Marriage Alliance With The Lycan Monarch
Chapter 21: Sitting With Beasts

Chapter 21: Sitting With Beasts

My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes widened in pure shock.

B-Betrothed?

I blinked, glancing at Sloane, secretly hoping I’d heard wrong, but she remained with a smile as she gauged my reaction.

A foreign feeling grasped my entire body, drowned by rounds of chills. Of course. Drevon married me on a whim; it would’ve been odd if he hadn’t had a lover waiting for him back home.

I hated the way my insides coiled just by the thought of it; the words he’d said to me at breakfast days ago quickly turned into a deception.

Did I honestly believe his sweet words? About being the only woman he desired?

Reckoning from the way I felt, maybe I did, just a tiny bit.

"Please sit, Lady Eloise, there is no need to be so nervous," Sloane cooed, and I wanted to snarl at her like an animal for her courtesy.

Deep breaths, Eloise. My sole focus right now should be surviving this meeting, unscarred. I wish I could say the same for my poor heart.

"Thank you, Lady Sloane." I walked closer, eyeing the Dowager briefly, and she said nothing as I sat.

I wasn’t sitting with sharks, but beasts, and it’s not a metaphor anymore.

"I was curious about who Drevon married," Sloane began. "When his Gamma brought word, all I could think about was finally meeting you."

She’s using his name, so familiar with it, too. They must be close.

"And I must say I’m impressed."

"Does she speak little too?" The Dowager cut in.

"I-Impressed?" I forced the word out, trying to keep from stuttering. "Whatever do you mean?"

Sloane giggled, and it was like angels singing. "I know Drevon, he’s impulsive, even when we were kids. But I can’t say I can tell now, after all, it’s been years since I last saw him." A wistful look took over her gaze.

A maid poured tea for me, and I grabbed the cup, hoping to quench my parched throat, but I stopped.

Why are they eyeing me like they haven’t seen someone like me before? And then it clicked in. Right. I’m the human, a species they never thought would be among them.

I dropped the fine teacup on the saucer, suddenly losing thirst. Garrick was outside, but I didn’t find any solace because, in the end, I was on my own.

"The word has it that Beloria brought a proposal of an alliance after the war. They will take back their lost lands, offering any resources to us, and in return, the Archduke was willing to give up something precious to my son," the Dowager said.

I can’t say I’m anything precious to Father, but okay.

"But that isn’t much of a bargain. Humans really think a marriage is worthy of us. A marriage from a lowlife being?" She clicked her tongue. "Cockroaches will fester in places they are not wanted because of how desperate they are to survive."

Did she just call the entire human race cockroaches? Ah...this is certainly deserving of what the rumors spoke about Lycans. It’s about time I saw something faithful to the text. Something I welcome more than two-faced deceivers like Drevon.

I exhaled sharply. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, but I know nothing of politics. I was simply told about the marriage and trained ever since."

"Trained?" she chuckled scornfully. "What would a lowlife know about serving?"

Ugh! I’m this close to throwing a fit if I hear the word lowlife again. That label was becoming annoying.

I forced a smile on the surface. "I’ll do my best to serve my husband, even as unfit as I am, I was taught well."

"I’m pleased to hear that, Lady Eloise," Sloane said. "Don’t you think? Your Majesty?"

I narrowed my eyes. For someone who was close to Drevon in the past and even engaged to him, she seemed rather welcoming.

The way she beamed at me with all the sweetness in the world made my insides turn sour.

This was becoming far more deja vu. I can see Fiona and Stepmother through them. How refreshing that the gods hate me so much and thrust me into the same situation. Such pitiful luck I have.

"I’ll be honest and say this, Eloise," the Dowager began.

Honest? You have been that the whole time. How more can you be? I braced myself for what was to come like a pro, even though my pulse quickened.

"My son married you because of political reasons. You may be his wife, but you’re not Queen Consort or anything less than you are. He probably married you on a mere fancy, if I must say. I haven’t seen my son for years, and I’m disgusted to find out he has such taste in women."

I’m disgusted, too, to even entertain the idea he has eyes for me.

"Now he’s back, he shall marry Lady Sloane, and she’ll become the worthy Queen Consort the Empire needs. Give me strong grandchildren to carry out our pure bloodline." She sounded proud of that. "The mercy I can give to you is accommodation so that you can live the rest of your days quietly. You’re not to wander, speak to anyone, or even entertain the idea of thinking you have obligations, or more so, to my son."

What was I? Some sort of decoration?

This was becoming frustrating; I anticipated worse upon my arrival, but this got me furious. I felt trapped again, and worse, my future was in the hands of people who think they can control everything. I never had any control in my life, and I’ll probably die with invisible chains swathing my entire body.

My lips pressed in a thin line. Here I was again, stuck in a time loop of scorn. The only thing I ever welcomed upon this marriage was being devoured and spared from this fate. This? I despise it even more.

So I stepped up my game, the need to sit still and take it like a good human flew out the window.

"Oh!" I gasped, grasping their attention. "Apologizes, I..."— I paused again—"It’s not my place to say. I do thank your mercy to allow me to stay at least...even though I..."

"What?" Sloane asked as the curiosity gawked at her.

Perfect.

"Pardon me, I shouldn’t—"

"Out with it!" The Dowager snapped, clearly getting aggravated with my half statements.

I internally smirked like the devil.

"What to do, Your Majesty? The monarch and I have already consummated our marriage."