Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Savanah

When I was young, I thought having a new mom was like having another pair of arms to hold me the way my late mother used to do everytime thunder was roaring in the middle of the night. But when Emily came into my life, things didn't end the way I expected.

Instead of offering me arms that would hug me when I was scared, Emily gave me tiny hands to hold. That night when I was scared for myself, Markus was crying in his room, begging fo his mother to come pick him up and protect him.

We were alone and I barely knew how to babysit a child, but as I listened to my brother's cry, I did what I had to do. I conquered my own fears and went out of my closet where I hid because I was too scared of the lightning strikes. With my knees trembling, I walked towards Markus' nursery with my blanket wrapped around my tiny body.

As soon as I reached my brother, I removed my blanket and put it around him before I picked him up. Our kitchen was leaking because the window was hit by the fallen branch of a nearby tree but I knew I had to overcome more of my fears just so my brother could have a bottle of milk.

No matter how terrified I was, I rushed to the kitchen after settling my brother in the living room. I hummed mother's lullaby as tears gushed down my face while my trembling hands were busy mixing warm water and formula. Lightning struck once more, but instead of running back to my closet, I shut my eyes and told myself one thing that up until now, I was still telling myself.

My brother needs me, and if I had to face all of my fears just to keep him safe and sould, I would do it no matter how terrified I was...

Another sob escaped my lips as I thought of Markus. It had been three days and the rain had not stopped yet. My captor kept me inside the castle's dungeon like I was more dangerous than themselves.

I wasn't crying because of my situation. I was worried that Markus wasn't eating nor sleeping much. He's still young and barely knew what to do without my guidance, but I'd rather be locked up here than see him caged like an animal.

My sweet little brother, he didn't deserve how he was treated by my captors.

I lifted my head as soon as I heard someone's footsteps. When Grant stopped in front of my cell, the apologetic look in his pools made my heart throb in a painful manner. I knew he was nice. I could feel it. He just had no choice but to follow their Alpha, and to be honest, everything I just found out about the Inner District was still terrifying me.

But not him. There was something about Grant that made me want to trust him despite the fact that he was Layco's second in command.

Layco... Like his name, he was... unusual.

He was a storm that would break everyone who would try to defy him. His power radiated so much that even his own kind were scared of him. When I met Chleo yesterday after she personally brought me clothes, I realized that not all of them were like him.

I wondered... what made him such way when it's clear that being a lycan was not the very reason of his attitude problem? Grant was nice, totally far from that Layco guy who asked his men to drag me. If it wasn't for Grant, I was sure my legs would be filled with bruises and cuts.

Grant's adam's apple bobbed up and down. He unlocked my cell and he went in to give me another tray of food. When he saw the other one he brought this morning was not emptied nor at least touched, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

"You gotta eat, Savanah unless you wanna die early."

I bowed my head and hugged my knees. "I'm not hungry."

He scratched his neck and then put the tray next to the other. "Chleo is trying to convince her brother to let you go but... Alpha Lay isn't really a good listener."

I breathed in some air before I met his eyes. The concern sketched on his face made me feel that I had at least one person whom I could trust in this place. "It's alright. I'd rather be in here than see Markus in a cage again."

Grant stared at me, but the longer his eyes were fixed on my face, I realized his thoughts were already getting deeper. I wondered what he was thinking? 

"Are you alright?" I couldn't help but ask.

He drew a sharp breath and then flashed a faint smile. "Yeah. I uh... just remembered someone. You're kind'a look like each other."

"Really?"

A simple nod was his answer before he sat next to me. He kept a foot distance and then straightened up his back. When he glanced at me again, I saw longing hiding behind his thick lashes. "She's... a good friend."

"Is?"

Grant shook his head. "W--Was."

"I'm sorry."

His smile became more painful. "It's okay. Some people leave this world for reasons. I knew all along that she wasn't meant to stay. Anyway..." He ran his fingers onto his hair. "One of the maids had to leave the day after tomorrow. Chleo and I were thinking of asking Alpha Lay to give you tasks instead."

My brows almost met. "Maids or slaves? Leaving or... dying?" I joked that made him chuckle softly.

"Uh, maids, really. She's leaving to take care of her husband who recently got into an accident. She's been working for the Magnisons for more than twenty years. Mrs. Potts was Lay's nanny."

"Mrs. Potts?" I giggled. "Please tell me you're not that candle guy from Beauty and The Beast?"

"Oh, no no. That's ridiculous. Mrs. Potts' last name's relation to that film was probably just, you know. A coincidence."

"Hmm. You've seen it?" I asked.

His cheeks blushed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Y--Yeah. Sort of."

"I didn't expect that."

His brow cocked, so as the corner of his lips. "That I watched a girly movie?"

"That people like you do."

A soft crackle left Grant's lips. "We're uhm, pretty normal here, too. We go to school, make friends, watch movies, go on dates, do stupid stuff. The only thing that isn't normal is us, the lycans."

I gulped. "I still don't understand how the Inner District managed to keep the truth from the government."

"Oh, they do know. We often have meetings with the human council."

My forehead creased. "You do?"

He nodded. "Yeah. In fact, they supply us with workers. Humans like Mrs. Potts sign a very confidential document stating that they must keep their mouths shut. In return, we help them during wars and the likes."

"But... you're still dangerous."

Grant flashed a faint smile. "Yeah. Yeah, we are. And that's the reason why we can't be exposed to the public's eye. There will always be people who would try to start wars against our kind and we don't want that." He stood up. "Just hang in here a little more. I can't promise that you'll return to your hometown but I'll do everything I could to at least get you out of this cell."

I watched him walk towards the cell door, but Before Grant could even leave, I stood up and called his name. "Grant, wait."

He stopped and looked over his shoulder, waiting for what I was going to say. I swallowed and then got on my feet. "Why are you helping me?"

His eyes soften. "Because just like my mate, you just don't have a choice..."

"Your mate?" 

Pain flickered in his eyes as he smiled in a broken way. "She was magnificent..."

I felt a tug in my heart as I watched his expression turned sad. I'd seen that look before when my Dad lost mother and when he found out that Emily ranaway with a wealthy old man. 

Taking in enough air, I lifted my hand and to give Grant's shoulder a tap, but the moment my hand touched his body, I felt a sudden strike of unbearable pain in my chest. My knees gone weak and I fell on the floor where Grant immediately scooped me.

"Savanah!" he called, terrified for me.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let Grant carry me towards the bed. My back laid on the mattress right before a loud, terrifying howl echoed in the castle. My eyes opened widely in shock. When I looked at Grant, I noticed how his face turned completely pale before his eyes slowly became gold.

He swallowed hard. "Forgive me, Alpha. I didn't know..." he uttered under his breath.

My forehead creased. Didn't know what?