New life

CHAPTER 4

As soon as Rose read the final line of the letter, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway. 

Suddenly... One of the guards spotted them. "The princess!” he yelled, his voice sharp and loud.

Rose’s heart skipped a beat as the guard's shout caught the attention of the others. 

They quickly began swarming the area, their footsteps growing louder by the second.

“Shit,” Rose cursed under her breath. She looked at Trusk with frustration. 

"They're onto us!" 

Trusk’s eyes narrowed as he assessed the situation. 

“There’s no time to argue. Run, Rose! I’ll hold them back.”

She hesitated, fear gripping her as she considered leaving Trusk behind. “But what about you? I can’t just leave you here!”

Trusk shook his head, a stern expression on his face.

“It was my honor to serve your father, and it’s my honor to serve you now. Go, My Princess. While Alpha Reed is away, this is your chance.”

Tears welled up in Rose’s eyes, but she knew he was right. With a nod, she let out a shaky breath and transformed into her wolf form—a giant gray wolf with striking violet eyes. 

She sprinted forward towards the mountainside, her powerful legs propelling her forward with speed and determination.

Trusk watched her disappear into the distance, then turned to face the advancing guards, ready to protect her escape at any cost.

"Former brothers, It pains me to see how low our esteemed pack has fallen. But, I can no longer support the reign of a man like Reed." 

He transforms into a gigantic wolf with black fur and dark orange eyes, letting out a loud roar. 

"Grr..." I will take as many of you out as I can. 

---

Rose lost track of how long and how far she had run. 

The landscape blurred into a continuous stretch of trees and bushes. 

When she finally came to a halt, she was certain her home was miles away. 

"Huff, huff." Tired, she transformed back into her human form. She was completely naked, and her clothes were torn apart when she transformed. 

Suddenly, her stomach growled. She held it and muttered, “Hungry…”  

As if on cue, a deer emerged from the bushes. 

Rose’s eyes widened, and she began to salivate. 

Without wasting a single second, she charged at the deer, her fangs bared. 

Rose sank her teeth into the animal, draining away its life. 

She changed back into her wolf form and devoured the remaining flesh of the deer. 

With a belch of satisfaction, her hunger was sated.. Rose then laid down on the ground; she fell asleep almost immediately. 

Rose woke up in her human form to find a figure standing over her. Startled, she jumped up, claws and fangs bared. She quickly covered her chest, still naked. 

“Who are you?” she demanded.

“Really?” the man said, raising an eyebrow. “I watched you sleep naked for hours. No point covering up your attractive features now, lady.”

Rose growled, and the man waved his hands defensively. “I mean no harm,” he said. “If I wanted to do anything to you, I would have done it while you were asleep.”

He then removed his coat and draped it over her. “My name is Grim Nosferatu,” he introduced himself. 

“Rose,” she said, eyeing him warily.

Grim. Tall and muscular, looked down at her. His brown hair and brown eyes were striking against his perfect, semi-pale skin that seemed to glow faintly. He wore a dark blue shirt under a long coat. 

“What’s a fine lady like you doing all the way out here?” he asked.

“It’s none of your business,” Rose snapped, clutching the coat tightly around her bare shoulders.

Grim rubbed his chin thoughtfully and said, “Actually, it is.”

Rose raised an eyebrow, confused. “And why’s that?”

“This forest is part of my domain,” Grim explained with a slight smirk. “After all, I am the lord of Nostville.”

Rose’s eyes widened in shock. “You are!?” She reached out and grabbed Grim’s shirt, her disbelief evident.

Grim chuckled and said, “Now, now. I know I’ve got the looks, but I’m speaking for my lady.”

Rose rolled her eyes and facepalmed. “I’m looking for someone,” she said, trying to regain her composure.

Grim raised an eyebrow. “Who exactly are you looking for?”

Rose replied plainly, “My

mother—Vanessa Castlevania.”

Grim’s eyes widened in surprise before he burst into laughter. Rose frowned, clearly annoyed. “What’s so funny?” she demanded.

Grim composed himself, still chuckling. “Vanessa was my predecessor.”

Rose’s eyes lit up with hope. “Can you take me to her?”

