Bullied Mate Of The Lycan Kings
Chapter 123

Lily's

pov

I have experienced the different stages of grief in the past... twenty four hours? Three days? Five weeks? I wasn't even sure what day it was or how long I've been here. Currently, I was stuck in a depressive phase.

After Aiden had left me with nothing but no hint that he was ever going to release me, I had first gone into denial, hoping that if I went back to sleep, I would wake up back in Zac's music room because facing Zac was a whole lot better than having to be trapped with Aiden in what I realized was the dark and dreaded Vanderbilt mansion.

After his parents died, the Vanderbilts had stopped receiving visitors in the mansion and the giant dark walls were more menacing looking, giving a dark, spooky vibe that warned people to stay out.

Knowing that I was inside did not give me any comfort and when I had woken up again still chained to the bed, denial had turned into anger. And then I had tried to bargain with the maid who had brought me my meals to release me but that was also a dead end, so here I was, staring up at the ceiling, feeling like I was about to drown under the weight of a fever as well as depression.

My head felt like a tonne of bricks, like it was about to fall off my shoulders and when I raised it to see who had come in, the maid who had been bringing me meals, all of which I returned back without even taking a bite, smiled at me, her hands empty this time and I wondered what she had been sent to do now.

"Good day, miss. Sorry to bother you again. I'm here to tell you that the young master sent me to assist you to prepare for dinner with him."

Well, well, my captor wanted to eat with me. Wasn't that wonderful?

He probably wanted to see my face to be sure that I was as miserable as he felt.

"I won't be eating dinner" I replied simply, burrowing deeper into the covers and as usual, I expected her to nod and go away but this time, she rushed to fall on her knees beside the bed, bowing her head low and her hands trembling as she rested her fists on her thighs.

"Please, you must not send me away. If I go back without you, I will be punished."

I sat up, ready to tell her that she could tell Aiden to come to me so I could tell him in person to f**k off but my eyes widened in horror as I looked at the maid's skin from where her shirt had dropped slightly from her shoulders and saw the beginning of a bruise, induced by whips, peeking from her back.

"How did you get those?" I asked and she gasped when she looked up at me and saw what I was looking at, shaking her head anxiously instead of answering my question.

"Please, we must hurry. The master is not a very patient man."

"Aiden?" I asked, to be very certain that I wasn't hallucinating this entire evening and all the blood seemed to bleed from her face at the mention of his name and she rose to her feet and started helping me get out of the chains, her movements fidgety and manic. When she released my wrists, I grabbed her arm and forced her to look at me and all I could see in her eyes was terror.

"Please don't ask me any more questions about the master. " Her voice broke towards the end and I nodded immediately, hoping she would see that and relax.

"I won't." I reassured her, completely repulsed by the fact that Aiden would whip his own workers, but I held my tongue and decided to cooperate.

I didn't want to bring her any harm. I knew first hand what Aiden was like when he doesn't get what he wants.

"So where are we going?" I asked her as I got down from the bed and massaged my wrists.

"The closet so that you can pick out a dress." She answered, gesturing towards a large double door in the room.

I hadn't even bothered to open the closet whenever the maid came to release me so that I could get my bathroom break and even though I had showered, I refused to wear anything other than the uniform that I had on since the day Aiden kidnapped me. I refused to give him any satisfaction whatsoever.

But when the maid opened the doors to the walk in closet, my mouth fell open in shock. This was the type of thing that you could only replace in movies but here I was in a closet that was bursting with clothes of different vivid colours, styles and materials that looked so soft, I was scared to touch them. The sizes on the labelled clothes are almost too perfect and that was when it hit me that this closet was for me.

"Who does this place belong to?" I asked, refusing to believe that Aiden had gone to his length while I was unconscious but the maid shrugged. "It's for you, miss. Everything in the room, including the closet and everything in it belongs to you."

Still shocked, I decided to take a closer look at some of the dresses and immediately became disappointed because almost all of the clothes here were not my style. Some were too uncomfortable, while others were either too thin, too revealing, prioritizing fashion over comfort. Even the pyjamas... Aiden must think I go to sleep looking like a sultry model on the cover of a playboy magazine.

It was just another clear sign that he didn't even have the slightest idea who I was and from this closet, he didn't care to know. This entire freak show was a clear indication that he just thought he could gorge me with flashy and expensive things and have me falling for him.

