Chapter 5

#Chapter 5 Prince William is searching for the girl?

Prince Martin’s mouth parted slightly as he read, always in deep thought. Doris dragged her gaze away from his slight frown and allowed her eyes to trail along his sharp nose up to his bright eyes that creased just slightly whenever he smiled. She wondered how many girls had fallen for him just for his smile alone.

“Doris, right?” His soft voice broke her out of her thoughts, Prince Martin’s simple question almost startled her when she caught his green eyes fixed on her.

“Oh! Yes, your majesty.” Doris straightened herself and silently prayed he hadn’t caught her curiously staring at him. It was rare for her to be alone around royalty, she couldn’t help herself.

The side of his mouth lifted, “That’s a lovely name.”

Doris felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you, your majesty.”

Her fingers lightly touched her pulse along her wrist and felt her heartbeat pick up. He didn’t talk to her often, usually they both read in silence if she wasn’t cleaning. At first, she thought it would bother him if she read nearby, but he only ever smiled at her. And his smiles were quite encouraging. She never got the impression that he wanted a conversation, she expected him to only crave the silence that the Library offered so she never interrupted him. Doris often hoped he would say something to her first, anything to disrupt her thoughts. But he never really did, until today.

“How long have you been at the Palace?” He asked as he marked a page in his book and set it on his lap. Her eyes followed his movements in an attempt to distract her from her own nerves.

“Five years, your majesty.”

“Five years? And you’ve been stationed in the Library the entire time? They never promoted you or relocated you?” He tilted his head slightly as he studied her.

“No, but—I love it here.” Doris admitted, she glanced up at the tall shelves around them. “I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else, even if they offered.”

She felt his gaze still on her, she dropped her eyes to meet his own. It was a wonder how he was related to Prince William when he was so… kind and gentle. Prince William was rough and hot-tempered, they were seemingly complete opposites of each other. Agh! She didn’t want to think of that man, why wouldn’t he leave her mind? She regretted the moment she ever stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.

A small beat of silence fell upon them again, a sort of warmth filled her when she realized it was yet another comfortable one. She didn’t feel as if she had to fill the room with conversation to please him. “I love it here, too.” Prince Martin said simply.

Doris watched him leave, his book tucked beneath his arm. Slowly, her heart tamed from the shock of it all. He treated her like a normal person, not as if she were his maid or someone he could control. Almost like a friend.

.

The Library grew dark, Doris made sure everything was set in its right place before she started to leave.

The halls were empty for the most part, she loved the silence that followed her whenever she was alone in the Palace. It was the time of night when there was no one to demand anything of her, everyone else was already tucked away in their grand beds. She longed for that sort of comfort that only rest could give.

Beth rushed to Doris the moment she entered their room. A small look of panic coated her delicate features. “Doris! There you are, what happened with Prince Martin? Did he say anything…?” Doris knew exactly where Beth’s mind went, if the prince had overheard any of their conversation.

Doris offered a gentle smile to calm Beth’s fears, she pushed back her friends’ red curls and shook her head. “No, he didn’t mention anything. I don’t think he heard us at all.”

Beth looked as if she just released all of her fear in a single breath, Doris removed her apron and began to dress for bed. It only took seconds before her friend was ready to poke at her again.

“So…” Beth neared Doris with an innocent expression on her freckled face. “How come you never told me that Prince Martin visits the Royal Library? Has anything ever… happened between you two?”

“Are you joking?” Doris spun to face her friend, cheeks flamed. “Of course not! He just comes by to read sometimes!”

“Oh really? Only sometimes?” Beth grinned and crossed her arms over her chest. Slowly, she tapped her fingers along her arm. “Are you sure it’s not more than that? The way he looked at you was quite telling…” Beth teased.

“Oh, please! Beth, honestly!” Doris tossed her pillow at her friend. “You live for gossip, don’t you?”

Beth laughed and tossed the pillow right back at her. “Alright, fine. But truly, what happened with you?

You seem so… distant today.”

“I—nothing happened.” Doris sat on her bed and avoided her gaze. Part of her desperately wanted to spill everything to her friend, but the other half made her hold her tongue. Shame still washed over her from just the thought of the night before. “I’m just exhausted, especially after what happened with Melody and everything. Can’t we just go to sleep? I don’t feel like answering a million questions.”

Beth stared at Doris for a moment, as if she could see between all the lies in her head. After a minute, she sighed. “Alright, just don’t forget I’m here for you if you ever need me. No matter what it is.” Beth leaned down to hug Doris, it took everything in her not to fall apart at her friends’ words.

“I know, thank you.” Doris whispered as she pulled away. “One day we will get out of here and live a happier life than the one we have.” It was something she repeated a million times, they both needed to hear it. Perhaps it wasn’t such a far off dream after all, especially after hearing of the amnesty the Alpha King planned to sign. Where would they go once their names were cleared? It honestly didn’t matter, as long as it wasn’t here.

Beth grinned and kissed Doris on the cheek. “You bet we will! Goodnight.”

—

Doris ran for her life. Her gasps echoed off the trees that stretched for as far as she could see. Her mate, the words circled her and tried to strangle the life out of her. They weren’t true, they couldn’t be true.

His roars sounded closer, Doris’s foot stomped down in the mud and trapped her to the spot. Could he smell her fear? Is that how he found her out here?

A big wolf roared behind her, she turned to see his razor sharp teeth pointed up towards the bright moon in the sky. Darkness sounded them, but the light showed her enough of the beast that wanted to rip her heart out. His blue eyes stared right at her, the same shade as they were in his human form.

“No! Please don’t!” She screamed. He tackled her to the ground, sharp claws cut into her skin as he pinned her small body down against the earth to hold her as his prey. She didn’t see any trace of a man beneath his fur beyond his eyes. Did he know what he was doing to her when he was a wolf? Did he know he was hurting her?

Doris struggled uselessly against his hold, she gripped his hairy chest and tried to push him off her—but he didn’t move in the slightest. He growled as he leaned down to inhale her scent, savoring the way her fear made her smell. He bared his teeth above her neck, she choked on her salty tears as she screamed as loud as she could but he only seemed more delighted the more she struggled.

“Please…” She pleaded weakly, he opened his jaw wide and clamped his teeth down deep into her neck without a sense of hesitation. The agony blinded her, she withered beneath him and screamed loud enough to shake the trees around them. She prayed to the moon goddess for help, to make the pain go away but no one would listen to her pleas.

The pain only got worse, her vision blurred and turned red as he devoured her. Slowly, she could feel her life leave her as his teeth sunk deeper inside her skin and she knew it was the end of it all. Her misery would finally end soon… she was ready to give up…

“Doris!” A familiar voice shouted in her ear, she felt something shake her body back into consciousness.

“Wake up!”