Betrayed By My Mate, Claimed By His Lycan King Uncle
Chapter 152: That slut is an attention seeker after all

Chapter 152: That slut is an attention seeker after all

The next day arrived swiftly, with the sun casting radiant rays over the palace grounds.

Inside the grand harem hall, all the concubines had already assembled, seated in neat rows with their hands folded delicately in their laps, patiently waiting for the Luna Empress.

Only one person was absent.

Sorayah.

Moments later, the heavy doors of the hall swung open as Melissa entered, dressed in a flowing silk gown. Her hair was adorned with golden pins as usual, and her hand rested gently on her protruding stomach, her expression serene and composed.

"Greetings, Your Highness, the Empress," the concubines chorused in unison, bowing respectfully.

Melissa nodded with a faint smile, then made her way toward her grand feather-cushioned seat and settled in with calculated grace. Once seated, she waved her hand lightly.

"You may all sit," she said.

As the concubines obeyed and sank gracefully into their seats, Melissa’s gaze swept across room until it fell on one empty chair.

Her eyes narrowed.

"What? Where is Concubine Sorayah?" Melissa demanded, her voice edged with irritation and disbelief. Her perfectly arched brow rose as she turned to the court maid closest to her but before the maid could reply....

"I sent servants to her chambers earlier to summon her, Your Highness," Mira replied promptly, lowering her gaze in fear. "She was not there. We later discovered that she’s at the Empress Dowager’s manor."

"What?!" Melissa’s voice rose sharply, her posture stiffening. "How dare that slut? Why would she go to the Empress Dowager when she should be here, offering her morning greetings like the rest?"

Just as her temper flared and she was about to rise to her feet, Nanny Peace leaned in quickly and whispered into her ear.

"Please, Your Highness," she murmured with urgency. "Be mindful of your shouting... or you risk revealing to these ladies that you’re not actually pregnant."

Melissa froze. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out for a moment. Then she swallowed hard, composing herself quickly.

"Ouch... my stomach," she suddenly gasped, placing a hand on her artificial baby bump with feigned distress. "It’s hurting again."

"Should we call the royal healer, Your Highness?" Rose asked, concern etched across her delicate face as she lifted her head.

"There’s no need," Melissa said quickly, her voice now gentler. "It must have been caused by the stress of shouting earlier. Nothing serious."

She stood, brushing the hem of her gown. "You may all remain here. I’ll be right back."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and strode out of the harem hall.

As soon as she stepped into the corridor, her calm facade melted away.

"How dare that slut! What does she take me for, exactly?" Melissa growled, her tone venomous as she glared ahead. "Running off to the Empress Dowager behind my back?!"

"Please take it easy, Your Highness," Nanny Peace replied gently, trailing behind her. "I’ve heard that she’s been in the kitchen all morning... preparing the Empress Dowager’s meal herself."

Melissa stopped in her tracks. Her expression shifted slowly from fury to curiosity, then to something much darker. She turned to face Nanny Peace, a wicked smirk curling across her lips.

"What?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous. "Say that again."

"Yes, Your Highness. She’s been in the kitchen since morning cooking, making beauty soap, even helping some of the older maids," Nanny Peace replied, her head still bowed in respect. "Everyone in the kitchen, as well as several palace maids, are singing her praises. It’s clear that slut is trying to win the Empress Dowager over. You know Her Grace has had a terrible appetite lately, and none of the palace chefs have been able to satisfy her. But today... Concubine Sorayah made something. Something the Dowager might actually try."

"That slut is an attention seeker after all?" Melissa scoffed with a dry laugh. "She actually thinks she can win the Empress Dowager’s favor with some pitiful act of charity? Pathetic," she sneered, her tone laced with venom. Without another word, she resumed her swift stride toward the Empress Dowager’s quarters, Nanny Peace trailing behind her.

Moments later, they arrived at the grand doors leading into the Empress Dowager’s chambers.

And there she was, Sorayah kneeling gracefully before the ornate doors, her back straight, hands folded neatly in front of her. The food palaquin she bought have been taken into the empress dowager quarters but there’s still no news if the empress dowager likes it.

