Five

KING ROMAN POV.

"Finally I got my mate" I said to myself while in the car with her. For one second she didn't look at me and although it bothers me, I know she would eventually be free around me.

I couldn't wait, it was even in my favor that my mate was a beta, and not just any beta, a powerful one.

I know I could use her talent to better my kingdom. Once we arrive, I watched her eyes scanned the environment, I could tell she loved it

It made me offer her a tour of which she hesitantly accepts. I know it won't be easy to tame her, I know sooner or later she will try to escape and so I will have to be cautious of when.

That's why I didn't tell her how the security system works when I took her around, and I returned her quickly inside when I noticed her kin interest on the gate.

I took her to my room and when I thought I would have a nice conversation with her, I was informed of a rogue attack.

I left immediately, not wanting to reveal any emotions in front of her. If I hadn't done so, she would have watched my face fall in disappointment.

This made me take out my anger on the rogue, painfully killing it and returning back home as fast as I could.

But it was however too late for me, as she had fallen asleep by the time I arrived, making it feel like we were fated not to meet.

As I watched her sleep I was tempted to remove her mask, to get a quick glance at what she is like, however, I stopped.

I didn't want to make knowing her hard for me, I don't know what she is hiding and thus, I should wait for her to reveal it herself when we have bonded enough.

I quickly laid down, barely sleeping before I had to wake up for my next appointment. Before leaving, I made sure to strictly order the head maid to prepare her carefully.

And added a threat to make sure she did what I was told. I kept a new servant close to her, to tell me of her activities and things she was inquiring about.

I also told her to freely give her any information she needs. And so throughout my day I got a coded letter from her.

"She just asked about the security system and I told her what I noticed," one letter read.

"She wants to know about the kitchen arrangements and which food goes for the guard and which food you serve," I read another letter.

This made her plan easily known to me. "She is on her way to meet the noble ladies sir," she wrote as I sigh in disgust.

Oh the noble ladies, the place where all rumors are spread, whether true or false, they were made up of both important members of my kingdom, from the head of security to the minister's wife.

They all seat according to the rank of her husband. "Sir, she looks at them with disgust, it's as if she is uncomfortable here," another letter read, which she threw out the window.

I was instantly happy that she wasn't a gossip girl, it added more points to her scores.

"Sir, Lady Xylah have arrived," the last letter came from her as I know it would be hard to pass a message with Xylah hawk eyes.

Luckily I was free enough to visit her and I headed there, to see her for two purposes. One to know how much the servant girl told Sophia so as to foil her plan and two it would be an excuse to talk to her..

I instructed them accordingly, they would follow me in and when I told them to exercise with us, they had exactly ten minutes to exchange the necessary information before going.

Only one was allowed to go while the rest waited so as not to get suspicious. And when I heard they were through, I ended our little work.

"She went to the kitchen sir, and I think she put something in the food," another read.

"Tell the cook I want something different for dinner and you guys should be treated with another good meal, a meal you desire," I instructed a servant who nodded and left.

I could hear the disappointment in her tone when she talked about the change of dinner, but it was as if another idea came on and she didn't deal much on the matter.

After dinner, I went in with her and pretended to be knocked out when she hit her head. My eyes open a bit to see her knotting different ropes before leaving with the one she intended to.

I stood up, surprised at how strategic she was and eventually followed her. When I saw she was going to use the back gate, I went ahead, waiting for her in the forest.

"Hey mate," I greeted, seated on a fallen log as I looked at her.

"How," she muttered, but paused. She immediately turned and started heading back.

"Where are you going?" I called from behind her. "To the dungeon," she says. "But why," I asked.

"Was that why you defended me in the first place, to humiliate me when I tried to escape," she asked, stopping to look at me.

"Of course not, that was genuine, you are my Luna now and you are free to do anything as far as treason," I told her.

"But she was your cousin, you know her longer than me," she pointed out. "And you are my mate, which will stay forever," I said.

"So what now," she asked. "We go home," I tell her, walking past her as she follows.

SOPHIA POV.

After what happened last night, I was surprised that Roman just left the next morning, activities continued as if nothing happened, he didn't double the security, it was free.

I was able to sneak out to the forest, but this time I wasn't running, I wanted to kill some rogue to calm me down.

Not long after I got to their destination, did they start coming towards me. Gosh do I miss this so much.

The sound of their cry when I stab through them, and the smell of fresh blood just hit differently.

But even with this pleasure, my mind still recalls the past event, the fact that the rumors I heard were now feeling different, I didn't know what to believe anymore.

"Aaah," I groaned as a rogue wolf clawed my shoulder. I looked up and found it smiling while tasting my blood.

I ran towards him, taking his head off and watching the rest flee. Tearing a part of my dress, I used it to wrap my arm before going in.

When I returned back, I rushed to have my bath and was already dressed up when Roman came in. It was sweet of him to knock at his own door and I only let him in when I was properly dressed and wearing my mask.

"The servant said you missed breakfast," he said in a worried tone. "I don't tend to eat in the morning," I replied.

"A dinner can last me till the next dinner," I explained. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" I asked.

"No, just training my own body," I replied. "I will be off now," he says, leaving before I could say anything.

As I stayed in the room, I heard footsteps from outside and people directly standing at my door.

