Chapter 125: Far Worse
Chapter 125: Far Worse
Rebecca’s POV
I sat on the edge of my bed, Kaden’s words replaying in my head over and over again like a cruel melody.
"Tonight, I want you in my room."
Tonight. He wanted me tonight. For days, I had been waiting for this moment. I had been waiting to feel him inside me again, but now, everything felt completely wrong. After what happened under the willow tree, and after the cold humiliation in the throne room, the thought of going to him didn’t make my heart flutter anymore. It just made me feel sick with dread.
The sun had long set, and the shadows in my bedroom grew longer. It was almost time.
Stephanie stood near the wardrobe, looking at me with deep concern etched into her face. "Are you okay, Rebecca?" she asked softly.
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a small, weak nod. "I will be," I promised, though my shaking hands betrayed me.
I was already dressed in the attire meant for his bed—a completely transparent piece of black nightwear. Seeing me shiver, Stephanie stepped forward and handed me a silk robe. I gave her a grateful look, quickly slipping my arms through the sleeves and tying the satin belt securely around my waist to hide myself for just a little longer.
Just then, a sharp, loud knock rattled the wooden door.
My stomach dropped. I didn’t need to ask who it was. I knew it was the guard sent to take me to Kaden.
"Goodbye, Stephanie," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly.
"Be brave," she murmured back, her eyes swimming with sympathy.
I stood up on unsteady legs and opened the door. The guard standing outside didn’t even look my way. His expression was completely blank, treating me like an object as he turned on his heel. "Follow me," he muttered coldly.
He led the way through the quiet, dimly lit corridors of the mansion. Every step I took felt like a march toward my doom. My bare feet made no sound against the cold stone floors, but the frantic beating of my heart felt loud enough to wake the entire palace.
Finally, we reached the massive double doors of the Alpha King’s private suite. The guard knocked once, waited for a brief second, and then pushed the door open.
"Go in," he said.
I took a deep breath, stepped across the threshold, and the heavy door instantly clicked shut behind me.
The vast bedroom was dimly lit, cast in deep shadows and the warm, amber glow of a few low lamps. The air inside was thick and heavy, smelling strongly of expensive tobacco, dark alcohol, and Kaden’s overpowering, intoxicating scent.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness, and my heart instantly sank at the sight before me.
Alpha Kaden wasn’t waiting for me in bed. He was seated in a large leather armchair in the corner of the room. He held a smoking cigar between his fingers, a trail of gray smoke rising into the air, and an open bottle of whiskey sat on the low glass table right in front of him. He looked terrifyingly different, his green eyes glowing in the dark like a predator waiting in the brush.
He didn’t hesitate. He just went straight to the point, his voice deeper and colder than I had ever heard it before.
"Undress," Kaden commanded, his tone completely flat, devoid of any human emotion. He pointed the glowing tip of his cigar toward the massive bed. "Climb onto the bed. Lay on your stomach, and get on all fours."
A cold, paralyzing numbness washed over me. My hands shook violently as I reached for the satin belt of my robe. I untied it, letting the silk slip off my shoulders and pool at my bare feet. Standing there in nothing but the transparent black nightwear, I felt entirely naked, stripped of every single ounce of defense I had left.
I went further and took off the nightwear, leaving me completely naked before Alpha Kaden, whose eyes were fixed away from me.
Swallowing my pain, I didn’t say a word. I didn’t beg. I just wanted to get on with this and be over with it.
With heavy, trembling limbs, I climbed onto his massive bed. The mattress was soft, but it felt like a bed of nails. Following his exact, humiliating orders, I lowered myself onto my stomach, arching my back as I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees. I buried my face down into my arms, staring blindly at the white sheets beneath me, refusing to look at him.
The rustle of his leather jacket cutting through the silent room made my heart stop. His heavy, slow footsteps approached the bed, casting a long, terrifying shadow over me. The thick scent of whiskey, mint, and woodsmoke grew closer and closer until the mattress dipped heavily behind me.
Suddenly, his hand clamped tightly onto my hip. His grip was firm, anchoring me in place. A violent shiver rippled across my skin at his touch, my muscles locking up in absolute terror. I tightly closed my eyes, bracing myself for the pain, bracing myself for him to take me brutally.
I heard the sharp hiss of his breath right above me. I felt the heat of his towering body hovering inches from mine, his dominant aura wrapping around me like a suffocating blanket.
But...nothing happened.
The seconds stretched on into an agonizing silence. His hand remained gripped on my hip, his fingers digging into my skin so hard it would bruise, but he didn’t move. He didn’t penetrate me. He just hovered there, his breathing suddenly becoming ragged and uneven.
I let out a tiny, broken gasp, a single hot tear finally spilling over my eyelashes and wetting the mattress.
Instantly, Kaden ripped his hand away from my body as if my skin had burned him.
The mattress shifted violently as he stood up, backing away from the bed. I opened my eyes, totally bewildered, and turned my head just enough to see his silhouette in the dim light. He had his back turned to me, his broad shoulders heaving up and down as he clutched his own head, his fingers tearing through his dark hair.
"Put your clothes on," Kaden growled. His voice wasn’t just cold anymore—it was shaking with a terrifying, violent rage that vibrated through the floorboards.
I froze, entirely confused, my heart pounding against my ribs. "Alpha... K-Kaden?" I whispered, my voice cracked and small.
"Get out!" he roared.
The sound of his powerful Alpha command echoed off the walls so loudly that the glass bottles on the table rattled. He violently kicked a nearby wooden stool, sending it crashing across the room into pieces. "Get your clothes on and get out of my sight before I lose my mind, Rebecca!"
Scared for my life, I scrambled off the bed, my hands wildly grabbing my silk robe from the floor. I didn’t even bother putting my arms through the sleeves; I just clutched it tightly against my chest to cover myself and ran.
I pushed the heavy doors open and bolted out into the corridor, my tears finally blinding my vision as I fled back toward my wing. I had no idea what had just happened. All I knew was that the hatred and disgust he felt for me was far worse than I had ever imagined.