"You’re really bold, aren’t you?" Melissa’s voice rang out sharply, drawing everyone’s attention. The maids outside the chamber immediately dropped to their knees, heads bowed low.

"Greetings, Your Highness, the Luna Empress," Sorayah greeted with a respectful bow. But the moment she lifted her eyes to meet Melissa’s...

SLAP.

Melissa’s hand collided viciously with Sorayah’s cheek, the sharp crack echoing in the courtyard. Sorayah’s head snapped to the side from the force, strands of her golden hair falling loose over her shoulder.

"You dared to skip your morning greeting just to bring food to the Empress Dowager?" Melissa snapped, her brow arched, a cruel smirk tugging at her lips. "So tell me, did the Dowager even ask you to kneel here? Or did she taste your food and find it disgusting?"

"She hasn’t tasted it yet, Your Highness," Sorayah replied calmly, her voice quiet but steady. "I’m only waiting here, hoping she’ll give it a try."

Melissa blinked, stunned by the answer. "You mean... you weren’t even invited?" she scoffed in disbelief, her voice rising with fresh anger. "You begged for her attention? You truly are shameless."

Turning to the guards standing nearby, she barked, "Drag this slut back to the harem hall. Clearly, she needs to be taught a lesson."

The two guards obeyed without hesitation. They grabbed Sorayah roughly by the arms and hauled her up from her knees. Without sparing her a moment to speak, they began dragging her behind Melissa, who strode ahead.

They reached the harem hall moments later. The grand doors flew open, and the guards shoved Sorayah to the floor at Melissa’s feet, right before the watchful eyes of the other concubines.

"Do you accept your fault?" Melissa demanded, her voice ice-cold, fury etched into every sharp line of her face. In her hand, she held a horsewhip.....thick, black, and already stained with blood.

"I don’t understand what I did wrong, Your Highness," Sorayah replied, lifting her face, her voice still soft. "I only wished to help the Empress Dowager with her digestion. She is more powerful than you, and if I may say so respectfully, I didn’t think I needed anyone’s permission to fulfill my duty to her."

A collective gasp echoed around the hall.

Melissa’s entire body trembled with rage. Her grip on the whip tightened, her knuckles turning white. For a moment, it looked as if she might collapse from the sheer fury coursing through her.

"Why are you always surrounded by trouble?" Mira scoffed, stepping forward with folded arms. "You gained the Emperor’s favor, and now you think you can disrespect the Empress? Just because he sleeps in your bed every night, you think you’re untouchable? Don’t be naive. Even the Empress Dowager herself is subject to harem rules. The Empress rules here, and your duty is to obey."

Melissa gave a slow, mocking nod. "Since you’re so stubborn... since you won’t accept your wrongs, then you shall be punished." She turned toward the other two trembling concubines who flinched under her gaze. "Let this serve as a warning to everyone. Even if you are favored, even if the Emperor chooses you...disrespect me, and you’re knocking at death’s door."

With a sudden, violent motion....

Whip!

The first lash landed on Sorayah’s back, slicing through her gown and tearing into skin. Blood began to seep from the fresh wound, staining the floor beneath her.

A quiet sound escaped her lips, a breath but she remained kneeling.

Whip. Whip. Whip.

Again and again, Melissa brought the whip down, each strike fiercer than the last. Blood dripped down Sorayah’s pale back, her gown shredded, her breathing ragged. Her face had turned ghostly white, sweat beading along her brow. Her vision blurred, and her body trembled under the weight of pain.

But she remained kneeling.

She had prepared for this. She had expected the punishment. She knew Melissa would humiliate her just to let her know who rules the harem is her and not the empress dowager. And Sorayah also knew...the moment she was dragged away, the Empress Dowager would grow curious.

You’ve tasted the meal now, Your Highness the Empress Dowager? You’re my only hope right now... Sorayah thought faintly, her consciousness starting to fade.

Suddenly....

"The Empress Dowager arrives!"

The sharp, clear voice of an eunuch rang out resounding through the hall. At once, Melissa froze mid-swing, her eyes wide. The concubines scrambled to their feet, bowing quickly.

All eyes turned toward the doors, tension heavy in the air, as the Empress Dowager made her entrance.