Rejected By My Alpha, Claimed By The Dragon Commander

Chapter 11: Queen Mother

I squirmed as the third lash landed, my teeth biting the covers. I didn’t understand what I’m feeling. A part of me wants to beg him to touch me. But I don’t even know where, or how.

What the hell was wrong with me?

“Please,” I let go of the covers and whimper.

“Please what, little Anna?” he asked, his voice still as calm as ever. Like he didn’t just whoop my ass.

“No more,” I begged, desperately.

Would it be wrong to beg him to soothe the spot again? Would it be trashy?

“Just three?” he softly patted my ass, making me bite my lower lip. “I thought you were stronger than that, my Queen. You did just order the death of the son of a Lord. And his dragon abandoned him for you.”

The dragon. I forgot about it as soon as I saw Jaco’s father and the King.

I gasped as his hand slipped under my panties. Unexplainable heat rushed to the place between my thighs at the contrast.

Something was definitely wrong with my body.

He went still for half a second. I was too embarrassed to say anything, and I could feel him watching me. Then his hand disappeared and the weight of his knee leaving the bed along with it.

“Let’s pause your punishment,” he said. “Get some rest little Anna.”

I blinked against the covers before lifting my head and looking over my shoulder. “What? You’re leaving?”

“Shouldn’t I?” he frowned.

I looked away again and laid my head back down. “No. I mean, yes. Untie me.”

He chuckled, then I heard footsteps walking around the door, a door opening and closing, footsteps again, this time walking toward the bedroom door.

Was he going to leave me tied up? My limbs were already sore and I could really use a bath.

Shit.

The door opened and closed behind him, leaving me tied to his bed, confused, embarrassed, and somehow wanting him to come back.

Moon Goddess, please kill me now.

A few minutes later, the door opened again.

I quickly lifted my head and froze.

Mira was the one standing there. Her eyes moved from my face to the ropes around my wrists, then to my ankles.

“Oh,” she said, blinking.

I wanted the bed to swallow me whole. “Don’t.”

She pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to smile. “I’m not saying anything, my Queen.”

“Good,” I muttered.

“I have to get you ready, the King’s mother is coming tonight. Puncho said she’ll be riding with you to the festival at Fenrith,” she said as she started untying me.

“Fenrith?” I repeated before I could stop it.

Mira looked up at me, untying my second hand. “Yes. The King was invited before the marriage. He never went to those before. But for some reason he wants to go with you now.”

My stomach tightened.

That was where Aria was. Where Nic was. Where Ronnie was. I hadn’t seen any of them since they sold me, obviously, and I hadn’t even thought about what I would do if I ever saw any of them again.

But this wasn’t necessarily their festival. It could be an invitation from another pack, and Fenrith was big enough to have plenty of them. It could be an invitation from the royal pack, Wild Moon.

Still, Alpha Alkane and Luna Josephine would probably be there.

My former Alpha and Luna. The people who watched me get humiliated and thrown aside like I was nothing.

“What happens at these festivals?” I asked.

Mira glanced at me. “The usual things. Different leaders gather, there are ceremonies, feasts, competitions. The royal pack is hosting.”

“So Alkane and Josephine might be there?” I bit my lip.

“Your pack?” Mira asked.

I nodded but didn’t elaborate. “Why is the King going now suddenly?”

She shrugged and untied my legs.

If he didn’t used to go before, why now? House Vaelryth was known for not socializing with the other kingdoms. They were independent and isolated. We rarely met them in our cities. There were literally zero Vaelrythians living out of Vaelryth. Or at least I assumed because I once read that they keep to themselves.

I sighed and looked down at my bruised wrists. Maybe Attridge wouldn’t be there. Maybe Aria wouldn’t be there. Maybe Nic wouldn’t be there. I was thinking about the wrong thing anyway.

This could be the chance for me to finally get away from this nightmare. A chance to run. If only Bella could come back by then. I still hadn’t heard from her in hours. It was very unusual for my wolf to be gone this long. This place was doing something to me.

Mira bathed me and prepared me for the King’s mother. Apparently the woman didn’t attend the Bride Hunt because she didn’t think her son would partake.

Mira immediately straightened when the front door to the palace opened and an older woman walked in. She was wearing a long dark gown with silver embroidery around the collar. Her posture was straight, her face cold. Her eyes moved to mine and the way she looked at me made me feel like I was something she found on the bottom of her shoe.

I instantly understood. It was the same look that some of the locals and Lord Aevric gave me. It was starting to feel very familiar, despite having been here for less than a week. It was like I’d been there all my life, a sore at their sides.

A younger woman was trailing behind her. She had the same sharp features as the King, but her expression was softer.

They weren’t smiling.

The older woman stopped in front of me and looked me up and down.

“So this is the werewolf,” she said.

I dug up my most pleasant smile. “Good evening, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, Queen Mother,” Mira said quietly, bowing to the older woman. “This is Queen Annabelle.”

The woman’s lips curled as she glared daggers at me. “Don’t get too comfortable.”