8 The King's bait

Christian growled and pushed the glass table in his office away and it shattered into pieces. "You didn't die?" Christian chuckled and walked toward Katrina. He grabbed the Rose from her hand and dropped it on the ground. He jumped on it and shouted at Katrina. "The plan was for you to die! How did you survive huh?" He shouted and stepped on the flower. "You are alive yet!" He grabbed her face and pulled her closer to him. "Lock this woman inside the cold cell for days until she comes to her sense!" Christian ordered.

"Your highness," Katrina cried out as she was grabbed by the guards. "You promised to let me go if I bring a rose to you! I almost die while bringing the rose!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to happen to you! I wanted you to die!" Christian yelled. "But you survived and you are here now! Take her away!" He ordered.

"Your highness! This is unfair!" Katrina cries out as she was dragged out of Christian's office.

"Why are you still hard on her?" Stefan asked. "She did what you asked of her. She survived and bought you the flower. That's a sign that this woman isn't destined to die. Even when you sent her to the cell where Rogues were, she survived and even the time you made her kneeled on wolfsbane, she survived! "

Christian growled at Stefan causing him to bow his head in submission. "Do not forget that I am your king on earth and in heaven!"

"Apologise your highness," Stefan bowed his head. "But it's the truth, Christian. I'll talk to you as your friend now! That girl is not destined to die and no matter what you do, she wouldn't die. Maybe the elders in heaven were wrong about her. Maybe she doesn't have to die for you to return. Maybe she is your solution to survive."

"Enough!" Christian's voice boomed. "Maybe she has to die for me to return to my throne," Christian smiled and stretched his hand forward. Fire shoots out and he laughed. "Let's see how she will survive at the hunting games," he laughed.

"Hunting game? You mean the hunting festival?" Stefan asked and Christian nodded in response.

