Lucy opened her eyes which were still blurry. She shook her head swiftly as she endeavored to notice all that surrounded her. Being oblivious to her surroundings, it took her a while before she detected the iron door that was fixed to the wall, keeping her from breaking out, and the dried leaves that were strewn all over the ground.
She was struck with fear when a rat squeaked by, climbing over her back. She moved with great rapidity and with a sudden sharp scream. Her legs dangled, scattering the leaves as she crawled hurriedly and leaned her back against the wall. She gasped for breath as it took a toll on her.
"Hey, Katherine... You're here," She whispered, her heart racing faster than usual, and maneuvered hastily to where Katherine was. She was unconscious, she tilted her head swiftly so she opened her eyes but it was all in vain. Her head bleeds and there were spots on her face, so obvious that anyone could tell she received an intensified beating.
Katherine was the one who assisted Lucy escape from the pack after which she requested help from her. Though Katherine knew the consequences of what they were bound to face if they were to be caught, Lucy was persistent in seeking her support. She won Katherine over, leaving her with no choice.
She felt like she was indebted to her and would do anything to save her.
"Katherine, you have to wake up... I don't know what else to do," She rumored in a low tone with her lips partly apart. Katherine groaned all of a sudden when Lucy jerked her arm and slowly opened her eyes.
"That hurts," Katherine muttered, faintly. She strived to sit up but it was a difficult moment not until Lucy helped her out. She groaned in pain but being that she had her wolf already, she was able to heal. Lucy watched with all seriousness as her wounds healed up slowly. It has been a long time since she experienced something like that.
Though it wasn't surprising, it was something that seemed captivating enough to get her attention.
"But how are you here... You should have been long gone," Katherine yawned
"I don't know... They must have known," Lucy replied with uncertainty.
"How's that possible,
"I don't know, the only one who knew was you and Marie," She said speedily, figuring out she was bound to be scolded by Katherine who did all she could to help her escape the pack.
"Why, you shouldn't have told anyone... What if,"
"No, she couldn't have been the one," She clicked her tongue interrupting Katherine.
She sighed and rattled on with her words feeling sorry for having gotten Katherine involved in the whole escape mission.
"Always a kindhearted girl... You've always reminded me of your...," She paused.
Lucy shook her head forward, expecting her to continue and let out whatever she has to say.
"What was that, Katherine," She scratched her hair and shifted closer to her.
"You don't have to worry about that... I'm sorry I could not protect you," She held her hands and gazed at her.
Lucy was thrown into a muse by her statement, well aware of her style to wiggle out of their conversation.
"What do you mean by that... You could not protect me," She fluttered and gulped, blinking her eyes as she waited expectantly for a response from Katherine.
Katherine chuckled and said, "It's nothing... I'm old enough to protect you, that's just it," She replied and sighed.
"Don't give me that, " I remembered, "Father would always say that to me... Like he was guilty," Lucy debated.
She had her guesses that Katherine might be hiding something from her but yet was skeptical about it.
"What are you not telling me, Katherine... I've wanted to ask you this but I couldn't, what's going on," She claimed.
"Lucy, No..."
"Tell me, Katherine," She retorted, preventing her from completing her words.
Katherine grumbled and grunted at the same time. She took a brief look at Lucy and looked the other way. She was about to speak up but was cut in when the iron door that guards the small room creaked open, making a sharp sound.
They were both startled when a guard entered the room and glanced at the both of them.
"He seeks for you," The guard said to her and make way so she would walk out of the room.
"Who, who is that," Katherine questioned with all seriousness and with an unfriendly tone. The guard chuckled when he noticed the look on her face.
"You want to fight, you're in no state to do that," He said and growled.
"It's okay, Katherine... You don't have to worry," She sighed, her chest lingering.
"I know who he's talking about, It's Leo, the son of the Alpha," She declared with certainty. She explained what one of the guards told her after she was captured by them, as they made claims that she could have been dead if not for Leo and now, would want an audience with her.
Katherine calmed herself and drifted into silence. She doesn't want Lucy to leave her sight.
`` Nothing can happen to you... You have to live, no matter what,`` She thought to herself. She sighed sharply and nodded her head.
"Be safe, Lucy, and don't do anything foolish," She advised and threw a friendly slap across her back. She propelled her forward so that she moved out of the room, leaving her behind. The guard escorted her out and locked the door behind him.
