Chapter 38:
Jessica’s POV:
I was momentarily startled and turned to face the source of the voice. It was Dominic.
He approached me with an unhurried stride, while Frank trailed behind him, his expression a mixture of caution and terror.
Jessica, upon seeing Dominic, paled with fear. Her confidence drained away, leaving her trembling and speechless.
I couldn’t help but let out a mocking chuckle at Jessica’s sudden cowardice. I wondered how she would wriggle her way out of this mess.
She had slandered a prince and had been caught in the act. Whether this was dismissed as a minor indiscretion or taken as a grave offense depended entirely on whether Dominic decided to hold her accountable.
Frank, drenched in cold sweat, quickly stepped in, his voice trembling with anxiety. “So sorry, Your Highness, Jessica was just joking. Please, forgive her.”
Dominic’s sneer was like a dagger of ice. “Who gave her the audacity to joke about the Lycan royal family?”
Dominic was a Lycan prince, and his usual detached demeanor was intimidating enough. But now, with his temper flaring, the oppressive aura he exuded was almost unbearable.
At that moment, I was struck by the realization of how fearsome he truly was, a member of the most powerful clan. Even a mere flicker of his annoyance could instill terror in those around him.
Jessica had never encountered such a scene before, and it showed. She was visibly shaking. After a few attempts at words, she glanced at me, then, with a sudden burst of desperation, pointed a trembling finger in my direction.
“It’s her fault!” Jessica screamed, her voice cracking. “She’s the one who always spoke ill of the princes to me. That’s why I thought that way. It’s all her fault, Your Highness!”
Frank, sensing an opportunity to save his predicament, quickly chimed in.
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“I agree with Jessica.” He didn’t hesitate to shift the blame onto me, his tone laced with contempt. “Back when Makenna was still at home, she always tormented Jessica. Jessica was too scared to stand up to her, so she’d complain to me in secret. I’m sure Makenna is to blame for this as well.”
Their blatant lies were almost comical—could they be so brazen as to deceive the prince?
Meanwhile, a wave of dull, aching pain spread through my chest.
Before I discovered Frank and Jessica’s betrayal, I had truly believed we loved each other. I had always treated Jessica like my own sister, caring for her as if we shared the same blood.
And yet, this was how they repaid me—by sending me to the palace to suffer, and now, by conspiring to place all the blame on me.
In that moment, I loathed myself for ever being so blind.
I closed my eyes briefly, and then opened them again, resolute. Before I could defend myself, Dominic’s cold voice cut through the tension.
“Really? Funny, I didn’t hear Makenna say anything against us. But you, on the other hand…”
He fixed Jessica with a chilling stare and continued mercilessly, “You’ve shown a disgraceful lack of respect for the royal family. Stand here and slap yourself for an hour as punishment—and make sure you do it with all your strength. I’ll have a guard watch you to ensure you comply.”
Jessica went as pale as a ghost.
The entrance to the main hall was a busy place. The thought of passersby watching her degrade herself like this was enough to shatter Jessica’s pride and dignity—things she valued above all else.
A feeling of satisfaction washed over me as I stole a glance at Dominic. Yet, at the same time, his earlier whispered words in the hall echoed in my mind, and a sense of foreboding crept in.
“Your Highness…” Frank’s desperation mounted as he tried to plead with Dominic, but Dominic cut him off.
With a dismissive glance, Dominic declared, “Frank, as a Gamma, you failed to control your mate. You’ll face punishment as well. I’ll report everything to my father.”
“Your Highness!” Frank’s voice rose in panic as he begged for mercy. “It’s all a misunderstanding…”
But Dominic’s patience had worn thin. He shot Frank a final icy look before striding away.
As he passed by me, he paused briefly, casting a glance in my direction with a smile that sent a chill down my spine.
The sense of dread I had been feeling only intensified.
