Royal Outcast

Chapter 9: [REVISED]

[REVISED]

Seri’s POV

He had a frown on his face as he furrowed his brows at me.

He looked more displeased than angry but that did not make me feel any better or any less intimidated of him as he looked at me.

For some reason, he gave of an extremely overwhelming aura that made me feel even more little than I already am.

He had jet black hair and golden amber colored eyes. He had sharp features and was well built. Just from his physical appearance alone, he seemed like the type of man that one should not dare to cross.

“I see that you’ve finally decided to wake up. You wouldn’t dare to pull another stunt similar to earlier, won’t you?” he said with gritted teeth.

I gulped nervously.

He was angry and I wouldn’t blame him. I’m sure my reaction was very upsetting for anyone.

Especially, considering that I’m supposed to be his mate.

Me of all people.

“Your highness, I’m sure it was a misunderstanding. I don’t believe our Seri would do such a thing on purpose” Mr. Adams tried to defend me.

Wait…. Your highness?

Did Mr. Adams just call this man ‘your highness’ as in his highness the prince?

This man….is the prince?

The man immediately glared at Mr. Adams.

“What did you just call her?” the man growled and just as he was about to go after Mr. Adams, another man pulled him from the back.

“Your highness” the man in uniform said in a stern voice.

His highness glared at the man in uniform with a low growl, but the other man seemed unfazed.

After a few seconds, his highness pulled his arm back and then glanced at Mr. Adams once before looking back at me again.

“Leave. All of you. I will speak with this woman alone” his highness demanded.

“But---” Annie tried to say something, but his highness immediately glared at her making her close her mouth in an instant.

Annie looked at me as her eyes watered and her grip on me tightened.

“Go. I will be fine” I assured her, and I forced a smile to assure her somehow.

“Seri…” she muttered with a shaky voice.

I turned to Mr. Adams as he too looked at me with a worried face.

“Mr. Adams, please. I do not wish to upset our visitor any further. Please do as he says. I will be fine. We shall talk again later” I said calmly.

Mr. Adam sighed before nodding and gently grabbing Annie to leave with him.

They were escorted out of the room by other men in uniform and I was left with his highness and the other man in uniform.

“I said get out, Dillon” his highness said.

“With all due respect, your highness, I need to stay. I am required to stay” the man replied.

His highness looked at him with a raised brow.

“Do you think I’m joking? This is an order. Not a request” his highness stated almost in a growl.

“Yes, I understand that, your highness. Unfortunately, I have also received higher orders.” the man replied.

Higher orders?

What kind of order would be more important than that of the prince’s order?

His highness seemed confused as well as he looked at his subject disobey him.

“What order and on whose order?” his highness asked in displeasure.

“I was told to never leave your side in any circumstance, your highness. Especially if you will be with...” the man paused as he glanced at me and then at the prince again.

“Especially if you will be with your mate. This order was made clear to me by her majesty Queen Liviana herself earlier after she had contacted me to check on the situation here” the man finished.

I saw how his highness’ jaw tightened but he did not say anything else before turning to face me again.

As soon as our eyes met again, I immediately got out of the bed and kneeled on the bedside.

“I sincerely apologize, your highness. I did not mean to offend or upset you in any way. I have no good excuse for what happened, and I take full responsibility for my actions. Please do not let the others be involved in this. It was purely my fault, and I should be the only one who is punished if need be” I said as I bowed my head down in submission.

I could feel my heart beating so hard that it felt as though it could burst out of my chest any second.

And then, I was suddenly yanked up and I gasped in surprise as I met eyes with his highness.

His golden amber eyes pierced through mine, and I gulped before looking down again to not disrespect him further.

“I-I’m s-sorry” I stuttered.

His grip on me tightened and I winced a little.

“Is that all you have to say for yourself, woman?” he growled.

I couldn’t speak nor look at him and that seemed to anger him more as his grip on me got tighter.

“O-ow…I am so very sorry, your highness” I whimpered in pain.

“Lucas! That’s enough” the man named Dillon said as he pulled his highness away from me and stood between us.

