The Legacy Was A Lie.

Silver:

The two men kept discussing and soon, I found myself lolling to sleep. I wondered how that was possible, as my hands were tied uncomfortably and my body still ached from being whipped.

The fact that they still left me kneeling and wouldn't let me sit up or even lie down was very annoying. I grunted each time I woke up, ignoring the constant irritated looks the alpha gave me each time I made that sound.

It was freezing, I wanted nothing more than to go home and lie down for three days straight. Now I knew werewolves were real, I wouldn't need to be hypnotized any further to believe.

“Will you stop making that stupid noise?” the alpha barked at me, unable to take my grunting any longer.

I rolled my eyes and grunted even more loudly. I had never been this uncomfortable in my entire life.

“I'm in so much pain, and it's freezing in here. I’m practically naked and my skin tingles with each wave of air. I'm sorry the only way I know how to express my discomfort is by grunting, since no one in here fucking cares about me. If you plan to kill me, just get it over with already!” I snarled in return. My throat hurt from speaking up so loudly and my voice had begun to crack, but it felt good to express my anger somehow.

“How dare you speak to your alpha king that way,” Gwyddion retorted, diminishing all respect and admiration I had for him in the past.

“He is no king of mine!” I screamed with all the anger in me and fell to the floor. It had been hours since my last meal, and after all the activities of the day, I was tired and famished.

I expected the alpha himself to beat me up or be pushed to anger and send me to be killed immediately, but he didn't. I hated this. Being under the control of these pompous men. Having them decide my fate.

“Release her,” the king said in a low voice, which was very uncharacteristic of him.

I remained silent as Gwyddion untied me, his old wrinkled fingers fiddled with the rope which finally came undone after almost five minutes of him undoing them. I stretched my hands happily, free at last.

“You may be sit,” the alpha said, pointing toward one of the very comfortable-looking seats the councilmen had just left. I sat down very carefully, looking suspiciously at him. Why was he being nice all of a sudden? Something told me this was all a trap.

The door came open and I looked up to see the guard come in. I knew it!

With nowhere left to run, I shielded myself with my hands and pushed myself further into the seat, even though I knew I wasn’t protecting anything. The familiar sting from the whip didn’t come. I cautiously looked up, slightly covering the sides of my face with my shaky just in case he planned to whip me if I looked.

The guard was looking down at me with a confused expression, stretching a blanket toward me. I furrowed my brows, several questions popping up in my head. How had he known I needed a blanket? I turned to the Alpha and shot him the same look.

“Are you cold or not?” he asked like he was wondering why I was reluctant to accept his help, but from the amused look in his eye, I knew he knew exactly what he was doing.

‘Thanks,” I said and hastily wrapped the thick blanket around my body, reveling in its welcoming warmth. The guard bowed and left.

“Now, may I have some peace?” he asked and I nodded. What he had provided me was the barest minimum, but considering the circumstances, I was so grateful to him.

His eyes lingered on me for a second longer than necessary, and though I was all about holding all the men’s gazes to show them I wasn’t easily intimidated, but there was something about that fire in his eyes that made me feel very self-conscious. I had heard werewolves did something with the mind but I wasn’t sure what. They could communicate through a mind link and I realized that was how Alpha Damon had asked the guard to bring me a blanket, but I wasn’t so sure if that was all. Could they also read minds? I hoped not. I averted my eyes.

“It’s getting late, Gwyddion,” he said, stretching his limbs. “As much as I’d love to stay and chat all night about this human girl’s random appearance in my kingdom, tomorrow is hunting day and I don’t want to be a sleepy leader tomorrow.”

Gwyddion nodded, agreeing with him. “You are right. I shall try to connect with the moon goddess again and see what she wants us to do with her. But it is up to you to decide what to do with her in the meantime, your highness, as long as it does not involve death.”

They were just talking about me like I wasn’t there. I wasn’t going to dwell on it though. I was happy they would soon discharge me and finally let me have a good night’s rest. Tomorrow I’d be a different person and have the strength to solve my problems, but for now, I needed a decent meal and some rest, if he was willing to provide it.

"She'll sleep in front of the courtyard," the Alpha said and my eyes popped open.

"But my lord, the wild wolves prowl at night. There's no telling what they could do to a defenseless girl..." Gwyddion said, with worry in his voice. I looked up hopefully at the Alpha, hoping he would listen to the druid.

He didn't.

"I've been generous enough and I have exhausted all the kindness I can give to a human. Since the Moon goddess is so insistent on her, she should preserve her. If not, then RIP in advance," he said and left with his staff in his hand.

The urge to get up and beg him to change his mind was strong but I held myself back. The last time I had begged him for something more desperate, my life, it had only infuriated him. Now, I was too proud and also too scared to ask him anything.

I followed the druid out to the front of the courtyard and wrapped myself in the blanket.

"I apologize, Silver," he said. "The Alpha has a terrible history with humans. It's nothing personal."

