Chapter 4

Emily tried to quell the terror rising inside her as they approached the main hall, but it proved to be futile.

With every step they took, her body trembled more violently with fear. Fanny, too, was visibly trembling with anxiety while Annabel strode ahead of them with regal poise.

When they finally arrived at the hall, there was a smaller crowd and Annabel hurried over to Anon. The former Alpha and his mate were nowhere to be seen. 

The king was also absent from the hall. Annabel surveyed the room with a puzzled expression, then lightly touched Anon's shoulder. Lost in thought, he hadn't sensed her approach. Annabel frowned at that, his mate should be able to sense her presence even before he sees her.

"What is going on here? Where is the king?" Annabel demanded.

"He's already left," Anon replied.

"What? He didn't even acknowledge my presence. Why did he leave so abruptly?" Annabel asked with frustration. She had hoped to see the king and win his favor with her beauty, in order to secure greater support for her pack.

"He merely issued warnings and threats before departing," Anon replied with displeasure.

"Threats? But why?" Annabel fumed, stopping beside Anon and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"The king has caught wind of the human killings," Anon said bitterly.

"But we had nothing to do with that!" Annabel protested.

Anon didn't respond, instead standing up and walking away, with Annabel trailing after him, too caught up in her own concerns to notice Emily and Fanny cowering in a corner.

"Well, how lucky can we be?" Emily whispered to Fanny.

"I think we should slip back to our hut before someone accuses us of disrespect for being here," Fanny suggested, and started walking away. Emily followed her.

"And I wanted to see the king," Emily complained.

"I don't know what to do with you. After everything you've heard and learned about the king, you still want to see him?" Fanny chided, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It would be an honor to meet him, and die by his hands," Emily replied with a grin.

"You must be coming down with a flu" Fanny retorted, shaking her head before they both laughed.

For several days, the two Omega went unpunished and everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Emily overheard parts of conversations in which the Alpha was taking steps to distance himself from anything that might cause trouble with the king. In short, Anon was afraid of the king. For an Alpha to be frightened of someone, the king must be a truly evil person. Emily concluded that the king was completely malicious and avoided any opportunities to meet him.

That evening, after finishing her chores, Emily returned to her hut where Fanny had prepared a plate of food for them. 

Emily wiped her face with a cloth, wishing for a bath, but they had to be careful not to be seen at the lake where they usually bathed. They had always waited until most of the pack had gone to sleep before sneaking out.

"Come on, I'm hungry," Fanny urged, gesturing for Emily to join her and share the food.

"I was thinking of having a nice, clean bath at the lake," Emily told Fanny.

"Good idea, but first you need to fill your stomach. You never know when you'll have to run," Fanny advised, starting to eat.

"What's the hurry? The food isn't going anywhere," Emily teased.

"You still don't understand, do you? In this life, anything can happen, and you always need to be prepared, even to run," Fanny said, shaking her head at Emily's carelessness. "Now eat," she ordered.

"Very well, I have heard you," Emily replied, lifting her spoonful to her mouth before a disturbing sound caught her attention. "What on earth is that sound?" she asked, dropping her spoon and glancing towards the door.

Suddenly, growls and commotion outside sent shivers down their spines. They sprang up immediately, leaving their food behind and gathering whatever they could. "We must flee," Emily declared.

"Is the pack under attack?" she inquired of Fanny.

"Must you see it to believe it?" Fanny retorted, her voice tinged with annoyance. "Let's go."

As they crept out of their hut, they were met with a scene of utter chaos. Wolves in human form lay slaughtered on the ground. They made their way to the bush to begin running, but before they could, a wolf suddenly appeared before them. Fanny was slow to muffle Emily's scream, which drew the attention of two more wolves. The beast turned towards the Omegas, and without a word, they both bolted.

Their legs carried them as fast as they could go, and the only advantage they had was their familiarity with the forest. However, the growls they heard from all around them made it clear that they were hopelessly outnumbered.

Fanny's leg got caught in a tree log, and she fell to the ground. Emily looked back and stopped.

"Keep running, Emily!" Fanny shouted at her.

"I can't leave you behind," Emily protested.

"Go, run, Emily! I'll curse you if you don't!" Fanny insisted.

