CHAPTER ONE - LIBERTY

   "Please wait! Wait - Don't throw me into the cellar. Can you please help me?" 

    "Help you with what?" One of the guards said, staring at me with disgust. "You do not have the right to ask questions, throw her into the cellar." The man ordered again and someone grabbed my arm from behind, pulling me towards the stuffy cellar right ahead.  

   "Please, help... I... I kinda... I don't know... Just let go of me."

   "Just keep quiet and follow me." The man said and kept on pulling me. I looked back to see if anyone could help me stop him but they all had the same disgust look in their eyes.

     "Hold on!" Echoed a deep, bold voice. It was a voice everyone could recognize. I looked back and saw Beta Kristen walking towards us. 

     "Why did you ask him stop?" A lady step forward. She also looked like someone in the military but definitely low ranked. "She doesn't deserve mercy. If she is opportuned, she could do worse. In fact, if the king sees that she's still out here, we will all face the consequences."

   "Calm down. I got this covered. What do you have to say girl? You don't have enough time." He told me.

    I nodded my head and took a deep breath.

    “Sir, I am an Alpha’s daughter and I have no idea what is happening. The way I have been treated is not right and… Why are these people acting so mean?"

    “Is that all you have to say? Alright. Come along!” The guard that was dragging me grabbed my arm again. “You need to learn when to shut your trap and also the kind of words you say." 

    "Doing things without my permission isn't right. Let go of her wrist." Beta Kristen said again and he stopped.

    "If you keep stopping us like this, you will end up regretting it?" The guard told him.

    "I am only deliberating. Yes, she deserves to be punished severely. She is a slave here and she needs to work, but before that we should take her to meet the doctor in the pack house so he could check her health." He said calmly but I wasn't the only one shocked by his statement. I didn’t understand why he cared about my health.

   Stereotypically, I was their enemy, their captive and their slave. I didn’t deserve any mercy or compassion from them. I was only wearing away time because I wanted to see that person I saw again. I didn't know why but the aura was so magnetic.

    People disagreed almost immediately, asking why they would take me to the hospital but the beta made some signs that I couldn't understand. It was probably like a secret signal between the pack members and they all went quiet immediately.

    "Judging from the way you all look, none of you came from the alpha's lineage, that's why you don't know how to treat one politely." I knew I was crossing the line, but this time, I didn't care.

    "How dare you insult us like that?" One of the she-wolves tried to attack me. She lunged at me with her claws and teeth, but the beta stopped her in time. He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and threw her aside.

    “Enough!” he shouted. “She is not worth it. She is just blabbering, and as a matter of fact, she is a weak and pathetic creature. She can’t harm us. Can't you see that she has grey hair?" He looked at me with contempt and disgust and he knew that what he just said really hurt.

     He dragged me to the pack house, where the doctor was waiting for me. He was an old man, with gray hair and glasses. He wore a green coat and had this thick thread around his neck. He looked at me with curiosity and pity.

    “Hello, my dear,” he said softly. “I’m Dr. Jones. I’m here to examine you and make sure you are healthy.” For some reasons, I felt this wasn't the beta's decision. It was as though the doctor was already expecting me.

     He gestured for me to sit on a bed, while the beta stood guard at the door. He took out some instruments and started to check my vital signs, my blood pressure, my temperature, my pulse.

     He asked me some questions about my medical history, my allergies, my medications, my injuries. I answered him reluctantly, not wanting to cooperate with him. But he was gentle and kind, and he didn’t hurt me or thought of me as a traitor's daughter.

    He ran some tests on me, taking some blood samples, some urine samples. 

    "What do you need all of these samples for? I am starting to thinking that you're demanding too much." I told him, looking at him suspiciously. 

   "Oh no, my dear. I just wanted to see if you had any diseases or infections or abnormalities that could affect your health or fertility. That's just it." He said.

   Wait, what? Fertility? Why did he care about that? What was their plan and where is this heading? I asked myself but I got no answer. 

    I spent some hours in the pack’s hospital while the healer ran some tests on me. It felt like an eternity of torture and humiliation. I wished they would just kill me and end my misery.

