Chapter 3

NAT’S POV

I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh white light of the ceiling. A ceiling fan whirred overhead, its blades moving slowly. I tried to move, but every muscle in my body ached. 

I was on a soft bed, the sheets silky against my skin. I tried to sit up, but my head was pounding, the pain like a hammer against my skull. I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut against the agony.

“When was the last time I slept on a bed in a bright room like this?” I mused, letting myself sink back into the softness of the bed. I took a deep breath, my nostrils flaring as I inhaled the scent of the room. 

It was clean and fresh, like the smell of a spring day after a rainstorm. I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept somewhere so peaceful. 

"Ugh," I moaned, rubbing my temples as I tried to remember how I'd gotten here. The last thing I remembered was the blow to my head, and then... nothing. I sat up, my fingers searching for a wound on my skull, but found nothing. 

Must have healed on its own while I was still unconscious.

"Where am I?" I asked aloud, glancing around the room. It was bright and airy, the walls a calming white, with a simple wooden table in the corner. There was a little window on the other side, but the ceiling fan whirred steadily as if to reassure me.

I forced myself out of the bed, though every fibre of my being longed to sink back into the softness of the sheets. My limbs felt heavy as lead, and each step was an effort. I stumbled towards the window, my fingers fumbling with the latch. With a creak, the window swung open, and I blinked against the sudden brightness of the day. 

I was in a penthouse, on the top floor of a tall building. I stared in disbelief as I saw a sprawling green field below, where men in training armour sparred with swords, their bare chests glistening with sweat.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered, my voice trembling with fear. I quickly closed the window, not wanting to be seen by the men below. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what was happening. 

"Where is the shapeshifter?" I wondered, my heart sinking as I realized she was nowhere to be found. I turned to the door, my hands shaking as I grasped the handle. 

"Where is the rogue king?" I whispered to myself, the realization of what had happened struck me like a thunderbolt.

I had been kidnapped by the rogue king and the shapeshifter.

I turned, taking in the rest of the room. There were no torture devices, no racks or chains or cages. Just a simple bed and table. I could feel the softness of the sheets, and smell the fresh scent of the room. 

I was still wearing my clothes, not a scratch on me. It was unlike any abduction I'd ever been to. What kind of captor kept their prisoner in such luxury? I shivered, my heart beating faster. It was almost too good to be true.

"What is happening?" I murmured, more to myself than anyone else. But then a knock sounded on the door, and I jumped, my heart pounding in my chest. 

The door swung open, and there stood the shapeshifter, a smile on her lips and a tray in her hands. My mind reeled, trying to make sense of everything that was happening. 

"Greetings," she said, her smile warm and comforting. She placed the tray on the table, turning to face me. I stared at her, my mind racing. She took a step towards me, her eyes searching my face. 

"You're finally awake," she said, her voice gentle. "How are you feeling?" She didn't wait for my answer, her gaze drifting down to my hands, then my feet, then back up again. I felt like a specimen under a microscope, and I shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't know what to feel," I groaned, crossing my arms over my chest. "I thought you came to save me, but you ended up kidnapping me instead." I swallowed hard, my heart racing, and hoped she would tell me that I wasn't kidnapped.

"Eh, I'm sorry," she said, her lips pressed into a tight line. "I didn't know he was going to knock you out. If I had known, I would have stopped him." She grimaced, her eyes downcast. 

I scoffed, anger rising within me. "That's supposed to make me feel better?" I snapped. "You kidnapped me and now you're apologizing? How am I supposed to trust you?"

I knew I should be trying to play nice, considering that I was at her mercy, but I felt so betrayed; betrayed by this stranger I was starting to consider my friend.

The stranger whom I had thought was helping me, had turned out to be anything but. I had even used my own blood to heal her injured leg, something I never did for any stranger out of will. I felt like a fool for trusting her, and I couldn't help but lash out at her.

"Kidnapped?" she said, her eyes widening in disbelief. "I rescued you! If I was trying to kidnap you, I wouldn't have brought you here. Do you think this place looks like somewhere a kidnapper would take their victim?" She motioned around the room, her gaze falling on the clean bed and the food on the table. “I even brought you food.” I was at a loss for words, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of everything.

“Then…”

"Listen," she said, interrupting me as I opened my mouth to speak. "I'm just like you," she said, pointing at herself and then at me. "You have magical powers, and so do I. No one would dare to hunt me, but you, you're different. Everyone is after you, and not in a good way. I felt sorry for you, so I had to help you." Her words were soft, but her tone was firm. I stared at her, the realization sinking in. Maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe she really did just want to help me.

“How did you know about me?” I asked, it seemed like a wrong question to ask but I still asked anyway.

"Huh?" she scoffed. "You mean you don't know? The whole nation knows who you are; the magical girl whose pack was destroyed, whose parents were killed. You're hunted by every Alpha with a selfish bone in their body, desperate to claim you and the power you hold." She trailed off, her gaze fixed on the floor. 

"I thought you knew." I felt my throat go dry, and my heart pounding in my chest. I'd had no idea that my story was so well-known.

If everyone knows about my magical power, then that must mean the rogue king knows too. Does that mean he's after me, just like all the other Alphas? 

My mind was spinning, my thoughts racing as I tried to make sense of it all. The rogue king was the most powerful Alpha of them all, the most feared man in the nation. If he wanted me, I didn't know what I would do. I felt trapped like there was no escape.

“So the rogue king also…” I shook my head, not wanting to believe her yet. She also sold me to the rogue king.

“Because he's my brother,” she said, her voice heavy with regret. “He was so angry with you because I came to save you against his will and I had to force him to come save us by taking his form. He has nothing to do with you or your situation.” I felt my breath catch in my throat, my mind reeling from the information she had just given me.

“But you're not the only one he was angry with,” she continued, her eyes clouded with guilt and fear. “I disobeyed him, and that's why we're in this mess. I'm sorry.” My thoughts were racing, but I managed to croak.

"What mess?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern. The look in her eyes told me she was definitely in some sort of trouble, but I didn't know what. "Is it serious?" I added, hoping she would tell me more. She hesitated, her gaze flickering away from mine.

"I... it's complicated," she said, her words barely audible. I felt a knot of worry form in my stomach. Whatever it was, it must be bad.

She opened her mouth as if to speak, but just then, the door swung open and a man stormed into the room. His eyes were dark, his jaw set in anger. I felt my body go rigid, my heart thumping in my chest.

"The King wishes to see you in his office," the man said, addressing the shapeshifter. I still didn't know her name yet.

"Okay," she said, forcing a smile as she stared at me. "You should eat your food, you must be hungry." With that, she turned and walked out of the room without so much as a glance in my direction.

The man who had come for the shapeshifter now turned his gaze towards me, his eyes running over my form with a cold, assessing look. His expression was a mixture of anger and guilt, as if he blamed me for something. Without a word, he turned and left the room, the door swinging shut behind him.

I sat there in silence, my mind reeling from the events of the last few minutes. I had so many questions and no answers. “What in the name of goddess is going on here?”