Emily heard their pursuers drawing closer, but she looked ahead and back at her friend on the ground. 

"I'll hide. I'm good at that. So go, GO!" Fanny urged Emily. Emily then turned and darted into the woods, abandoning her friend as she sprinted through the dense forest. 

Tears streamed down her face as she frantically wiped them away, struggling to see where she was going. Gasping for air, she ran until her legs ached and her feet throbbed with the cuts she had sustained from the rough bushes. Collapsing against a tree, Emily grasped onto it with all her might, attempting to catch her breath and regain her strength.

For a moment, she closed her eyes, but it was a mistake on her part. When she opened them again, she was surrounded by three formidable and hungry beasts. They towered over her, looking huge and powerful compared to her small frame, and before she could react, she lost consciousness.

When Emily finally woke up, her entire body felt like it was ablaze with pain. She opened her eyes, relieved to still be alive, but panicked as she realized that she was imprisoned. 

Her surroundings were unfamiliar, and the stench of old blood and dirt pervaded the air. The small window was high out of reach, and she was not alone in the cell. Curled up in a ball at the far end was another person, motionless. Emily wondered who it could be - perhaps someone from the Skyline pack? 

It was definitely not Fanny, as the hair was distinctly different and belonged to a female.

"Hello?" Emily called out to her cellmate, but received no response. The person may have been sleeping. Emily's stomach rumbled, and she knew what it meant. Hunger gnawed at her, and she regretted not heeding Fanny's advice to eat before their attack.

It was not the time to worry about the pack that had treated her poorly. But what about Luna Sidney? Emily hoped she was unharmed. 

Lying on her back, Emily rubbed her stomach in despair. When would they receive food? Which pack was she in now? So many questions remained unanswered, leaving Emily feeling hopeless.

She listened intently to her surroundings, but the only sound was the constant dripping of water from the roof. Closing her heavy, tear-filled eyes, Emily pondered why the Moon Goddess was so cruel to her. Did she not deserve even a modicum of happiness? Life was harsh, leaving Emily in a constant state of fear and uncertainty. When would her next meal come, or when would she need to run and hide?

"Why? Why me? What have I done wrong? Can't I just be normal?" Emily had discussed leaving the werewolf world and living among humans with Fanny before. Humans were kinder than werewolves, but Fanny was not interested in the idea.

"Could you keep it down?" Emily's cellmate's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'm trying to take a nap."

"I'm sorry," Emily apologized. "How long have you been in here?"

"You're the fourth person to share this cell with me," the voice replied.

"What happened to the other three?" Emily inquired.

"They never returned," the voice said ominously.

"Why haven't you left this cell?" Emily asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Aren't you asking too many questions?" the voice retorted.

"I'm sorry. I'm just curious," Emily replied, her stomach still grumbling, but neither of them acknowledged it.

Silence enveloped them once more, and Emily shuddered, apprehensive about what awaited her beyond the cell. 

A few hours later, as she was nearly drifting off to sleep, the cell door creaked open, and a massive figure entered, making a beeline for Emily.

"Rise," the voice boomed with a sternness that demanded immediate compliance. Emily rose to her feet without resistance, he then bound her hands tightly with a rope, ensuring it was secure. 

"Move," he commanded, pushing her forward towards the door. They both exited the cell, and he locked the door behind them. Emily was turned to face the direction her captor desired her to go.

"Do not even entertain the thought of attempting to flee," he warned, his tone brooking no disobedience. Emily was not contemplating escape; her only goal was to follow any directive that would preserve her life. She had promised herself that she would not die until she found Fanny.

"As an Omega, it should be unnecessary to remind you of your place. The Alpha is not a patient man, and any mistake on your part could result in the forfeiture of your life," he cautioned. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Emily responded, attempting to remain calm and composed.

He struck the back of her head with his palm, causing her to stumble forward. Catching her, he uttered, "It is 'yes, sir' to me. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Emily replied promptly, her head still throbbing from the impact.

Satisfied with her compliance, they continued their journey in silence. Emily did not dare turn her head to survey her surroundings, but from what she could discern ahead of her, they were no longer in the cell block. 

They appeared to be in a pack house, but which pack it belonged to was a mystery. Patience was the key, and she had faith that if they did not intend to kill her, she would discover the truth soon enough.