"You are not allowed to leave me."
Not a word left Lauren's lips while staring at Alec after what he said. She did not know what she should say. Before she could think about it, he had walked past her and she stayed where she was standing until he left the hallway.
He didn't want her to leave… but she had to. No matter what would happen, it was non-negotiable.
Ever since her mother died, all her life she felt like she didn't fit in the castle. She was ridiculed for being a lowly concubine's daughter, for being the black sheep in the royal family. She felt unwanted. The people in the castle, even her father, wanted her out of the castle. She always knew that her presence didn't matter, and she became used to it as time passed.
For the first time, someone in the place where she grew up told her to stay. For the first time, she felt needed… she felt valued. She felt like finally she earned her place in the royal castle.