His highness growled at him as his eyes glowed and he held him by the collar.

“Your highness, you must calm down. This is exactly why her majesty told me to stay with you. You are letting your wolf’s emotion get the best of you” Mr. Dillon calmly said as he held his highness’ hands on his collar.

His highness looked down and I watched as his grip on Mr. Dillon loosened.

After a few minutes, his highness finally seemed calmer as he looked at Mr. Dillon. Then, he glanced my way, and I looked down to avoid his eyes.

“You” his highness suddenly spoke, and I finally looked up again to see him looking at me.

“Get out” he said.

I didn’t need to be told twice to do that.

I bowed my head and then made my way out but before I could leave, his highness was able to grab me by my arm again and I looked at him nervously.

“Don’t you even think of running away from me” he warned with gritted teeth.

I gulped but nodded and he immediately let me go.

I got out of there in a split second, and I immediately felt my knees weaken so as soon as I was out of the door, my legs gave out.

There were 3 men in armored suits outside and when I forced myself to stand back up, one man actually helped me to stand.

“T-thank you” I said as I glanced at him long enough to give him a forced smile.

I walked out of there and I made my way to the sleeping quarters and to the bathing area. I went inside a cubicle, and I sat on the corner while holding my legs in front of my chest.

I covered my mouth to stifle my sobs as tears streamed down my face.

I cried in the corner for a while before feeling the need to get out of there.

I felt pathetic. I am pathetic.

I hated it. I hated this feeling.

But I couldn't do anything about it. I was in a situation where I just couldn't do anything because I was extremely clueless on what to do.

No one could have ever prepared me for this at all.

Me? Mated to his highness, the prince? The second son of the most powerful wolf to ever live?

I must be dreaming.

No, in fact, this feels like a nightmare. One that I can’t seem to wake up from. One that could completely alter my whole life.

I was terrified for what could happen.

I am well aware that I should not be feeling this way. A normal she-wolf would have been so delighted and pleased and happy to have someone from royalty as their mate because this meant that she would be mated to an extremely powerful and influential wolf.

In any case, any wolf would just be happy to find their mate. Their partner for life. Their other half. The lover assigned to them by the moon goddess herself.

So why? Why do I feel the way I do?

Why do I feel more fear than love for the man who is supposed to be my other half?

Why do I feel so detached from all of this?

This is not what I remember from my mom’s stories of her meeting my dad.

This is not how the other wolves with their mates described the kind of feeling they felt when they first met their mate.

They did not mention anything about fear or confusion or detachment.

Yet again, it was me. I was the faulty one.

The strange one.

This was the same exact reason why no one wanted me in the past.

I was different. But in a bad way.

I bit my lower lip as I curled my hand into a fist while looking at my feet.

“Seriously, Seri? How despicable can you get?” I said with gritted teeth.

I was biting my lip hard, and I didn’t realize just how hardly I was doing it not until I finally tasted blood.

Pathetic.

“Ms. Seri”

I looked up and saw Mr. Dillon standing at the entrance of the bath area.

I gulped and looked down before answering.

“Yes, sir?” I replied.

“His highness wishes to speak with you once more” he said.

My heart thumped inside of my chest.

“Do not worry. I will still be present as you talk again” he said. I looked up and looked at Mr. Dillon as he gave me a small assuring smile.

I gulped and nodded.

Mr. Dillon led the way, and I followed him out.

I was brought to the garden where his highness was.

“Your highness, Ms. Seri is here for you” Mr. Dillon said.

His highness turned around to look at me and I dare not to look him in the eye.

“Why do you keep doing that?” his highness scoffed.

“I apologize, your highness. I am simply avoiding unintentionally disrespecting you in any way since I know that I’ve already done so much to upset you” I said.

“That or is it because you fear me, woman?’ he said in a bitter tone.

I pursed my lips as I failed to answer his highness.

Did I?

Maybe I did.

“You” his highness said in a dangerous tone.

Then, I felt his presence in front of me.

My breathing shallowed and my heart almost jumped out of my chest when his highness suddenly held my chin up to meet his eyes.

