Chapter 4: Serene.
As I entered the dining room, shock spread across my face as I looked around at the vast space decorated in gold and white with a hint of brown. The wooden dining table, which was engraved with gold in its legs and apron, took up the majority of the space as it was placed in the center. The concrete white floor was custom-made for this dining room, brown calligraphic design forming a rectangle right beneath the table, further bringing attention to it. The chairs had white cushions with gold patterns, which added to the room's opulence. A piano was placed directly in front of the large windows, casting heavenly light on anyone who sat there. Two chandeliers hung above the table, their white emeralds gleaming as if winking, boasting about their worth to all who entered the room. Paintings, vases, and tableware were strewn about the walls, the art causing a gasp to escape my lips.
This dining room was stunning, but it was prohibitively expensive. It made me feel even more of an outsider.
Nolla ushered me in, smiling at my star-struck expression, and pulling a chair out for me to sit on the right of the chair that sat at the end of the table. She waited for me to get used to such luxury with the patience of a thousand years, even if it was only for a few moments. I was glad she was the one taking care of me on my first day in a place like this, a mother—I still wasn't sure if she had an offspring of her own—in whom I could find comfort in if she ever allowed me to. I see a friend in her, someone I could rely on.
Willow's face flashed before my eyes, my hope for a new friend trampled on and discarded far away where I couldn't brush my fingertips against.
That's right, dear mind, take command of my heart and bury that hope deep, somewhere I can't reach. It was for the best that I lived alone, solely for myself. No one will ever prioritize me or care for me in the way that humans do, no matter how short it was. For a moment, I was envious of those creatures who appeared to be riddled with flaws, their love far greater than anything I had experienced.
Taking hesitant steps towards the chair Nolla pulled out, I sat down on it, pulling the dress down as I did so. My braided silk honey hair cascaded down my left shoulder, with strands falling on either side of my face. I requested that Nolla keep my hair simple, and she did not disappoint.
I've decided to build walls slowly to protect my heart from further heartbreak. I'm afraid that one more incident will be enough to break me and turn me feral. So I kept my face neutral, not wanting to get any closer to the one person who stood by my side and made sure I was comfortable.
Nolla has noticed this, and a frown has settled on her face before she lets out a breath of air and turns towards the door, as if expecting for the prince to come in.
I sat motionless, anticipating something to happen, the table empty with no sign of food. Minutes seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye, and my patience began to disintegrate as I grew hungrier with each passing second, my stomach growling in protest of the mistreatment it was receiving.
A clap echoed through the silent dining room, causing me to jump. The doors swung open, followed by a chorus of footsteps. Maids of various ages danced around the table, setting down various dishes as my eyes greedily took them in. My mouth watered as one arm stretched to place a plate, fork, spoon, and knife in front of me before placing another of the set next to me at the head of the table, causing me to narrow my eyes.
I had forgotten that the Prince would be dining with me for breakfast, a flutter of nervousness itched at the bottom of my stomach. With no sense of elegance or etiquette, I knew I'd end up embarrassing myself in front of him.
Having been raised with the purpose of becoming a female Beta in mind, I find myself acting more boyishly than gracefully as every female in my pack did. Possibly my interactions with the other male pack members, or my father's roughness, shaped me to be this way, a female with a rough edge. No matter how hard I tried to fit in with my gender, they all seemed too submissive to my liking; I wasn't a fan of the femininity, elegance, and shyness they seem to carry themselves with.
In comparison to my clumsy, impulsive, and careless demeanor, I knew they would handle a situation like mine with ease, putting the qualities I stated previously to use.
Clearly, I was starting to be insecure in this surrounding and it wasn't helping my already dwindling health and self-esteem.
With a sigh, I shoved the fork into the bacon that had been placed on my plate by one of the maids who had entered the room, along with a piece of pancake and some fruits, and shoved it into my mouth. The flavors of the spices sprinkled on the bacon hit me all at once, a welcome change from the bland meat I used to eat at home. I ate the rest of the bacon with wide eyes, a satisfied smile spreading across my lips.
As my eyes sought various meat placed before me to fall victim to my hunger, the doors of the dining room slammed open, a feeling of sudden suffocation hit me all at once, the room beholding the feeling of dark power, so dark that the room dimmed along with the presence that intruded. Almost as though frightened, the sun hid behind passing clouds, seeking refuge from the rage that rimmed around the power the individual released and took away the light that it proudly continued to produce during the day. A hand was placed on my chest as I tried to breathe in to regulate my breathing, causing the raw power to hold onto my lungs and knock my breath out, my attempt failing.
Holding my breath this time, hoping to appear unaffected, I stood up and turned around to see who could possess such power while being completely powerless over it.
Nolla, who had been standing next to me the entire time, dropped to her knees and offered her neck.
"Prince Gael," she whispered.
Unable to tear my eyes from his, I wasn't as quick as Nolla to offer complete submission, fork in hand. And once again, I have found myself in trouble with a person of power, this time the prince.
Those green eyes turned fire red, and in a matter of mere seconds, his hand wrapped around my neck, slamming against a wall with strength I'd never felt before as a bone in my back cracked, groaning and closing my eyes shut as pain as I've never felt before started to occupy the left side of my back.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was a hole in the very wall I was against.
"You dare challenge me, lone wolf?"