Alpha's replacement bride is destined mate-Chapter 190 This is the real me

"Elijah, what are you doing?" Emily looked at Elijah suspiciously. His sudden change of manner made her a little uncomfortable.

" Get changed, I’m taking you somewhere." Elijah said in a commanding tone, " Now."

" I’m not changing until you tell me where I’m going." Emily said stubbornly.

When Elijah spoke to her in a commanding tone, she did not like it.

" Don’t test my patience. " Elijah grabbed her wrist," Do as I say."

"No. " Emily shook Elijah’s hand away and when they locked eyes, she saw the anger in Elijah’s eyes.

" If you want to be here, that’s fine too." Elijah released Emily’s hand as he went outside, and ordered the guards to summon the steward.

Presently the old butler entered the room. Elijah returned to the bedroom and said to Emily, " come here Emily. I’ll show you what the real me looks like."

Emily did not move, and a strange uneasiness came over her, as if she had a presentiment that something bad was about to happen. Elijah then jerked her straight out of bed, and, seizing Emily’s hand, led her with such force to the parlour that Emily could not free herself.

"Sit down." Elijah said. His voice was low and authoritative.

Emily sat helplessly on the sofa, her eyes full of doubt and fear. The butler, who still did not know what was going on, stood cautiously before them, his eyes cast down, his hands trembling a little from nervousness.

There was a tension in the air, and the whole drawing-room sank into an oppressive silence. Elijah’s icy voice resounded in the living room, " Who is the maid in charge of taking care of Emily today?"

" Her name is Laura." replied the old steward.

" Bring her here." Elijah said.

Presently the housekeeper brought into the parlor the maid who had charge of Emily. Once inside, she kept her head down, not daring to look at anyone else in the room.

"Are you Laura?" Elijah asked.

" Yes sire." replied the maid in a low voice.

" It is your duty to take care of Ms. Emily, but today you have failed in that duty." Elijah said. He looked coldly at the maid, "You left Miss Emily’s side without authorization and caused her to be attacked. Tell me, how should I punish you?"

The face of the maid was shocked. She hurriedly knelt down and prayed, " Please listen to my explanation, Your Majesty."

"Elijah, I asked her to carry my coat. She had nothing to do with me being attacked." Emily hastened to explain.

" If you want to punish, then punish me."

Elijah turned to Emily, his eyes were cold, " Why should I punish you when it’s clear she did a bad job?"

"Elijah, what do you want?" Emily asked in a low voice.

Elijah made no reply, but gave the old steward a look that was cold and unassailable. Then the old steward went over to the maid. He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face. The sound of the crisp slap was particularly loud in the silent room.

"Continue, and don’t stop until I tell you to." Elijah’s hand rested on the edge of the sofa, and his fingers tapped lightly upon it, while his face showed no mercy, only indifference, as he watched it all.

The old steward smacked the maid’s face with such force that her cheeks were soon marked with a red slap, and the blood trickled slowly down the corners of her mouth. The beaten maid stoically dared not make a sound; the tears had long since rolled down her cheeks.

"Stop." Emily rose at once, and took the old housekeeper’s hand. She could not bear that this unprovoked violence should continue. " Stop hitting her."

" Ms. Emily, don’t give me a hard time." The old steward’s voice trembled, and his face wore an embarrassed look.

Emily turned her head to look at Elijah. He sat as impassive as if he were a statue of indifference. His eyes were hollow and cold, as if he waited for her prayer, as if he cared for nothing.

"Elijah, please make him stop." Emily said. There was a tremor in her voice. She could not understand why Elijah should be so cruel, why he should put innocent people through such a ordeal.

"Stop." Elijah said. His voice was flat and devoid of emotion. "Take her away."

Then the old housekeeper at once dragged the maid out of the room. Emily watched the few drops of blood that trickled on the floor, and her heart ached as if it were being pressed by an invisible hand.

At this moment she realized at last why all the maids feared their king, for he was a man of mere cruelty.

Emily could feel plainly that Elijah was showing her his power and means. Is this the real him?

" Emily, come here." Elijah motioned Emily to sit beside him.

