JASMINE’S POV
Once it was nightti and almost ti for the first ritual of the Halo festival, I was up in Loren’s quarters.
I saw him repeatedly eye at his work.
He dropped his glasses and turned to when he couldn’t take it anymore.
"Alright." He said. "What’s it?"
I shook my head. "Nothing."
"You’ve been staring into that wall for a while now." He said. "You better tell what it is."
I knew he wouldn’t ask again.
So I sighed and gave in. "I was just thinking about today. I t soone else. I think she is a mber of the royal family, too."
He frowned and looked closely at . "Yes?"
"She kept asking who I was, and then she dug her nails into my chin." I explained.
That place still hurt, and it was slightly bruised.
"And what did you do?" He asked .
"I ran," I said. "I didn’t an to buy everything; you just told to run. She has black hair and is probably a bit older than the Queen."
He sighed and folded his arms on the table. "I believe that would be the Queen’s elder sister."
I blinked. "No wonder she looked so familiar. I kept on wondering where I had seen her before."
"That would be Princess Cherry." He said.
"If she is the elder sister, why isn’t she Queen?" I asked.
He shrugged. "It’s the royal family. There are always strings of drama popping here and there. Trust , you don’t want to get involved, so stay away from them for these three days."
Was he looking out for ?
In the past few weeks, I have been staying with Loren, and I have noticed that he is a kind person.
He just seed hard on the outside.
"Moreover." He said. "It’s almost ti for the hunt. You should go."
"I heard that they kill an animal," I said.
"Ah, the sacred white elk. They have a close bond with our wolves. It must be hunted, and its horns must be presented by an Alpha who will be declared the winner of the hunt." He said.
I shuddered.
I was angry at the thought that they would kill such an innocent animal.
"I think I’ll pass." I said it in all earnest. Then I turned to him. "What about you? Are you not going?"
He put his glasses on. "When they start bringing in the dead bodies and half-dead ones, I’ll be busy. So no point."
I felt sick.
They were going to kill each other.
Then I thought of Alpha Xaden, and my heart raced. I didn’t want anything to happen to him.
I knew he hated , but still, he had been there for when no one else had.
I made a silent prayer to the goddess and decided that I would take a swim in my secret magic lace.
As I descended the stairs on my way out, I saw the other servants.
It was Lisa and the other girls.
I tried to smile at them, but they glared at .
No one. No one had spoken to .
They all kept away from , and I could see their hate towards in their hearts.
"Sothing disgusting is in our presence." Lisa said it aloud.
The other girls laughed, and I felt a sting in my heart.
"Co on, girls. We do not want it to stain our pure blood." Lisa said.
They all laughed and followed her out.
It was hard to believe that they were the identical girls. I had begged Alpha Xaden not to punish .
But what did I expect?
That one act of righteousness would make them forgive for the sins of my father.
I sighed and turned away.
Then I saw the other girl, Mya.
The one who had run out of the room that night was assigned to clean rooms with Lisa and .
She stared at .
As if she wanted to say sothing.
"Mya!" Lisa barked.
Whatever she wanted to say, she kept it to herself and ran off to be with the other girls.
When most of the wolves had gone to watch the hunt, I went out to my lake.
I tossed off my clothes, then bent down to learn the new trick I had learned to take off my chains.
It took a while for to undo it, but swimming with the chains by my ankles only made it hard for .
Sotis, it felt cumberso, like so weight was pulling back, and I couldn’t swim well.
So whenever I undid my chains, I would swim and return to them when I returned ho.
Ho. What indeed was ho to ? Did I even have a ho?
The pack back ho had been the only sanctuary I had witnessed, but it was different here.
I was aware I was caged and trapped once again.
But this ti, it felt highly different.
It felt exhilarating.
I sighed as I slowly took off my clothes and stepped in, naked.
No one would miss tonight.
There were hardly any more duties, and I had finished the ones assigned to .
I still had no idea how to read my work schedule.
It seed like a jumble. Literacy was harder than she had anticipated
Also, most of the pack mbers would be at the arena, watching and waiting for who would appear with the elk’s horns.
I sighed as I bathed and gently put the magic water over my lips.
In almost an instant, I was healed.
I smiled as I swam in the lake, enjoying the peace and serenity.
Then I rose up in the water, and under the moonlight, I ran my fingers through my wet hair as I looked up into the halo moon.
Then I felt sothing.
I felt a sudden presence.
I froze, and without thinking or being aware of my nudity, I turned around and saw Alpha Xaden.
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