Knowing that turning around and going back to bed was not an option even though my head was pounding and my heart was hurting from missing Ren, I decided to pick out a sleeveless black, bodycon mermaid tail dress that flared out around my knees and glittered under the light, pairing it with very low nude slippers and nodded for the maid that I was done.

Quickly showering, I walked out and was about to start dressing up when the maid offered to take off my necklace and bracelet.

"There's some jewelry in the closet too that would go with your outfit." She suggested but I shook my head immediately.

"I'm fine with what I'm wearing." My tone gave no room for argument and she nodded. I couldn't part with the necklace and bracelet because they were gifts from Zac and Ren and I didn't even know when I would see them again.

Remembering the fact that I had somehow lost Ren's hoodie and scarf that I had been wearing when I fled from the music room, I turned to look at the maid, who had now told me her name was Sonya while she helped me brush my hair. "Sonya, can I have the clothes I came with?" I asked, describing the hoodie and scarf to her.

"Clothes?" She asked, big brown eyes wide in shock. "Oh! The master took them away, but if you're worried about getting cold, you don't have to be because your room has a heating system and a thermostat that can adjust the temperature to you liking..." I sighed, tuning her out and decided to just ask Aiden at dinner.

Rubbing my temples, I realized that the restlessness and fever that I had been feeling for a while now was getting worse. I had thought it was because I was kidnapped but this felt like more. Like something was missing and I needed to get back to be able to function.

"Let's go." Sonya said and as she let me down the halls, I tried to act like I was not intrigued by what I saw.

The entire mansion looked dark and soulless, despite its opulence and I had heard stories about it as a kid but seeing it now, so devoid of life despite being well furnished, I began to miss Ren's home which radiated light and love that was welcoming to everyone. Even the workers here, the ones that passed by me and bowed in greeting looked colder and more rigid as if they were afraid to not be as stiff as gargoyles or face the consequences.

Guards were stated at strategic places in the mansion, the entire place teeming with them. Somehow, I got the vibe that they were not here to keep intruders from coming in. They were here to keep us from going out.

The dining room was as large as a banquet hall and just as beautiful with silver silk spilling across the table and bouquets of flowers with luminous petals decorating the table in crystal vases. The ceiling was made of see through glass that showed the night sky outside and the moon shining overhead us and I stood and looked up, breathless by the sight of it, starstruck and enchanted, momentarily forgetting that I was here as a prisoner, not a guest.

"Lily."

Aiden's voice brought me back to reality and when I looked down, I saw him rise at the sight of me, his smile bright and surprisingly genuine like he was really happy to see me.

"Do you like the it? I hoped you would enjoy gazing at the stars as much as I do. I thought eating out here would put you in a better mood." His voice held a hint of desperation and I realized that he was really hoping I did so that he could share something in common with me.

I wanted to tell him that it was a lovely view but I remembered that he was same person that put me in chains and I shut my mouth and settled for a nod.

Looking at the table, I saw that it had already been set for two people and Sonya gently squeezed my hand.

"Go to him." I didn't know if that squeeze was meant to soothe her or me but I was grateful for it and I walked towards where he had pulled out the chair closest to him and sat down, allowing him to gently push the chair closer to the table.

"You look beautiful." He whispered as one of the maids walked over to serve my meal and I would have probably given him a witty response if I was not so focused on the maid serving my drink as she trembled so hard, I was certain the wine jug would slip from her hand.

I noticed an old, grey haired woman that I had seen earlier when she came to my room once with Sonya, staring at me with a sad expression on her face and the chef was standing beside her, sweating profusely as he anxiously watched me and I realized that he was waiting for me to take a bite out of my butter poached lobster.

He looked so scared, like his life was dependent on whatever I said after tasting his food and when I turned to Aiden, he seemed so unaffected and unaware of just how much terror he instilled in his workers and even me who sat beside him at the table. Oblivious to the struggles of his staff and mine, he took a bite out of his food and I had to admit that he looked good sitting at the head of the table in a black tux that would have made me forget that he was more than just a handsome face.

I wondered just how long Aiden was going to keep me here against my will and how long it would be before I became as soulless, scared and withdrawn as the workers here.