"We need to leave now, Your Highness," Lord Ferdinand informed the crown prince. There was a grave look on his face as he said, "You know how your father falls ill more easily these days because of his previous injuries. So, they're asking us to return now."
Nicholas knew that the baron was referring to the times when his father still actively participated during their war against the werewolves, but it was some time since the man actually joined.
"Is it really that urgent…?" he asked the baron with a tone laced with regret.
"Your father has been looking for you now, Your Highness," Lord Ferdinand said. "I'm afraid that we cannot stay here any longer, and even your mother has insisted that you return."
Nicholas knew it was a sign that he needed to be prepared. It was time for Crown Prince Nicholas to return to the royal palace and be ready to take the throne if anything were to happen to his father.
It was something that the prince knew from the moment he learned he was from the royal family, but now, it seemed like a heavy burden on his shoulder. How was he going to see Sophie again?
"Can I still say goodbye to my friend?"
"Your Highness," Lord Ferdinand sighed. "We do not have any time for that."
"Understood, I'll prepare myself immediately." Nicholas nodded and left the study. Even though he was going back to the capital and the royal palace, the man would make sure to actually prepare everything for when he returned.
This time, Nicholas already knew where Sophie was and he was determined to make sure that it remained that way.
***
When Sophie came home, she was surprised that both of her cousins and even Aunt Helga were around. There was a look of indignation on Lucia's face, while Valerie looked smug and pleased with herself.
"What do you think you're doing, you brat?" Aunt Helga asked. "Where did you go all this time?"
"Huh?" Sophie blinked and realized that her two cousins probably tattled on her about skipping classes. Even if she did this, her grades were higher than Valerie's… but that wasn't important.
"I um…"
"Is this a ring that you stole?" Aunt Helga asked as she lifted the ring that Sophie left in her drawer. "After everything that my family has done for you, taking you in despite everything… you dare actually steal and be a good-for-nothing brat?"
Sophie's eyes widened and she reached for it. "No, I didn't steal it. It's really mine--" freewebnov el.com
SLAP!
Aunt Helga slapped Sophie in the face as her two daughters watched in the background. The woman grabbed Sophie by the hair and pulled it up tightly, "What kind of person are you to even lie about this?"
"This is a gift!" Sophie struggled in her aunt's grasp. "A person gave it to me so it's really mine!"
"What are you now? Some kind of harlot that leaves the academy grounds to get little trinkets like this?" Aunt Helga narrowed her eyes on Sophie. "Did your parents raise you like this? Oh wait, I bet you learned this from your mother."
She narrowed her eyes in disgust and continued insulting Sophie's mother. "That poor little wench must have thought she scored big time when she seduced my brother, thinking she could become rich by squeezing him dry of our family's money. Ha. Jokes on her! My father chose to disown his son who insisted on bringing that poor dirty wench into our home. They ended up penniless. I bet your mother taught you some tricks to steal money or seduce men to spend money on you!"
Sophie stared at her aunt and glared at her. "Give that back!"
"Of course, no amount of time here with us will change the fact that you're your mother's child. Like mother, like daughter." Aunt Helga started to drag the girl out from the living room. "But who knows? Maybe there's still some hope for you."
"What?" Sophie tried to fight her way out from her aunt's grasp.
But the servants from around their house were called to help carry Sophie into their house's cellar. She screamed and kicking a fuss, but those servants were a lot stronger than her.
They were forced to throw Sophie down into the wine cellar as Aunt Helga and her two daughters looked down at her from above.
"Even a dog will know how to pay respects to its masters after it grows hungry," Aunt Helga spat. "Stay there until you learn how to treat this family that took you in properly."
Before Sophie could try to scramble up the stairs, they shut the door in her face and locked it.
The young woman was left alone in the darkness of the cold cellar without anything to keep her warm. Several hours passed and not one servant was allowed to go down and deliver food to Sophie and they did not even open it up to let her sleep on her bed at all.
Sophie was stuck inside of the cellar.
The girl did not cry or beg for anyone to help her, but she tried to wait for her aunt's anger to fade and maybe for them to let her back inside of the house? However, her hope dwindled as the hours continued.
Maybe they were waiting for Sophie to scream and beg for mercy?
She would not give them the satisfaction at all. So, Sophie stayed inside the cellar for who knows how long. Her stomach grumbled in hunger, but still, no one came at all.
It was with this event and her cheek that still felt the sting of her aunt's palm that made Sophie realize that there was no hope left for her in this family. They stole the ring that was hers and refused to even believe her.
"I should leave. I don't even know why I stayed here for so long." Sophie shook her head and started to look around the cellar.
Even though it was dark and dusty, there was one place where moonlight spilled into the room. There was a window high above the cellar that let in a little amount of light, but it was big enough for Sophie to fit in.
Sophie looked around at all of the assorted items and belongings that were in the cellar and she pushed several wooden crates together to build a platform against the cement wall.
Once it was high enough, Sophie climbed up the boxes and reached the window at last. Since it was locked from the inside, it was easy enough to pry open.
Sophie squeezed out of the window and into the garden of their house.
She was free at last.
.
.
****************
From Missrealitybites:
I know I said I will publish 1 chapter per day for TKW (The King's Wife) but this is the weekend and I thought why not publish a bonus chapter? XD
If you like this story, please support it so it can go up in algorithm and be seen by more readers.
There are many ways to show your support:
1. Write comments (paragraph comments or chapter comments). Stories with a lot of comments are considered popular and will be boosted by the algorithm. So, please, don't stay silent all the time. Let us know your thoughts even only once or twice. ^^
2. Write a review (this will help me to know what's good or bad about this book so I can improve the content, and for other readers to help them decide if they should read this book or not).
PS: Despina, I saw your review for this book but I'm not sure what happened, it's removed. Sobs. Perhaps by the system? Would you mind writing another one for me? xx
3. Vote your power stones for this book (and once it's contracted, vote your golden tickets).
4. Give gifts (also after it's contracted)
5. Unlock the chapters with coins, not fast passes, although if you can only afford fast passes it's okay too ^^
WEREWOLVES AND REVERSE HAREM
1. This is a book about werewolves. So, all the main characters are werewolves. However, I will make my own lore. So, it might not be similar to many werewolves books out there.
2. This is also a reverse harem story, meaning the female lead will end up with multiple men. I know polyandry is not widely accepted but I am tired of female leads having to choose only one from many great men available. Why can't she get them all? hehehe.
So, if you are Team Leland or Team Nicholas, you are all winners.
Just imagine me saying this like Oprah Winfrey enthusiastically gifting all her audience a car.
"You win! You win! You win!" freewebn(o)vel
If you are into a monogamous relationship in real-life, I am too (even though all my previous relationships sucked and I had to deal with abusive psychopaths - I still believe in a wholesome monogamous loving relationship).
So, don't worry about this story. I will make the reverse harem plot make sense and not forced. I have written almost 20 stories on this platform and I am quite experienced in writing stories as closely as possible to real-life situations.
You have my word. The fact that Sophie will end up with both men WILL MAKE SENSE. She won't get all the hot guys just for the sake of getting all the hot guys.
PS: I can't wait for you to meet Leland. He is the fiercest, baddest, hottest male lead I have ever written.
New n𝙤vel chapters are published on f(r)e𝒆webn(o)vel.com