A resounding slap echoed through the room, leaving a stinging mark on the recipient's cheek. Queen Madeline face was ablaze with fury, her eyes blazing with indignation.
"How could you be so reckless and shameless?" she thundered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Giving away your chastity before marriage? It's unconscionable!"
Queen Madeline's anger boiled over, fueled by the humiliation and betrayal she felt. The thought of her family's reputation being tarnished was unbearable. "How could you be so reckless?" she demanded, her voice trembling with rage.
"You were promised to Prince Titus, and yet...and yet you've fallen pregnant. Are you intentionally trying to bring shame upon our family?" Queen Madeline's words dripped with disdain and disappointment, her eyes blazing with fury.
Princess Annabeth's frustration boiled over, her voice laced with exasperation. "Mother, when will you finally accept that Prince Titus has no intention of marrying me? When will you abandon your ambition of being the mother of a queen?"
Queen Madeline's face twisted in contempt, her words dripping with venom. "I am a queen, and you will be one too. You're a disappointment, a weak and feeble daughter. I should have borne a son, someone with the strength and cunning to secure our dynasty's future, not a pathetic, useless burden like you."
"What's stopping you from having a son," Annabeth said, and her words hung in the air like a challenge causing Queen Madeline's fury to multiply tenfold. "You'll abort that...thing," she spat, her voice venomous. "I won't have a bastard in my castle."
With a final, ominous warning, Queen Madeline swept out of Annabeth's chambers. The queen's parting words still echoed in the air as Doctor Strauss approached Annabeth.
As soon as her mother was gone, Princess Annabeth turned to face Dr. Strauss, her eyes flashing with defiance. "You're not going to force me to take that medication, are you?" she asked, her gaze locked on the doctor's, her voice steady and determined.
"But you know I can defy the queen's orders," Dr. Strauss said, his voice laced with fear. He was torn between his duty as a healer and the danger of incurring the queen's wrath.
Princess Annabeth's expression softened, and she placed a reassuring hand on the doctor's arm. "You don't need to worry, Doctor. Just lie to her for today, nothing more. Tell her you administered the medication, but in reality, you'll do nothing."
Dr. Strauss's eyes darted nervously around the room, his mind racing with the consequences of disobedience. "If I'm banned from working for the castle, I'll be shunned by everyone," he whispered, his voice trembling.
He was deeply afraid of the queen, whose reputation for ruthlessness preceded her. She was a tyrant, willing to do whatever it took to achieve her goals, no matter how dirty or underhanded. And her husband, the king, was no better – a devil in his own right. Dr. Strauss felt a pang of sympathy for Princess Annabeth, who was trapped between these two monstrous parents. However, his own survival instincts took precedence, and he knew he had to prioritize his own life above all else.
Recognizing the doctor's dilemma, Annabeth knew she had to act swiftly before her mother returned. With a mixture of desperation and cunning, she reached out and snatched the tablets from Dr. Strauss's hand.
"Fine, I'll take these accursed tablets," Annabeth said, her voice laced with resentment. "Since you clearly don't care about my health or my baby, I'll humor you. But I wonder, can you truly call yourself a doctor?"
As she spoke, Annabeth poured herself a glass of water, hiding the tablets between her upper lip and gums. With a subtle smile, she drank the water, careful not to swallow the concealed tablets.
"How long before the cramps start?" she asked the doctor, maintaining the charade.
"Between one to two hours, depending on the individual," Dr. Strauss replied, oblivious to Annabeth's deception.
"Then you may leave. I wish to be alone," Princess Annabeth said, dismissing the doctor. He nodded and departed, none the wiser.
As soon as the door closed, Annabeth spat out the tablets and raised her voice, calling out to her lady-in-waiting. "Pack my bag immediately. We must leave before Mother becomes suspicious."
Her lady-in-waiting nodded dutifully and swiftly packed enough clothes to last them a week. With the bag prepared, Annabeth led the way through the secret passages within the castle walls. One passage, in particular, led them directly to the bustling marketplace, providing the perfect cover for their escape.
As they navigated the bustling marketplace, Annabeth and her lady-in-waiting searched frantically for a transport that could take them beyond the castle walls and out of the Kingdom of the Dreamweaver. Fortune smiled upon them as they stumbled upon a carriage preparing to depart on a last-minute journey.
Without hesitation, they paid the transport fare and hastily purchased essentials to sustain them for the next two weeks. As the carriage rattled to life and began to move, Annabeth couldn't help but wonder about Armon's safety. She fervently hoped that her parents wouldn't discover that Armon Fevemore was her mate.
If they did, Annabeth knew her parents would stop at nothing to exploit that knowledge. They would use Armon as leverage to control her, bending her to their will. The very thought sent shivers down her spine. It was precisely this fear that had driven Annabeth to make the perilous decision to flee – to protect herself, her mate, and their unborn child from her parents' ruthless grasp.
The break of dawn arrived sooner than expected, and Andrew and his companions prepared to return to the werewolves' Clan after a hearty breakfast. Their carriage stood ready, awaiting their departure. Just as they were about to climb aboard, a royal carriage drew up alongside theirs. Prince Vernon emerged from the castle and approached them.
"You seem to be in a hurry," Prince Vernon observed, his brow furrowed in concern. "Is everything alright?"
Andrew bowed respectfully before responding. "Not at all, Your Highness. We merely wish to arrive early and inform the alpha about the outcome of our journey from the Eastern region."
Prince Vernon nodded thoughtfully. "I see. Don't worry, those two will be here momentarily."
As if on cue, Prince Titus and Prince Christopher appeared thirty minutes later, their arrival seemingly orchestrated by Prince Vernon's words.
