"Isn't Xiersa a man? And a formidable wolf at that. How can a mere girl claim to be him?" The eldest maid spoke up, her voice laced with skepticism.
Xiersa sighed. Of course they wouldn't believe her. She had spent years crafting a fearsome persona, only to now obey her king's command to conceal her identity - her battlefield prowess was too valuable to risk exposure.
Bella stormed out, the other maids trailing behind, though not before casting disdainful glances at Xiersa as if she were a madwoman. Alone, Xiersa rose and gazed out the window, her mind awash with memories.
A huddle of young soldiers trembled, their spears and swords shaking in their grasp as enemies encircled them.
"General Xiersa, these are the last of the Harpoon Pack," a voice reported.
She lunged forward like a winter specter, felling soldiers with a single strike before leaping to sever their leader's throat. Blood sprayed, and screams pierced the air.
The creak of the door snapped her back to the present. A shadow loomed beside her - a middle-aged man, likely the pack physician, forcing a smile.
"Let me examine your arm," he said brusquely, seizing her wrist without care. She winced. After a cursory glance, he dropped her hand. "Nothing's broken. It's shock, or your mind playing tricks." He left as abruptly as he'd arrived, his medical bag untouched.
Xiersa smirked. She'd expected as much. Tearing a strip of blanket, she bandaged the injury herself.
Yet the metallic tang of blood lingered - odd, given her wound was concealed. The scent didn't unsettle her; years of war had inured her to far worse. But drowsiness crept in, muddling her thoughts.
Guards arrived, dragging her to a barren cell with an iron door and a high, barred window. A thin mattress lay on the floor, stripped of linens. She stretched out contentedly; compared to ant-infested mud or storm-lashed caves, this was luxury.
Just as sleep took her, the tap of boots echoed.
"Xiersa…" A whisper. The voice was familiar, though its owner had masked his scent. She forced her eyes open.
Even blurred, his silhouette was unmistakable: Lowu, the former king's guard - one of the few who knew her truth. His emerald hair and gentle smile had once been her solace, especially during her marriage's collapse. She'd even considered wedding him… until she met her fated mate.
Lowu had pursued her relentlessly, even afterward. She'd never encouraged him. Where is his own partner now? she wondered, praying silently he'd find happiness.
"Why surrender?" he pleaded, worry etching his face. "You could've escaped! Let me help—"
"No." She cut him off. "Save the others if you can, but stay away from me. The Alpha's too powerful." Besides, it was too late - the mark on her skin pulsed, a leash only death could sever.
As if summoned, the wound flared crimson. Lowu recoiled. "You're marked?! But your mate is dead! How—?"
"Go!" She clutched her searing neck. "He's coming."
The Alpha's aura slithered through the cell before his voice did. "My, my… Lowu crawls into my den, desperate as ever."
Xiersa's breath hitched. How does he know Lowu? Had the Alpha unearthed her past entirely?
The door swung open. Ragus - splattered in blood, his temper barely leashed - yanked her up. "You entertain men while I'm busy purging the empire?"
She shoved weakly, her injured arm protesting. His gaze snagged on her untreated wrist. "You dismissed the healer?"
"Well observed," she sneered. "Your subjects tripped over themselves to tend to a criminal. Heeding my need to the smallest detail."
Ragus's eyes darkened. Guards hauled in the trembling physician. "Y-Your Majesty—"
The Alpha's power lashed out. The doctor collapsed, veins bulging as his face drained of color. Xiersa grabbed Ragus's arm. "Stop!"
He chuckled, pausing only to steal a biting kiss. Xiersa's heart leapt but wiped the traces of his mouth from hers. "Do your job," he ordered the guards before vanishing.
Belle slipped in later, aiding the shaken physician. "Forgive me, my lady," she murmured, draping a thick blanket over Xiersa. "The pack bond confirmed your truth. I was… startled."
Xiersa arched a brow. "Why return? Surely others could serve me."
Belle's smile faltered. "You slew my father at Harpoon. Beheaded him before his men could blink." Her voice wavered. "Yet you told them to carry his body home - to 'keep your lands clean.'"
Xiersa laughed coldly. "Hardly mercy. Your father would scorn your gratitude."
"No," Belle insisted, offering a plate of sweets. "You know what I mean."
Xiersa said nothing.
The maid handed her some snacks if she was still feeling famished. "The emperor has left his room and didn't have his way with you, except for the mark. But he was greatly frustrated he unleashed his fury somewhere else."
Xiersa's eyes widened, "Don't tell me..."
"Yes, my lady. He has killed the remaining prisoners."