Chapter 10: Framed

I stared at my room, which had been completely transformed in only a few hours, and even though I wanted to wear a sneer and act like I was irritated, all that I could feel within me was flattery. The large wardrobe of this room was spilling out with different kinds of outfits, from casual to formal, and I even got a drawer filled with underwear. So, it was pretty hard to sneer in the face of all of this, especially coupled with the fact that I was currently being treated like a princess for the first time in my life. Damon had assigned two personal maids to me, and those maids had introduced themselves to me and had explained that they’re to be at my beck and call. That was a kind of treatment I had never experienced before. My father might have been a king, which made me a princess, but I never opportunity to be treated like a princess because of my freak nature. I lived a pretty basic life and basically slaved away for my parents most of the time, while my younger sister got the actual princess treatment. The two maids even brought me a large meal, and I ate the food because I was too hungry to turn it down. But after eating and resting for a bit, I reminded myself that I couldn’t stay here despite all of this. There were a lot of questions I’m yet to get answers to, and a lot of weirdness flying around. For one, Damon seemed like he hated me. If he hated me so much, why didn’t he reject me? I could remember when I slapped him impulsively. He could have easily rejected me at that moment, but he didn’t. Which took me back to the very beginning. Why? And that’s exactly why I just couldn’t stay here. Which was why I soon began to find a way to escape again, and this time, I was determined toot repeat the mistake I made last night. Instead of trying to sneak out, I’m gonna do the complete opposite today. Those words were still in my head when I exited my bedroom and climbed down the stairs, eyes darting around in curiosity. Everywhere looked extremely exquisite and aesthetically pleasing. I could feel surprise within me because this whole time, my father made me believe that the monster alphas lived like rogues and had no homes. He told me that they had no control over their minds, which was why they needed to be killed. Although he never mentioned a thing about triplets or about there not being an actual monster. There was nothing monstrous about Angelo and his brothers, and they lived in a ridiculously big castle. Well, just Damon. I didn’t know where the remaining two brothers lived. I was moving forward after alighting the stairs when Adele suddenly emerged from the door located to my left, with a murderous expression painted across her face as she regarded me. "Look who’s here, it’s the slut who doesn’t understand her place, else you’d have instantly fallen at my feet right now." She thundered, and I regarded her closely for a few moments before breathing out an amused laugh, and that made her face darken even more. "I don’t even know you, why won’t you leave me alone?" I demanded. "It’s barely a day, and this is already our second encounter. Are you so shaken up by my presence that you feel the need to try reasserting your dominance over me over and over again?" I continued, brows arched, and Anna stared at me for a few moments before pointing a hand at me "You swine! You whore! How dare you talk to me like that? Damon brought you here just to keep fucking you, no? And you foolishly accepted, not knowing you’ve just signed your death wish!" She snapped, chest heaving, and I rolled my eyes before leaning forward. "If you must know, I was brought here against my own will, because I’m Damon’s ma,e," I informed her, and she gaped at me for a moment, and then she was screeching and reaching for my hair to tug hard on it. She yelled as she attempted to rain slaps on me, shocking me even more. I remained motionless before grasping her wrist and bending it backward till a crack sounded, making me gasp painfully. I gripped her hair next and jerked her head back till our eyes locked. "Look. I don’t have the time for this. Stay away from me for your good, else I’d beat you into a pulp and I won’t hold back." I snarled into her face. Her shock was starkly obvious; it was clear this was the last thing she expected. When I let go of her, she dropped to the ground, cradling her wrist, while tears slowly filled up her eyes, and then, before I could say anything, she let out a blood-curdling scream and didn’t stop till guards and maids appeared. She held her hand up and began to sob loudly. "She hurt me! She wanted to kill me! All because she found out that I was Prince Damon’s woman. Oh goddess." She sobbed, putting on a hell of a show. I attempted to explain the situation to the guards, but they didn’t listen to me and began to roughly drag me along with them. Oh fuck. I was on my knees with my hands tied, and before me sat a man and a woman on two thrones, and I had to assume that this was the triplet parents. This was also the wing Damon asked me to avoid. The west wing. Oh, fuck my life. Adele explained her side of the supposed story, she claimed I was a whore who seduced Damon, then attempted stealing from him before fleeing, but before I could leave, she caught me and confronted me, but then I instantly attempted to kill her out of jealousy. The king didn’t even bother to hear my side of the story, and from how he and his queen kept consoling An, who was still fake sobbing, it was clear that they liked her. "As a lowlife whore and an audacious thief, for daring to touch the prince’s betrothed and bearer of the crown’s heir, you’ll get killed as punishment." The king suddenly announced, and my mouth fell open as a wave of shock, confusion, and fear engulfed me at once. It was like that was what it took for me to realize the severity of the situation. I hurriedly began to plead for my life, but the king ord for me to be silent, and then he summoned his guards to take me away. Tears were starting to well up in my eyes when a deep, commanding voice pierced through the atmosphere. "Do. Not. Touch. Her." I stiffened, a shiver rolling slowly down my spine as soon as I realized who it was. It was Damon! He came into view almost immediately as he stopped beside me, staring down at me with an unreadable expression on. Relief slammed into me at a really fast pace. Never did I ever imagine that I’d ever feel relief at the sight of this alpha. He crouched beside me and loosened the ropes around my wrist, and I kept gaping at him in shock. Once my wrists got freed, he tugged me up, holding me flush against his side, and I was certain he could feel how fast my heart was racing. "Son, what is the meaning of this?" The king questioned, eyes narrowed as he sat upon his throne. "I should be asking the exact question. What’s going on and why is my mistress being made to kneel like some lowlife slave?" He demanded, and my mouth fell open, another shiver rolling down my spine at his words. Mistress? "Mistress?" The king ecechoedand Damon nodded. "She’s my latest plaything. I found her and was instantly smitten, and I decided to make her my mistress. Is that suddenly a problem?" He demanded, holding his father’s gaze. The king was speechless and confused. He glanced over at Anna, and then back at me. "He’s lying! She’s not his mistress, she’s his mate! The bitch told me that!" Adele suddenly cried out, and silence settled over the atmosphere. "My son has found his mate?" The queen asked this time, and I felt Damon stiffen beside me, his grip around me significantly tightening. "That’s bullshit. We’re still searching for our mate." Damon responded calmly, and confusion flooded my mind. "Adele, did you lie to me?!" The king suddenly roared out. "I didn’t! She told me that!" Anna cried out desperately, and Damon pursed his lips before staring down at me. "Did you tell her that?" He asked loud enough for everyone to hear. An unreadable expression was across his face, but I still felt like I understood what he wanted me to say, and so I shook my head. "No, your highness. I didn’t." Silence stretched throughout the room again, and no one uttered a word till Damon broke the silence. "I stress my mistress’ body enough throughout the night as it is. I’ll appreciate it if she doesn’t get disturbed unnecessarily on moving forward, please." After those words left his lips, he bowed a little to the king, and then he whirled around, taking me along with me, and my heart felt like it would burst out of my ribs at this point. As soon as we rounded the corner, he let go of me like he got scalded, and then he spoke in a low, firm voice. "Firstly, you’re never to reveal to anyone in this palace that you’re our mate. Are we clear?" He spoke tensely, and I frowned. "Why?" "Because they’d instantly try to kill you." He responded, and my mouth fell open in bewilderment.