"Did we keep you waiting too long?" Prince Christopher asked, glancing at Prince Vernon and the others.
"Not at all," Prince Vernon replied. "Although, Andrew is eager to visit somewhere after we arrive at the werewolves' Clan. He needs to report to his Alpha."
Prince Titus stepped forward, a hint of a smile on his face. "I'll teleport us all," he said, his voice laced with confidence.
The group stared at him, their expressions a mix of surprise and skepticism. Prince Christopher raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across his face. "Really? Well, let's see if you can pull it off, big guy."
Prince Titus smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement, as if to say, 'Challenge accepted.'
Before teleporting them, Prince Titus issued a warning. "For those who have never been teleported before, be prepared for dizziness and nausea after the teleportation. It's a temporary side effect."
The group nodded, steeling themselves for the experience. With a flick of his wrist, Prince Titus vanished them all, reappearing an hour closer to their destination.
The group stumbled, disoriented, but their shock quickly turned to awe. Prince Titus had teleported not only themselves but also their carriages and horses. The sheer scale of his power left them breathless.
Prince Christopher pouted jokingly, "Damn, sometimes I forget that you can move mountains if you want. Others might think your father is the devil himself."
Prince Titus' smirk grew into a wide grin, clearly pleased with the impressed reactions of his friends.
Prince Christopher's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to Prince Titus, seeking confirmation. "Wait, did I just unintentionally speak the truth?" he asked, his voice laced with shock.
Prince Titus simply chuckled and patted Christopher on the shoulder, leaving him wondering.
Vernon intervened, trying to reassure his friend. "He's just pulling your leg, Christopher. You know Titus can be a show-off sometimes."
Vernon's expression turned nostalgic, and he let out a hearty laugh. "Remember that time you gave Titus a nightmare of his life?"
Christopher's face lit up with mirth. "Oh man, and we learned the hard way that was the first time we met his dragon, Draken! That beast chased us, trying to incinerate us. Those were the days, my friends!"
Vernon's laughter subsided, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "I still recall how we tried everything to extinguish the black fire, but to no avail. Yet, Titus managed to put it out with just a snap of his fingers."
Andrew and the others, including the coachmen, exchanged shocked glances, amazed by the princes' adventurous past. Prince Titus cleared his throat, interrupting their stunned silence.
"If you're done gossiping about me, we can proceed now," he said with a hint of amusement.
The group quickly composed themselves and boarded their respective carriages. As they settled in, Isaac spoke up, "Damn, that prince is too dangerous. Maybe your sister will sense the danger emanating from him and reject him."
Brandon nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that would save me the trouble of trying to keep her away from him."
Andrew's expression turned serious as he injected a dose of reality into the conversation. "I don't think it's that simple. If they're truly mates, you can't separate them unless they reject each other. The bond between mates is too strong."
Before long, the carriages arrived at the werewolves' Clan, and the sound of horse hooves and rattling wheels filled the air. Maribelle and Clover, who were strolling in the garden, immediately rushed to investigate the commotion, eager to reunite with their brothers.
As the door of the second carriage swung open, Andrew stepped out, followed by Brandon, Bernard, and Isaac. The sisters squealed with delight, rushing to embrace their respective brothers. Clover also warmly hugged Bernard, her cousin.
The joyful reunion was momentarily interrupted as the coachman opened the door to another carriage, revealing Prince Vernon. The girls, including Isildur, promptly bowed in respect.
Next, the vampire prince emerged, causing Clover's heart to skip a beat. She instinctively retreated behind her brother, a movement that didn't go unnoticed by the vampire prince. However, he remained silent.
Finally, Prince Titus stepped out of the carriage, and Clover's eyes widened as she felt an inexplicable, intense pull towards him. Overwhelmed, she concealed herself behind her brother, avoiding eye contact with the prince.
Andrew ushered the princes into his home, and the others followed behind. However, Clover halted her brother, Brandon, with a gentle touch on his arm.
"Brandon, wait," Clover said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to ask you something."
"What's wrong, Clover?" Brandon asked, noticing his sister's sudden unease.
"Nothing," Clover replied, attempting to brush off her concerns. "I just wish to spend time with you. It's been too long since we've seen each other, and those elves kept us apart for a week."
Brandon smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll be going home soon, and then we can spend as much time together as you like."
Clover's expression turned worried once more. "Why are there three princes here? Have we done something wrong?" she asked, alarm creeping into her voice.
Brandon's expression turned serious. "There's nothing wrong, but there is something I need to ask you," he said, his eyes locked intently on his sister.
"Ask away," Clover said, her curiosity piqued.
Brandon hesitated for a moment before posing his question. "Have you ever heard of the term 'mate' since you arrived in this immortal realm?"
Clover avoided eye contact with her brother, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, I've heard of the term 'mate'."
Brandon's heart skipped a beat with anticipation. "Did you feel any pull towards anyone?" he asked, his eyes locked intently on his sister.
Clover nodded, her cheeks flushing. "Yes, from one of the princes. I think I've seen him in my dreams when I was still in the mortal realm, but he was a dragon."
Brandon's expression turned curious. "Why didn't you say anything?"
Clover shrugged. "I thought it was just a dream. Recently, Raven told me about him, and when I saw him earlier...I didn't know what to do."
Brandon offered a reassuring smile. "Take your time, but be honest with me – what do you think about him?"
Clover's voice was laced with a mix of emotions. "I like him, Brandon. I know he's dangerous, but I'm also dangerous. You don't approve of him?" Her eyes sparkled with a hint of sadness. "Then I'll reject him."
Brandon's face lit up with a warm smile. "No, don't. He's your mate. If you love him, then your brother is over the moon." They shared a hearty chuckle, continuing their conversation until they were summoned.