“Are you afraid of me, woman?” he asked again as his jaw tightened.

My eyes were shaking as I looked at his highness who looked enraged as he looked at me.

His powerful and dominating aura felt as though it was slowly consuming me. Eating away at me.

“Answer me, wolf” he said in a low growl.

“I-I…I—” I stuttered to say something. Anything. Anything at all.

But nothing. Nothing came out of my mouth. I couldn’t muster up the courage to say anything. I couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Was I not being clear enough?” he snarled as he went from holding my chin to holding my entire jaw with a tight grip.

I whimpered unintentionally as my fear heightened.

“I-I’m s-s-sorry. I’m s-so…rry” I managed to say but that only made his eyes darken and his grip tighten.

“Your highness. You must stop this. You are hurting your mate” Mr. Dillon came in between us again as he held his highness’ wrist.

His highness didn’t even glance at him as he focused on me.

My eyes watered in fear and helplessness.

“Lucas! You’re hurting her. Stop it” Mr. Dillon said again.

His highness made a deep growling sound before letting me go.

My legs gave out and I fell to the ground.

“For fck’s sake, Lucas. You need to fcking keep it together damn it” Mr. Dillon snarled at his highness before kneeling down in front of me.

I hugged myself as my whole body shook and tears streamed down my face.

“Ms. Seri…” Mr. Dillon called me softly. I did not look at him.

“Ms. Seri…” he said again and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t touch her!” his highness suddenly growled as he grabbed Mr. Dillon by the collar.

“Then would you prefer watching your mate shake in fear because of you? Look at her, Lucas. Look at what you’ve done. Look at how you’re making her feel about you right now. Look at her. Look at your mate” Mr. Dillon growled back.

His highness didn’t answer and instead he let Mr. Dillon go with a push.

“Get someone else. A female to be more specific” his highness said.

Mr. Dillon let out a sigh.

“Understood. Now, step back and control your wolf. Azar is getting the best of you. Again” Mr. Dillon stated.

His highness huffed.

After a few more moments, I heard a familiar voice.

“Seri!” Annie shouted my name, and I looked up to see her as she ran in my direction.

Annie kneeled beside me as she embraced me in her arms.

I sobbed as I buried my face on her chest while my body continued to shake uncontrollably.

“Seri…” Annie muttered almost in a whimper.

“What did you do to her?” she said as her voice broke.

No answer.

“Seri… oh my god” Annie said as she held me tighter while caressing my back.

“I apologize, Ms. Annie. It is not our intention to make Ms. Seri this way” Mr. Dillon suddenly said.

Annie kept caressing my back as she started to whisper assuring words to me.

“Shhh… it’s fine. I’m here now. I’m here, Seri” she said.

“I’m here. Annie is here” she cooed.

We remained that way for what like forever until I finally felt myself relax for a bit.

“Annie…” I said in a weak voice.

“Yes, Riri?” Annie replied softy.

I didn’t say anything else but instead, I hugged her back.

Annie sighed as she caressed the back of my head.

“Once you guys are done here. Pack her bags” his highness suddenly spoke.

I froze while Annie looked up at his highness.

“P-pardon?” Annie said.

“She’s coming back with me to the palace. I want her to pack her bags so we can leave tonight.” his highness stated.

I looked up at him with a shocked impression, but he looked emotionless.

“Did you expect me to leave you here then?” he said.

I looked helplessly at Mr. Dillon but all he did was sigh as if he too could not do anything about it.

“B-but… your highness, I---” I stuttered.

“We will leave at midnight. That should be more than enough time for you to pack your stuff and say your farewell to everyone you need to say goodbye to” he said before turning his back on us and walking away.

Mr. Dillon stood in front of us, and he bowed his head at us.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Seri” he said before walking away from us to follow his highness.

Tears streamed down my face as my mouth gaped open in shock.

Annie burst into tears as she clung onto me.

No…

This can’t be. This can’t be happening. Not to me.

Please…

No… I can’t… I don’t want to… Please…

Please...