My Cursed Prince

Two

Lyra

"I said," he repeated with a voice that made Gift whimper, "clean it."

I knew I had no other choice, no one was going to help me. Just as my lips neared his shoe, the doors at the end of the hall swung open with a bang.

"What is going on here?" Principal Thorne thundered.

Student parted allowing him to pass and then he began to bark orders for everyone to leave.

Teachers came to help this time. Someone, maybe Mira, tried to help me up. But Asher just stood there, his foot still on my hand until the principal intervened.

“Your Highness, this is highly inappropriate for school grounds. Release her at once.”

Asher lifted his foot slowly, almost lazily, his black eyes never leaving mine. He gave me a look that promised retribution before walking away without a word.

I don’t remember much after that. Just hands on my arms, someone wrapping a jacket around me to hide what little dignity I had left. My parents arrived and I was bundled into the car before the final bell even rang. Benefits of being the only daughter of the richest alpha.

I didn’t leave my room for days no matter how much my mother tried. She tried to coerce me with trays of my favorite food left outside the door.

“Lyra, sweetheart, talk to us. What happened?”

Dad didn't fuss around like her, but I could hear him pacing the front of my room hallway at night. I didn’t tell them anything. How could I? I still hoped it was a dream.

Mira came to visit every day but I wasn't in the mood to see anyone especially as she was right about Darian.

For the first week, I just stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling. Gift tried to console me. She was also aching from the mate bond but I let both of us down and now all I felt was guilt and despair towards her.

By the second day of the second week, the ache from the bond caused a fever. I was shivering when the maids came to drop breakfast. Mom had called it stress sickness; Dad muttered something about “that bastard Thornclaw boy.” And I knew they must have heard.

They brought soups, I was given cold baths to calm the fever. The family doctor gave me pills to use but I flushed them down the toilet. I wanted to let the illness take me because it was easier than facing the world outside my door.

Eventually, my mom found out about the pills and began to put them into my soups. Soon the fever broke. My body healed faster than an omega should or any weres for that matter.

On the Sunday of the third week, I dragged myself downstairs for breakfast, because the smell of bacon was too strong to ignore, and I was tired of feeling hollow.

Mom and Dad were already at the table with cups of coffee. They both looked up when I sat down, surprise written on their faces like they hadn’t expected me to emerge this century.

“Here,” Mom said softly, pushing the plate of eggs toward me.

I nodded, picking at the food because it tasted like ash in my mouth.

Dad cleared his throat. “We’ve been invited to the palace tonight for dinner with the king and queen.”

I froze, fork halfway to my mouth. “The wolf king?”

Mom gave a tight smile. “Yes. He reached out and said it’s time to resolve things.”

I set the fork down. “Resolve things? I thought we were at war with him. You refused to sell the oil rights on our land. He threatened sanctions last year.”

Dad’s jaw tightened. “We’re going to talk. Find common ground. It’s… diplomatic.”

I stared at them. The oil fields on the northern edge of our territory were the only reason a minor pack like ours still had any leverage. The king wanted them for his war chest, and we’d said no. Repeatedly. Now, suddenly, dinner?

Unbidden, I remembered Asher’s face, specifically that last glance before he walked away.

“Will the prince be there?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“No,” Mom said, waving her hands. “Just the king and queen. It’s a formal dinner. State business.”

Dad nodded. “Nothing to worry about.”

I wanted to ask if it was a formal dinner with only the king and queen, why do I need to be there? But I ignored it, they probably just wanted me out of my room.

In the evening, a maid came to drop the dress Mom had picked. It was simple but elegant, a deep green silk that clung to me like a second skin. My reflection in the mirror looked like a ghost. I had hollow eyes, my face was pale and my lips were cracked. I wanted to rip the dress off and crawl back into bed, but the driver was already waiting.

The palace was breathtaking and creepy at the same time.

Towers of stone rose into the sky and light from the windows made them glow gold against the night. There were guards in silver armor standing at every gate, their eyes tracking our car as we drove up the driveway. I pressed my forehead to the window and wondered why a man who owned all this still needed our scrappy little oil patch.

Inside, the air smelled of wax and roses. Two maids led us through halls lined with portraits of past kings. Eerily all of them wore the same cruel smile I had seen on Asher.

We were led into the dining hall with long table, crystal everything, and expensive chandeliers glittering from above. The king was seated at the head with grey strands in his dark hair. The queen was beside him, smiling at us but it didn't reach her eyes.

We were served but I barely ate. I kept looking around hoping a certain someone won't jump out.

The queen turned her attention to me.

“So, Lyra,” she started smoothly, “You’re in your final year at the academy, yes? How are you finding your studies?”

“Fine,” I mumbled.

“And your social life? I hear the elite circles can be… challenging for omegas.”

My fork scraped the plate too loudly. Mom shot me a warning glance.

“It’s manageable,” I said.

The queen sipped her wine. “There was some unpleasantness recently, wasn’t there? Photos, I believe. Such a shame when young wolves lack discretion.”

Heat flooded my face. She knew. Of course she knew. The whole kingdom probably did by now.

Dad’s voice was tight. “With respect, Your Majesty, we’re here to discuss the northern oil rights.”

The king waved a hand. “All in good time.”

I couldn’t breathe. My dress suddenly felt too tight and spots began to dance in my vision.

“Excuse me,” I whispered, pushing back my chair. “I need the restroom.”

Mom started to stand, but I was already fleeing down the corridor a servant pointed out. I just needed space and air

I pushed the door open and stopped in my tracks because, Asher had a maid pinned against the marble sink, her skirts was bunched around her waist, as he drove into her with fast thrust. Her head was thrown back as she moaned and he had a hand on her throat releasing grunts of his own.

I made a choked sound and spun to leave.

“Stop.” Asher commanded, locking me in place.

The maid whimpered, trying to pull him closer. “Your Highness... ”

“Get out,” he said coldly, not even looking at her.

She scrambled off the sink, yanking her dress down, and fled past me without a backward glance.

Then he began to walk towards me slowly and stopped inches away from me, the scent of s*x rolling off him.

“Brave of you,” he murmured in his deep voice, “to come looking for me after disappearing for two weeks with your task unfinished.”

I stammered. “I...I didn’t want to be here. My parents...”

He leaned in, placing one hand beside my head to cage me. His thumb brushed the corner of my mouth almost gently before pressing hard enough to hurt.

“Tell me, little omega,” he whispered in my ear, “do you want to be punished right now or should we take it nice and slow?”