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Perfect escape

Being an omega was hard, but being an orphan omega and also not being able to shift into a wolf was much harder. And that's how Lillian's life had always been hard. She was constantly taunted and picked on. She began to work at the castle when she was fourteen. That was also when she met Henrik for the first time. She had been running from the other maids who she had struck, another maid who had insulted her parents. She was fourteen, he was seventeen.

Flashback

She had been hiding in the bushes behind Henrik's quarters. He came outside and saw her, crouched down beneath the bushes. He didn't say anything and they just stared at each other even as if Lillian heard the approaching footsteps of the other maids.

"There she is", one of the maids shouted, pulling Lillian from the spell-like trance she was under.

"Look", another maid whispered as they noticed Henrik standing there.

"My prince", they all bowed immediately, stumped.

Henrik didn't respond, his eyes focused on Lillian who stared back at him.

The other maids stood awkwardly not sure what to do. They couldn't attack Lillian in the presence of the alpha prince but they didn't want to let her slip through their fingers.

As if sensing their unrest, Henrik finally glanced at the small group of girls. He looked at Lillian who stared back at him with pleading eyes. Lillian knew he was the only reason the other maids had not set up on her yet so she begged him with her eyes not to go, to help her but Henrik simply turned and walked away without sparing any of them another glance. Lillian watched his back as he walked away, even as the other maids pounced on her, her eyes remained focused on his back.


After that day, she had gone back to those bushes countless times but she never saw him until one day she found him standing at the bushes as if waiting for her. He didn't say anything and just signaled her to follow him. He had led her through a series of passageways she didn't know existed and told her that if she ever needed to hide, they were the best place. One of the passageways was directly connected to his room. After that, they met frequently, mostly in the passageways. During their time together, Henrik was the one who talked mostly, Lillian gathered that he liked talking about himself and she was more than content to just listen to him. When he first kissed her, she had just stood there and let him do it, unsure how she was supposed to react. He had apologized after but he did it again a few days later and then again and again but it didn't matter, she had liked it. Then on the eve of his eighteenth birthday, he had led her through the passageways to his room. He had been gentle with her at first, then rough but it was okay because Henrik was the first person who saw her, really saw her. After that, she began to talk more when they met and she had told him of her dreams, her fantasies, to be free, have a different life. He didn't seem to be paying attention when she spoke but that was fine, she was happy to just have someone to talk to.

Surprised would be an understatement of how she felt when he told her at one of their meetings a month ago that he was sending her to the Blue Moon pack to be mated to the alpha prince. She hadn't dare believe it, dare hope. Her hopes were further dashed when she had first met Kaiden and he was cold to her. Lillian could still remember the words he had said to her,

"I don't want to get married, I will not mate with you"

She had returned home thinking that was it, that was the end, but then Kaiden had told her the mating ceremony had been fixed. She remembered Kaiden's reply when she had asked him why, genuinely baffled why he was doing this. He had caressed her face tenderly and said,

"Because you want to be free"

"We are here, my princess", the footman announced, pulling Lillian out of her memories.

Lillian got down from the carriage just as her personal maid, Sylvia came running towards her.

"My princess, welcome back, I'll take you to your room", she said as she bowed.

Lillian nodded and followed her.

The first thing Lillian noticed when she stepped into the room was Kaiden's things. There were traces of Kaiden everywhere, like he was using this room. It made sense, if Kaiden had only married her because of the persuasion from his parents, he wouldn't want them to know that the marriage wasn't working out. Which was why he lied when his mom had asked them about their honeymoon earlier.

Lillian turned to Sylvia,

"Where is the prince now?", she asked.

"In his study, my princess", Sylvia answered.

Lillian pondered over her reply. He must be hesitating to share a room with her. But his parents were going on their trip tomorrow, would he sleep in a separate room while they were away? Would he avoid her tonight?

"Sylvia, could you tell the kitchen to prepare some chrysanthemum tea? I'll take it to the alpha prince", Lillian told her.

"Of course, my princess", Sylvia bowed and left.

Left alone, Lillian looked around the room in deep thought.

She remembered Henrik's words,

"One wrong move and even I won't be able to save you"

She didn't intend to make a mistake.

She balanced the tea tray on her hand and knocked softly but determinedly on Kaiden's study room door. She heard footsteps from inside the room before the door finally opened. Kaiden looked surprised to see her standing outside his door.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, still staring at Lillian surprised.

“Because I can't afford to make a mistake, because I've finally gotten my chance now and I don't intend to give up on this marriage”

Kaiden drew his head close to Lillian, his eyes barely opened like he wanted to kiss her.

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