Chapter 6:
Makenna’s POV
I could sense the hostility radiating from Kristina like the heat of the noonday sun. It wasn’t long before I figured out that this woman must have come from a powerful family. Before I could even part my lips to speak, she sneered with a condescending snort, commenting, “Just so-so.”
Her eyes bore into me as if I were nothing more than filth beneath her feet. I bit my bottom lip in mortification, feeling a sorrowful ache well up in my chest.
Ever since I had arrived here, it felt as though I had been stripped of every shred of dignity I once possessed as a she-wolf. It was as though anyone could trample over me and humiliate me at will.
The more I remained silent, the deeper Kristina’s disdain seemed to grow. She snorted once more, dismissing me with a flick of her gaze. As she cast her eyes arrogantly around the hall, she lifted her chin and raised her voice.
“You lowly, worthless women, listen up! I’m Kristina Harrison, daughter of the Beta. I’ll be the next queen. Don’t even think about trying to catch the prince’s eye to take my place, or I’ll make you regret it.”
With that, she turned her gaze back to me, a cruel smirk twisting her lips. She waved her hand, signaling her maid, who promptly handed her a dagger.
Kristina took the dagger and stepped closer, pressing the cold blade against my face and sliding it slowly across my skin. Her voice dripped with malice. “Now, I’ll show you what happens when you dare to set your sights on a prince.”
The blade’s icy touch sent shivers down my spine, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest, teetering on the edge of panic. How could I have ended up in a life-threatening situation twice in just a few hours?
Terror turned my legs to jelly, yet I dared not move a muscle. In the next heartbeat, the dagger could very well pierce my flesh.
“You’ve got it all wrong. I never tried to attract the prince,” I began to stammer, desperate to defend myself. Bryan had carried me out of the hall with the intention of killing me. If I had my way, I’d be miles away from here by now. In their right mind, who would want to become the plaything of a madman?
But Kristina cut me off, her voice seething with fury. “Spare me your excuses, you conniving little tramp!” Her eyes blazed with resentment as she glared at me, convinced that I had schemed to win over Bryan. “I’ll scar your face and throw you out of this palace today. Let’s see how you plan on enticing men after that!”
Lᴀtｅst chᴀptєrs in g𝑎lnovels.𝒸ο𝑚
Her words were laced with venom as she raised the dagger high, aiming for me. “Go to Hell!”
Gasps echoed around us. I instinctively staggered backward, trying to avoid the sharp edge of the blade.
Hayley and the servants rushed forward, their faces pale with fear, desperate to intervene. Cold sweat glistened on Hayley’s brow. “Miss Harrison, please, stop! The king won’t take this lightly.”
But Kristina was unfazed. She spat back defiantly, “So what? I’m the Beta’s daughter! Even if I were to kill this woman, the king wouldn’t have me executed over such a lowly creature.”
With that, she swung the dagger threateningly, scattering Hayley and the servants in her wake. Then, with a sudden, violent shove, she sent me tumbling backward, the dagger poised to strike again.
“Argh!” My scream tore through the air as terror gripped me, and before I could stop myself, I stumbled backward.
I saw the dagger’s edge glinting, so close to slicing into my cheek. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the sharp sting of pain that seemed inevitable. But instead of agony, I felt a steady pair of hands catch me, keeping me from falling.
Was this… a rescue?
I opened my eyes, dazed and disoriented, only to see the dagger in Kristina’s hand frozen mid-air. Her expression had shifted from rage to something almost… demure. Her eyes sparkled, and the fierceness that had consumed her earlier seemed to melt away.
“Clayton, what brings you here?” Her voice was suddenly sweet, almost coy, as she addressed the man standing behind me.
Clayton? The name struck a chord. Wasn’t he the youngest son of the king?
I turned to see his face clearly, and the sight took my breath away.
He was unlike the other two princes. Bryan burned like an uncontainable fire, Dominic was as cold as unforgiving ice, but Clayton Reeves… Clayton was like still water—calming.
His silver hair fell in soft curls, partially hiding his deep, gentle eyes. He didn’t appear nearly as menacing as the rumors suggested.
“Are you alright?” Clayton’s voice was soothing, his touch steady as he helped me regain my balance. He gestured for a servant to bring a coat, which he then draped over my shoulders.
From the moment he appeared, every action was infused with a quiet grace that began to melt away the fear that had consumed me.
Clutching the coat around me, I whispered, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Clayton nodded and instructed the servant to lead me aside. His expression then darkened as his gaze turned toward Kristina. “What were you thinking, Kristina? Were you really about to kill her?”
