She KnowsWENDELINE It was another day in the Pack. Another day to be the blind woman I was known to be. With the stick that stayed in my hand or next to me all day long, I concentrated on chewing a chunk of meat—struggling with anger that was directed to the head of the maids. Why would she give me this type of meat? After a long while of struggle, I chewed the last part of the piece of meat. The maid who watched me while I ate, handed me a bowl filled halfway with water, and without any hesitation, I washed my hand. “That should be all, I believe.”The maid, I didn't know what she was doing, but I could feel her walk out of my chamber. “Hand over my stick to me before you leave—” I called her back, and she did as told before leaving—walking out of the chamber finally. A sigh escaped my mouth. What was to be done? What else? Unlike everyone in the Pack, I was to stay in this chamber all day and not leave. Of course, I wasn't chained back by the Alpha or the other authorities
KAIREL I was supposed to leave as soon as the next morning arrived. There was nothing I knew I could do—not when Aegon had proven to be nothing but the stubborn man that he is. Heading back from the garden where I had been all day—only in the name of taking some time to think and rethink my decisions, I stopped at the door of my chamber. “Did anyone come to come for me?” I threw my question at the guard who shook his head after a bow. “Good enough.” A part of me believed that Aegon would come to my chamber again. Maybe in the name of making peace. Maybe in the name of releasing the woman I love so much, but he didn't. And did he think he was doing these things to me? Did he think he would survive without me? Giving a nod, I walked into my chamber. There was a lot to do before the day ended. It was only in the afternoon, and I had yet to take my morning bath. Without any hesitation, I caught up with my closet and took out a towel—hence leading my way to the door of my
KAIREL Wh—what did I hear her say? Unknowingly, a chuckle ran out of my mouth. I had become fazed by the words that ran out of Wendeline's mouth but I also needed to be certain that she wasn't under the influence of strong alcohol. “Did I hear you correctly, Wendeline?” Even though she was blind, it seemed like she was staring at me but there was no way she could do that. The stick for support that rested in her hand stamped on the floor. “Do you even know who you're speaking with?” “Kairel?” She scoffed. “Is that not you?” She now asked. “I do not want to believe I have come into the wrong chamber.” Again, she sounded. And now, I was certain that she was certain of the chamber she was in. But what was she talking about? “Have you been drinking too much?” “No—” a loud scoff ran out of her mouth. The stick in her hand moved in the air. It looked like she was in search of me. “I'm sure of what I say, Kairel. I don't know but I've waited for you to see this on your own s
ANNORAIt was another morning. Another day to stay back in the chamber and show my face to the wolves. Waking up with a slight headache this morning, I looked forward to a moment with Sora who, every morning, made it to my chamber no matter what. I walked to the window corner and took a peep, staring down at the wolves of the Pack who went about with their usual morning duties. Where the hell was Sora? I looked around and spotted someone who looked exactly like her from behind. But then, when she made a move and I had access to the side of her face—it wasn't my maid. Just in time, someone knocked on the door. I let go of the window and faced the wooden door. “Sora. Is that you?” Settling on the bed, I relaxed my back on the strong wood and then watched the door push open. “Good morning, Annora—” Sora walked in. There was a tad bit of a smile on her face. The kind that expressed displeasure, shock and maybe disappointment. What was wrong with her? Maybe I was thinking too much.
ANNORA “I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean.” He got on his feet and paced the room. What did I do? What should I do? What was the right thing to say to him? There was an urge to pace my chamber also but I sat down and watched Kairel who looked like he had a lot to say. “What do you talk about, Kairel?” He stopped pacing and turned to face me. “Can't you see it?” He walked further and caught up with the bed where I took a seat. “Can't you see that I'm in love with you?” He asked and looked me directly in the eye. “I cannot let you go, Annora. I cannot let you go.” I was lost. Confusion greased my countenance. “You said you hated me.” “I was angry, Annora. I was angry and would you blame me? You're my mate and I love you very much. How can you expect me to not hate you at that very moment?” He started pacing the space again. “Do you expect me to not hate you at that very moment? Would you not say those same words to me if the tables happened to be turned?”
