Chapter 4 – Confrontation
MARCIA’S PERSPECTIVE
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“Marcia, please.” Dravic crouched down, gently taking my shoulders and helping me stand up again. He turned to the king then, face hardening. “Yes, Your Majesty,” he said. “Marcia Xendale wishes to separate from her mate, and I believe that is her right as a woman.”
I cleared my throat, preparing to make my case stronger.
“Your Majesty, I haven’t lived an easy life. In this world, growing up without a wolf was hard enough. Then my family gave up their lives fighting for Prim. For Prince Dravic. For you. And later, my mother was slaughtered and her killers still roam free. But all that was easier to endure than having my honour, my dignity insulted in this manner.
“In light of my family’s contributions and sacrifices for our kingdom, I sincerely request you to consider my plea. Any other she–wolf would have put up a huge fight to hoard her mate, but I am not here to challenge you, Your Majesty. All I ask for is freedom from a bond which no longer serves me, which will only be a source of heartache for me. If I had a wolf, I wouldn’t be here. But as your subject, I depend on you to grant me this right. Please do not turn me down.”
The king stared at me, and then at Dravic, who held his gaze.
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I held my breath, hoping the king would honor my request–il not for me, then for the memory of the family I lost.
“Alright,” the king finally said after a long pause, “I will consider it. Wait at the Silverlake pack house for my final decision.
But keep in mind that the ruling will be final and irreversible, whatever it may be.”
I curtsied, so deeply I almost fell to my knees. “Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the king of Prim.”
“Stand,” he said, then nodded dismissively.
I backed away without turning my back to him, my head bowed in exaggerated respect. Once I was out of his view, I let out a sigh, leaning against the nearest wall. Just a moment later, Dravic approached.
I immediately stood up straight, offering him a small smile. “Thank you,” I whispered. “I don’t think he’d consider it if you hadn’t vouched for me. I will forever be grateful to you, Dravic.”
Dravic glanced around, then stepped closer to me, a little more than necessary. My back touched the wall again, heart starting to race as I stared up into his green eyes. He leaned in slightly, making me hold my breath.
“This is the least I could do for you. But I have to admit, you surprised me back there. I didn’t think you wanted to separate from him.”
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“Why wouldn’t I?” I asked. “Am I that low in your eyes that you thought I’d willingly share my mate?”
He opened his mouth to reply, but caught himself. He glanced around again, then took my hand and led me out of the palace, onto the grounds. He stopped in front of me.
“I know how much you have been through, Marcia, how many people you have lost. I thought you might want to hold onto the one relationship you still had. Your mate. Otherwise, in my eyes, you have always deserved far better than your pathetic excuse of a husband.”
“Far better than Kael Lightwood?” I smiled. “Like who?”
His jaw ticked, and he stared at me for a long moment. Then
away. “I don’t know,” he said softly. “Someone who sure you and your heart the way you deserved.”
wallowed the lump forming in my throat. They were just words with no weight, from someone looking to make me feel better about myself. Someone who believed he owed me something.
I knew I was never meant to be treasured. But I could become someone to be feared.
“Thank you for your support in there, Dravic. I should go now.”
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He gave a slow nod, stepping away from me. “Take care of
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yourself, Mar. If you need anything else, you can reach out to me any time.”
“Let’s hope the need doesn’t arise.”
With that, I turned around and walked away from him, preparing myself to fight my next battle.
I had expected Kael to confront me when I returned home, but what I didn’t call was for his entire family to be awaiting me.
“Where were you, Marcia?” the Alpha asked in a commanding tone as soon as I entered the pack house.
Hello to you too, Alpha,” I replied, stopping a safe distance away from them all.
“She went to the king, Father. Where else would she be?” Kael whined. “I know what you’re trying to do!” he snapped, walking up to me. He grabbed my arms, his eyes turning black. “You are trying to sabotage my marriage to Eunice. But I will not let that happen, you hear me? We are already mated. Our wedding will be grander than the one you and I had.”
I scoffed, pushing him off me. “A grander wedding than ours?” I mocked. “Will Eunice pay for it? Because your coffers are empty, Alpha Heir of Silverlake. I have been supporting your pack
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financially for the past year.”
His face fell, whilst Eunice’s filled with rage.
“What is she talking about? Is that true, Kael?” she asked.
“Marcia, dear,” the Luna of Silverlake stepped forward now, brows furrowed. “Think with reason, sweetheart. You don’t have anyone but us. Your family has been killed, half in war, and half by the dark forces of the Rum kingdom. You must stay with
us, support us, so that we may protect you like we did in Kael’s absence.”
I raised a brow. “By support, you mean sponsor my mate’s second marriage?”
“Yes,” she cried, her voice dripping with desperation. “What else l you do? You do not even possess a wolf or a family anymore. our best bet is to do as we say and everything can continue the way it was. You will have our protection. If you sponsor the wedding, I promise you, no one can kick you out of this house.”
I laughed, slowly shaking my head. “You really are a family of beggars, aren’t you? How truly desperate.”
His mother’s eyes turned black. It was ironic she could only do that because I nursed her back to health.
“Marcia,” she hissed, “you will do as we say or be thrown out of the pack house. You have nowhere to go. Your family has been
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destroyed, and so will you be if you leave our protection.”
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“I will do no such thing, and there isn’t a single soul who can kick me out of here before I want to leave.”
I was awaiting the king’s decision. Until then, I had to stay here.
“You ungrateful wench!” the Luna growled.
“I cannot believe this!” Janet, Kael’s sister said. “You dare to refuse us? To talk back to us? Brother, reject her immediately. But don’t divorce her before the king. She should stay here a prisoner, watching you live your life with Eunice. She should pay for disrespecting you and Mom.”
“No!” Clara shouted. All eyes turned to the stairs, where she stood with tears in her eyes. She rushed down, standing protectively in front of me. “You—you cannot make madam a prisoner. What is wrong with you?”
Eunice cackled. “Marvellous. A lowly maid defending an even filthier witch.”
“If she’s so filthy, why do you ask her to fund your wedding?” Clara snapped. “You’re just a whore!”
“How dare you?” Kael yelled, slapping Clara across the face.
I gasped as she fell to the ground, blood trickling down her cheek.
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