Chapter 5

ARIEL’S POV

This was it —the beginning of my revenge or the end of it.

I stood side by side with the son of the man I hated more than anything. We were waiting in front of a large wooden door that supposedly led to the throne room. The door was a large two-piece with a split down the centre. It had a moon carved into one side and a howling wolf carved into the other.

My heart was ricocheting inside of me. I could hear my ragged breathing deep within me.

This wasn’t the plan at all.

This entire trip to the Blood Moon Pack went south and it was all his fault. If I hadn’t met him, I wouldn't be on the verge of being found out right now.

“Is this how you plan to keep me safe, my prince?” I hissed through my teeth with sarcasm, “You’re doing a pretty good job at it.”

He turned to look at me with a sharp glare as if I had insulted him. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t been so stubborn and just listened to me, we could have avoided this mess. I am trying to help you here!”

“So your go-to plan is to take me straight to your father’s throne room?” I shook my head in disbelief, “I can see just how hard you’re trying to help me.”

He rolled his eyes and I could tell he was starting to get frustrated but that was just ironic.

I should be the only one here having any such emotions because it was my life that was actually in danger —not his!

If he wanted to help me, he should’ve left me alone.

“Look,” he started, “this is my Father’s territory and he gave us an order. We can’t just run away after that. He would know something is up and we want to avoid that. If you’d just give me a second to think and—“

He got cut off by the sound of the large wooden door opening. A guard walked towards us with a fierce look plastered on his face like melted honey smeared on rusted metal.

“Alpha Joharres and the Elders will have you now,” he announced arrogantly.

I couldn’t move at first. Stunned and frightened, I didn’t know what to do. If I was to enter that room, Joharres would recognise me in a minute. There was no way he would observe me for that long and not see the resemblance.

“Stay close behind me,” he said leaning close to me before strutting off into the throne room.

I had no other plan and so I followed behind him as he instructed. In fact, I didn’t make much of a plan before coming here. I just wanted want Joharres dead and that was all the plan I came here with.

I had no idea how I was going to do that. If I decided to go crazy and just jump on him, I would be killed before I got two breaths close to him.

I had no choice but to follow his son's plan —for now.

Walking directly behind him, I could see the way his full hair bounced off the hair as he walked graciously. I didn't even know his name but I couldn’t care less right now. We went to the same preschool and mentioned it earlier in the market square but I couldn't remember.

I was moving only on instincts and I would have to act according to how things turned out.

“Father, this is nuts!” he shouted as we got closer to where Joharres and his Elders were sitting. “I already told you, I let her win. She did not overpower me.”

I almost scoffed at his statement but I knew better than to let any sound pass my lips.

“Son, I do not care, neither do I want to hear excuses right now,” Joharres thundered back across the room, “Just put her in her place and give the elders and myself a good show while you’re at it.”

He stopped a few metres ahead of me and I stopped immediately too.

“Is that it? You just want a good show?”

Joharres and his Elders chuckled in response.

“Fine then.”

Fine? What did he mean? He wanted us to have a brawl in front of them. What was he doing? Was he insane?

Yes, we came here to fight but it was crazy. Joharres would recognize me and this would turn sour real quick!

Just then he turned around to my panicked face and mouthed the phrase, “I’m sorry.”

A frown covered my face as I tried to understand what he meant but in the few seconds that followed, I got the message loud and clear.

In a very swift move, he closed the distance between us and punched me across the face, knocking me a few feet away. I barely saw it happen but the pain shot through my body immediately.

“Atta boy!” I heard Joharres cheer from behind his son.

I looked up at him in anger but he looked calm and collected —dare I think, sad?

That was his problem, he has made his choice and all I could think about right now was beating him to death.

I scampered to my feet. I held my jaw and cracked it back into place. I could feel the blood trickling down my lips but it was nothing to what I was going to do to the fool!

“Is that all you got? you punch like a five-year-old!" I spat with venom dripping from my heart.

Not like I expected him to truly help me but I realised that just like his father, he was not to be trusted. He had to die.

“Son! You have to shut her up!” Joharres cheered on from his throne.

I stood with my fists formed and stretched out in front of me. Combat wasn’t my forté, I knew that. But they didn't know that and I was not about to appear like a weakling in front of my enemies.

I fought the fool earlier, I could beat him again.

My enemy looked at me calmly then closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened them again, he rushed at me. This time he went for my stomach.

I pushed my body back just in time to lessen the blow to my stomach but this movement left my face unguarded and he did not waste his golden opportunity as he landed two rapid blows to my face. He was fast and I could barely keep up.

My face was starting to feel numb at this point. I staggered backward and struggled to keep my balance.

Pain shot through my nerves and my vision got blurry. I could see about three images of him walking toward me. I could tell my face was swollen and bloodied up already.

My heart froze as it struck me.

Was this it? Was this how I died?

I couldn’t even reach Joharres. I couldn't even avenge my parents.

And just then, I felt another punch on my face and my life ended. I fell and passed out.