Chapter 10

*Leonora*

At the sound of the bell, I pulled myself off the bed. I quickly changed into our work outfit and Bethany and I walked out of our room. I heard whispers all around me and I knew what they were saying. Why did I come back?

I wanted to scream back at them that I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be around these judgmental people. I didn't want to have to endure the suffering that was coming, I could feel it. 

"Leonora." I heard my name and I stopped walking and so did Bethany. I turned to the direction of the voice and I met Shirley. She was the head of all kitchen volunteers. For me, the best term was maid or servant but Kitchen volunteers felt like a step up from a maid. "Welcome back." I purse my lips because I had nothing to say. 

"Thank you." I forced myself to say. My mind went back to my relationship with Shirley. As much as everyone thought she was wicked, she was really nice to me. She always offered her shoulder for me to cry on several occasions. She used to sneak snacks for us whenever we well but she also scolded us when we weren't following rules or being disrespectful. 

"You're stationed to the mansion." She announced and my heart dropped. I wasn't ready to be around Jax and his confidante, Claire. There was no way I could look at Jax after last night. We almost kissed! Almost.

If Claire hadn't shown up, I'm pretty sure that I would have let him touch me. This was why I surprised my wolf. There was almost no logic when it came to my wolf. 

"Can't I be moved to another place like the pack kitchen? What of Beth, I don't want to part ways with her." I pleaded. "You know I just came back and I may have forgotten how things used to be." I lied. There was no way I could forget. Forget the way I was treated and how terrible the work was. I could forget the amount of times I scrubbed the floors, trying to get it spotless. 

I couldn't forget. 

"King Jax wanted you back to your old station to help you settle in." She said before walking away. "You shouldn't have come back." She said before leaving. I wanted to tell her the truth but if anyone else apart from Bethany knew, he would kill me. Jax valued his reputation more than the rules of the moon goddess. I was not  ready to die yet and I also haven't gotten my revenge. 

I turned back to find Bethany waiting for me. "I've been stationed to the mansion. Jax won't let me go." I whispered the last part to her. I didn't want anyone else to hear our conversation. I hated the fact that I was in the spotlight. Everyone was just whispering all around me. 

"Just reject him and end all this. You don't need to suffer for his choice. I'm very sure the moon goddess will Favour you and give you someone that would respect you and love you." Bethany ranted. She had always been a hopeless romantic and I loved her for it. 

"Have you ever heard of a rejected King? He wants to reject me but I'm not going to give him that satisfaction so easily. I want him to yearn and beg for me to please him but I won't. I'll make him lust after me and right when he starts developing a bit of feelings, I'll accept his rejection which will break his heart and maybe change him forever." I ranted, laughing at my plan. I know it's a stretch but it's also achievable. Last night was the evidence I needed. 

"You're crazy, you know that right?" She laughed with me. "There's no way this plan will work. You know he has playthings. They spend the night with him and they do any and everything. I'm not  lying. Everyone knows. We just don't know who the girls are."

"When did it start?" I asked in anticipation. I knew the answer but I wanted to gloat about this achievement. 

"Right after you left. That's why the council wants you to come back and reject him. He's not thinking straight." She said and I squinted at her as we began walking. "What? I had to get more information after your story. I couldn't believe I was living in a box this whole time." We gave each other a look and laughed. We literally lived in a box. 

"Don't worry, I'll tell you things immediately it happens." I assured her. We came to our stop. I had to go to the left while she would go to the right. I hated that we had to go our separate ways. Maybe there's a way I would be able to get Jax to move her to the mansion with me but I'm certainly sure that it'll involve me in his bed. 

I couldn't do that. 

I wanted to save myself for a man that was truly deserving. Someone that was nice and strong, just like Noah. 

"We can meet up during our lunch time." She said, giving me a hug and skipping away. If this were the normal world, I would have said I'll call her later and we would spend our lunch breaks chatting while have a cup of coffee and maybe pasta. Oh how I loved pasta. 

I began my dreadful journey to the mansion. My heart felt cold but I was ready for war. I was going to show Jax that I wasn't the same Leonora he knew years ago. The day I found out he was my mate was the day that changed my life and I hadn't remained the same ever since. 

I was going to make him feel every pain he caused me and I don't mind suffering for the greater good.