ANNORA Again, after a few days, Sora showed up in my chamber once again as usual, with a beautiful smile on her face. “Good morning, Annora—” she shut the door, startling me as she walked over to the couch. “I'm sorry if I disturb you but I thought I should make it early to your chamber before anything else. Would you like some food?” I thought about it. Would I like some food? “Yes, Sora. A cup of tea would do with meat. Can you do that after a bath, though?” She nodded and took a seat on the large couch, moping at me as though she had seen a ghost. “Of course—” she got up almost at the same time when a seat was taken. “I'll make a bath for you as soon as possible. Give me some time, Annora—” She promised and was out of my sight. My life, in a few days, had become so miserable. A lot went on with me, especially thoughts. Thoughts about how stupid I was. Thoughts about how I could not do anything other than sob about the situation I was in. What more or less coul
KAIREL It's been over one week since I made up my mind to stay back in the Pack, rather than running away like the coward I was not—and up till now, I had yet to come up with something to do in order to win Annora. Was it so hard? Did it have to be so hard? What was wrong with me? Anger running through my veins as blood, I paced the settings of my chamber as I tried to think about what to do. Maybe how to do it. But how was I supposed to think about how to do it when the thing to do was least known to me? A tired sigh ran out of my mouth and I looked at the wall, turning around before making up my mind to console myself. That was better than anything else at the moment. Heaving a sigh, I reached the window in moments. No one asked me what to do in this world that I had created for myself. There was nothing like an Alpha or a Beta in it, unlike what I went through about a month ago when I still pledged allegiance to Aegon—a man who didn't deserve it. I looked out
ANNORA Opening my door to meeting Beta Kairel with a tray of food in his hand shocked me more than anything else. “Good morning, my lord—” I mouthed with a bow, opening the door even wider so that he could walk in. “Wh—” My words began to fail me, but I was willing to try again. “Wh—what are you doing here?” “Good morning, Annora—” Kairel led his way to the bedside, dropping the tray on the table next to the bed. “I'm sorry if I disturbed your sleep, Annora,” he said with a bow and pointed at the meal. “But I thought I should bring breakfast to you. Do you mind?” “N—no, no, I don't mind, my lord. But I believe you know you don't have to—” I looked at the table where the meal was dropped, realizing the treat was one of my favorites. “You didn't have to, Beta Kairel. You know Sora? She brings my meals to me every morning.” An unpleasant look came on his countenance. Kairel shook his head. He then walked farther from me—leaving me with no other option but to be glad that
KAIREL What did he just say to me? A smile threatened to appear on my countenance but I held it back from showing. This was a game and I was supposed to play it well. But did Aegon mean what he just said? I looked at him and shook my head and looked on. “Did you say I should kill you, Aegon?” “Yes,” he gave me a nod. “Take out a weapon from your bag and kill me with it. What do you say?” Did he really ask me that? I would love to! But I wasn't going to show him. “I cannot kill you, Aegon—” I muttered. “I would do that a long time ago if I could.” I let out with a smile I didn't mean. How could I smile genuinely at him when we both knew what he'd done? On the other side of the field was a woman I loved so much and more than anything. Did she think another man could have her while I was alive? A smile came on my countenance at the thought of the plot I came up with at this moment. Then, I looked at a man who was supposed to be my best friend. “I cannot kill you. You s
KAIREL Here we were. A moment I have waited for all my life, although not in this way—there were other ways to arrive at this but what do I know? This was the conclusion we arrived at. “Aegon!” At the top of my voice, I shouted. “We meet again, don't we? How nice it is for me to meet with a man who took—” I looked at an end and there was Annora standing. “—my mate from me and got her pregnant even.” “You don't know what you're talking about, mm?” Aegon mouthed with a smile I did not like and would not like. “How about we sat down to talk about it? I miss you, Kairel. You released Annora to let me know about the war and this is one way to show your care for me.” A sigh ran out of my mouth. I thought about it, realizing a mistake I had made. Maybe I shouldn't have let Annora escape and let Aegon know about that fight. I looked behind me—the bodies of many men who had lost their lives to a war—including Alpha Fennic who I tried to warn about Aegon and his men. The old stu
AEGON I had become better, with Annora by my side all day. Night, even. The day—another day started. I woke up to see the woman I loved the most lying next to me on the bed with a smile on her face. What worried me more was that her eyes were shut. Why then was she laughing? I sat up and heaved a sigh, reaching for a part of my chest so that I could check and see if anything better had occurred with me. I felt better than yesterday. Although there were still pains in my chest but not as before when I had—I paused my thoughts and shook my head. The other day when I had—died. Sitting up, I got on my feet as well. As usual, I reached the closet so that I could get ready for the day and what it would come with. Many men from the Pack had gone to the war front to check and let us know when the war would begin. The thought of war alone made me scared—especially when there wasn't much strength in me and as a matter of fact, I was only recovering from what happened the las