Grim held up a hand. “Hold it now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves…” His brown eyes shifted to a dark red. “First, tell me what a werewolf is doing in Vampire territory.”

Rose folded her arms and replied, “And why should I?”

Grim’s eyes widened further. 

'Only Alphas and Vampires of the main houses are immune to my Compel stare.' He thought to himself. 

He looked at Rose with newfound interest. “You’re quite the interesting one,” he said. Rose tilted her head in confusion.

Grim smiled. “I will be glad to take you to Vanessa.”

Rose’s face lit up with hope, but then she eyed Grim with suspicion. “Why did you suddenly change your mind?”

Grim shrugged. “I don’t know either. Hopefully, I’ll find out soon enough.”

He gestured for her to follow him. Rose walked behind Grim as he led her to his home. 

The Lord’s castle loomed large and grand. Though it wasn’t as massive as her pack’s castle, Rose was still impressed by its sheer size and the intricate details of its architecture.

At the gate, several maids stood in a line to greet Grim. 

“Welcome back, sir,” they said in unison. Grim smiled at them and instructed, “Please take care of my new guest. Serve her some food and get her some clothes.”

After a short while, Rose emerged dressed in a long red gown. She found Grim in the dining area, where a variety of cuisines were laid out. Grim had a dark red liquid in his cup. 

Rose thought to herself, That smells like blood.

As if reading her mind, Grim said, “A virgin’s blood is quite delicate. I enjoy it.”

Rose rolled her eyes but did not comment. Grim urged her to eat, and she did. After a while, Rose thanked Grim for his hospitality. “You’re welcome,” Grim replied. 

Rose, not wanting to delay any further, asked, “When do I get to see Vanessa?”

Grim responded, “Tomorrow.”

Before Rose could protest, Grim continued, “Vanessa is away at the moment, but she’ll be back tomorrow. You’re welcome to stay in the castle until then.”

Rose was led to a guest room. It was spacious and elegantly decorated. She takes a whiff of her armpit and makes a look as if she is going to barf. 

"I need a shower," She begins to undress, ending up in her bra and panties. Suddenly, her nose twitched as she detected a scent from just outside her room.

“It’s poor manners to peek when someone’s changing,” she muttered.

The door creaked open, and a man with a slight resemblance to Grim walked in. 

Unlike Grim, his expression was dark, and his eyes looked dead and tired. His voice was slow and devoid of emotion.

“Who are you?” the man asked, his voice low and devoid of emotion.

Rose’s anger surged. “That’s what you say after I caught you peeping?” She glared at him, her fists clenching. “I should just rip off your head.”

The man’s smirk widened. “You can certainly try, but you will fail terribly.”

Rose felt an unsettling aura emanating from the man. It was unlike anything she had ever sensed. 

There was an unexplainable malice in his presence. He possessed a certain type of darkness so intense that even Reed’s bloodlust seemed mild in comparison. 

'Who is this guy?' she wondered, unease creeping over her.

The man moved slowly, his steps deliberate and measured. Rose instinctively stepped back until her back hit the wall. 

The man came to a halt directly in front of her, his hand placed firmly on the wall beside her head, effectively trapping her.

“You have two different scents,” he said, his voice cold and analytical. “Why? What are you?”

Rose found herself frozen in place, unable to move. Her heart raced, and she wondered, 'Is this fear?' Her legs shook uncontrollably, and her knees gave way. 

However, she still maintained a bold facade. 

She looked up at Grim with determined eyes and said, “I’ll tell you what I told the Lord—‘None of your business.’”

Grim grumbled as he leaned closer to Rose. 

She held her breath, feeling a strange, powerful force she couldn’t resist. 

Her body felt rigid, as though a hidden pressure was holding her in place. Suddenly, Grim pulled away with a chuckle, a satisfied smile on his face.

He turned to leave, his voice dripping with a sinister tone. 

"Welcome to Nosville. We’re going to have so much fun.” 

With that, he slammed the door behind him, the sound echoing loudly and making Rose jump.

Her breathing grew rapid and heavy, and sweat began to bead on her forehead.

 

She placed a trembling hand on her chest, trying to calm herself. She took deep breaths struggling to steady her racing heart.

“What just happened?” she whispered to herself, her voice shaking with confusion and fear.