CHAPTER 7: Married A Murderer.

Ashina's POV

The morning after my failed escape, the castle felt colder not  because of the weather but because of him. I hadn't seen Draven since the curse had nearly consumed him the previous night and part of me hoped I wouldn't.

The other part knew that was impossible.

A maid silently handed me a dark blue dress before lowering her head.

"The King requests your presence." Requests It sounded polite but we both knew it wasn't.

I followed two guards through endless stone corridors until enormous double doors came into view as the doors opened.

My footsteps faltered as dozens of warriors lined both sides of the room, their heads bowed. Ministers stood in silence while several prisoners knelt in the center of the hall, their hands bound behind their backs.

As Draven sat on the throne his posture was relaxed as he watched the prisoners with unreadable silver eyes.

He looked Bored and obviously Angry as usual.

A guard shoved me forward.

"My King, Your Luna is here ." His gaze shifted to me for only a second before returning to the prisoners.

"Stand beside me." He orders as I walked toward him. Every pair of eyes followed me I stopped beside the throne as one of the kneeling men suddenly burst into tears.

"My King, please! I made a mistake!"

"You stole military routes and sold them to the Vampires ," one of the generals barked.

"I had debts!"

"You betrayed this kingdom." The man crawled forward.

"I have children! Please They need me! I'll never do it again!"  Silence engulfed the Hall Immediately as Draven slowly stood as the  hall became so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat.

He descended the steps without rushing as every movement was controlled and measured.

He stopped in front of the prisoner.

"You know what disappoints me?" His voice was calm.

"I can forgive failure." He crouched until they were eye level.

"I can forgive weakness." A long pause.

"But betrayal especially to the Vampire hybrids..." His expression hardened.

"...I don't forgive." The prisoner sobbed harder.

"My King, please " Draven nodded once toward a nearby guard as he handed him a pistol, My breath caught.

The prisoner began shaking violently.

"Please! Please! I swear on the Moon Goddess! I'll be loyal!" Draven sighed.

"You already made your choice."  Immediately One loud gunshot echoed through the hall as the prisoner collapsed. The entire room froze as my ears rang. I stared at the motionless body as my knees weakened immediately as a deafen scream escaped my lips before I could stop it.

"No!" I stumbled backward as my breathing became uneven.

He...

He had just...

My stomach turned as I looked at Draven. He calmly handed the weapon back to the guard as though nothing had happened.

No regret and No emotion as He turned toward me our eyes met as he slowly walked towards me as every step made my heart race faster.

I  backed away until my shoulders hit one of the stone pillars.There was nowhere else to go as He stopped in front of me.

"You've gone pale."I couldn't answer as my lips trembled.

"You..." My voice cracked.

"You just killed him."

"He was a traitor."

"He's still dead!" His expression remained unreadable.

"He chose that."

"I..." I shook my head repeatedly.

"I can't..."

"You can't what?"

"I can't believe this." A humorless smile touched his lips.

"Oh really, Sunshine"  He leaned slightly closer.

"You finally realized who you married." He said as my breathing hitched sending shivers crawling  down my spine.

"I finally realized..." My voice was barely a whisper.

" I'm married to a murderer."

The throne room fell silent as Several guards cleared the dead wolf but no one dared react. Draven looked at me for a long moment.

Then He chuckled Dangerously. 

"I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that"  He lifted one hand as I flinched thinking he was going to strike me just like my father did anytime I got him angry.

He lightly tapped beneath my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"Listen carefully, Sunshine." His voice dropped.

"Last night's little escape should never happen again."

"I'll keep trying Bastard!"

"I know You would say that, Sunshine " His eyes never left mine.

"And next time..." His tone became frighteningly calm.

"...I'll respond differently." I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means every action has a price." As a knot formed in my stomach.

"If you run again, I will not only hunt you down but I'll also send my men to your former pack." My heartbeat stopped.

"No..."

"I'll have every member of the household that sold you brought here in chains and I will treat them like the slave that You are" I stared at him.

"You wouldn't." His gaze didn't waver.

"They'll spend the rest of their lives working my mines and fields." My chest tightened as the words hurled more than expected. 

"You're lying."

"Am I?"

"C'mon Draven, My parents ? "

"Yes, the ones who sold  you." His words cut through me as he smiled at my sudden fear. 

"They treated you like property. That doesn't change the fact that they're your people." He added as I clenched my fists.

"You couldn't do something like that you Asshole ." He took one final step forward until only inches separated us as his silver eyes held mine without blinking.

"Don't dare me more than this, Sunshine."