"Yes. Let's see how she will survive as the bait!" Christian laughed. "An arrow from me will send her to her immediate death!"

~~~~~~~~~~

Katrina whispered her sister's name in pain as she thought about her. It's been three days since she was locked up in the cell with no food or water. Katrina could only survive on her sister who was waiting for her to return. The King hated her for no reason and made her suffer and everything she had done to win his favor was a total waste of time. The King wanted her to die but she struggled to survive to return to her sister.

"Bring her out," Katrina heard a loud voice sounding from outside the cold cell. She crawled to the door and knocked on it.

The door opened wide and she was dragged out by two guards and handed over to two girls. They both dressed the same and when Katrina looked closely at them, she recognized them as one of the girls that had arrived at the King mansions for the maid's job. Katrina stared at them and wondered if she could be lucky like them. "Where are you taking me?" She asked the girls but she got no reply from them as she was dragged down a long hallway until they arrived at a large hall.

"This is the slave quarters and Madam Anita asked us to dress you up. The King has offered you a job at the mansion, " One of the girls announced.

Katrina's face beamed with a smile as she stared at the girls. "Really?" She asked and they nodded in response. Katrina's smile grew and she whispered a word of prayer to the king. Maybe he wasn't bad after all, she thought.

"Katrina!" Mallorie, the first friend she made when she arrived at the castle rushed towards her. "You are here," The girl smiled and hugged her. "It's so nice to have you." She grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bunk bed. "You are my bunkmate. Your bed is up," she pointed up.

Katrina smiled and nodded in response. She took her time to look around and realized that the room was three times bigger than her house. There were at least twenty-five bunks and the room accommodated fifty of the girls. "You have to take your bath and dressed up," Mallorie pointed toward the bathroom that was on the left side of the room. "Here are your clothes," she pointed to the brown dress that all the girls had on. "Go dress. Madam Anita would soon arrive. A few of us are assisting the king in the hunting game," Mallorie informed her and pushed her towards the bathroom

"Thank you," Katrina smiled and walked into the bathroom.

The bathroom was also large and had twenty showers for all the girls. Katrina was grateful no one was there to see her scars and marks. She pulled off the dirty dress she had been wearing for days and stood under the shower. As the cold water made contact with Katrina's body, she gasped and smiled. "Thank you heaven," she smiled as she scrubbed her body. The sword wound had healed including other wounds in her body. They've healed up but left Scars on her body. Scars Katrina knew would always be a part of her.

Once she was done bathing, she grabbed a towel from many of the towels and headed out. Mallorie walked up to her as she walked out and took her to her wardrobe. "Your things were moved here a few days ago," she informed her. "Here is your dress," she handed over Katrina's dress to her.

"Thank you," Katrina said and accepted it from her.

Mallorie nodded in response. Katrina rummaged through her bags and bought out a necklace. It was a locket that had a picture of her sister, her father, her mother, and herself. "Elena. I did it," Katrina muttered to herself and placed the locket around her neck. "I'm going to make money and help you."

"Make money by stealing?" A brown-haired girl stood beside her and sneered. "You are the omega everyone has been talking about. The one who dares looks at the king," The girl pointed out.

Katrina knew trouble when she sees one and she knew the girl resembled a problem. To avoid trouble, she locked her wardrobe and walked away.

"I'll be seeing you soon," the girl shouted.

Katrina ignored her and walked toward Mallorie who was on her bed. "The dress fits you," Mallorie commented. "Here, let me pack your hair," she stood up and pointed to the bed for Katrina to sit on.

Katrina nodded in response and sat down. Mallorie packed Katrina's hair in a bun style and put a hairpin on the bun style to keep it firm. "This way, you won't be disturbed by your hair when you are working," Mallorie said.

"Thank you," Katrina smiled and touched her hair.

"Madam Anita!" All the girls stood up as the head of maids walked into the room accompanied by three guards. The girls all bowed their heads as Madam Anita walked into their midst.

She walked toward Katrina and stood in front of her. "You are the new girl," she pointed out and Katrina nodded. "In words," Madam Anita shouted at her causing her to flinch.

"Yes, your highness," Katrina answered.

"Name?"Madam Anita asked.

" Katrina, ma'am," she answered.

Madam Anita cleared her throat and clapped her hands. "The annual hunting festival is today and the king needs fifteen maids to accompany him. Once you hear your name, follow the guards," she instructed.

"Yes, Madam Anita," They all answered.

Madam Anita took a book from the guard's hands and began to call out the names of those that we picked. "Mallorie," she called.

Mallorie smiled at Katrina and walked forward to join the girls that were previously called.

"Jennie," Madam Anita called another girl's name. Katrina frowned when she noticed that it was the brown girl that had talked to her earlier. "And lastly Katrina," Madam Anita called.

Katrina never expected that her name would be called by Madam Anita but she walked out and joined the rest. "You all will be accompanying the king. Any rude behavior towards the King's guest means you will be punished and sent out of the king's Mansion. No talks or exchange of signals. If you are caught then get prepared to leave the Mansion and lastly, if a guest call for you especially a male one, do not refuse him," Madam Anita stated.

Katrina found the last rule unnecessary. They were maids, not girls that were picked for anyone's pleasure but who was she to complain. "Do you understand?" Madam Anita asked.

"Yes, Madam Anita," They all answered.

"Good, now follow me," Madam Anita ordered and walked out of the room with the guards and fifteen girls trailing behind her. None said a word or exchanged signs as Madam Anita has instructed. None of the girls were ready to leave the Mansion because they had come for a purpose and Katrina knew what her purpose was in the King's Mansion. It was to save up money to clear off her debts and for her sister's surgery. Katrina hoped to never get entangled with the king ever again. He had made her life miserable enough and she wasn't ready for any more pain.

A black Limousine took all fifteen girls alongside Madam Anita and three guards to the Arena for the hunting festival. It was in the city Arena specially used for the king and Alphas of all packs whenever there is a huge ceremony that involves the king and other Alphas. Since it was the annual hunting festival, the city was decorated with a large statue of the king and on every billboard was the face of the king. Most werewolves that are unable to attend either watch it on the street or find a way to come to the Arena.

It was part of the tradition they all had to follow.

The ride to the city Arena took thirty minutes and all through the ride, none said a word as the girls stared blankly at one another. When they arrived at the Arena, Katrina found out that the Arena was separated into two. There was a spot for werewolves with lower ranks and an Arena made for the king and the other Alphas from different packs. The limousine dropped them and left and they made their way into the King's Arena with Madam Anita and the three guards.

Katrina suddenly felt dizzy and her eyes became hazy but she shook her head and rubbed her eyes. Her stomach rumbled and that was when she realized that she was starving. Ever since she arrived at the King's Mansion, she hasn't eaten anything and she kept holding up but she couldn't for long. Katrina knew that sooner or later, she was going to collapse if she didn't eat.

While walking talking towards the Arena, Katrina lose her balance and almost lost her balance but she was helped by Mallorie who catch her before she could fall. "Are you alright?" Mallorie asked her.

"Yeah," Katrina rubbed her eyes.

"Tsk, Tsk, she is an omega and I'm not surprised if she is acting all weak," Jennie mocked as she walked past them.

"Ignore her," Mallorie advised Katrina and the latter nodded in response. "Let's go," She grabbed Mallorie's hand and they both walked into the Arena.

The Arena was beautifully decorated with a gold and white theme. It was unlike anything Katrina had ever seen before. Her eyes wandered to The King, Christian who was dressed in a gold robe that had the printing of a werewolf while he wore white trousers. His hair was styled with a headband that was tied to his forehead and the headband was a werewolf. Katrina stared at the King's beauty and smiled but her smile fade away when she saw a woman beside the king. She remembered her as the woman she had collided with in the lobby. It was the woman Katrina had called a maid.

Katrina stared at the woman as she laughed with the king. Jealous built inside of her and she hopes to be that woman. While she kept staring, Christian noticed her, and their gaze met. Katrina kept her gaze on the king forgetting that it was a big crime to make eye contact with the king. "What are you looking at?" Madam Anita stood in front and shouted at her.

Katrina gasped and quickly bowed her head. "Apologies madam Anita," she bowed her head.

"Go serve the Alphas," Madam said in a stern tone and clapped her hands.

Katrina bowed in apology and walked towards where the Alphas were. They were seated on the left and right sides of the king under a shed while the king's chair was in the center. Katrina lowered her head as she walked to the left side with two other girls but suddenly she was stopped.

"You maid!" Christian Shouted and stood up from where he sat.

Katrina and the two other maids fell to their knees with their heads bowed. "Your highness, make your orders," They all said at the same time.

"You two leave," he ordered the two.

"Yes, your highness," The two girls stood up and left while Katrina remained on the ground.

"Rise!" Christian ordered.

"Yes, your highness," Katrina rose from the ground but her head was still lowered.

"Everyone!" Christian shouted. "I suddenly feel the need to fire an arrow and this maid here has offered herself as the bait," he announced.

The Alphas cheered for their king but Katrina was surprised. She raised her head and stared into the king's eyes. "You didn't respond?" He asked and when Katrina didn't respond, he threatened her. "Do you want death then?" He asked her.

"Your highness," Katrina fell on her knees and begged. "Have mercy on your servant," she begged but Christian walked away.

"Tie her on the target," he ordered his guards.