Yes, Your Highness (18+)

10

He looked deeply concerned, his brow furrowed, as he paced back and forth in front of the bed like a caged animal. I had been curled up in bed for what felt like an eternity, the days blending together in a haze of confusion and exhaustion. My mother and Hedrick would occasionally drift into the room, their voices a murmur of worry, but I stubbornly clung to the belief that they didn't truly care about me. They claimed they wanted the best for me, but I had closed myself off from their intentions, convinced that they were clueless about the turmoil swirling inside me. 

Every fiber of my being felt heavy and sick, and I could only chalk it up to a relentless head cold, a consequence of wandering outside in the biting cold without a shred of clothing. It had started two days ago when Sasha ventured into the snow, frantically searching for me after I failed to return home.

Indeed, this felt like just a head cold.

Riley continued his anxious pacing, the floor creaking beneath his restless feet. Ro, on the other hand, cautiously peeked in—his demeanor calmer now than in previous days. Still, I couldn't allow myself to relax; I knew that dropping my guard would only lead to regret later.

Rajah entered the room alongside his mate, and soon Amelia, with her kind-hearted nature, would assess the fever that had taken root in me. I knew I had been burning up. "Oh, dear child," she said softly, laying a gentle hand on my arm, "you must be more careful. What if something terrible had happened to you out there in the cold?" 

In my mind, Rae chimed in, frustration flowing through our connection. What universe is it where death could claim us?

Amelia pressed a cool cloth to my forehead, and I couldn't deny that the sensation was a small relief amidst the oppressive heat. I remained mute, wrapped in a cocoon of silence. Riley likely assumed my silence stemmed from a sore throat, perhaps mistaking my withdrawal for mere illness. Memories swirled through my mind of the three long days I had spent in the basement, a prisoner of my own torment, endured during those brutal beatings. The weight of loathing for my situation enveloped me; I resented being part of this pack that I was expected to rule as their queen—or whatever title they had placed upon me.

As my mother approached the bedside, her eyes glistened with a mix of concern and desperation. "Stephanie, please, say something. Anything," she implored, but I remained unyielding. In response, Hedrick wore his familiar, infuriating smirk. 

"She's afraid if she speaks, she'll be judged harshly for her choices," he remarked, and Stacie shot him a glare, her disapproval palpable. He raised his hands in mock surrender. 

"Just stating the obvious," he said, as if that excused his intrusion.

Bull. Fucking. Shit. I would carry this conviction with me to my grave. I refused to acknowledge him. He knew his son had made grievous mistakes, and I was the collateral damage of that failure. My parents shared the blame, too. Trapped within the confines of my own mind, I was self-aware, yet paralyzed. Rae, my wolf, held the reins of my consciousness, siphoning off my energy to shield me from the chaos outside. In a moment of clarity marred by anger, I found the strength to shoot back, "I give less fucks about what you think, Hedrick-suck-off. You're not the alpha anymore, and you don't own me. So stop acting like you do." The words tasted bitter on my tongue, but they were liberating nonetheless.

My mother and brother were taken aback by my remark. Once I turned away to face the opposite side, I snuggled into the blankets and stayed quiet as I had once before.

They didn't deserve to hear my voice. If they were going to be judgemental about what I did, then they very likely didn't need to stand there and be dramatic.

Wait, no, I'm being the dramatic one here. They're just trying to help. But what does help do when I just make it worse for myself? It's always been that way for as long as I could remember.

Riley recently learned the truth about how I truly felt about him. He's asking for my hoof to his teeth. If I even had hooves for that matter. I thought it was love that I was feeling. But it was only me being taken advantage of that caused this whole thing to go down in flames.

Honestly, what was I expecting?

Only days later was where I was feeling my best again and still refused to talk to anyone. I stayed quiet and just watched how people reacted to it all.

Riley would often ask me how I was doing or if I was feeling better. All I did to respond to him was sudden nods or shaking my head. Little did he know that I was planning to leave by the time my next birthday was arriving. I would be older and much wiser. But that didn't stop what was happening. Or how I was feeling deep down. I wanted to rip his head off and stick it on a pike.

Or maybe that was Hedrick I should be thinking about doing that to.

When my father, Noah, took me hunting only a day later, I had gotten attacked by a pack of mountain lions, and I tried to defend myself.

When I failed, Riley came to my rescue. Of course, who I didn't want to be saved by.

I didn't know that they could come in packs. Oh wait. Yes I did. Note the sarcasm.

It only happened one time but it then happened again when we went hunting the second time. Riley would always come to my rescue and I hated it. I couldn't even do anything to stop him from doing this. I can't say I didn't appreciate the thought, which I do. At the same time, I don't. I was wishing it was someone else.

I was a little upset with Sasha because she didn't say anything on my behalf. Samara wasn't at fault though, so I ended up talking with her instead but started wondering if she was telling Sasha about us meeting and talking. Whatever you call it. Why couldn't this loop just end already? I'm willing to give it up if it means I can be happy. But this isn't happiness. I am more miserable than before. I thought that this would help me change my life, but I'm only now stuck in a loop of torture. I did this to myself.

Riley went into the house and settled me down on the couch. While I was looking around, he pulled his jacket off. He goes to lay it on the back of a wooden chair far in front of me. "Stephanie." He began and I listened. "What am I doing wrong?" Riley had the balls to even ask. "What are you doing wrong?" I asked, as if in mockery. "You do all that's wrong, Riley. You don't even give a fuck if I'm happy or not. You lied to me." I responded through breaths. "You did the one thing that I will forever hate you for," I mentioned and he looked defeated. "Babe, I'm sorry.."

"Sorry, my ass. You were never going to let me be happy were you?" I questioned and he gave a sudden snarl, "I've been trying to make you happy, but I don't know what you fucking want! Damn brat!" Riley's wolf responds to my question. "What would make me happy is if you let me out of the house once in a while. Let me have fun. Make friends. If I ever had pups, which I won't, I would want outside friends to be there with me." I said and Riley gave it some thought. "You want outside friends when you already have friends here?" He asked and I crossed my arms. "Do you have any idea what humans could do to you if they found out that you are royalty?" Riley questioned, as he leaned into the back of the chair.

He knows something I don't.

"Honestly, I can't even express how frustrated I am with you right now. It's infuriating to think about how you've been such a jerk this entire time, holding me back and not allowing me to go out and enjoy myself. I've been longing for some fun and freedom, and instead, I've been stuck in this situation because of your prickly attitude. Sometimes, I just want to shake you and make you realize how much your actions have affected me." I shot him a reply, and for a moment, we both sat there, glaring at each other. His wolf felt restless, just as I had been.

But Rae was having none of it; she loathed him with a fierce intensity. I couldn't quite grasp why these thoughts were running through my mind. One thing was clear, though: I was determined to step out of my comfort zone and build some new friendships. 

Because if I took this step, it would not only challenge me but also propel my personal growth to new heights beyond anything I've experienced before.