The Alpha King's Mind Reading Maid (Cecilia) novel Chapter 171

Chapter 171

Cecilia’s POV

Everything happened in a blur.

I felt his canines sink into the nape of my neck, the sting nearly too much to bear. My body trembled as I dug my fingers into the ground, feeling Lora’s defensive instincts spring to life.

“Mate,” she growled bitterly, furious that our supposed mate was treating us so roughly.

As if I had burned him, he jerked away from me, stealing what little breath I had left. I felt Lora close to the surface, urging me forward, and I didn’t resist. She didn’t take full control-not entirely-but she pushed hard enough for me to understand. We needed to get out of there; we needed to figure out what to do next.

I didn’t want to be taken like that… not by my mate… not by anyone.

I was running before I could think twice. I barely remember scrambling to my feet or fleeing the garden, but by the time I rounded the palace, my lungs were burning. I wasn’t going back to the ballroom. I couldn’t… not like this.

By the time I got inside, tears were already brimming in my eyes. The cold night air charred against my skin, vanished behind me as the door slammed shut.

The sounds of the ball echoed in the distance, which meant I wasn’t far enough away. One wrong move and someone would find me, and that was the last thing I wanted. I glanced over my shoulder, praying the owl who had attacked me… my mate… wasn’t

behind me.

I wrapped my arms around myself as a tremor crept down my spine. Nausea churned in my stomach, and Lora whimpered in despair. She was angry. Hurt. I had no idea what had just happened, only that I couldn’t return to the ball like this. I needed to change and needed a moment to breathe.

I wiped my swollen, damp eyes and hurried farther down the corridor, away from the ballroom. The music and chatter faded with every step, and once the sound dispersed completely, I finally felt like I could breathe again.

When I reached my room, I shut the door behind me and leaned back against it, closing my eyes as I waited for my heart to steady.

After a shaky breath, I pushed away from the door and moved toward my closet.

“Our mate was rude,” Lora whispered, and the pain in her voice made my chest ache. “Why act like that?”

“It could have been the full moon,” I said without thinking, my voice barely above a whisper. I was confused too, and the pain in my neck refused to ease.

After pulling out a fresh dress, I went to the bathroom to change, my thoughts still clouded.

“He marked us… without permission,” Lora rasped. “The cruelty.”

My heart stuttered.

I knew at the moment that he had marked me… but the reality of the situation was now just dawning on me. My heart thudded against my chest in violent movements as I rushed to the mirror. I froze at the sight of the bloodstained patch at the nape of my neck.

The blood had dried and begun to itch. I grabbed a cloth, soaked it in warm water, nd pressed it gently to the wound. I winced as the string flared, and when I finally cleaned the blood away, my breath caught in my throat. 1

I stared at the bite mark on my neck and couldn’t seem to look away.

Lora was right; he truly did mark us.

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+15 Bonus

I brushed trembling fingers over the tender skin, wincing at the pain. It was swollen and red, but unmistakable.

It was there.

It wasn’t the full mating mark… hadn’t marked him back… so I couldn’t feel him the way I would have sealed but. But it was enough.

A soft knock sounded at the door, jolting me from my thoughts. I didn’t move and the knocking quickly grew more urgent.

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