The Lycan King's Rebel Countess

THE SOUND OF THE slap rang through the now empty room, but Daniëlla couldn’t hear it. All she could focus on were her ears ringing as she grabbed her burning cheek before glaring at her stepmother. Why was it always her face?! Always the same cheek. It was always right on the cheekbone! POW! Burning Daniëlla’s cheek and making her eyes water when she least wanted them to! Furious that her body was betraying her like that, she just stood there glaring at the woman screaming at the top of her lungs. Daniëlla should have been used to this kind of treatment by now! Her cheek should not be burning anymore after years of being treated worse than a servant! “YOU WILL MARRY THE PRINCE!” The shrill voice echoed through the room that was once filled with beautiful furniture. Daniëlla felt as if someone had just sucked all the air out of the room moments later when she was finally alone. Her mind ran a mile a minute while she tried to figure out some way to get out of this mess. There had to be some excuse she could use, so she didn’t have to marry the prince. She didn’t want to ruin her reputation, but there had to be something. She rushed to her room as tears threatened to fall, and she refused to let anyone see them. The last time she cried in front of people was the day of her father’s funeral, and she promised herself, after her stepmother humiliated her, she would never allow anything like that to happen again. Yet, there she was being humiliated. Again. She was being sold to a prince. Noting the slight blue shine already forming on her cheek the moment she looked in the mirror. She wondered what the royals would think if they saw her looking like that. Daniëlla’s room was the only room that was still in its original state. Surprising, under the current circumstances. Things had been disappearing out of their home for years and there was nothing that she could do about it. “You have to marry the prince! We are out of money, Daniëlla! Do you want your sister and I to suffer because of your selfishness! Love does not put food on the table! Do you think I married your father for love?!” The hateful words echoed through her mind as she scanned the room she once loved dearly. Her heart ached for the parents she had lost. The life she could have had if they were still alive. All Daniëlla could see was heartache, and an antique suitcase that was completely out of fashion. She caught sight of the only thing of her mother that she had left. Her mother’s tatty old bag. Thankfully, it wasn’t of great value, or it would also have been sold. Daniëlla rushed over gripping the bag tightly in her arms. The hard tapestry material scratching against her still aching cheek as she tried to find her mother’s scent, but it was long gone. She had only one person left in the entire world, and she rushed out of the room with the bag still in one hand. She was taking a huge chance, but she just had to see him. Seth, with his ash-blond hair and brown eyes, was never welcomed by the woman with the cold, conniving eyes. According to the second Countess of Etrosia, one did not marry below their station and Seth being a gamma’s son, meant he was below their station. What she didn’t take into account was that Daniëlla loved him. Daniëlla loved him more than she loved her own life. She rushed through the busy streets of town with tears staining her cheeks. She knew exactly where she would find him. “Marry me!” She shouted out of breath as soon as she saw him in the distance. Her racing heart pounded in her ears as tears streamed down her cheeks. Burning on the one side, they reminded Daniëlla why she had to escape that horrible place she used to call home. She nearly fell into Seth’s arms as soon as she reached him and hid her face against his chest. “Hey, calm down. Tell me what happened?” Seth stroked her injured cheek softly when she looked up, and Daniëlla winched in pain, feeling frustrated that it still hurt so much. “She has ordered me to marry the prince.” Daniëlla’s voice was filled with panic as she realized suddenly that everyone around them could hear them and if the wrong person heard, they would tell that woman. Her eyes searched Seth’s as he processed what she was saying. “Okay, we can’t get married here.” Seth looked slightly panicked, but she knew he would marry her that instant if it was possible. They spoke about it so many times over the years, and being able to plan a future with him was all that kept her going most days. “Then we elope! Tonight! I can’t wait one more moment, Seth. She’s going to force me into this arranged marriage.” Daniëlla freaked out in the arms of the only person in the world she trusted. She would never have allowed herself to show her panic like that in front of anyone else. Her heart broke for the staff at home, but the only way she would ever be able to help them was by helping herself first. “I need two days to take care of something first.” Seth’s hesitation made her wonder if he really wanted to be with her. “Meet me at the docs on Friday night at six.” Seth’s deep frown made him look years older, but Daniëlla didn’t see that. She only saw the face of the man she loved. Feeling as though she had hope for the first time that day, Daniëlla ran home as fast as her legs would allow. Her legs had become a little wobbly after what her stepmother said, and it infuriated her that she was still so affected by that woman’s words. It made her seem weak, and she knew she wasn’t. Daniëlla was meant to meet the prince on Saturday morning, which meant time was of the essence. If anything happened. If anything went wrong. She wasn’t happy about having to wait until Friday and thought about it all the way home. She rushed up to her room and stuffed what she could into the bag she had been clinging to all this time. She couldn’t wait any longer. She couldn’t wait until Friday. She couldn’t take the chance that her stepmother would find out and lock her away. She needed to get out of there as soon as possible. She had to leave now. She would stay in Seth’s room until he finished his business, and they could leave on Friday. With her mind made up and her bag packed, Daniëlla rushed out of the house, taking care to avoid anyone seeing her.