"I guess it's time she knows," Katherine muttered and sat back on the ground.
******************
Lucy walked upfront after which the guard who accompanied her pushed her forward. She turned back only to see the guard had already left. She wandered around with her eyes but could see no one. There was no sign of anyone passing by. Where she found herself looked like the safest place to see someone or do something without anyone else knowing.
She took a few steps forward and soon sighted a Man who stood on a spot with his hands behind his back. His back was turned against Lucy so she could not see his face but noticed his blonde neck-length hair and his broad shoulder. She inclined her head as she felt drawn to him.
"What's going on with me... Why do I feel this way," She whispered, blinking her eyes. She decided to have a closer look so she walked towards him, but slowly, taking her steps one after the other.
"You felt it too, don't you,"
She was stunned when she heard him speak. She was thrown into a muse by his words.
"What do you mean," Lucy pressed on with her gaze at his back. He chuckled and slowly turned around to face Lucy.
Lucy bowed her head immediately but slowly, raised her head. She gulped when she made eye contact with him. He could see his greenish eyeball and his curly blonde hair that formed a ribbon around his forehead. She wanted to look away but she could not as her eyes caught his chest that was so visible through his unbuttoned shirt
Her lips were partly opened and her eyes twinkled, constantly. She was absorbed in her thoughts and did not even know that Leo had gotten closer to her, not until she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She was thrown into a sudden mild shock but became calm when Leo looked into her eyes. He was a little bit taller than her which made Lucy raise her head slightly so she maintained eye contact with him.
"You felt it, I know... That's why you feel this way," He dared to rub her chin, gently, rubbing off the dust that stained her eyelids.
Her heart raced faster than usual as she tilted her head so that she pressed her head against his palm. Lucy could only stare at him in silence. Lost in her thoughts, she ran out of words. She knew somehow that he was right about how she felt.
To her, it was unexplainable since she never felt such a way towards anyone before.
"Does it mean..."
"Yes, you're my mate," Leo uttered with confidence before she could finish with her words.
"Since when have you known, it can't be now," She questioned, her heart lingered as she breathed sharply. Leo gazed at her with a sinister look and nodded his head.
"Then, where have you been, all this while," She stammered and gulped as she understood what he meant by his gestures.
She claimed to have seen him from afar countless times but had no chance to see him and even then, she never thought about it as there was nothing she had to do with him.
"There are things you don't know, Lucy," He sighed. "I shouldn't be here with you, I can't be seen right now," He paused
"What does that even mean," She questioned
"Wait, did you smell that," His eyes wandered around? "I have to go, we are not alone," He said and was about to take his leave but stopped immediately when Lucy called out to him with a low voice like a whisper.
"Don't leave me... I don't want to be alone anymore," She said to him as tears dropped down her eyes. Leo stared at her in silence, he blinked repeatedly as they turned red. He walked hurriedly towards Lucy and hugged her, rubbing his hands across her back with a gentle touch.
"I won't leave you,... But right now, I have to go," He muttered and released his hold on her.
"You're no longer a prisoner, Katherine will also be released," He said and smiled and in no time, walked away.
