5. A STRANGE PLACE

The Alpha had just woken up after being in a meeting with different officials all night when the Beta’s son rushed inside his chamber after he gave the order to let him in.

“What are you doing in the palace so early?” he asked, scratching his eyes while yawning loudly. The sleep he got was not enough and it was still taking a toll on him.

He rushed to kneel on his left leg as a form of respect with his left hand resting on his right leg before announcing, “The princess is nowhere to be found”. At the mention of the princess, the sleep flew away from the eyes of the Alpha.

He sprang up, kicking his blanket away as he almost stumbled, “What do you mean the princess is nowhere to be found? How did she get out of the palace? What of her guards?” he screamed. “I heard she told them not to follow her, she took out the guards at the gate when they tried to stop her. She left at dawn but she haven’t come back till now and it’s getting pretty late” Remy explained and a loud growl emerged from the boiling Alpha.

“Look for her right now! Make sure you look for her with every soldiers available in the palace. Bring her back to me intact, not even a hair on her head must be hurt” he ordered and Remy rushed out to carry out his command.

They searched for her day and night for three days but couldn’t find any trace of her. They were about to go back since they didn’t want to enter the territory of another pack when they heard a sound coming from the forest. It was the time Freya had plucked the pawpaw from the tree and smashed it against a stone.

She was busy going at the pawpaw hungrily as they snuck up on her. Before she could realize what was going on, they had surrounded her and fear gripped her. She was scanning the environment, looking for the perfect place to escape when they all bowed in front of her.

“My Princess” they saluted and the pawpaw dropped to the floor. What was this sudden homage? What are they talking about? She is a princess?.

She blinked several times and slowly stood to her feet. “I think you have gotten the wrong person, I am not the princess, what are you talking about?” she remarked as she slowly moved back when she saw that their heads were bowed.

With a flash speed, she took off and dashed into the bush but she didn’t run far before a hand grabbed her suddenly from the back. She screamed so loud both in shock and fear but he hugged her suddenly making the noise cease from her throat even though her mouth was still opened.

“My princess, let’s return home now. Your father is worried” Remy said to her calmly and she was confused about what he meant by that.

She slowly detached herself from the hug to get a better view of the person hugging her, it was a face she had never seen in her life. Although he was a stranger, she couldn’t help but notice his handsome features. He has a droopy nose, deep philtrum and a cupid bow upper lip. His tubercles were a bit dry but it was still attractive, and his eyebrows were averagely thick, what a handsome man he is but that was the least of her concerns right now.

“I am not the princess, I don’t know what you are talking about” she protested and he raised his brows to make a sense out of what she was saying.

“What do you mean you are not the princess?” he queried and she sighed “I ran away from..” she was halfway through her response when she collapsed but he was fast enough to catch her before she fell to the ground.

*****

Series of lights rushed into my eyes and they were almost blinding when I woke up. The roof of the room was so high and the aura I was getting from the room was surely different from anywhere I have ever been. I rolled to my side and my eyes landed on a huge book shelf, I glanced around to see a table and chair at another corner, a big soft ball on the right side and every other random things. Whatever was going on, I still couldn’t understand. I draped down the huge bed and started checking out what was in the room when a slightly familiar thick voice cut through my tour. “You are awake” Remy remarked and I turned with immediate effect to see him standing at my back.

I quickly moved to his side to continue the conversation earlier, everyone needs to know that I’m not the princess. The situation I found myself was so absurd that I didn’t even know how to explain myself or convince this man in front of me insisting that I am the princess.

“I don’t know exactly what is going on but I am not the princess, you must have mistaken me for another person but I am just a girl who ran away from home” I tried hard to explain but he only nodded. “Running away must have been the last thing you could remember” he blurt out as he moved away from my front and walked to the bedside. “The doctor already said that the sudden situation you found yourself must have been shocking that you temporarily lost your memory but don’t worry about that, you will regain it soon” he added and I couldn’t take his stubbornness anymore.

Anger rushed through me as I marched to him to tug his cloth with fury, “Who are you to tell me I lost my memories? I told you times without number that I am not the princess but you kept insisting without listening to me. I am not the princess, I am a stranger” I shouted at him and he turned to face me properly.

“Do you recognize me? What is my name? What am I to you?” he asked and my mouth shrunk into an irritating expression, “How do you think I will know the name of a stranger? I have never seen you in my entire life so why would I know you?” I shouted in anger and he shrugged “The doctor was right”.

“Who exactly is the doctor that told you so? I am alright! You are the one not listening to me because of your stubborn head!” I yelled and took a pause to let out a breath before continuing my lashing. “I don’t know what is going on here and with the princess but I…” I stopped to point a finger at my chest, “I am not the princess, I only ran away from home when you caught me” I finalized and he just smiled.

He walked close to me and placed his hands on my shoulder, “Julia, I understand how much you hate the palace and you want to run away. I am sorry for not taking care of you well that you even thought of running away but this is not it. I am sorry for making you go through this terrible memory loss but I promise that you will recover soon” he lovingly said to me that I almost fell for his words for a second.

I almost believed that I was indeed the lost princess but I quickly snapped at him to get his hands off me. “I am not the one you are looking for” I insisted before collapsing all of a sudden.

I woke up again after an hour to see that I was still in the same room. I jumped to my feet before yelling at Bea “What do you think you are doing? Why would you make me pass out like that?” but she only yelled back at me “Why wouldn’t I do that when you were so loud and wouldn’t listen to me? If they say you are the princess then so be it. Do you have any other alternative? Do you even know where you are or where you will go after this? Just enjoy yourself. It’s not bad to be a princess after all” which made my shoulders drop.

“But..” I began and the huge doors flew open to reveal a huge man with a bunch of white hair attached to his chin and all around his mouth. His presence was overwhelming and his eyes were deep blue, making me tremble as my eyes flickered at every steps he took.

“Who is this again” I thought to myself but was quickly helped out when the maids greeted him “My Alpha”.

“The Alpha?” I blurt out and quickly covered my mouth.