Chapter 7
Stay?
They wanted me to stay?
I stared up at the royal family for a long moment, unsure.
I didn’t fit the standards for the selection at all. I didn’te from a noble background. I didn’t have a
wolf. I already had a child. How could I possibly participate?
But, whatever my doubts, I couldn’t deny the King’smand. If he said to stay, I had to stay.
So I stood right where I was.
As best I could, I tried to ignore Nichs’s icy gaze as he openly stared at me. Was he trying to
intimidate me into leaving? I had already tried that.
No amount of intimidation would get me to disobey a directmand from the King. I liked my head
attached to my body.
The King then stepped aside and his Beta, Nathan, took his ce.
“I will now exin the rules,” Nathan said.
His voice was slightly softer than the King’s and not nearly so kind.
“These rules are serious,dies. Those that cannot abide by them will be expelled from the selection. In
certain instances, those who break the rules could be executed,”
The air seemed to have left the room. No one spoke, or made any noise at all. Everyone stood very
still, watching and listening.
Until Elva whispered, “What’s that mean?”
I replied in a quiet voice, “It’s a punishment. When someone does something bad.”
“Like when they won’t nap at naptime?” Elva asked.
The girl closest to me said, “A permanent nap.”
Elva looked at her curiously. Behind Elva’s back, I gave the girl an annoyed look, I really didn’t want to
have the death talk with my three year old right now, thank you.
Nathan Nichy sald
Nathan, a diligent servant, immediately went to his side. I couldn’t hear what was said, but when they
both looked at Elva, I couldn’t help but wonder if Nichs had suggested Nathan ease up some on the
darker talk
Maybe I was imagining it. Maybe he was actually saying some jerk–thing because Nichs was
apparently an arrogant bag of dicks nowadays
pretended not to notice their talk, and focused on making Elva smile instead
7 need to stress the dire consequences of breaking those rules” Nathan argued, just loud enough for
me to hear from where I stood so close to the stage
“Then do so without frightening the child.” Nichs said
“She’ll be plenty frightened if she’s forced to witness
Nichs’s brow lowered in annoyance. “We would never force a child to
“Nathan,” the King said, silencing them both Nathan straightened at once. Nichs shut his mouth but
still seemed displeased
“Continue,” the King said, motioning Nathan forward.
N?velDrama.Org is the owner.
the
Nathan cleared his throat. “Serious offenses include having secret rtions with someone other than
princes, covertly retaining contact with the outside world, or revealing any royal secrets on or off live
broadcast.”
He waved toward the back of the room, and a slew of servants stepped forward.
“You will now be divided and searched,” Nathan continued. “Anymunication devices will be seized.
That includes your phones.”
This was all news to me, though none of the other girls seemed overly rmed. I really wished I had
taken the time to read through the application.
The servants divided us, as Nathan said. I followed my group into a familiar adjoining room, where
each of us was searched. Not even Elva escaped scrutiny, though her gentle pat down made her
giggle.
The servant in charge, clearly endeared, made a funny face at Elva, bringing forth moreughter.
The other girls in the room openly red at us.
By the doorway, our phones were taken and catalogued.
Your personal items will be returned upon your departure,” said one of the servants.
When the groups reunited in the parlor room, Nathan reimed everyone’s attention. The royal family
had vanished from behind him.
“I will now give you a tour,” Nathan announced.
We followed him through the borate pce, taking in the dining room with a table that could seat
fifty, to a ballroom with a vaulted painted ceiling, then to the east wing where our individual rooms were.