Chapter 1: You're Still Mine, Isabel

**ISABEL'S POV**

“Isabel!”

I froze at the call of my name. Not again! I continued washing the dishes even though I heard my name. “Isabel, didn't you hear me call?!” Mrs. Harriet thundered at the top of her voice, which made me jolt backwards. 

I spun around to face a fuming Mrs. Harriet, the head maid and a middle-aged lady with a mole on the corner of her mouth, making her look hideous. “I'm sorry I didn't hear you call, Mrs. Harriet,” I flatly denied. 

“How will you hear me call you, traitor!” She lashed. This made me feel a pang in my chest, but I quickly swept the pain under the carpet and steadied my gaze on her. “What do you want me to do, Mrs. Harriet?”

“Well, your cousin-” she shook her head, “point of correction! Our Luna wants you to serve breakfast with the others.”

Harriet announced with a shady look. I should have known. I balled my hands into a fist, at the thought of Claris going at it again. 

“Are you listening, Isabel!” Mrs. Harriett, who is no doubt one of Claris's henchmen, yelled, bringing me back to reality. “Yes, I'll do as she instructed.”

“Should have replied when I asked earlier.” Mrs. Harriet mumbled as she walked out of the kitchen. I threw my head backwards and slowly released my clenched fist. 

Look how low I've sunk. You might wonder how come I have a cousin who is Luna. 

Well, I was the chosen Luna, but everything changed overnight when my dad, the Alpha of Blue Crest Park, is accused of being friends with the ruthless rogue Alpha who is an archenemy of the all powerful Lycan king to whom I'm betrothed to. The Lycan king was attacked on his way back from the general Lycan's royal conference, and it was said to have been orchestrated by the rogue Alpha. 

Sadly, my father was accused of siding with the enemy by his brother, and he was forced to take his own life right in front of the Lycan king. 

After he died, I was demoted from being the Lycan king's bride to being a lowlife omega at the beck and call of the royals. My father would never betray his kind, that I know, but the Lycan king will not hear it, since his most trusted beta died protecting him during the attack. 

My uncle now rules as the new Alpha of the Blue Crest Pack and his daughter, now the new betrothed of the Lycan king. Ever since she assumed my position, she has never stopped rubbing it on my face. 

I quickly rinsed my hands and headed to the royal dining hall, which is a separate room from the dining of ordinary pack members. I noticed the maids who already stood outside the door with a tray in hand, waiting for me to take the lead. I can never understand Claris. Why does she want me to serve them when there are maids selected for this?

I pushed the door to the dining hall open and was shocked to see Claris sitting on the Lycan king's lap and feeding him apples. At that moment, I froze at the door, my heart pounded heavily on my chest. It was exasperating whenever I see those two, but what can I do? I am but a lowlife in their eyes now. 

“What the fuck are you standing there for?” The sudden outburst from the Lycan king immediately snapped me off my pitiful thoughts, and I quickly dragged my foot off the ground.

As soon as I began serving, Claris slowly placed her head on the king's shoulders and tilted towards my direction. Our eyes met briefly, but in those few seconds, I saw a smile spread across her lips. She never misses the opportunity to rub it in my face that she's sitting in my position. 

"My dear, please go easy on Isabel, she still struggles with the fact that you choose me over her," she stated, while looking at me with a mocking smile. 

I blinked, feeling my anger rising, but I swallowed my rage, knowing it'll do no good. Why does she always make everything about her? 

"Isabel, lest I forget, you should clean up my room because the king and I," she looked up at the Lycan king with a smile, "will be having our marking rituals tonight," she stated proudly. 

Her words struck like a blow to my heart. I glanced at King Finely, who quickly looked away after barely meeting my eyes. Why does he avoid meeting my eyes? Isn't this what he's always wanted? To hurt me? 

"What's that gloomy look on your face, Isabel? Oh dear! Wait, don't tell me you're tearing up because the king plans to name me his official Luna?” Claris asked with a mockingly shocked expression. I nibbled on my bottom lip and remained quiet. 

King Finely pulled Claris off his lap and said, "Claris, have a seat. Let's have breakfast."

As she prepared to stand, the hall door swung open suddenly. 

“My goodness! You two should give me an heir soon!” Luna Meredith, the king’s mother, stated as she walked over to the dinning. I took a swift look behind her and saw Adolphus, who was staring at me, but I quickly averted my gaze. Adolpus is the king's only brother and his new beta now. 

As soon as the king's mother and I made eye contact, her cheerful expression turned sour in an instant. 

"King Finely, why do you still harbor the goddess-forsaken daughter of a traitor in the pack? I thought you had sentenced her to death to join her father or even banished her to the woods to become a rogue as she deserves!" She lashed out. 

Luna Meredith's words struck me as hard as hailstones.

I thought the king would respond, but he said nothing. 

"Son, she's like a time bomb waiting to explode on us soon. Banish her to the woods where she belongs!" The king's mother yelled, looking in my direction with hate filled eyes. 

"No!” The king thundered at the top of his voice, startling everyone present, including me. 

“What?” Luna Meredith muttered, in disbelief. 