Lucy walked under the fiery sun, sweating profusely as she made her way to the room where she was kept with Katherine. She hurried away without stopping not until she bumped into Isabella who was already standing in her way. She shrugged and immediately bowed her head. "Where are you off to in such a hurry," Isabella smirked and dared to reach out for her jaw, lifting her head slightly upward so she would make eye contact with her. Lucy struggled as she didn't want that but received a resounding slap that weakened her, causing her eyes to become fuzzy. "You look at me when I'm talking to you," Isabella vocalized with a sharp tone. Lucy slowly raised her head high up and stared at Isabella, solemnly with a straight face. She was angered, every instinct of her body telling her to fight back but she decided to keep her calm. Her eyes caught Marie who stood behind Isabella. Marie fixed her eyes on her for a moment but then, Lucy was smart enough to read the look on her face as it gav
"How could I perceive this scent, how is this possible," Lucy said in a low tone with her lips partly apart. "I don't even have my wolf yet," She pondered as she trod along the path which the scent she perceived had taken her to. She watched back and forth to see if anyone was following her trail as she could not be found roaming about in such a restricted area. The scent became stronger and soon sensed it must be Leo. She was brought to a stop when she got to a balcony that looked like an abandoned site. She sighted no one but yet, it was the place the scent stopped. She proceeded stealthily without her foot, making a slight sound. "Leo,' She uttered with a soft voice when she sighted him, standing only a few strides away from her. He looked fit in his black jacket and black jeans as he seemed to stand in a stance. "Lucy, you are here, how come," Leo said as he turned around to notice her. Lucy didn't get what he meant by his words, rather, she rushed at him and embraced him firml
Lucy walked sluggishly along the path that led to the meadow where she was stationed. Uncontrollable tears rolled down her cheek as she could not fathom what happened between him and Leo but yet, strived to put on a smile on her face when a few guards passed by. Thought of Leo rejecting her pestered her mind, having a nostalgic recollection of the plans she made after figuring out he was her mate. "I'm lost, why did he do it… Like he was scared of his Father," She whispered, silently and rubbed the tears on her face. She bowed her head and strolled away hurriedly when a guard approached her. "Father, I don't know what to do… I'm never getting out of here," She shut her eyes and gulped. Her heart raced, chest lingering upward and downward, so apparent that anyone could notice her restlessness. She was oblivious to her surroundings and didn't see Isabella already standing in her way. She walked into her and at that instant, apologized for not being watchful. She was about to take
The sun lurked around the clouds as it dimmed its light and was about to settle down. Marie grunted and raised her head slightly to notice Lucy whose back was also bent, with a spade in her hand, packing horse dung into a bucket and disposing of them in another spot a long distance away from where they were. They'd been there for hours as the guard who ordered them to follow him decided to punish them both for disobeying his command. Marie had been taking a brief look at Lucy but she wasn't looking her way and didn't notice her. Marie had been waiting for an opportunity to speak with Lucy but couldn't find the right time as Lucy was busy all through without even making a sound. Marie stood upright and yawned her back behind her back, stretching herself. She whimpered as she felt a slight pain right in her lower back. She stared at Lucy who wouldn't even raise her head and take a break from working endlessly for hours. She took a few steps towards Lucy but discontinued when she sig
Lucy rubbed her eyes aggressively with the back of her hands and soon opened them wide. She pressed her gaze on Marie at first but soon took a few steps forward to get closer to her. Marie immediately backed away and stretched her hand at her so she would stop walking. "What was that," Marie questioned, her chest lingering. "I don't know… you could see that I was rubbing my eyes a few seconds ago," She said with a high-pitched sound, flipping her hands in the air. "How is it, is it gone?" She asked with curiosity. "Yeah, it's gone," She responded after replying with a grunt. Lucy bowed her head and fell to her knees. She raised her hands slowly and widened them both, directing them to her face. She started for a while and soon scratched her hair. "What's happening to me, I felt a surge of energy running through my veins a while ago," She whispered, her lips partly apart. "Lucy, don't tell me you've been hiding your wolf from everyone,"Lucy unhurriedly lifted her head in respo
"Now I've got so many questions… I knew it, what has Katherine been keeping from me?" She muttered, silently, questioning herself, her chest lingering upward and downward."I have got some answers no matter the cost," Lucy whispered, talking to herself as she trod down the hallway of the Royal residence with haste in an attempt to see Katherine. Her hands moved swiftly back and forth on either side. She rattled on with a few words in a low tone as she pressed on. The sweat on her face dripped down from her face and dropped on the cloth. It looked so dirty since her face was already caked in dust. Her whitish shirt was already stained and becoming brown. Her hair already changed its color like they were grey. Yet, she was less concerned about that. All she thought about was getting answers from Katherine. She turned her head a little bit and directed her eyes on the miles of wall that surrounded her. She noticed the shadow of one who seemed to be stalking her and since it was sunny