KAIREL What to expect from this war was unknown to me. Even though this was the case, one part of me didn't care. That part of me was ready and willing to go on this war—just to see the end of a man who did this to me. So far, I have become a beast. But was I to blame for it? No, there was no way I could be blamed for turning into who I had become even though one part of me did not believe myself also. But what could I do? Waking up this morning, these and many other thoughts ran around in my head. Deep inside of me, I hoped that Annora had reached the pack and given out messages to Aegon who should ask his armies to do the needful by now. A smile came on my countenance at the thought of how Fennic made his men go out to look for Annora who was long safe and I was certain because I could feel it. The man didn't have the slightest idea who did this. I could not let him know, either. Another smile came on my countenance and I caught up with the bathroom door, walking in s
AEGON “Wh—what did you just say?” “Yes, Alpha Aegon. I saw Kairel at The Stormbringers Pack. That's where I am coming from. I got back there and there were so many people in the Pack. I didn't expect that. One part of me thought the members were dead long ago. They are all alive including the Alpha Fennic.” I watched her closely, listening, waiting for more. “And what happened next?” I could not wait to hear it all and then deal with her in my way. How could she poison me? And why did she tell it to my face that she did? “Speak up already, Annora. I don't have all day.” I cried, taking a spoonful of the meal and putting it in my mouth. “He was there. Apparently, I was locked up in a prison for more than two days when I refused Alpha Fennic my consent to go on a war with him.” More confusion ran around in my head. What was this woman talking about? “What war?” I looked around the chamber, at the men who moped at her while some had their mouths open. “What war are you ta
AEGON My eyes opened in a room I could barely recognize. Something went on inside of me but even at that, it was hard to lay my hands on it and tell what went on exactly. Where was I? Looking around the chamber, I met the gaze of men I could also barely recognize. “Aegon?” My eyes opened the more. That voice. The voice of a woman I surely could recognize. Even if I forgot the other things I should not forget, I was ever going to recognize the voice of Annora which sounded in my head. “Annora—?” “What has happened?” Someone mumbled. “Tell me. What has happened?” The person asked me who could not and would not provide an answer to the question. If not because of anything but because I didn't know the answer. How could I open my eyes in the space of a chamber I didn't recognize, with men I also could not recognize but the voice of a woman I could recognize? Someone barged into the chamber. “What is this that I hear?” The old Healer who I now recognized, walked towa
ANNORA I ran like never before, even though I knew I had become far away from Alpha Fennic and his wicked pack. Who knew? Maybe Kairel was not safe. But at the moment, I didn't care one dime about him. Not with the many things I had on my list, of which one of them was arriving back at the pack. What was I going to say to Aegon? What would I tell him as soon as I got there? Where would I tell him I have gone to? A sigh ran out of my mouth. Automatically, I stopped running. One, because of the many thoughts running around in my head and again, the fact that I needed to put something in my mouth before I could move again. There was no time to waste. Relaxing under a tree, I realized the danger I was. A pregnant woman in a wild place like this. Where did such courage come from? I could not worry less, maybe because of the many others that needed to be done. Taking the backpack from behind me where it hung all this while, I placed it on my lap—wondering at the same
ANNORA My second day in the prison came and went. It was my third day and I had yet to take a bath. How could that even be possible? I looked around the box of a room, wishing I had not come here in the first place. Maybe I should have stayed back and endured with Aegon. But how was I going to know that he was innocent at the end of the day? All of these looked like they had a purpose but I could not lay my hands on what exactly to do in order to be gone from this prison and the Pack in total. Maybe I found out the truth to die with it. There would be no way to make corrections and this was the sad part of it. Tears ran down my cheeks at the thought and realization of this—leaving me with cries. “Good morning, Lady Annora.” Snapping out of my thoughts, I met the gaze of the wicked man who watched over me since I was brought to this prison against my wish. “Get off my face.” I declared. “My lady—” he wasn't going to listen to me. “Your food will be here in a short while
AEGON It was late in the night when I opened my eyes. I should be bothered about Annora who hasn't been found since all these while, but I wasn't and that was the least of my concern as there was something wrong with me. Something I couldn't lay my hands on. What was this? I placed my hand on my chest to ascertain but I could not. Not when I didn't have the slightest idea what was wrong. Standing on my feet, I realized how weak my bones had become. So many thoughts ran around in my head and I wondered whether it was because of how much I missed Annora and maybe Wendeline who also hasn't been found. Managing to walk to the door, I walked out. Darius was on duty. He bowed with a smile. “My lord. Do you need me to do something for you?” Nodding, I walked back into the chamber with an expectation that he would follow me which he did. “Darius. I don't know what's wrong with me—” Unable to hide it any longer, I spoke up. “Pain in my body, especially my chest. Do you think I