Her Unwanted Mate On The Throne
Chapter 6

Chapter 6

#Chapter 6 Doris, was it you?

Doris sat up quickly, desperate for air. Her gown felt soaked through, every inch of her skin felt taintedand wrong. Her head ached, she had to scrub herself clean again to rid herself of him—

“Doris!” Beth whispered harshly for her attention, it took her a moment to realize she was in the roomwith Beth and not being eaten in the forest by a giant wolf. Doris touched her neck and looked down tosee her hand was clean, there was no blood. Slowly, her heart beat calmed and she was able to breathe.It felt so real… she was so sure she was about to die at his hands. “Get up, quickly! Prince William ishere, he asked for all of the maids to be checked!”

That woke her, she scrambled out of bed and almost tripped over herself. Doris paled at the thought offacing him. “Checked? Checked for what?”

“Apparently he left a mark on one of the girl’s neck.” Beth already looked delighted from the gossip, shestarted shoving clothes at Doris before she paused. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling alright?”

“Nothing’s wrong!” Doris turned away to change, the nightmare still fresh in her mind. “I was justwondering what he could possibly want with her. She’s just a maid, after all.” Doris touched the mark ather neck beneath her dress. The makeup she used would surely have rubbed off by now—she neededto reapply it before she left.

If he found out it was Doris he was looking for, would her nightmare become reality? She was silentlythankful that he must’ve been too drunk to remember her face.

“I’m not sure, he’s probably not through using her yet after they slept together.” Beth laughed a little,though it sounded empty. “Remember with Lisa? He wanted her all to himself until he didn’t. But—this girldoesn’t seem like she wants to be found by him. Every other girl here would gladly announce themselvesas his lover, but no one has come forward yet.”

No, we definitely didn’t sleep together. Doris silently corrected her friend. At least he didn’t get to takethat from her.

“Hurry up!” A man appeared at their door, Doris gasped at the sight of Prince William’s valet and almosttouched her neck to cover it more than her dress already did. “You two don’t want to keep Prince Williamwaiting, I suggest you stop chattering and get moving.”

“Of course, sir! We’ll be right out!” Beth shouted to his retreating form. When she turned to face Doris,her brows furrowed. “Doris? What’s wrong? You look as if you’re about to pass out.”

Doris wiped her clammy hands on her skirt and took a deep breath. “I’m fine, give me a moment.” Bethsqueezed her hand and nodded. She didn’t care if it looked suspicious, she just needed a minute alone.Once Beth left, she quickly opened her drawer and grabbed her cheap container of makeup to cover themark. Her shaky hands dabbed at the bite, she could still see a sense of bruising that the makeup justcouldn’t seem to cover. She couldn’t let him replace her, he would… he would kill her just as he tried in herdreams.

Doris made her way out to the open field where the other maids gathered. She took her spot next to Bethand listened to those around her gossip silently amongst themselves. Each one of them looked evenmore confused than her, but just as eager as Beth to replace out who it must be. She wondered how manyof them wished it was them that the Prince was looking for, Doris wished it was one of them, too.

When Doris looked up to the front of the crowd, she felt her heart still for a moment in her chest.

There stood Prince William, easy to spot when he was taller than everyone around him. Even his guards.He wore no jacket over his suit, his shirt clung to his well built form and left little to the imagination ofwhat he hid beneath. She could see why everyone found him so attractive, his sea blue eyes and darktossed hair. He looked as if he just rolled out of bed with a lover, she wouldn’t have been surprised if hedid. He looked out into the crowd like a born predator, his eyes catching every movement made aroundhim as if he were hunting. The Alpha blood ran purely through his veins and it showed with every breath

he made. As handsome as the third prince William Arnold was, she had a taste of how he acted and itwas not something she desired to repeat. She wished the rest of the girls here knew how awful he was,then perhaps they would stop fantasizing about him.

“Your majesty, this is the last group of maids in the Golden Palace.” Mr. Carson announced, his handsclasped tightly behind his back.

William only nodded, his face free of emotion as he took in the sight of each girl. “Do your job.”

“Yes, your majesty.” Mr. Carson bowed before he turned to the maids. “Prince William is looking for themaid he left a mark upon just the other night. Please, line yourselves up by Ms. Shirley so she can checkeach of your necks. Only do as you’re instructed, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mr. Carson!” The crowd responded. Each of the girls lined up outside of the booth Ms. Shirley hadset up. The old maid had been serving Royal House Arnold for over 40 years, surely she was one of themore trusted maids of the bunch.

As soon as each girl was checked, they were asked to leave. Though, it seemed none of them actuallywanted to. They were all curious to see who this mystery maid could be, the one that Prince William wasso desperate to replace. They hung around a bit away from the booth, watching as each maid wasdismissed and the line grew shorter. Doris forced herself not to scratch at the mark on her neck, shedidn’t want the makeup to smear off and hoped her sweat didn’t ruin it either.

As time went on, Prince William grew more impatient. He frowned at the thinning line, not one of themcame forward to announce herself as the one he’d left his mark upon. And why wouldn’t she comeforward? It would be an honor to be his mate, her resistance angered him more than he liked to admit.He waited for her to come to him yesterday, it was no secret he desired her to. Yet she hadn’t and now itresorted to this foolish attempt at replaceing her. Because he would replace her today.

“She is here, I can feel her.” Waylon, his inner wolf declared in his mind with a deep growl. “Our mate.”

“If she is here, than pick her already you useless wolf.” William shot back silently. “Why must you make itso impossible? Other wolves would have brought her to me by now.”

“I’m trying, I can’t connect with her wolf. It’s as if she doesn’t have one.”

William almost laughed a sinister sound. “The moon goddess must be kidding me. She must have a wolfif she’s my mate.” Otherwise how could it be?

One by one the maids were cleared until only three remained in line. Doris stood with Beth and Melody,nervously picking at her nails as they got closer.

Beth was quickly cleared, she offered a quick smile to Doris before she wandered near the other curiousmaids. At least her friend was kind enough to wait for her.

Doris took one step towards the booth, and stopped. She couldn’t do it, she couldn’t go in. What if Ms.Shirley saw through her horrible attempt to cover it? What if—what if Prince William finished what heintended to do that night with her? Would she end up like Lisa, or worse?

Mr. Carson frowned at Doris. “What do you think you’re doing? Get inside now to be checked! We don’thave all day.” Doris stared at him, her lips parted. “Are you defying the Royal order?”

Doris knelt down instantly, clamping her lips shut. She didn’t dare to move or speak and make thingsworse for herself. The crowd gasped around her.

“What’s your name?” Came a demanding voice from above Doris. She looked up slightly to see PrinceWilliam walk straight to her.

Still, Doris said nothing. As if every bone in her body refused to let her.

“Doris Goodwin, your majesty.” Mr. Carson answered when she wouldn’t. He shot a displeased look inher direction as if she were the dirt on the bottom of his shoe.

“Doris…” Prince William said her name as if he were tasting it for the first time. It sent a strange shiverthrough her to hear her name on his lips. She kept her head down—refusing to look at his handsomeface and remember what he did to her.

Slowly, Prince William lowered himself until he was able to spit out the sentence clearly enough in herear. “Was it you?”