Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King

Chapter 117: 0117

Lorelei POV

"Tell me... who truly stands before me?"

The moment those words left her lips, all the color drained from my face.

No.

There was no way she meant what I thought she meant. I had to be misunderstanding her.

"What are you talking about?" I stammered, my voice cracking as I desperately searched for some kind of loophole instead of confessing out of fear.

But her expression didn’t change.

It remained cold and unreadable as she tilted her head, studying me the way a predator studied cornered prey.

"So you believe I am the one speaking lies?" she said as she took another slow step toward me.

Suddenly, her long white braids began to move.

My eyes widened in horror as the thick strands unraveled, twisting and writhing into a dozen living serpents.

They hissed viciously at me, baring rows of tiny, razor sharp fangs that gleamed beneath the soft light.

"Your heart changes its rhythm whenever you speak what is not true," Nala purred, her golden eyes glinting with terrifying clarity. "And tonight... it has changed many times."

She paused.

"You are not Ella."

Those four words made my entire body tremble uncontrollably.

How?

How had she figured that out?

Heart rhythms? What the fuck was she talking about?

Panic clawed at my throat while my mind scrambled to figure out what I was supposed to do now.

I couldn’t let this secret come out.

Not yet.

I desperately tried to keep myself together, forcing my face to remain calm as I attempted to call her bluff.

But her presence had become overwhelming.

The serpents woven through her hair continued hissing, filling the room with a terrifying chorus, and my legs felt so weak that I could barely remain standing.

"Then why do you hide your true self?" she demanded again, her voice echoing through the room while my breathing grew heavier, turning shallow and uneven.

"I didn’t lie," I forced out, the words scraping painfully against my throat.

Nala slowly raised a perfectly shaped brow.

"And yet... you are not Ella?"

"I’m not," I admitted finally, the truth tearing itself from my lips before I could stop it. "But I didn’t lie. Ella is the name that was given to me, but it is not who I am."

"And does the Alpha King know this truth?" she asked sharply.

I hesitated, my chest tightening as I nervously fidgeted with my fingers, unable to meet her intense gaze.

"Interesting," Nala murmured.

With a simple, elegant flick of her fingers, the terrifying presence disappeared.

The snakes immediately calmed, their bodies twisting and weaving together until they transformed back into thick, heavy braids that rested harmlessly over her shoulders.

"Are you... are you going to tell the Alpha?" I whispered, still trembling from the aftershock of her power.

After all, her alliance was with Kaelen. It would take nothing for her to walk straight back into that dining hall and expose me this very moment.

"I cannot promise you otherwise," she replied smoothly as she finally took a few steps back, giving me some space. "To speak truth, I have a very loose mouth whenever it benefits me. If I were you, I would tell the Alpha King yourself while the choice is still yours."

But that was the problem.

It was only a gamble.

If I confessed everything to Kaelen now without first uncovering the truth about his involvement, I had no idea what he would do to me.

"I will," I whispered, carefully keeping my thoughts guarded.

Part of me feared she would somehow hear the panic pounding inside my chest again, but she merely hummed in response, seemingly satisfied with my answer.

Silence settled between us, thick and awkward.

My gaze drifted toward the two dresses she had tossed onto the armchair, and a sudden thought crossed my mind.

"Was that a lie, then?" I asked, looking back at her. "The dresses? Did you just use them as an excuse to lure me out here so you could corner me?"

Nala chuckled softly, the bright, melodic sound completely at odds with the terrifying witch standing before me only moments ago.

"You see more than I expected," she said. "But I did not speak what was false. I truly wanted your opinion on the dresses. It simply happened that I wanted something else as well."

Her words made very little sense to me, but I certainly wasn’t about to ask her to explain herself any further.

Instead, I simply nodded, pretending I understood.

"In that case... what kind of occasion are you planning these outfits for?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to safer ground. At least knowing that might help me decide which one to pick, even though both dresses looked nearly identical in just how revealing they were.

"To have a little fun," Nala replied without hesitation. She leaned casually against her vanity, a playful spark returning to her golden eyes. "I have been hearing about the place your people go after nightfall. There is music. There are drinks. There is dancing... and there is sex."

My breath caught in my throat, and heat immediately rushed to my cheeks.

"You mean a club?"

"Ah, yes. A club," she said, snapping her fingers. "Tell me... have you ever gone to one before?"

I slowly shook my head, lowering my gaze to my hands.

"No."

How could I have ever gone to a club?

I had spent the first twenty years of my life locked away by my own family, and even now, my movements within this estate were heavily restricted.

The moment she heard my answer, Nala’s entire face lit up with excitement.

"Good," she exclaimed. "Then your first time will be with me."

"What?" I blurted out, staring at her in complete disbelief. "No. I don’t think the Alpha would allow it."

It was the absolute truth.

I already had two guards watching my every move inside the estate. Who knew what Kaelen would do if he found out I wanted to sneak off to a club?

I had never been to one before, but I had heard enough stories to paint a vivid picture in my mind.

Crowds of bodies pressed together on the dance floor, alcohol flowing freely, deafening music shaking the walls, and, just as Nala had said, people disappearing into dark corners for one night stands.

"This remains between you and me. There is no need for the Alpha King to hear of it," Nala said as she stepped closer again, lightly tapping the tip of my nose with a playful smile. "Besides, this choice no longer belongs only to you, darling. Think of it as the small price for keeping your truth where it is."

Hearing that, my eyes widened in disbelief.

Was that a threat?

Was she saying she would reveal my true identity to Kaelen if I refused to sneak out with her?

Had this been her plan all along?

To corner me, uncover my secret, and then force me into becoming her partner in crime?

Though a part of me thought clubbing for the first time might actually be fun, I couldn’t even enjoy the thought.

My mind immediately flashed back to Kaelen and Darius, to the terrifying ruthlessness they had displayed when they had nearly tortured Paul to death. How the hell would they react if they found out I had snuck out to go to a club?

Then again, Nala wasn’t an ordinary person either.

Kaelen might be ruthless, but he was also smart enough to know when to choose his battles. She wasn’t some random guest he could intimidate or punish on a whim. She was someone powerful, someone respected.

Surely, even he wouldn’t act as recklessly as he had with Paul.

"Okay," I whispered, deciding to play along for now.

Deep down, though, I didn’t believe there was any chance this would actually happen.

There was simply no way I could leave this heavily guarded estate without Kaelen being informed.

So unless he personally gave me permission, I wasn’t going anywhere.

"When are we leaving?" I asked.