be united. Best to deal with this kind of thing quickly.”
Ryan’s crimson eyes flickered.
After a moment, he seemed to reach a decision. He looked at Ella again, all former affection gone from his gaze—replaced by cold finality.
“Did you steal the castle defense plans?”
His tone was detached. It wasn’t really a question—more like a statement of fact.
“No!” Ella nearly shouted. “I barely ever enter your study! Why would I steal something like that?”
“The guards saw you leaving the west tower two nights ago,” Ryan continued. “And you weren’t in your room at the time.”
Ella froze.
Two nights ago…?
Then she remembered. That night, Selena had complained of a headache and asked her to deliver a calming sachet.
She’d stayed in the west tower—where the princess was lodging—for nearly fifteen minutes.
Ella whipped her head toward Selena.
The werewolf princess blinked innocently and spoke first:
“Why are you looking at me? I went to bed early that night.”
She touched her neck lightly. “Come to think of it, my emerald necklace went missing around then, too. You didn’t happen to take that as well, did you?”
“You’re lying!” A chill shot through Ella’s body, her blood rushing to her head. “You called for me! Your maids can confirm it!”
“My maids?” Selena laughed. “They all say they never saw you. So tell me—should I believe my own attendants, or you, a mere…”
She trailed off, but the meaning was clear.
A blood servant? A pet? Maybe even livestock.
Ryan turned away, refusing to look at Ella again.
“I’ve looked into this thoroughly. All the evidence points to you. Denying it is pointless. And I’ve run out of patience for your excuses.”
Those few words sent Ella spiraling into despair.
She knelt there, hopeless, tilting her head back to stare blankly at Ryan.
But she could only see his back. She wished he would just look at her one more time—even for a second.
She couldn’t understand how the man she’d secretly loved for three years could be so heartless.
She had warmed his bed, once taken a hidden arrow for him. When he was wounded and weak, she had stayed by his side night after night.
And when he grew irritable, she knew to stay quiet, to become nothing more than a piece of silent decoration.
She had never overstepped, only watched over him quietly from the shadows.
She had believed… even if he never loved her, there would at least be some bond between them.
“My lord…” she choked out, tears finally falling. “I didn’t betray you… Please, look into it again…”
Ryan didn’t spare her another glance. He didn’t say another word.
He simply flicked his cloak and strode out of the cell. Only as he left did he toss an order to the guards: “You know what to do.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it was bone-chilling.
Ella fell back into despair. She collapsed onto the floor, crushed by the injustice. In that moment, she felt utterly powerless.
Tears blurred her vision. Through the haze, she caught a glimpse of Selena’s delicate figure nestled in Ryan’s arms.
That used to be her place.
Ryan didn’t push her away—he seemed to be enjoying the softness of the beauty in his embrace.
“Wait.” After just a few steps, Selena suddenly stopped him.
She turned and crouched in front of Ella.
“Do you know why?” she whispered, her voice so low only the two of them could hear.
Ella just glared, saying nothing. She knew Selena would tell her anyway.
“Because I can’t stand the sight of you,” Selena said, her smile growing sugary sweet.
“Especially that face of yours—it’s unbearably irritating.”
She lifted Ella’s chin. “Everyone says you’re prettier than me. And looking at you now… You really are stunning. That tall, straight nose… those full red lips… You look like an angel.”
As she spoke, Selena’s fingers shifted into sharp wolf claws.
Then she slashed them mercilessly across Ella’s face.
In an instant, Ella’s face was ruined.
Blood poured from the wounds, making the sight even more gruesome.
“Now that you’ve lost that pretty face, what do you have left to compete with me? Haha…”
Selena laughed heartily—wild and unrestrained.
But she soon realized that losing her beauty hadn’t broken Ella. Her gaze remained steady and fierce.
That wasn’t what Selena wanted. She needed to crush Ella’s spirit—to deliver the heaviest blow possible, both physically and mentally.
“Were you planning to tell His Highness that you’re pregnant?”
The question hit like a bomb, shattering Ella’s heart.
“You… How do you know?”
“Oh? So that was your final card to play? How do I know? Bloodline offspring take at least eighteen months to gestate. Others might not notice, but I can see it…”
As she spoke, Selena began to gently stroke her own abdomen.
The gesture sent alarm bells ringing in Ella’s mind. “You… you’re carrying His Highness’s child, too? No, that’s impossible. How could you be pregnant with his child?”
“No need to be so shocked. To tell you the truth, this child isn’t His Highness’s. But he carries the purest royal blood of the Fantor line. In time, he will become the true ruler of this world. He will reclaim everything his father lost.”
“You…?!” Ella’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“I suggest you stop struggling. Just wait quietly for death. Even if you tell His Highness about the baby, do you think he’d care? Look at yourself—you’re not even fit to be a slave. The child you carry would only shame him.”
Selena finally saw the despair in Ella’s eyes—exactly what she wanted. Ella’s body would die, and so would her spirit.
“Stop dreaming. This isn’t a fairy tale—it’s a dark world. Haha…”
With that, Selena’s claws shot into Ella’s mouth and twisted violently.
Blood gushed out, along with a piece of severed tongue.
Selena stood up, satisfied. Her high heels crushed the so-called “evidence” underfoot—a ridiculous sight.
Soon, the guards entered the cell.
Two towering vampires grabbed Ella, one on each side. She didn’t resist—she didn’t have the strength to.
She let them drag her out of the cell.
Ella tried to scream, but only muffled noises came out. Not a single clear word.
And Ryan? He never looked back.
……
- Writer
