Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Marked
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“Have you found Prince William yet?” Mr. Carson asked the servants who rushed towards him, their
cheeks flushed from the cold night air. As the Head of Servants’ at the Golden Pce, they all looked
to Mr. Carson for answers he didn’t currently have. He pulled at his fine cor as if he was suffocating
from the pressure.
“No—no, not yet. We’ve searched—“
“No?” He interrupted one of the girls who looked as if she were about to faint. “Then what are you
coming to me for? Keep searching the grounds!”
Mr. Carson ignored their responses as they rushed off in all different directions to find any trace of a
Prince who was never easy to find. Sweat slowly dripped down the back of his neck, he wiped his
palms on his trousers when he heard the music grow louder from the ceremony whenever a servant
pushed through the grand doors.
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Laughter and light conversations filled the air inside that hall. The crown prince Martin Arnold and his
Lady Grace Reilly were busy enjoying their fresh engagement with the respected royal families and
lords. Even Prince Daniel, the fourth in line, had traveled back from the military just to celebrate Martin.
Something William couldn’t seem to bother himself with as the third in line—despite living in the castle.
Lady Grace Reilly, the distant niece of Luna Queen, was perhaps the most beautiful creature in the
entire kingdom. Not a single soul came close to her beauty, werewolf or human, they simply couldn’t
compare. House Reilly shared half the kingdom with House Arnold.
No one had ever dared to cross the Reilly family, not even the Alpha King Charles himself. It was truly
a big day for the entire kingdom to have their families merge—which made each passing second
without Prince William feel as if Mr. Carson was standing in his own grave.
Mr. Carson forced himself to nce inside the ceremony to see if anyone had noticed. Prince Martin
seemed happy enough, whispering in hisdy’s ear as drinks were set in front of them. The rest of the
party didn’t seem to notice the absence of William yet—or he’d thought so until he locked eyes with
Luna Queen.
The look she gave Mr. Carson made him shiver worse than the cold outside had when he realized he
would be left alone with the me if the prince didn’t show up. The sky darkened horribly since their
search began—guests would surely eat this up as their nightly gossip if he didn’t resolve this soon.
“What are you standing there for?” Mr. Carson shouted at the closest group of servants when he turned
from the door. The color drained from their faces as he neared them. “Find Prince William right this
instant! Foolish omegas and humans, if he is not found soon it will be on all of your heads!”
“Yes sir!”
—
Doris knew she should’ve stayed inside to help the other servants with the party, but she allowed her
mind to wander just enough that she ended up alone in the gardens. The stars shined high above the
castle, distant sounds of the celebration were distracting enough to make her turn back towards her
duties.
For a moment, she imagined she was only a guest in the castle. Someone who came just for the party
and was free toe and go as she pleased. She couldn’t imagine herself evering back if she
had the chance to leave, but it was nice to dream on a night full of love.
Doris hurried her steps back to the path she strayed from. It wouldn’t be wise to be caught out here,
she wasn’t allowed anywhere she wasn’t told to be. Especially outside—
A deep growl interrupted her own silence, Doris’s steps froze from the noise. It sounded as if it echoed
all around her, for a moment—she wasn’t sure where to turn.
“My… mate…” She felt his hot breath caress against the back of her neck when he whispered behind
her, she moved too slow to prevent the man from forcing her to the grass beneath them. Though, Doris
didn’t think there was anything she could have done that would’ve prevented this man from getting
whatever it was he wanted from her. She was afraid to find out what exactly that might be.
“My… mate!” He shouted as he straddled her against the
cold ground, the darkness blinded her from his identity. His grip was strong and rough as he pinned
both her wrists above her head with one hand, she could smell the alcohol on his breath when he
whispered the word over and over against her ear.
“I don’t—“ Doris gasped when he ripped her maids’ uniform off with little to no effort, leaving her almost
bare in her undergarments. She struggled uselessly against his hold, the cold air stung her exposed
skin. Doris didn’t understand what this man meant by mate. She didn’t have a mate—he was obviously
very drunk and had the wrong girl.
“Please don’t—“ Doris cried out in pain when she felt his teethtch onto her neck. He bit down with no
hesitation, as if he were iming her in that moment to feast upon for eternity. The burst of pain slowly
passed when he kissed the mark he just made upon her skin almost tenderly, her eyes fluttered open
at the sensation. A wave of heat burned her entire body as he trailed his lips down her neck, only
stopping to explore the tops of her breasts.
Goosebumps coated her skin beneath his touches. Her breath quickened, she saw him tilt his head
towards her in the darkness as if he listened to every slight sound she made. His free hand moved to
caress her breasts where his mouth wasn’t. She felt disgusted with herself—
“Oh!” Doris tried to swallow her moan and flushed red when she couldn’t hide her own reaction to a
man that attacked her. She didn’t realize her body was so sensitive to touch in certain areas—even to a
beastly man like him. Doris didn’t want this, she knew she didn’t. But the way her back arched towards
his touches—her body just wasn’t listening to her mind. The shame she’d felt could’ve burn her alive, it
only seemed to encourage him.
His rough hand ran down the side of her body, surely feeling the heat he caused beneath her skin. The
man leaned up to whisper in her ear the same word he’d said dozens of times, the one that confused
her more than anything. “Mate…”
“Please, I’m not—“
Approaching footsteps stilled his wandering hand once and for all. He stood, and for the first time she
saw the moonlight shine on his face enough to reveal who her attacker was. She couldn’t believe—
“Prince William!” The voices shouted, William’s dark eyebrows furrowed as he grumbled his response
in annoyance. Doris used her aching hands to attempt to cover herself as she took in his rogue
appearance.
His raven ck hair was disheveled and blue eyes looked as if they glowed from where she was. She
almost lost herself on the sight of his lips, the way they turned down slightly before he masked his
expression to something more cold and distant. The top of his white shirt was unbuttoned enough to
show his chest, she’d never seen royalty so unkept before. It wasn’t nearly as shocking as what he had
just done to her despite his nasty reputation.
“Prince William!” Mr. Carson appeared, out of breath and wide eyed with sweat glistened on his brow.
He spared one nce at her torn dress but said nothing as he faced Prince William. It was as if he
didn’t see her at all. “My apologies, your highness. We’ve been looking everywhere—I’ve been sent to
retrieve you for the Alpha King. He insists on seeing you at once.”
Prince William stared at Mr. Carson, the man seemed to shrink beneath his gaze as each second
passed until he finally turned away. The prince sat in his own misery once the rest of the servants fled
the area—but not too far.
Prince William took his time to gather himself, she could see the pain written across his features as he
rubbed his temples. It was obvious he drank more than he should have on a night like this. Anger
reced the heat inside her, she swallowed it down like she always had to do when royalty mistreated
her. Never had one gone so far, she was too afraid to speak—or move.
He spared onest nce at her ripped dress before he stood once more and followed the trail back to
the castle.
He didn’t once look back at the half-naked girl he left discarded in the grass.
As if nothing happened between them at all.