Amia's POV
I sat on a chair in my room, looking at the dark sky with no stars. Only the moon shone through the window. The curtains were rolled to the sides, allowing the cold moonlight to enter the room.
Night had befallen me again.
That meant the Lord would either come or he wouldn't.
Either way, I wasn't going to bed early.
I was hungry, yet I couldn't even go out and ask for food. Serai also hadn't come back after leaving, and the only thing I could do was assume she was very busy.
My life was a bitter joke.
In a way, it was so different, yet very similar.
I was still afraid.
Still waiting for someone to decide what happened to me.
Still unable to do whatever I wanted.
I lowered my gaze to my hands and sighed.
At least this room was mine.
Even though it was old and neglected, I could close the door and be alone. I could clean it the way I wanted. I could sit quietly without hearing my father's voice demanding something from me.
But freedom still felt very far away.
When I heard movements outside the door, I frowned and stood up.
Before I could say a thing, I picked it up.
His scent.
At first, when I had met my mate, he carried no scent like how a mate should. But after spending the second night with him, I could clearly pick up a scent I could hardly describe.
It was his.
My heart immediately started beating faster.
The doors opened, and the Lord moved in.
This time, he had no shirt on.
Only a red velvet cloth covered one side of his body, resting over his shoulder and falling down toward his waist. It exposed enough of his chest and stomach to make me quickly lower my eyes.
He looked dangerous.
And somehow, he also looked unfairly attractive.
I quickly lowered my gaze and bowed low to pay my respects.
A loud growl from my wolf forced me to look up.
She wasn't happy with how I was acting towards our own mate.
Not after finding out that he had a mistress.
She had been quiet about it for days, but I knew she was hurting too.
When his hand went to the velvet cloth, I took a deep breath and spoke up.
"My lord, I know it's not my place to talk to you while knowing very well what you have come here to do. But then again, this is the only time I can see you."
His hands instantly froze.
I swallowed hard.
There was no going back now.
"In these past nights you have come to me, I have come to understand that you only want an heir from me, and you don't care what we are to each other."
I felt a lump form in my throat.
Don't dare cry, Amia. You can't seem weak.
Not in front of him.
I warned myself strongly.
It was painful for me to say this to him because he was the mate. Yet he was like the very devil that was meant to break me even more.
"My kind are blessed with mates by the Moon Goddess."
My voice broke.
"You know... a life partner meant to love, protect, and stand by your side through life."
I looked at him for a second before quickly lowering my eyes again.
"When I first set my eyes on you, I was scared of what you were because I had heard of your kind through stories told by elders. But then, when I discovered you were my mate, I had no idea what to do or how to react."
I took another shaky breath and looked at him seriously.
"As scared as I was, I thought it wasn't that bad because a part of me dared to imagine how you would accept me."
His expression didn't change.
"But being taken roughly for my first time and night was too much to bear. Waking up on a cold floor without even a blanket was the final act that made me realize your true feelings."
For a second, I saw murderous intent flash in his eyes as his brows frowned.
My heart nearly stopped.
Don't dare back down.
My wolf growled.
"I tell myself silently, every day, how you don't want me, but you want that heir from me badly. That's why you can't stop coming here despite wanting nothing to do with me. So I'll say what's on my mind openly, my lord."
I swallowed hard.
"First of all, I want you to assign a servant to attend to me exclusively. Her job is only to answer to me. Actually, there is this one by the name of Serai."
I forced myself to continue.
"Secondly, I want that servant to be given the right to cook what I want without anyone interfering. Be it you or anyone else."
My fingers tightened against the fabric of my dress.
"I also want some clothes I could wear, not the old, torn, shabby ones. After all, I am..."
I cut my sentence short, contemplating my next words.
"The soon-to-be mother of the heir of the nest."
I held my breath.
One of his hands clenched.
I was scared of him.
But if he was going to use me, then I needed to have my safe place and a few of my wishes met.
"Also, if it's not too much to ask..."
I trailed off.
My courage almost disappeared.
But I forced myself to continue.
"When you hold me, can you try to be gentle?"
I whispered in a low tone.
"I am not asking you to kiss me or hold my hand. Just don't hurt me."
The room became painfully quiet.
For a moment, I thought he might answer me.
Instead, he unclenched his hand and turned to go back.
My heart dropped.
Had he heard anything I said?
Was he simply going to leave without saying a word?
Before I could stop myself, I rushed to his side and grabbed his hand before he could reach the door handles.
The moment my fingers touched him, his body went rigid.
Then everything happened too quickly.
I was shoved hard to the ground.
"Ouch!"
I screamed out.
Before I could even recover, he raised his fist and struck the side of the floor.
A loud crack filled the room.
The crack spread across the floor toward the doors, leaving a visible line in the stone.
I widened my eyes in shock as my heart beat wildly.
