The Princess In A ‘Prince’ Disguise (Beasts of Wrath and Madness #1)

32. THE FERAL GUEST

Chapter thirty-two

THE FERAL GUEST

"Stop right there," Grand Lord Zaiper commanded as Emeriel reached the center of the room.

Emeriel halted in place, the weight of everyone's attention on him as he awaited the next command. His heart pounded in his chest.

Mistress Sinai smirked, watching with excitement. What was her problem? Why did she hate me so much?

"Your sister was quite eager to undress for me last time. Tonight, I want you to do the same." Lord Zaiper reclined back on his throne. "Strip and present for me."

Yes, he was definitely doomed.

Emeriel swallowed tightly and glanced around. Some gazed at him with interest. His eyes briefly met Aekeira's, and his sister's face had turned pale.

Various scenarios of how this could unfold played out in his mind, and none of them boded well for him. They all ended badly for him.

Heavens, help me. Please, I need your help. Now would be a good moment to send a thunderbolt or something.

"Did you not hear the grand lord!? Are you hard of hearing!?" Mistress Sinai sprang from her seat, approached Emeriel closely, and delivered a resounding slap to his cheek.

The crack reverberated through him, causing his head to whip to the side, blinding him with pain.

"Perhaps that will reset your hearing," the mistress snapped before returning to her seat.

Grand Lord Zaiper refocused his attention on Emeriel. "I repeat, remove your clothes and present for me. Right. Now."

Tears blurred Emeriel's vision as distress and panic washed over him.

Then, a profound need surged within him.

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. As if a compelling force was urging him to do something. To speak .

Emeriel didn't resist, surrendering to it.

The words tumbled out in a low whisper. "My Beloved, I need your help. My Beloved, please help me."

Wait, what was he even saying? Where did those words come from?

And who the hell was His Beloved?

"Did you not hear me!?" Lord Zaiper roared, his anger clear as the veins on his forehead bulged. He rose from his throne, his eyes ablaze. "I said, strip—"

A deafening roar pierced the air. So loud and deep it echoed throughout the entire fortress. Emeriel would have sworn the very walls trembled.

The sound of metal locks breaking filled the air, followed by a resounding crash as a door splintered open.

Most people froze, as all activity came to a stop. The remaining grand lords rose from their thrones, and every gaze turned toward the grand entrance.

"What is that?" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"What's happening?" another voice questioned.

"It sounded distant yet close!"

“Something has broken free!"

"Oh, Ukrae, what's going on!? We must flee!"

The grand lords exchanged glances.

Lord Ottai approached Grand Lord Vladya. "Most of our people are here tonight. It would be a massacre!" Desperation etched his face. "What should we do?"

"I don't know,” Grand Lord Vladya replied. “But we must not run or attempt to escape."

Grand Lord Vladya stepped forward, addressing everyone. "King Daemonikai's beast has broken free from the forbidden chambers. We—"

Gasps filled the air, the scent of fear becoming so overpowering it was almost tangible.

"Listen to me!" Grand Lord Vladya barked, and instantly, silence fell. "The beast is already loose, and if you try to flee, it will kill anything in its path. You are Urekai; you understand how our beasts operate. You know what not to do. Do NOT provoke the predator."

Heads nodded quickly, eyes wide with fear.

Grand Lord Vladya continued, "Do not run. No one moves from their position, do you hear me!?" He gave a pointed look to Aekeira, who was already hurrying toward the center of the Court where Emeriel stood.

Aekeira let out a distressed cry but returned to her previous position, casting her brother a helpless glance.

Another thunderous roar filled the air, this time closer. The beast seemed to be moving with alarming speed, and its destination...

"It's coming here. And it's approaching fast," Lord Ottai stated, exchanging a look of understanding with Lord Vladya.

Lord Zaiper stood tall. "I could try to stop him. Move to the door and—"

Lord Ottai gave a dismissive snort. "This is not the time to play hero, Zaiper. Facing that beast on a night like this, under a half-moon, you would not stand a chance. All you would succeed in doing is angering him further, and you know what a furious feral does?" He paused. "It kills everything in its path. Our people are already in danger. We do NOT need to put them at further risk."

Lord Zaiper's expression twisted with anger as he glared at Ottai. "Curse you, Ottai. Are you implying I am weak?"

Ottai took a deep breath, his voice calm. "You know I'm not—"

"We all know you're practically itching to fight the beast again," Vladya fixed Zaiper with a pointed gaze. "Your pride was wounded the last time, and you want to prove yourself—we get that. But I highly advise against attempting it tonight. You would only make a fool of yourself. Even with a firearm loaded with the deadliest poison known to our kind, you couldn't kill him. Whatever makes you think you would succeed tonight?"

Shame and rage flushed Zaiper's cheeks. "You bastard."

"Let's focus on saving our people, shall we?" Vladya didn't flinch. “Your obsession with killing the beast can wait."

A loud snarl echoed. This time, much much closer.

Mistress Sinai approached them, fear etched across her face, yet trying to appear brave. "I could try to calm him down. Perhaps bloodfeeding him could—"

"That's not going to happen. Daemonikai didn't care much for you even when he was himself, remember?" Vladya snapped, his eyes blazing. "Without the bloodlust driving him, his feral beast will tear you apart, scatter your remains around this court, and drink your blood for sport."

Mistress Sinai recoiled as if she had been slapped. Her face was ghostly pale as she returned to her seat.

Then, with a force that sent a gust of wind through the court, the grand entrance burst open.

