Chapter 6
Lina's POV
Louis walked up to me and stopped just a few steps ahead.
I frowned immediately, my body tensing on instinct. Why was he here? Had he come to reject me too? After knowing I was his mate?
"Did you follow me?" I asked coldly.
"More like my wolf led me here," he replied, his tone just as cold. "How did we end up as mates?"
The question hit harder than I expected. Not because it hurt, but because I didn't have an answer either.
Before I could respond, his eyes flicked downward. Something in his expression shifted, tightening slightly as his gaze lingered on the dress I was wearing.
"I see you decided to wear the dress I got for you," he said quietly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, teasing but controlled
I stiffened at his words. "What?" I frowned, looking down at the gown as if seeing it properly for the first time.
My fingers brushed the fabric, my confusion growing. "You mean… this gown came from you?"
Disbelief washed over me.
In my past life, Louis Winston and I barely crossed paths. He had never attended ceremonies. Never spoken to me. We weren't close. He had never given me a gift. Infact he'd need away from the kingdom for years now. So how could he—
"Don't pretend you don't remember what happened just yesterday," he said.
My brows furrowed deeper. Yesterday?
My mind raced, searching for any memories that matched his words. But there was nothing.
Was he lying? Was he mocking me? Was that the reason he had followed me all the way here? I wouldn't expect less from the Winston brothers, twin assholes.
I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. The confusion on my face disappeared, now replaced with an emotionless expression.
"I don't know what Your Highness is talking about," I said flatly. "If you're here to make fun of me, then I'm sorry, but I don't have the energy to entertain you."
I gestured vaguely at myself, the bag still slung over my shoulder, my cheekvisibly read, my hair slightly ruffled due to the intense slaps my mother rained on me.
"As you can see, I've been thrown out. It's not befitting for someone of your status to waste his precious time on a lowly servant like me."
The words tasted bitter in my mouth, but they were true.
"Servant?" Louis echoed, clearly caught off guard by the word. His brows drew together. "What do you mean, servant?"
I scoffed, was this his tactics to make fun of me? But then, I just sighed. "My family disowned me," I replied without emotion. Saying it out loud didn't hurt the way it once would have. "For rejecting your brother as my mate."
I noticed his jaw tightened instantly. Was he pretending? Because what was that reaction supposed to mean?
"They sent me to the servants' quarters," I added. "That's what I mean."
Silence stretched between us.
I watched his expression shift from surprise, giving way to something darker. Anger, maybe. Disbelief.
His hands clenched at his sides, and I could feel the mate bond react, buzzing faintly, responding to his emotions whether I wanted it to or not. I couldn't tell what was going on in his head at all.
"They had no right," he said slowly.
I let out a short, humorless laugh. "They had every right. I stopped being useful."
His gaze snapped back to me. "You don't talk like someone who just lost everything."
"Because I already did," I replied. "Once."
That made him pause.
Something unreadable flickered in his eyes as he studied me more carefully, I shifted, feeling uncomfortable from his intense gaze.
"I'll take my leave now, your highness." I bowed slightly, ready to take my leave, but then he spoke.
"You really don't remember yesterday," he asked.
I met his gaze steadily. "No." I replied flatly. I had no intention to prolonge this conversation any longer. I wanted nothing to do with the Winstons. All they ever brought me was bad luck.
I noticed he didn't push any further and just let me go, but I hadn't even taken several steps when I sighted Brielle storming over towards me, but immediately she sighted Louis, her steps slowed.
"Louis..." She called softly, almost seductively. Fuck,I might throw up, so she also had her eyes on Louis huh. I don't remember them being so close that she'll call him by his name. But well, it's not like I cared.
Louis didn't answer her, and just turned to me..."Have a good day." He quietly said, then turned to leave. I noticed the dark expression on his face as he walked away, almost dangerous.
As soon as he was out of sight, Brielle turned to me with rage, her hand lifting and then coming straight for my face, but I caught it just in time. "Don't you dare lay your filthy hands on me." I warned, glaring at her.
"Shut the hell up you filthy slut, you think I don't know what you did last night? How dare you reject Kain? He was supposed to reject you tonight, but you've ruined everything." Her voice trembled with rage, and somehow...I couldn't help but feel pleased.
But, what exactly did she mean by what she just Said. What did I do last night? I would have asked but my ego wouldn't let me.
"You're one to talk. What about you, can you really claim to be innocent? You did something to Kain didn't you? To make him want you."
She yanked her hand free from my grip. "Don't be delusional, Lina. Kain has always been in love with me." Her lips curled. "Not just him. Louis too."
I paused.
"…What?"
"Until you stole him from me," she snapped.
My brows furrowed in genuine confusion. "Since when were the twins in love with you? Okay, maybe Kain, but not Louis. He's been away from the kingdom for years."
She stared at me like I had lost my mind.
"What are you saying?" she barked. "Louis has always been in the kingdom." Her voice dropped, "And stop pretending you don't remember what you did last night."
My heartbeat picked up."What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice flat, even though something cold was starting to crawl up my spine.
Her smile was slow, ugly... knowing, like she'd just uncovered my biggest secret.
"You seduced him, Lina," she said. "You shamelessly fucked him."