Kept Secret

Chapter 36

Lucas~

Hours after releasing Roxanne from her box and commanding me back to my room Clarissa decides to grace me with her presence. She walks into my room as if she owns the place although I'm sure no one has seen her. The woman walks like a kitten on plush carpets and to make things worse she knows how to blend into the shadows, almost becoming one herself.

I try to glare at her but I still can't seem to move or speak for that matter. She controls my every move and I'm forced to watch like some sadistic puppet show. She opens the closet, pulling out a fitted black suit the queen had made for me. The sleeves have my pack's crest in it while the pocket has the crest of the royal family sewn on it. Clarrisa seems to notice this because she rolls her eyes and tosses the suit on the bed, along with matching black shoes and a crown I didn't know was in there.

She senses my gaze on her, not that I could be looking at anything else if I wanted to, "Don't look at me like that, you're about to have the time of your life tonight and you're about to help me in more way I thought you'd be useful for."

She snaps her fingers and suddenly my normal clothes are replaced by the suit, crown, and formal shoes. She nods her head approvingly and with a wave of her hand, I'm moving forward towards the door. I glance at the clock, 5 pm, it's almost time for the ball. I have no idea what she's planning but I know for a fact it's nothing good.

Camille~

"Beta Camille, do you have any idea where the king is?" queen Evangeline glances at me nervously from her seat at the head table to my right. I shake my head while scanning the ballroom. The entire room is decorated with white and blue with drapes hanging from the walls and over the chandeliers. The long head table is on the stage with me, Evangeline, Lumeria, and their second in command already seated and an empty spot left for Lucas. Smaller tables line the walls of the room where others can sit in between mingling but most people are dancing and enjoying themselves already. The queen hasn't addressed the crowd yet and hasn't made any speech of any kind, although maybe that's just a werewolf thing. Her eyes are sharp and calculating as if she's looking for someone or something.

I whisper to Evangeline that I'm going to look for Lucas. It's unheard-of for a king to be late to a ball, especially when he's considered a guest. I lift my champaign-colored gown and trudge down the steps in these awful 4inch heels. I pass multiple guests, all of who want to hear of how I escaped the vampire king. Lia made up a story of how I valiantly escaped the vampire King and saved my mate from his clutches. She didn't want the rest of the supernatural kingdom to lose trust in the beta queen of werewolves. I still feel like I don't deserve the mercy she showed me but she reassured me multiple times that it was for the good of everyone involved, not just me.

I weave through the couples dancing, the dignitaries, royals, and ambassadors from all around the world, and I meet everyone from wizards to elves and even a few humans but there's no sign of Lucas anywhere.

I hear a scream and instantly go on alert just as a powerful wave of magic sweeps over the entire ballroom, knocking everyone off their feet. My eyes dart around the room and land on the gallery, going wide as I spot the source of the magic.

Roxanne stands tall, looming over us like a dark cloud. Her eyes are vicious as it takes in every person in the room, seemingly planning their death. That's not what shocks me though, what shocks me is Lucas, standing proudly next to her with a malicious smirk on his face. He looks at us with disgust in his eyes but there's something off about him, his eyes are glowing, "A ball, in my honor? Why I'm flattered, dear sister."

Lumeria uses her magic to propel her off the stage and comes to a stop mid-air right above the center of the dance floor. Her icy blue gown flows around her while her eyes glow the same color, filled with anger. Roxanne smirks and starts chanting under her breath while her hands create dark symbols in the air. The air around us grows cold as the shadows morph into creatures stepping into the light. The crowd backs up as more and more creatures appear, surrounding us, herding us like cattle.

Worry crawls up my spine as their numbers grow, easily outnumbering us 3 to 1. There's no way to escape without fighting your way out because they've made sure to cover all exits. We're trapped like rats and by the look on Roxanne's face, I'm sure that was her plan all along. I make my way towards the front of the crowd, pushing past people trying to huddle together and remain unseen. I finally make my way to the front and pull the iron dagger from under my dress, cutting off pieces of the poofy skirt to make it easier to fight and protect these people.

Warriors take my lead and form a barrier between the shadow creatures and the crowd. The lead general nods at me and I nod back, a show of mutual respect. I glance up at the queen and Roxanne who are circling each other midair.

The entire room is pin-drop silent, some not daring to breathe as we wait for our leaders to advance. Out of the corner of my eye, I see movement from Lucas. He's hidden from most meaning that very few can see what he's up to. My eyes go wide as I realize what he's about to do, "Lucas no!" I scream just as the crossbow fires, the sound slicing through the silence. The arrow skims Lumeria, cutting through her dress and her skin but doesn't pierce through. Roxanne's head snaps to me with a glare and fires her magic at me, barely missing.

The entire hall erupts in chaos. The warriors all charge at the shadow shifters, blasting them with magic and slicing at them with enchanted weapons. I turn towards someone calling my name in time to see an enchanted sword tossed my way. I send a grateful nod towards the general and join the fight. Lumeria and Roxanne are locked in battle as they unleash their fury upon each other above while we fight below them. The sound of screams, metal, and magic sounds through the hall, almost deafeningly. I fight my way through the countless faceless shifters with one goal in mind, Lucas.

I spot him at the other end of the hall, standing aimlessly around, staring at the fight with boredom. Fury flows through my veins as I scream and tackle him to the ground. I pin my sword against his throat, daring him to move. I growl in his face as my canines extend. He's not my king yet and he's betrayed the crown and his mate meaning I have more than enough reason to end him right now.

Movement out of the corner of my eye catches my attention and I look up quick enough to catch a figure retreating into the castle. I vaguely catch their words, "Seems it's time to go with plan B."

Suddenly Lucas starts squirming under me, trying to get me off of him. I growl lowly and dig my sword deeper into his neck, small drops of blood staining the metal. He chokes out a gasp, "Camille please listen-"

"No, you listen! You have betrayed the crown by joining Roxanne. I should kill you right now and save Lia the trouble." he stares at me with a hint of fear in his eyes but there's something more, something primal.

"Get off me right now!" he commands me and suddenly I can't help but scramble off him. I stare at him incredulously. He's a rogue alpha, he shouldn't be able to command me yet his aura is so powerful I couldn't help but listen.

I ready my sword and shake off the feeling of his power controlling me. He takes a step towards me and I take a step back, "Stay back! You're a traitor and don't deserve the title of King!" I lunge at him but am stopped dead in my tracks.

"Stop!" a cloaked figure dropped from the gallery onto the center of the ballroom floor, her power rolling off her in waves. She lifts her hands, gaining control of the shadow shifters before clenching her fist, making them burst in flames before disappearing completely. She turns to Roxanne but still, her entire figure is covered by her long dark cloak, "Închină-te la mine" (bow to me). The crowd gasps as Roxanne firsts against the mysterious figured hold but ultimately bows to her. Chains snake around her, tying her to the ground while she pulls at them trying to break free.

The crowd is silent, some barely breathing. The general takes a step towards the cloaked figure and I hold a breath, trying to figure out what's about to happen but to my complete astonishment the general as well as every other guard in the ballroom bows to the cloaked figure, "My princess."

I gasp along with everyone else in the hall as the figure removes her cloak to reveal the princess of witches and warlocks.

"Maddison?"