“My love, what do you mean, no?" Claris demanded, looking quite pissed. "Hold on a minute, don't tell me you actually keep her around because you still have feelings for her? Have you forgotten her father was the one who caused the death of your beta, my brother?!" Claris yelled at the top of her voice. 

"Mind your words, Claris!" He cautioned at once and this made Claris lower her gaze. I guess she doesn't have full control over him as I had thought. He glanced at me and gritted his teeth, "banishing her is far too lenient a punishment!"

Just then, he took his gaze back at Claris, who was silently fuming with anger, and asked, "didn't you say you wanted her to serve you? Why not enjoy her services?" he asked and took his gaze back to me with a neutral expression which made me confused.  

"Don't just stand there. Serve the wine to your future Luna immediately!" He commanded, making my heart jump in fright.  

I didn't waste any time as I dashed to the table nervously. I served Claris wine with shaky hands, and offered a respectful bow since she is honored for being engaged to the Lycan king. 

Claris glared at me with hatred in her eyes but still drank the wine. But in less than five minutes, Claris suddenly grabbed her stomach.

“What did you put in the wine, Isabel? Argh!” Claris screamed out in pain and I couldn't help but go into panic.  

“I…there's nothing wrong with the wine, it was normal wine I served you.” I said in panic. 

“How preposterous!” The king's mother yelled as she stood up. “I should have known that the daughter of a traitor cannot be trusted. How dare you!” Luna Meredith yelled at me and I dropped to my knees, "have mercy on me, Luna Meredith. I swear I did nothing to her.”

While I was pleading with the king's mother over my innocence, King Finely immediately yelled, “guards!” The next thing I knew, the guards charged into the hall at once. 

I felt like this was going to be my last day on earth. 

“Argh... it hurts!” Claris screamed even more. The king's mother scrambled to her side and tried to cool her down by patting her on the back. I was so confused and felt wronged, but there's nothing I could do. 

“Take her to the dungeons and give her 20 lashes!” King Finely ordered, and I let out a shocked gasp. I trembled, still in a kneeling position, with tears running down my cheeks. 

“Have mercy on me, Lycan king. I swear I added nothing to the wine,” I pleaded with him. He looked at me and blinked. I noticed he folded his hands into a tight fist, narrowing his eyes. I was confused with his reaction because it didn't show that he was that mad at me, but then if he wasn't, he wouldn't order his soldiers to have me flogged. 

Just as the soldiers were about to take me away, I heard a loud voice, "stop!" 

Immediately, I took my gaze towards the voice's direction only to see that it was Adolphus. 

He came in front of his brother, the Lycan king, “you can't punish her this way, brother. What happened was an accident!”

Just then, King Finely shot daggers at his brother, and this frightened the hell out of me. What if these two get into a fight because of me?

“And who are you to plead for the traitor!” King Finely lashed out at his brother. 

“Though she's the daughter of a traitor, what happened isn't her fault.”

I felt sick to the stomach that very instant. This will not end well. King Finely hates me and might hate me more knowing his brother stood up for me. But it shocked me when the reverse happened. “Go back to your positions,” King Finely ordered his men. This surprised not just me but Luna Meredith and Claris as well. 

“W…what? Are you letting her go just like that!” Luna Meredith asked in shock, but the Lycan king didn't pay his mother any mind and rather took his gaze towards me for a moment. In those few seconds he looked at me, I felt something different. It wasn't the harshness but something soft and tender, but it was gone the next second, seeing how he gritted his teeth and averted his gaze. 

Adolphus turned towards me and offered me his hand, "here, let me help you up.” he said, concern written all over his face. 

“It's okay, beta, I can-” he shook his head, and I realized there's no need arguing. I gave him my hand, and he pulled me up tenderly. “Now serve breakfast Isabel, I'm starving,” he whispered with a smile, and I smiled back at him as he walked to his seat. Just as I turned towards the king and his Luna, I noticed king Finely was staring at me with a murderous gaze. 

# An Hour Later 

After I was done in the kitchen, I went back to my tiny hole called room to rest and prepare for afternoon chores. Just as I was about to get on my little bunker bed, the door to my room immediately flung open and to my greatest shock, it was no one else but the Lycan king. His deep blue eyes seemed to be blazing like blue flames of fire. 

Immediately I jumped down from my bed in fright. "W...what can I do -"

He didn't let me finish before he rushed me into a deep kiss. I struggled to be set free but he pulled me even closer to his wide chest. I tried not to let him invade my mouth but he bit my lower lips and made me open for him. He didn't waste time to put his tongue into my mouth. 

This is wrong, I should stop him but I don't have the energy to do so or maybe I don't want to, when his kisses make me weak and hungry for more. But I can't keep this up and so I stomped his foot which made him pull away at once. 

"How dare you!"

"No, how long will you keep doing this to me? You hate me, and engaged to my sister so why do you keep doing this?"

"Because you're still mine, Isabel!" He said pulling me towards him, anger imminent in his gaze. 

"And what was that earlier? You dared to seduce my brother!" He yelled and grabbed my throat. "You've got some nerves trying to stretch your claws to him, huh?" He lashed out, and began strangling my neck.