All eyes turned to the beast—from the lords to the privileged, down to the slaves. Everyone remained still, terrified. No one moved a muscle. No one screamed.

The grand lords remained standing, their expressions wary, prepared to defend their people if it came to that, even if it meant sacrificing their own lives.

The beast strode into the Grand High Court, its steps majestic. A low rumble emanated from its throat, causing the ground to tremble under its weight.

Its massive tail wagged menacingly, as if seeking to strike into someone.

Emeriel fought the urge to wet his pants, standing alone at the very center of the court, exposed like a sacrificial lamb. He quickly averted his gaze.

Why was it here? Emeriel appreciated the interruption, but wouldn't a thunderclap have been better than facing this magnificent creature so far from its cage?

He couldn’t believe he voluntarily went to the beast all those times. He’d fed that mouth. Emeriel couldn't fathom how he had ever brought his delicate fingers so close to those terrifying fangs.

King Daemonikai's beast prowled toward the center of the court, right in front of Emeriel, whose eyes widened. Its yellow eyes pierced through him, as if staring into his very soul.

Oh gods, he was going to die! Had the beast spared him all this time only to reserve him as a public feast?

But the beast moved past him, positioning itself between Emeriel and the onlookers. Then, it raised its head and roared into the sky.

Whimpers filled the air, accompanied by the scent of urine. Mingled with overwhelming terror.

Grand Lord Vladya was utterly perplexed. What in Ukrae was happening here?

The beast turned around, surveying them all.

The Urekai lords and attendees understood instinctively what was required of them. Despite the obvious terror clawing at them, they know the language of alpha beasts. The silent yet clear signs of dominance, the demands for submission.

Any wrong move, any challenge, and they knew they would be perceived as either prey or a threat. And there was no surviving that.

As one, the Urekai bowed their heads, tilting them to the side, exposing their necks.

A show of utter submission to the dominant alpha beast they had unknowingly provoked.

The beast’s guttural grunt rumbled through the hall as it began circling the grand roundtable.

It wasn’t just surveying—it was assessing. Sharp gaze flickered over each lord and lady, marking them one by one as if deciding which to devour first.

When it stopped, the room seemed to hold its breath. It turned sharply, fixing its yellow eyes on the grand lords.

Grand Lord Ottai and Vladya bowed their heads, tilting them to the side, baring their necks, even as their inner alpha beasts raged within them. However, Zaiper defiantly stared at the beast.

"What in Hades do you think you're doing?" Lord Ottai hissed, glaring at Zaiper.

"You're wasting your time, Ottai. The second ruler is not a fool, nor is he a child. If he decides to play with fire, there's nothing you can do about it," Lord Vladya muttered under his breath, giving Zaiper a bored look.

Zaiper cursed under his breath before reluctantly joining them in the submissive position.

Suddenly, the beast was in front of them. Despite being larger than most, it moved with lightning speed. It let out a low, threatening growl, grabbed Zaiper by the throat, and lifted him off his feet.

Shocked gasps filled the air as the beast snarled into Zaiper's face, digging its claw deep into his skin and drawing blood.

The scent of Zaiper's fear permeated the air, subtle but present, only the grand lords smelling it.

Vladya snorted. "Coward."

Ottai gave Vladya a pleading look, urging him to stop.

Fortunately for Zaiper, the beast released him, dropping him back to his feet. This time, Zaiper hastily bared his neck without hesitation, fully submitting.

But the feral beast wasn't satisfied.

It sent a burst of aggressive pheromones through Zaiper, aiming to provoke Zaiper’s beast into challenging him. Even in their feral state, Urekai beasts enjoyed the thrill of the fight, to dominate, so they always sought to provoke.

Zaiper grunted, struggling to contain the energy and resist giving in. Pinpoints of pain crawled through his body, but he held still.

Finally, King Daemonikai's beast huffed, turned, and walked back to the center of the court.

Zaiper breathed a sigh of relief, while Vladya smirked at him, causing anger to flush Zaiper's face.

Vladya ignored him, focusing his attention on the beast. He was worried. The need to kill must be overwhelming. Who would be the unlucky victim?

Even if they all took their beast forms, rolled over on the floor, and showed their bellies in the most humiliatingly submissive behavior, there was no way the feral would leave the court without taking a few lives. That was simply the way of a feral, and they all knew it.

This time, the beast circled Emeriel.

The boy's eyes widened, and he quickly bared his neck. But, instead of leaving it at that, the imposing feral buried its nose in the little prince's neck, breathing in deeply.

It emitted a purr like a satisfied cat. Then inhaled deeply once more, as if it wished to draw every trace of the boy's scent into its lungs.

Surprised murmurs filled the air.

What was happening here? Was it the boy's blood? Did it smell that enticing to the beast? Did it want to drain the boy dry?

Pulling back, the beast’s massive head tilted as it studied the boy. Then, slowly raised one enormous paw.

It was about to deliver a blow that would end that boy’s life, wasn’t it?

But instead of striking, the beast hooked its claws around Emeriel’s waist and lifted him effortlessly off the ground.

A startled squeal escaped the boy as his feet left the floor. He whimpered softly, but fortunately for him, but he didn’t struggle. The boy’s small form looked impossibly fragile against the feral’s broad chest.

The king beast turned, eyes sweeping the crowd one last time. As if daring anyone to challenge it...?

No one did.

Steps majestic, the beast made its way out of the court, each step oozing lethal grace.