The scales were showing along the side of his neck and ears.
He looked less human now.
A tear rolled down my cheek.
His eyes were cold as they stared into mine.
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
Then he dropped his hand with a low sigh and stepped back.
I quickly shifted my gaze to the side.
My whole body was trembling badly.
Images of being hit by my father and the few warriors who had obeyed him played in my mind.
The memories came back so quickly that I struggled to breathe.
Was this my fate and destiny?
To be abused and trampled on by the very people who were meant to love and accept me?
Even my wolf was whimpering in fear, seeing our mate show such hostility towards us.
"What was that sound?"
A soft female voice asked.
I looked towards the door and held my breath when she rushed in.
She was beautiful.
She had no serpent tail, and her appearance was so soft and gentle that anyone seeing her for the first time would probably think she was incapable of hurting anyone.
Her face was delicate, her eyes were warm, and her features gave her an almost innocent look.
She looked like an angel.
But something about her made the pain in my chest grow.
"Oh my goodness, Lord Ezra, what's all this?" she asked softly as she quickly moved to his side.
She grabbed his bruised hand, which already seemed to be healing quickly.
Then she brought it to her lips and kissed it gently before shifting her eyes to me.
I looked at them in disbelief.
Instant pain hit my heart.
I bit my tongue almost hard enough to draw blood as I forced myself to sit upright.
My wolf was whimpering in pain.
And for the first time, I felt like I could strangle someone just to watch their very breath disappear.
I also felt like running away in tears as the pain in my chest increased.
"It was you, wasn't it?" she yelled.
Her soft voice was gone.
"What did you do to upset my lord?"
She strode toward me and grabbed me by the hair.
Pain shot through my scalp.
My wolf pulled through.
In a second, I grabbed her hand, pulling her onto the cold floor and moving on top of her.
Within a second, I raised my hands, aiming my claws at her face and throat.
I struck once, and her cry filled the room.
I was about to strike again when my hand was caught in mid-air.
Before I could register what had happened, I was grabbed by the neck.
I was pushed back and pinned against the wall by a cold hand.
I struggled to breathe.
I tried to push against his hand as I clawed at it, but it wouldn't budge.
My body grew weaker.
My eyes became heavy as pain shot through my chest and head.
"My lord, you can't kill her," the woman pleaded. "Not until the prophecy is fulfilled. Please think of the greater good of all your nests."
With a loud hiss, his grip loosened.
He let go.
I fell to the cold ground, breathing heavily and struggling to hold my composure.
"Thank you, my lord," she whispered.
Tears filled my eyes.
I couldn't understand what was happening.
One moment she had been shouting at me, and the next she was standing beside the man who could have killed me.
Ezra moved in front of her and gently caressed her injured cheek.
Tears ran down my face as I watched him lean closer and brush his hand gently through her hair.
She smiled.
That smile hurt more than it should have.
When she looked at me, she grinned.
"Don't mind her, my lord. I already made sure to show that lowly servant her place when she dared to order me about this dog. She won't have any contact with anyone in this palace. I'll make sure of that."
I furiously got to my feet.
"What did you do to Serai?" I screamed loudly.
My mate was about to move when she raised her hand, stopping him.
"Oh, you will soon find out, and you will like it a lot. That I can guarantee," she answered.
My blood ran cold.
I was about to move and strike her when Ezra grabbed me by the neck.
His grip wasn't as tight as it had been a few minutes ago.
But it was enough to stop me in my tracks.
Even despite everything, the irony of it all was that I could still feel the tingles spreading through my body from his touch.
They were soothing and comforting.
Truly, the mate bond was cruel.
It made me feel something for the same man who terrified me.
This time, I couldn't help but laugh as more tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Do your worst, Ezra. I have been through worse."
I forced the words out.
For a second, I saw his eyes soften.
His hand slightly shook.
Then he let go and moved back.
The woman quickly moved forward and took his hand.
"Leave everything to me, my lord. I'll soon show her her place," she whispered.
Then she walked out of the room with him.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the doorway after they disappeared.
Then my knees gave out.
I fell to the floor and began sobbing.
I couldn't hold it in anymore.
My anger, my fear and jealousy.
The pain of watching my mate touch another woman so gently when he could barely touch me without hurting me.
And the fear of what had happened to Serai.
I covered my face with both hands.
I had only wanted a servant who could stay by my side.
Someone who could bring me food.
Someone I could trust.
Now, because I had spoken up and fought back, I had no idea what would happen next.
It was a wrong move.
A terrible one.
And somehow, I knew it was going to cost me.
But what frightened me the most was not what they would do to me.
It was what they might do to my sister.
Cassidy.
I squeezed my eyes shut as another sob escaped my lips.
I had lost control for a moment.
And I feared that moment was going to cost me my sister's life.