CHAPTER 56: STRANGE

Another strike followed. The sound cracked through the air, making her flinch as tears pricked in her eyes. She could not comprehend why he was doing this until he growled," Truth. Now."

Emira froze as she realized what Prince Kael was demanding-an explanation of how she had ended up with the traffickers who were taking the Omegas, when all she had done was excuse herself to the washroom. Her throat went dry. Did she dare confess that she had been the one to follow the man on her own?

She’d raced to the washroom, her stomach in an upheaval and having upended the contents of her stomach, she’d come out normally, intending to go to the Prince. But on the way, she had spied the man and recognised him as a visitor who often visited the Moonville Pack. Something inside her had warned her that he was not up to any good. After all, she’d seen the way he would often look at the Omegas. So, she had followed him. And then overheard the discussion...

So, without thinking much, she had simply revealed herself, intending to get herself kidnapped so that she could try and save them. She had not even considered anything else...

She shook her head in panic. No. If she admitted that, the punishment might be worse. It was already unbearable enough to be forced down and spanked like this. Added to that, she could feel the hard weight of his body leaning into her, something firm pressing against her stomach every time his hand came down.

Her chest rose and fell quickly. She could lie. She could say she had been dragged away. Yes, that would be safer...

But before she could form the words, his palm struck her again, the sharp sting mixing with the heat already burning across her skin. She let out a broken cry. "Your Highness..."

But instead of another strike, his hand smoothed over her sore flesh, rubbing in slow circles, massaging the sting until it blurred into a warmth that made her thighs press together helplessly.

Emira whimpered. Her body betrayed her with every touch. Each time his palm lingered, the ache seemed to twist into something hotter, sharper, something she did not want to admit she craved.

Even while the sting of pain lingered, that single act of his hand sliding over her bottom made her shiver with a strange, forbidden arousal. Wasn’t the heat period over? Then why did she feel like this?

She squeezed her eyes shut, ashamed of how her hips reacted, arching slightly into his touch, as if her body wanted more and then whispered truthfully, "I... I followed him."

His hand, which had been about to smack her a** again, paused and he said slowly," Explain."

Emira gulped and asked in a low voice," Can you please let go?"

Emira closed her eyes as she asked the question. How was she supposed to answer like this, feeling his hardness pressing against her every time she breathed.

For a minute, she felt as if he would not allow her to straighten but instead, he loosened his hold. Emira hurriedly tried to straighten and almost fell into the chair behind her before bowing her head and confessing," I... I’ve seen that man in the past. He visited Moonville Pack multiple times. "

"A few years ago, he took a liking to one of the Omegas in the pack... who was near coming of age. She refused him... A few days later, she disappeared. Alpha Soier was furious at first, shouting at the elders and threatening to tear down the walls to find her. But after a while, it stopped. The enforcers caught this man and brought him to Alpha Soier. And then, suddenly, the Alpha became quiet, satisfied, as if the Omega did not exist. I know that this man had paid him off. Alpha Soier accepted the compensation and never spoke about her again."

Her hands twisted in her lap as she lowered her voice. "The Omega’s family grieved in silence. She...was one of the few ones who was cherished by her family."

Even as Emira spoke, she remembered with a touch of envy how the girl used to give her sweets that her mother had given her. It was only through her that Emira has learnt what it was like to be valued by family. Even though she had the same duties as them, at the end of the day, she was happy to return home..."

"But despite everything, no one dared ask questions. Everyone just pretended it had never happened. But I remembered his face, the way he looked at her. When I saw him again, I knew. I couldn’t ignore it."

Prince Kael’s silence was heavy. She felt his eyes on her, sharp and unyielding. Emira swallowed and forced herself to continue. "I followed him out of impulse. But then I heard him talking about having five others...I thought... if I let him take me, then maybe I could find out where the others were being kept. I thought I could help them. I didn’t think of anything else. I just wanted to stop him."

Her voice cracked. Shame burned through her chest. "I know it was reckless. I should have told you instead. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to defy you. I just... couldn’t let it go."

After this, the entire cafe was silent. Emira wondered if Prince Kael was waiting for something else. Did he want her to apologise more? Or promise to not do something like this again? But she dare not make a promise. Because she knew, if she ever discovered anything like that in the future, she would do the same.

She opened her mouth to say this, but then closed her mouth. What if he punished her again? Just then, there was a knock on the door and then she breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the cafe owner bringing in two plates of burger. He placed one in front of her and then the other in front of the prince and stepped back. She gulped with hunger, vacillating between feeling hungry and worried that she might feel nauseous again once they were on the bike.