Submission was the only key for him to stop his pheromones, which allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. I leaned back in my chair, feeling weak.
My entire body was trembling, and the heat in my body still hadn't subsided. My rut would be coming in a few days, and now he uses his pheromones on me to make my body react.
"Now, tell me," he ordered, and I nodded several times in response.
"I...I...I just wanted to, because I was tired of enduring the pain and suffering I felt at the pack house, and at the hands of my mate. I wanted to escape and get away," I replied. I wanted to look at him, but I couldn't due to fear.
"Didn't you know that what you did was a grave offense?" he asked.
"I know. I know the severe punishment for what I've done, but this was the only thing I could think of. I couldn't stay there anymore, so I decided to escape even though I knew the punishment that awaited me. But I won't be caught alive! If I face punishment, I'll make sure I'm dead before I'm brought before the council," I said with difficulty, still struggling to breathe.
Abandoning your role as Luna, or escaping from your pack, is considered a grave offense.
Without a proper trial from the pack council, or agreement from your mate, it's a serious transgression.
It would have been better if the pack council and elders had signed your divorce papers, or if your mate had rejected you - then you could have left the pack.
But what I did, with no divorce papers and no rejection at all, is a major offense, and the punishment is death.
However, as I said, before they can catch me, I'll make sure I'm dead before the punishment is even imposed.
"You're brave for a woman, Livia," he said, which made me look up at him. When he called me by my name, I felt something strange.
My heart was racing again, just like when I first saw him at the party. But what did this feeling mean, and why was my heart beating so fast around him? Was it fear, or was there something deeper?.
"Now that you've escaped from your pack, where do you plan to go?" he asked, and I fell silent.
I didn't need to think about where I was going, because I would be staying here at Mrs. Florita's house in exchange for being her heir.
"Mrs. Florita allowed me to stay here," I replied.
"In exchange for what?"
I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his question. Why did he have so many questions? What was his purpose here?
"Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness, but the terms of Mrs. Florita's requests are between us—" My words were cut off when he spoke,
"—is it about becoming her heir?" His question made my eyes widen in surprise.
How did he know that? Did Mrs. Florita tell him?.
"How did you know?" I asked him in shock.
"So, that's really the condition for staying here?" I immediately shut my mouth after his response.
I didn't say anything else and just looked away. There was a long silence between us until the door opened and his Beta entered.
He bowed before the Lycan King and whispered something that made his expression even more blank.
When Beta finished speaking, he immediately stepped back. The Lycan King looked at me, then stood up with his hands in his pockets.
I looked at him in wonder, and from my position, he seemed like a giant, towering over me like the sky.
"Your Alpha was going to sue you and demand a public punishment for your sin," he said. I quickly stood up from my chair.
"And why would he do that?" I asked.
"Because of what you did - escaping. He went to my pack to discuss your punishment with my council. But he offered an option: if you return to your pack willingly, he'll withdraw the punishment he's imposing on you," he explained.
I scowled at his words. Me? Go back to that hellhole? In fucking his dream!! They'd have to kill me before I'd go back to the pack! Besides, shouldn't he be happy that there's no longer anything between him and Amber?
And why would he need me to go back... Oh right! I almost forgot that the pack needs a Luna, and specifically his mate, to maintain the strength of the entire pack.
"Tell that bastard I'm willing to die rather than go back to his hellish pack! After years of enduring the pain he inflicted on me, now that I'm free, I won't be stupid enough to go back to him. Besides, he'd just use me as a display. He should be happy I'm gone, so he can flaunt his relationship with my sister." I said angrily, then plopped back down in the chair.
"So, the rumors are true?" he asked, and I nodded, although I wasn't sure what specific rumor he was referring to based on what I said.
"I can help you face your problem, so you won't have to face your punishment," he said. My eyebrow rose at his words,
"And why would you do that, Your Highness?" I asked, puzzled. I was really puzzled by him. Why did he keep offering to help me? Did he need something from me?.
"I can overturn or dismiss your case if you file a case against your mate regarding his abandonment of you for your sister. We can use her as an example of his reckless abandonment and poor treatment towards you. You can have the divorce agreement in a proper way without violating any laws. Much better, you can ask him to reject you as his mate."
The last sentence brought pain to my heart. Even now, my heart still hasn't fully accepted that there's truly no hope for Aldrake and me.
Only my mind has accepted the reality that he can't accept or love me. But I hold on to the hope that someday, I'll finally be able to accept it.
I didn't say anything, and remained staring into space. He's going to help me get the divorce agreement in a proper way.
It'll also be an opportunity for me to get what I've been asking of him for so long... his rejection.