Chapter 11:
Makenna’s POV
Sure enough, Kristina set her sights squarely on me. I lifted my head as if a weight hung from it and cast my eyes toward Kristina. The malice in her gaze was unmasked, and her lips twisted into a smile that was anything but kind.
I drew in a steadying breath, fighting to keep my composure. “Miss Harrison, I’m at a loss. Have I wronged you in some way?”
Leonardo’s eyes flicked to me, his gaze narrowing with interest. He questioned Kristina, “Is that so? What prompted this request?”
Kristina’s voice was steady, almost chillingly so. “This woman shamelessly enticed the princes yesterday and was nothing short of disrespectful to me. She has no regard for my position, and I’m certain she has her sights set on becoming the future queen. What’s more…” She paused, her eyes sweeping over me with disdain. “This woman carries the scent of a weakling and is incapable of bearing a healthy cub for the Lycan clan. How could she ever be worthy of serving as the prince’s sex slave?”
Leonardo’s brow furrowed, his steely gaze locking onto me. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
The weight of the king’s authority pressed down on me, making it hard to draw breath as if the very air around me was too heavy. Even though I longed to flee this dreadful place, I knew I couldn’t become a rogue. That path would ruin my life beyond repair. I had to leave with my head held high, not slink away in disgrace.
Clenching my fists to anchor my resolve, I responded. “Your Majesty, I underwent every official checkup and passed all the filtering processes yesterday. I did not initiate any advances toward the princes, nor was I disrespectful to Miss Harrison.”
I pointed toward Hayley, adding, “If my words seem doubtful, you can ask the inspector, Hayley, and all the servants who were present. They witnessed everything.”
Hayley caught Leonardo’s eye. “She’s telling the truth,” he asked.
Hayley’s eyes flickered with hesitation, darting from me to Kristina. She stammered, struggling to piece together a coherent response. My heart sank; I feared she might bend the truth to avoid Kristina’s wrath.
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And just as I feared, after a moment’s hesitation, Hayley turned the tables on me.
“Your Majesty, Miss Harrison is correct. This woman was audacious enough to seduce the princes and was disrespectful to Miss Harrison.”
Kristina’s smile widened—a smirk of triumph that seemed to say, “Who do you think you are? Do you think you can beat me?”
A hot wave of anger surged within me. I shot a glare at Hayley and raised my voice. “Hayley, that isn’t how it happened yesterday. Why are you lying?”
Hayley, clearly uneasy, avoided my gaze but retorted with newfound firmness, “You’re the one lying. You should be cast out and made a rogue.”
Leonardo’s expression hardened as he looked at me. “You certainly have the nerve.”
I knew that Hayley had already thrown her lot in with Kristina, and arguing with her was futile. The key was to sway the king.
Keeping my voice calm, I asked, “Your Majesty, if approaching the princes is forbidden and seen as an affront to Miss Harrison, then why are sex slaves even required?”
Leonardo hesitated, clearly weighing my words.
Seeing that he was considering my question, I continued, maintaining a composed tone. “What happened between the princes and me was unexpected. I didn’t set out to cause it. On the contrary, it was Miss Harrison who stormed into the hall with a dagger, intent on disfiguring me. She even aimed to kill me.”
As I spoke, the memory of that life-threatening moment resurfaced, stirring a mix of fear and anger within me. How could Kristina so casually decide to take a life simply because she was the Beta’s daughter?
I looked directly into Leonardo’s eyes and asked with a steady voice, “If a sex slave faces the threat of being disfigured or even killed for merely interacting with the princes, who would dare to be with them and bear their children?”
The other women around me exchanged horrified looks as my words sank in. Since we arrived at the palace, we had endured humiliation because of our lowly status. Our lives held little value. I was certain that any woman who grew close to the princes would be targeted by Kristina, just as I was.
Leonardo’s frown deepened, and Kristina found herself at a loss for words. She tried to defend herself, stammering, “Your Majesty, I did not—”
But Clayton cut her off abruptly.
“Father, she’s telling the truth.” Clayton turned to me with a reassuring smile before facing Leonardo again. He repeated, emphasizing each word, “She is telling the truth. I can vouch for her.”