"I understand," I said. There was nothing else either of us could do anyway.

"If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"I'd like some food please."

"Okay. But I'll have to be very careful about it. If you're asked, don't say it was me."

I smiled weakly.

"Hey Gwyddion. Am I allowed to call you that?" he nodded. "Do humans ever wander in here?" I asked and he nodded again.

"What happens to them?"

"The same thing that would have happened to you," he said, turning away.

"Why do we hate each other so much?" I asked. I wasn't so sure what would happen if a werewolf was found in our clan, but I had a feeling it would be something similar. "What started the war?"

He sat down beside me and I forgot about my hunger, grateful for company on this cold lonely night.

"The war between humans and weres started so long ago, a particular cause cannot be blamed. Maybe it was because of the difference in species. Living things are always wary of things that aren't exactly like them."

"Then what stopped it? I never even knew you guys existed. I thought it was all made up and I can't believe how wrong I was."

He looked at me, and I was forced to stare into his greyish-white eyes that almost looked blind. Everything about him was mystical.

"It's not something we are proud of, but with all your gadgets and unique weapons, you humans won us most of the time. They finished pack after pack and even carried captives. It was so bad that we began to dwindle and to stay alive, we dissolved all packs and formed one mighty pack, this kingdom. The Alpha's father was the strongest of all alphas, so naturally he became the Alpha king. Twenty years ago, a very ambitious werewolf hunter from your clan decided to infiltrate alone. No one knows who tipped him off, but he probably knew how connected an Alpha is to his Luna. He entered our land and assaulted and killed our Luna in front of Damon, and the Alpha slowly descended into insanity. Damon was only eight at the time, so all our forces were disbanded and instead of trying to win the war, all the former Alphas of their packs began to tussle over who should take over. The king has fought for and maintained his position ever since he was eight. That is why he is so ruthless."

I nodded as I absorbed what he was saying. It was never taught this way back at my school.

"They always say my father sacrificed his life to end the war. My father..."

My eyes popped open as I put my palm on my lips to keep from saying more, but from the look on Gwyddion's face, he already knew.

"They are right. Your father was the one who killed Alpha Damon's mother. That was how he ended the war. If he knew who you truly are, he wouldn't have listened to me. He would have had your head on a stake."

I swallowed as I realized how much trouble I was in. My father had been no hero. He had only hunted and killed a woman and even assaulted her right in front of her eight-year-old child. None of this felt right. Why did I have to wander in here? If Damon ever found out, which he would, he would torture me beyond measure and even target my family. I wished I had remained back in my land and let myself be hypnotized rather than being here and hearing this news. I couldn't believe this petty legacy was what they expected me to carry on.

"Let me try and get that meal I promised," Gwyddion said, getting up and rubbing my head. "Remember, none of this is your fault and I only know this because the moon goddess revealed it to me. No one else knows so you have nothing to worry about."

He left and returned with a plate of food I gobbled down immediately. I couldn't speak, couldn't even thank him for the food because of how I felt. I gave him back the plate after I was done and he collected it.

"What will happen to me tomorrow?" I asked, finding my voice when I remembered what was at stake here.

"I do not actually know. The wolves go hunting tomorrow. I don't know what the alpha will do with you."

"I thought you knew everything. Won't your moon goddess reveal it to you?" I asked desperately.

He smiled weakly.

"I don't know everything. She only reveals whatever she wishes to reveal to me. This one is not one of them."

"Thanks for the food," I muttered, realizing I was all on my own.

"Always remember, there is a reason why you are here. I may not know it yet but I will fight till the end to keep you alive until I figure it out."

"Am I really the Alpha's mate?" I asked, wondering if he had only said that to save my life.

"Yes, you are. He also felt it himself and that was why he listened to me."

"I thought werewolves can only be mated with other werewolves."

"You're right. This has never happened before. Werewolves only mate with werewolves or hybrids. I suppose your case is special," he said, deep in thought. "I must leave you now as it will only make things unsafe for both of us. I will try to protect you as much as I can, but the moon goddess is on your side and she will offer you more protection than I ever can. Be careful."

With that, he left, leaving me all alone to face the night.

I didn't think I would even be able to sleep out here, not with the hidden threats lurking everywhere, but about an hour after thinking about the dire situation I was in, I began to nod off to sleep. I had terrible dreams of being chased down by rabid werewolves and I woke up in a cold sweat. Someone tapped me and I screamed and tried to run, but they grabbed me before I could escape.

I hoped whoever it was would go easy on me because I knew no one would come to my rescue.

"Relax," a sweet female voice spoke to me. "The Alpha King sent me to you. Follow me."

I followed her into a room that was dark on all sides. I heard women chatting but I could not tell what else was going on.

"He asked me to give you this," she said, handing over a plate of sweet-smelling food to me.

As I gobbled it down, I wondered what prize I would have to pay this time for his kindness.