16. I''m Doomed


    My head spun at the mere hearing of the word punishments. Images of my life at Haverstone Pack


    resurfaced again. The whipping. The kicking. The starvation.


    I clutched my chest as my breathing became faster. I did not want to experience those things again.


    Too painful.


    I staggered backward.


    I messed up. It was a simple mistake, yet bore a great consequence on my part.


    “Your Highness. Please forgive me for being wrong. It will never happen again, Your Highness.”


    His eyes glinted and turned sharply as a de.


    “You will never learn if I keep on turning a blind eye to your mistakes, River. My personal servant


    should nevermit a single mistake. You have to keep in mind that you are no longer in your pack.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Your life will be different and more difficult here depending on your performance.”


    My life was always difficult even back in my previous pack. However, I just kept those words to myself.


    I inhaled sharply as my blood turned cold.


    “Your Highness. Please, I beg of you! Just this once.”


    “You must learn your lesson,” he said using that cold voice. “Don’t think I favor you.”


    He stood and looked at the door.


    “Servants!” he called them. “Hurry! Or you will also be punished with her!” he barked.


    Oh, Moon Goddess!


    I knelt automatically. I would do whatever it takes to change his mind. Even if it means I had to lick the


    ground where he was standing. Perhaps he would take pity on me. I did not want to take any sort of


    punishment. It was too painful.


    “Your Highness,” I whispered looking up at him. “Please. Let it slide. I will never sleep again during your


    meetings. I will be wide awake. I will drink coffee. If it is needed.” My eyes watered, trying to plead my


    case.


    We heard the knocking on the door, it burst open and the twins came inside —ra and re.


    They gasped when they spotted me kneeling in front of King Maxxwell and went to my side. They both


    held each of my arms, silently urging me to stand, but I did not.


    “Your Highness. To what do we owe you?” they said in unison.


    “Bring River to the dungeon,” he said nonchntly.


    They looked at each other and paled. “The dungeon...”


    “The dungeon,” King Maxxwell rified. “There is only one dungeon in the kingdom.”


    ra looked at me with a pitiful expression. “Your Highness, I did not know if the servant’s words are


    important, but River is still new to the pce. She did not know our customs and traditions. Whatever


    mistake shemitted, was because of herck of knowledge. Perhaps, you can let it slide. Just


    once?”


    re stepped forward. “I agree with my sister, Your Highness. River may be impulsive sometimes, but I


    know she has a good heart and is intelligent enough to learn as fast as she can.”


    They said altogether, “Your Highness, we beg your pardon.”


    My heart warmed at the twin''s gestures. Such pure hearts. They were defending me even if they did


    not really know me.


    I clenched my fist when I remembered I dared to use them to my advantage. They were genuine


    people.


    My knees were already starting to protest from kneeling. The twins'' hands were still on my shoulders.


    The alpha king stood silently as if he was in deep thought.


    “Your Highness, we beg your pardon.”


    “No. My decision is final. Bring her to the dungeon. Let her reflect on what she had done. So she will do


    better on her job next time.”


    “But...”


    “But...”


    The alpha king turned his back on us.


    “The dungeon is where we put the captured rogues and the criminals. It smells and is crowded. It is


    also dark. We cannot just put River there, Your Highness.”


    “I can and I will, re,” he said while his back was facing us. “What she did in front of the Council was


    already uneptable. What would they even think? That I did not teach her? A dungeon is a ce for


    anyone who dared to disobey the alpha king. I can also put the nobles there.”


    He did not teach me anything, I whispered to myself. How could he educate me when he was silent


    during our trip? And he was injured to even teach me and tell me something about the pce.


    It was not an excuse, but at least he could consider my situation.


    “What did she do, Your Highness? If we may ask?” the twins asked at the same time while they kept on


    ncing at me.


    I hung my head low. Why did I feel embarrassed when I realized I sleep? If there was someone to be


    med, it was none other than the alpha king himself! Shame on him for having a nice voice!


    “She was sleeping during the whole meeting while standing.”


    “Ow,” they said. “Just like the servant we know of..”


    I looked at them, frowning. “Who?” I could not help but ask.


    “It is not your concern, River. Stand and go with the twins. I will call you when you learn from your


    mistakes.”


    With my knees hurting, I hastily followed his orders. I wiped the specks of dust on my knees. “Your


    Highness, I am already aware of my mistakes. I will not do it again.”


    “You won’t, River. I assure you will not do it again after you enter the dungeon. I don’t want to see her


    at the moment. Guards!” A man entered and bowed to the alpha king. “Apany the twins and my


    personal servant into the dungeon.”


    “Your Highness,” the twins said.


    However, the alpha king dismissed his hands.


    I bit back the tears. I would never cry. I will show him I was strong and will survive this challenge. I will


    prove to the alpha king that he was wrong.


    The guard led the way and we followed after. I kept ncing at the alpha king, in hope that he would


    change his decision. That he would call me. That he already had a change of mind, but he did not.


    My heart sank to the deepest bottom.


    One thing was for sure. I am doomed.


    --------------------


    From the entrance of the dungeon, I smell the pungent smell of urine, human excreta, suffering, and


    pain.


    I was thankful that the guard who was apanying me was not forceful nor not in a hurry. He just


    waited for the three of us to take our time. His kindness in this situation reminded me of someone.


    The twin''s shoulders drooped as if they were the ones who will be imprisoned in the dungeon.


    “Rx. The alpha king will show his mercy,” I said, trying to make them feel better.


    “He won’t,” the twins said, altogether, not sugar-coating their words. For my sake.


    Iughed nervously. “Really?”


    “He was known not to change his mind whenever he had given his verdict. He always sticks to that.


    Never in the history of his leadership did he—” ra stopped in mid-air when re whispered


    something. “Ow. There was a time. When the name who must never be mentioned was still alive.”


    I nced back. The guard was a meter between us. “Who are you referring to?”


    “ra. We are forbidden to say anything about her. It’s thew of the kingdom after her death.”


    My fear of being kept in the dungeon was temporarily forgotten as my mind focused on the person who


    must never be mentioned. If I was correct, we were thinking about only one person. The one whom the


    alpha king uttered.


    What would the twins say if I told them the alpha king had his nightmares about that person?


    No.


    The alpha king will even get furious.


    “What?” I leaned on them. “Are you talking about Zenith?” I asked, mouthing thest words.


    The twins looked at me with horrified looks.