Marie held Lucy's hands and shook her consequently. "What's going on, Lucy, say something," Marie asked, her voice soft but filled with genuine concern.Lucy blinked, as if snapping out of a daze, and offered a weak smile."No, no, you don't look good… Your face, they look pale," Marie muttered, placing her hand on Lucy's arm while her other hand was behind her back."I'm just feeling a bit lightheaded," Lucy mumbled, her words tinged with uncertainty. Before Marie could question her and respond, Lucy's eyelids fluttered and her body slumped to the side, unconscious.Marie's heart raced as panic surged through her veins. She knelt beside Lucy, gently shaking her and calling her name, hoping for a response. She had nostalgic recollections of what might have caused her unconsciousness. She took a brief look at her face when she could not think of something and could see her face was already pale. "She must have passed out after stressing her wolf… since she forced it to show up, the
"Why're you standing in my way… Don't you hear the sound like someone has been listening to our conversation" Lucy grinnedMarie's eyes widened and bit her finger with her other arm around her chest. "Why are we still here anyways and don't look at me that way," Lucy dusted herself."You should take some break, you need it and you can't let your emotions out… You know what happens when you do that,... and, you're welcome," She paused and was about to continue with her words but was cut off when Lucy put a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.Lucy took a step forward and brushed Marie with her shoulder. "Did you hear that?""Hear what exactly?""A heartbeat… Wait, how come you don't hear that?""Oh! You're asking me now, I'm not the one whose ability was locked away, at least I know I won't be getting my wolf anytime soon and ...."Marie drifted into silence the moment she noticed Lucy's gaze on her. She grunted and looked away."I didn't mean that, I was only trying to get you
The tension in the air was fierce even after the fight had come to an abrupt halt. Dust from the scuffle lingered in the breeze and the faint murmur of the dispersing crowd hummed in the air. Leo's hand was still stiffened in the air as he looked up. All focus shifted to the one who had stopped the fight. Alpha Eric stepped in the training ground, his presence commanding immediate attention. Eric strode forward with long, purposeful steps, his silver edge clock billowing slightly behind him. His guards flanked him, their expressions stoic and beside him walked Ethan. Ethan has been the one to deliver the news of the escalating fight. Ethan's eyes scanned the ground, his sharp gaW noting every detail, from the guards to the pack members.Leo straightened the moment he saw his father approach, wiping the sweat from his brow as he quickly stood to his full height. Aiden, however, didn't move right away. Sitting on the dusty ground, he tilted his head slightly, spitting blood to the sid
The training ground buzzed with tension, the air thick with anticipation as Lucy hurried down the dusty path, Marie trailing close behind her. The sun hung high, casting sharp shadows over the guards and the few pack members who had gathered to witness the spectacle. Lucy's heart pounded in her chest, her feet barely touching the ground as she weaved her way through the throne of armored figures.“Excuse us,” Marie muttered, pushing past a particularly burly guard.Lucy didn't stop, her eyes scanning the clearing until she caught sight of the center. A small crowd encircled the two figures at the heart of the commotion, the tension radiating off them like waves. She stepped forward, ignoring the murmurs around her, and found a spot just close enough to get a clear view.She barely noticed the guards muttering about their presence or Marie's standing slightly behind her. Her attention was fixed entirely on the two figures in the center.Aiden stood in a composed stance, his hands clas
The question struck Lucy like a blow and she stumbled under the weight of it—not physically but emotionally. Her breath hit her and she blinked rapidly, trying to compare herself. Love Leo? The words echoed in her mind, unwelcome and painful.Lucy stared at the ground, her grip tightening on her clothes on either side. She didn't answer immediately. Her thoughts were a mess, tumbling over each other in disarray. Why is she asking me this? Why now? And what am I supposed to say?After a long, tense silence, Lucy finally spoke, her voice measured but laced with bitterness. “Leo rejected me with his own mouth,” she said, each word carefully enunciated, “and he told me to forget about him… and that's what I did exactly. Or, how can you expect me to love someone that doesn't love me, huh?”Isabella raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of skepticism and disbelief. She gestured with one hand, a small, sharp flick of her wrist, as if physically brushing aside Lucy's words. “You didn't answ
The sudden impact threw her off balance, causing a few clumps of dung to fall from the bowl. The heavy bowl wobbled precariously and she scrambled to steady it.“Oh no!” she gasped, her heart pounding. She set the bowl down hastily, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Her gaze darted up, her breath catching in her throat as she took in the person she had bumped into.It was Aiden.He stood there, his piercing gaze fixed on her. His swift reflexes had saved him from most of the mess, but a smear of dung stained the sleeve of his dark shirt. He looked at it briefly, his expression unreadable, before his eyes shifted back to her.Lucy's fear spiked instantly, her pulse thundering in her ears. Her thoughts raced, chaotic and panicked. Why him? Of all people, why him?Aiden's eyes flicked to the bowl on the ground and back to her. His tone was calm, yet there was an undercurrent of authority. “Why are you carrying that by yourself?”His question was simple but it felt like a challenge.
