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Carla.

She congratulated me by saying, "Now you have reached perfection. Let’s go. I will exit the room and formally greet the king and his men once we have arrived outside. You will then proceed to the backstage area, where the spotlights will be directed toward you, and you will begin singing your heart out. Okay?” I acknowledged her with a nod and a "Yes, sure," eager to comply with her instructions. I followed her guidance right up until the point where I reached the backstage area; unlike what she had led me to believe about there being a small, intimate gathering there, it was actually quite large and bustling. It was perfect in every conceivable way, enormous in size, which caused my heart to beat extremely quickly in my chest. On the other hand, I couldn't stop myself from rocking the floor with my heels, which echoed in the spacious room.

According to what she said, up until the point where I stepped onto the stage, every single spotlight was pointed directly in my direction. I couldn't bring myself to look at anyone when we first started because I was afraid of what might happen. After all, I wasn't a professional singer, and I never used to sing in front of complete strangers or very many people; however, I did have an incredible voice, and I used to perform only for children. The thought of singing for a large audience filled me with apprehension, but I knew I had to push through.

Before going on stage and singing the song, "You can do this, Carla," I let out a long, deep sigh to keep my composure and gave myself one final boost of confidence. "It's your life ahead of you out there, waiting to be lived." After that, I made my way up to the stage and began by performing a cheerful song about having a birthday for the audience's children. After that, I went straight into performing a heartfelt love song, pouring my emotions into every note.

And by that point, everyone started clapping for me, which gave me much-needed confidence to dance a bit by swaying my hips right and left, and then I finally got the courage to look around at the audience. And by that, everyone started clapping for me again. There were a lot of warriors and ministers present, and they all seemed to be around the same age, but it wouldn't be a problem for me if one of them chose me to be his mate. My heart raced at the thought of being chosen.

Up until the point where my eyes met the king himself, with his menacing air and the crown perched upon his head like a symbol of power. When the king's piercing eyes met mine, I felt a chill run down my spine because it appeared that he was paying attention to every single word that came out of my mouth as well as every sway that my hips made. His gaze was intense and captivating, sending shivers through my body.

The king then cried out in a shrill voice, "Enough!" as if nothing had happened up until that point, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically. When the music stopped playing, my first thought was that he was either getting tired of the party or, even worse, that he didn't like the way I was singing, which resulted in my eyes getting watery and my tear ducts releasing their contents, betraying my fear and vulnerability.

Until the king pointed with his fingers in my direction and commanded me, "You! Come right here at this moment." I was completely at a loss as to what action I ought to take. I was absolutely petrified, but I inched my way forward slowly until I reached the king. After that, I showed proper deference to King Thunder by bowing my head to him, feeling both honored and terrified.

The king indicated to me to tilt my head with his finger, and then he ordered me in a clear voice, "Let me look at your face." I took a few anxious breaths, and then realized that I had completely lost my voice, just as if the cat had swallowed my tongue. I didn't do anything more than blink my eyes like an idiot, feeling utterly exposed. Because of the way the king looked at me, I had the distinct impression that he was either going to smack me in the face or give me a passionate kiss, neither of which I could fathom.

I was taken aback when the king suddenly requested that I turn my body. Slowly. I tried not to blink, but I did, and when I turned around to face him again, I noticed that his eyes were focused on my backside! He was looking at my body in a very intimate way! That 60-year-old Alpha king was really inspecting my body as if it were that of a ravenous wolf that was getting ready to attack me, and I felt a mix of fear and thrill.

I attempted to take a step backward, but his strong hands pulled me to his chest, and I didn't dare move an inch until he moved his hands to my butt and released his grip on me. My heart raced, and my mind swirled with confusion. I fumbled through my words and said to the king in a bewildered tone, "My king! Please." It felt surreal to even address him directly.

When the manager finally walked in my direction, she bowed her head to the king and said to him, "She is yours, my king. Currently, she is 18 years old. You are free to make use of her in any way you see fit. Maybe make her your slave." My heart sank as I let out a gasp, shoving the king's hands away, and yelled at her, "What the hell are you saying? That's why you dressed me up like a princess for that?! I was under the impression that you were going to help me!" My voice trembled with anger and disbelief.

But she laughed it off and said in response to me, "I am helping you! You could significantly improve your lot in life by serving the king as his slave. Better food, a better bed, and the best clothes you had never even imagined will be waiting for you." Her words were infuriating, and I had the overwhelming urge to slap her across the face.

But after that, she paid no attention to me and instead turned her attention to the king, at which point she questioned him as follows: "So, my king, I see that you liked her. A promotion to a higher level would be greatly appreciated at this time." The king appeared to acknowledge her with a nod, but he did not take his gaze off of me as he said, "Sure. I assure you that I will fulfill all of your requests," and the tension in the air thickened.

The moment that realization hit me, I found the courage to yell angrily and protest, "I will never, ever be a slave!" It appears that what I said from the very tip of my nose contributed to the king's increased favor towards me, surprising me with its impact. The king spoke to me and said, "I am not going to make you my slave, but..." After a brief pause, he leaned in close to my ear and announced, "But, I decided to make you my Luna Queen." My heart raced at the unexpected declaration.

What the living hell is going on! The confusion and excitement swirled within me, leaving me breathless at the sudden twist of fate.