"Did you hear, he barely sees her, their talk is not more than ten minutes and they don't even sleep together," a familiar voice said.

"He had not marked her as his mate," I heard Meredith asked, making me realize that the noble ladies were outside.

"Yes, he comes when she is asleep and leaves before she wakes up," another lady replied.

"Because Xylah refused to have dinner, he had confined his mate to the room as a punishment, no servant did not come to dress her either," another said.

"If that's the case, he doesn't love her, she has a mate that doesn't love her," one mocked which got on my nerves.

"Serve her right, she knows where she belongs and sooner or later would return there," they spoke as they all burst out in laughter.

I slam my hand on the table to show them that I was awake and I heard them. They immediately scattered when they heard the noise.

Karma hit as it was the injured hand that I slammed, causing pain and my hands to bleed.

"What happened?" Roman voices asked, as I turned to find him inside. "You didn't knock," I said.

"That's because I met you already dressed," he replied, coming closer to me. "I clawed myself," I lied. "I do that when I'm angry," I explained as he shook his head.

One minute he is gone and comes back with a first aid kit. "It looks like it was healing," he says, using the cotton wool to absorb the blood.

"Well, I slammed my arms on the table," I said, watching him sigh. He gave me drugs and dressed my wound.

"I could have done it myself," I told him when he demanded a thank you, and went on to lie down, facing the opposite direction.

"If you are free, would you like to follow me," he says. "To where?"I asked. "To meet the other members of my pack," he replied.

"I met some yesterday," I recalled. "Yes the lady, but what about the men, like my uncle, my beta and others," he says.

"I don't want to," I tell him. "But you get to watch people train," he says, grasping my attention.

"Fine," I said, surprised that he had rushed to me and had carried me up in a bridal style. "Drop me down," I said.

"No you are injured," he refused. "In my hands not my legs," I told him but he ignored me, carrying me down, out of the palace and to the training arena and dropping me in a chair already arranged..

"I told you I was fine," I mumbled, as I was feeling both disgusted and angry at his actions.

He didn't answer, rather he left talking with an elderly man before both came my way.. "Sophia, meet Bryce Montenegro, he is my uncle," he introduced, as he sat on his chair..

"Nice to meet you sir, I'm…," "Sophia cadel, I have heard about you," he says, cutting me short.

"I got to witness some exclusive scene," he says, referring to Roman carrying me here.

Another man showed up and Roman introduced him as Kai, the general and his beta here. He also went further to tell Kai to give us a good show.

I found out that they were testing their trainee with the strongest members and if the trainee beat any of their members, they get to take that position and if the trainee fails, they are kicked out from the military to ordinary guarding duties. However if it ends with a draw, the trainee gets to stay.

"The arrangements were made and soon the match started. The rules were simple, first till either you lose or your opponent loses..

"Do you like this?" Roman whispered in my ear as we watched. "Of course I do," I replied, my eyes following the match.

"I know you would, that's why I let you in, normally no one from me and my uncle are expected to be here," he says, explaining the reason why Xylah wasn't here.

"Not even your cousin," I asked. "Not even my late mother," he replied, making me turn to look at him.

"So why did you bring me here then," I asked him. "Because I know you would like stuff like this," he replied, returning his eyes to the match as I stared at him.

I thought he had a different opinion about women, I thought people said he believes women are only sex slaves and nothing more, why was he doing this, why is he having a different side.

Was that just a false rumor? After all I heard from the noble ladies earlier today, they all created a rumor that I wasn't loved by my mate when it wasn't fully true.

I didn't know what to do anymore, or what to believe. I couldn't tell if he was doing this so I could allow him to mark me and make me his or he was genuine about his concern.

Throughout the match, my mind deliberated Roman rumors as I thought of what I have heard and the side he is showing to me.

The loud cheer of the men brought me back as I noticed the match was done. Only four old members lost their position, half of the trainees were kicked out and the remaining few were added.

"If you kicked out so many members, won't it affect you in time's of war," I asked on our way back.

"But also we will have effective men who can take down a lot more. Their skills will be developed and one man is tasked to take down up to ten men on their own," he replied, seemingly plausible but I was still not satisfied that they gave up so easily on ones who have a future of being better.

As we heard it, I saw the nobles ladies approaching and their words getting through my head. This made me wrap my hands around his while looking at them.

Xylah was also there and she scoffed before heading inside like in anger. Roman blended in well, holding my hands back and together we walked past them.

Immediately we were far from sight, I removed my hands, walking ahead. "What ?* I asked, hearing him chuckle.

"Nothing," he replied. "Talk," I asked him. "Really, nothing," he confirmed but he still laughed.

"Whatever, like I care," I mumbled, walking ahead of him. "Get ready for tonight," he calls from behind me.

"What about tonight?" I asked. "You will be making dinner, you said so yourself, that you would handle the kitchen yourself to prevent any mistake, well tonight is your time to shine, we will be having a feast to celebrate our new trainee, It won't be a feast without food," he replied, using my words against me.

"In a short period of time, it would almost fall at night fall, how would I get that ready," I complained.

"I know, and if everyone found out that there was no food because of you, well then you become hated by a lot and you don't want that," he threatened.

"However, I can spare you,if you grant me a favor," he says. "What favor?" I asked him.

"If and only if you remove your mask for me." He proposed, making an absurd request.