Chapter 18:
Makenna’s POV
“What a twist of fate,” Clayton said, his grip on my wrist firm yet softened by a hint of resolve. “I also have an interest in this woman. Bryan, Dominic, please don’t fight against me for her.”
His confession left me reeling. I stared at Clayton, caught off guard and unsure of my next move. Did he genuinely have an interest in me, or was he merely trying to irk the other princes? Despite my confusion, I felt a blush creeping up my cheeks. My heart pounded like a drum as I glanced at Clayton’s chiseled profile, only to find him lowering his head to meet my gaze.
When our eyes locked, he flashed a smile that made me feel as if my face were on fire. Panicked, I turned away to escape his gaze. But as I looked elsewhere, I was met by Bryan’s icy, unforgiving stare. His eyes were like daggers—sharp and unyielding. With a venomous glance, he said to Dominic, who had always been stoic, “You’re not letting her go either. Do you have an interest in her too?”
Dominic raised an eyebrow, his demeanor unruffled. “What if I do?”
Dominic had an interest in me as well? The revelation gave me a headache. It was clear I was nothing more than a pawn in these princes’ game of one-upmanship. As the argument escalated, I became the center of attention. The weight of their focus made me uneasy. Bryan’s burning gaze wavered. He was known for his short temper, and I dreaded being the scapegoat for his frustration.
With a sudden outburst, Bryan’s eyes narrowed, and he commanded, “Come to me!” I looked helplessly at the hands gripping my wrists, feeling trapped. Could I even make a choice here? Any decision I made would alienate the other two, and my life in the palace was already a tangled mess. I couldn’t afford to make things worse.
Taking a deep breath, I replied with a tone that was neither meek nor defiant, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m just a slave. I don’t have the right or the courage to defy the princes.”
“You lack the courage to defy them?” Bryan stared at me with a cold, piercing gaze for several seconds before a cruel laugh erupted from him. “Well done! I’m impressed, Makenna Dunn!”
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His wrath made my heart race. Bryan was a loose cannon. I hoped he wouldn’t unleash his fury on me in such a public setting. After his words, Bryan’s gaze shifted from me. With a deadly glint in his eyes, he addressed Dominic and Clayton, “Are you both certain you won’t step aside?”
Dominic, with a taunting smirk, yanked me toward him, his challenge evident. Startled, I stumbled, only for Clayton to catch me and steady me. He held my hand with gentle firmness and smiled at Bryan with a resolve of his own, “No, I won’t let go,” he declared with equal intensity.
“Excellent! Then you can’t fault me for my actions.”
Bryan’s rage exploded. A feral howl erupted from him, shaking the small training room. Everyone recoiled, their screams mingling with the chaos. Even the other two princes took a step back, still holding onto me.
As I regained my footing, I saw Bryan had transformed into a massive black wolf, his blue eyes gleaming with murderous intent. Bryan changed into his wolf form right away. The sight nearly took my breath away. Fear paralyzed me, and memories of his threats as a wolf rushed back. My heart was in my throat.
With another fierce howl, Bryan lunged at me and the two princes. My vision narrowed as a suffocating sense of doom closed in on me. It was a nightmarish scene, with terror tightening its grip. Bryan, from the Lycan royal bloodline, was a force of nature, and I lacked the strength to even try to escape.
In that heart-stopping instant, Dominic and Clayton propelled me backward. I stumbled and landed on my rear. When I managed to look up, I saw that both princes had transformed into their wolf forms, locked in a fierce struggle with Bryan. The three princes were the epitome of werewolf might, and their transformations had only amplified their power. The clash quickly turned the training room into a maelstrom of chaos.
Screams erupted from everyone present, with frantic attempts to escape the scene. The fear of being caught in the crossfire drove everyone to scramble for safety. Hayley, observing in horror, cried out through her tears, “Please, Your Highnesses, stop this! The training room will be destroyed!”
Her desperate pleas fell on deaf ears. The princes were too engulfed in their fury to heed her warnings. Hayley narrowly avoided being trampled, her fear palpable as she darted out of the way.
As the battle raged on, its ferocity grew with every passing second. The room was soon empty except for those caught in the frenzy. Latonia, badly injured, managed to drag herself out, her face etched with sheer terror.
Gritting her teeth, Hayley turned to a trembling servant outside the door and shouted, “Get the king here, now!”
No sooner had she spoken than a stool was hurled from the training room, smashing through the window. The broken glass scattered in all directions, and the stool nearly struck Latonia, who cried out in fright.