The early days of the sun were faintly breaking through the cracks of the heavy curtains in Leo's room when he pushed open the door. The air inside was still, carrying the faint scent of cedarwood and smoke from the fireplace he hadn't lit in days. He exhaled heavily, shutting the door behind him and moved to the center of the room. He shrugged off his jacket, hanging it on the peg by the wall, before tugging his shirt over his head.The cool air kissed his bare skin, drawing out a soft sigh as he stretched his shoulders. His muscles ached from the night's relentless training—he’d spent hours in wolf form, rubbing and fighting to exhaust the emotions that had been clawing at him since yesterday. But the ache was nothing compared to the battle in his mind.Turning to grab a clean shirt, his eyes caught the faint rise and fall of a figure on his bed. He stilled, narrowing his eyes, his wolf instantly alert. It took only a moment for him to recognize the brown hair spilling over his pil
The words struck her like a blow. She felt her knees weaken momentarily, but she quickly steadied herself, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. How dare he? she thought, fury and disbelief tangling in her mind. He even has the audacity to call Lucy his mate right in front of me. Her composure wavered for only a moment before she regained her footing, glaring at Leo with newfound resolve. “And exactly are you planning to do that?” she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “She's a maid, Leo. She has no standing here. Why make you think you can claim her? Not when your father is here.”Leo didn't back down. If anything, her defiance only seemed to stoke the fire within him. He took another step forward, closing the distance between them. “Because I'm going to be Alpha soon,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “And when that happens, you'll see. I don't need your permission.”The determination in his voice sent a chill down Isabella's spine. She narrowed her eyes, stud
The heavy wooden door closed behind them with a low cream and Isabella found herself standing in the dim warmth of Leo's room. The space was simple yet deeply personal, an extension of its owner.The air was scented faintly with pine and leather, and the faint bluish light of the moon filtered in through the narrow window. Her eyes immediately fell on the intricate carvings etched into the walls—images of wolves mid-run, trees swaying and the crescent moon. Each one was unique, bearing the unmistakable mark of Leo's careful hand.She stepped closer to one of the larger drawings, tracing the grooves with her fingers. “You carved these yourself,” she murmured, her voice reverent.Leo, standing a few places behind her, crossed his arms over his chest and kept mute, his eyes following her movements closely.Isabella inhaled deeply, her eyes roaming the room. It had been so long since she'd last stood here. She took in the sturdy wooden bed, its frame hand-carved to match the alls, the sta
The hallways were long and the stone floors echoed with the sound of Lucy's soft footsteps as she wandered aimlessly, her mind lost in a haze of confusion and turmoil. Her thoughts kept circling back to the words Isabella had said, echoing in her head like a constant drumbeat.“Aiden's ruthless, cruel… he won't care about you. He's never cared about anyone…”Lucy's head throbbed with the weight of those words, the uncertainty about what lay ahead heavy in her chest. She could barely hold onto the fragments of her thoughts, let alone understand the difficulties that surrounded her.Her temperature had spiked again, and she felt dizzy but that was the least of her worries.She had to focus. I have to get a grip, she thought. I can't let this affect me…But before she could lose herself again, she heard her name—soft, yet urgent—calling out from behind her.“Lucy,” Marie's voice broke through the fog.Lucy didn't respond at first. She kept walking, one foot in front of the other, her min
Lucy blinked, looking up into Leo's familiar face. His eyes were sharp, but there was a flicker of concern beneath his furrowed brow.“Lucy,” he said, his tone softening. “Are you alright?”Her lips parted but no words came out. She felt his hands tightened slightly on her shoulders, anchoring her as she swayed, her gaze fixed on the ground.Her silence gnawed at him, but before he could press further, Ethan, who had been following closely behind, cleared his throat.“Leo,” he began, his voice low but insistent. “You can't be seen like this with her. Especially not by your father.”Leo tensed, nodding his head. “I know,” he replied curtly, glancing at Ethan.“Do you?” Ethan pressed, stepping closer. “Because if your father sees you—”“I said I know!” Leo snapped, his voice echoing down the corridor. He took a breath, his frustration barely contained.Ethan fell silent, his gaze flicking to Lucy, who was only staring but seemed oblivious to their exchange. He sighed. “I'm just trying t