So Emily sat down with great reluctance. Her body stiffened a little, and her mind was full of revolt. When Elijah took her hand, she instinctively tried to draw it out, but Elijah’s grip was so tight that she could not free herself. His strength seemed an invisible tie which she felt unable to resist.

"See, this is the real me. " Elijah’s voice held a hint of pride and dominance.

" I will be angry if the servants don’t take good care of you. And those who anger me will be severely punished." Elijah’s eyes betrayed an intense possessiveness, as if Emily were his exclusive possession, and would not allow any one to neglect her.

" If I anger you, will you punish me too?" Emily asked rhetorically.

" How could I ever punish you?" Elijah smiled, and there was a hint of gentleness in his eyes, but that gentleness was mingled with complex emotions that were hard to fathom. "I only want to love you, as long as you obey me."

" I don’t understand why you’re doing this. " Emily’s tone was strong. She could not understand what emotion Elijah might be hiding behind this extreme act.

" Because I love you. " Elijah said. I want you to stay by my side forever."

"You said you wouldn’t force me."

"Did I force you? " Elijah smiled, "You said you didn’t like the white dress I picked out for you. But you know what, you were wearing a white dress when we first met. Emily, it’s not that you don’t like white dresses, you don’t like me, right?"

" I don’t know Elijah. Don’t ever ask me that question again, okay?"

" Emily, I can wait." Elijah said, "But I can’t wait forever. Henceforth, you must stay by my side, and cease to think unreal thoughts. It’s dangerous out there and I’m the only one who can protect you."

"Do you want me to stay like a canary in your birdcage forever? " Emily’s tone was full of hopelessness.

"You are not a canary, you are my queen. " Elijah said, "I will pamper you and make you the most honorable of women. Promise me that you will be obedient from now on."

" What if I don’t promise?"

Elijah spoke, with a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. " You don’t want the people around you to get hurt either, do you?"

" Are you threatening me?" Emily looked at him angrily, anger burning in her eyes. She could not accept that Elijah was pushing her in this way.

" Just think of it as me threatening you." Elijah said without a care in the world, " Tell me that you will stay by my side forever."

Emily was silent; she could say nothing against the will of her heart.

"Emily, don’t test me. I have not much patience. " Elijah warned in a low voice, "If you don’t want that woman named Laura from earlier to die."

His threat shook Emily’s otherwise determined heart; She could not let innocent people die because of her.

"Yes. " Emily said the word with difficulty.

"Very well. " Elijah smiled in satisfaction, "Your answer satisfies me." he said, kissing Emily’s hand.

He’s the devil. Emily thought to herself.

.......

West, Capitol City

Dolly got off the bus. She stood by the side of the road, looking at the strange place. " This is the capital of the West." One of her companions whispered to her.

Tracy was one of the leaders of the Southern Spy Group responsible for picking her up. Tracy had brought her to the capital after they met a few days earlier in a small town on the western border.

" I’m taking you to the hotel now." Tracy said.

Soon they were in a cab on their way to an isolated hotel. Tracy entered and whispered a few cryptic words to the hotel’s owner, who then handed Tracy a key from his tall, thin hands.

When Tracey opened the door to her room, several of her Southern chums were already waiting for them.

" This is Dolly. She’s one of our own. " Tracy introduced it to the other partners.

After greeting each other, Dolly and the fellows immediately got down to business.

"Now, our mission is to find out where Emily is and bring her back south. " Tracy said, "Emily was taken by the Western Wolf King’s people. It is highly likely that she is in the hands of the Wolf King of the West."

Dolly distributed printed pictures of Emily to the other partners. They looked down at the picture of Emily, whom they all said they had never seen before.

"I want to infiltrate the Western Palace to investigate Emily’s whereabouts. " Dolly stated her plan.

"It’s too dangerous to venture into the palace, besides, the palace is heavily guarded, so it’s hard for ordinary people to blend in. " A man wearing glasses frowned slightly, "I have an informant who is a worker in the kitchen of the Western Palace. Maybe we can get him to help us investigate if Emily is in the palace."

"It’s decided." Tracy said, " If Emily is indeed in the palace, we’ll proceed with the rescue plan immediately."

The crowd nodded in agreement.