       But they didn’t.

    After the test, the healer called in the beta and explained to him that I was healthy but I must not be stressed out with work and I was elated to hear that. They wouldn't see me as a working machine, but I became suspicious when he furthered. He said I needed rest, nutrition, hydration and care.

   What kind of care did they have in mind? Did they want to pamper me or punish me?

    "We have to go now." Kristen told me and he took me away from there.

    "Please tell me, where are you taking me?" 

    "Where you belong of course. You will stay in the dungeons until we decide on what to make of you." He said harshly as he walked me back to the yard. 

    "Do you really think that I could murder someone because my father attempted it?" I asked after mulling over a possible reason why they were treating me like this. He released my wrist and looked into my eyes.

     "How does what I think matter?" He said with a shrug.

    "Maybe it doesn't. But I really don't deserve to be treated like this." I told him but he didn't say anything in return.

    When we arrived at the dungeon, a place not as bad as I thought it would be, he put me inside of one of the cells and locked up the gate.

     As the heavy iron doors of the prison cell slammed shut behind me, my heart sank. I felt a sense of hopelessness wash over me as the reality of our situation settled in. I stood there unable to comprehend the events unfolding around me.

    The cell was dimly lit the only source of light coming from a small barred window high above. The dank smell of stone and dampness permeated the air making it difficult to breathe but I actually thought it would be worse. 

    Suddenly the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the corridor outside. I turned towards the cell door my hearts pounding in anticipation. It was

the lady that attempted to attack me the other time, with a malicious grin on his face. "Enjoy your stay here babe." She sneered before slamming the door shut and disappearing into the darkness.

   I was left all alone in the desolate prison contemplating the uncertain future that lay ahead. Panic threatened to overwhelm me but I couldn't allow fear to consume me completely. Gathering my courage I approached the small window peering outside desperate for any sign of a possible escape route.

   The palace grounds stretched out before me guarded by uniformed sentries who patrolled the perimeter. The grandeur and opulence of the palace were stark, juxtapositions to the misery and confinement of my current predicament. I couldn't help but wonder how I was going to survive in here. I was very hungry but there was no way to call anyone from where I was. I fall down to my butt and leant against the wall, trying to clear my mind.

    Time passed really quickly and I didn't know how many hours I used there but there came a moment when a familiar figure reemerged—an individual resembling the blond man encountered earlier. He peered at me through the narrow passage of the door's window his gaze marked by a keenness that seemed to assess and scrutinize my presence. 

   “Hey you! Are you awake? Get up! Get up!” He ordered and I did as he told me. What did they want now? I looked at him to see if his expression would say anything but I couldn't figure a thing out.

    “You’ll come with me now.” He said and the sound of the key turning on the locking made me gulp. Have they finally made their decision? Could it be that they are taking me to a place worse than this one?

    "Come on, out." He urged me and I managed to push it out. 

    I walked behind him, through the corridors and I frowned. I wondered where we were going and when it seemed like we were not going to stop walking, I stopped on my track.

   "Can you tell me where we are going? I can't keep walking."

   "Just a little more work."

   I pondered over the extravagant surroundings intrigued by the unexpected turn of events. Instead of being led to the harsh conditions of the mines I found myself walking through opulent halls adorned with intricate tapestries and sparkling chandeliers. The air was filled with an essence of grandeur and authority.

     As we made our way deeper into the fortress my curiosity grew stronger. I couldn't help but wonder what purpose The Hand had in mind for me. Perhaps he intended to use me as a servant in the royal court or maybe I was meant for a different yet unknown fate.

     The corridors branched off in different directions leading to various chambers and rooms. Eventually we arrived at a set of ornate double golden doors guarded by burly guards.

   “This is your home from now one.” He said, motioning for a white-golden door. 

    “A… A bedchamber? For me?” I asked when he opened the door and then, he frowned. 

    “Just get in and stop questioning everything!” 

  For some reasons, I didn't believe I wasn't dreaming. I stepped inside the chamber where I saw the unexpected. 

     "Melina!” I heard my Cleo shout my name.