That morning sitting in my room, I went as quiet as a mouse. Thinking. Trying to understand what that dream had meant. A betrayal. From Cecil? I shook my head. That wasn't possible. She was loyal. But then I recall my dream. My dreams are never false. It was always a revelation of what was to come. But then it could be false. I mean with the escape date drawing closer, my mind was bound to feed me with different narratives. Then I recalled how close Cecil was getting with Maximus. Maybe….I shook my Head again. As if to ridd it of those thoughts. She was a winter fell. She has been suffering for years. Nobody wants freedom from Maximus and Stephen more than her. I took in a deep breath and smiled. I managed to push all that thought away. It was just my mind playing tricks on me. I remembered that I was always pessimistic. Lilith always told me that. ******************************************************** Finally it was the d day. That morning I woke up with a bright smile on my
One week later “Get the fuck up animals, there is work in the kitchen!” the cook said and spit from her mouth, landed on my face. I dragged myself to a sitting position. Wiped my face and sighed. I was getting used to be being tried like this. Since I had being sold to this pack, all I have being treated with is filth. My buyer was a palace guard that was so greedy. He made passes at me but when I refused, he made sure I was not only working in the kitchen but I was the personal maid to the Alpha’s daughter. The pack, which I was bought into, lived in a cave in the mountain. No wonder I had never heard of them. “Daphne!” I hurried out of bed and ran to the kitchen. Daphne. That was the name the hideous looking kidnapper of mine could come up with but I was grateful my true identity was not known. “Coming your highness!” I dashed out of the kitchen with trays of food. The stairs and food were not in good terms so, I tried to walk fast and the same time slow. “I am here,
We were able to find some shelter for the night. The journey into the woods was quite a long one. We found some water, the woman and her baby could drink. Then the strange man, made us a tent. As I watched him set it up, I always wondered how he was able to go into the fire, then I saw a mask over his nose. I could only see his eyes. The longer I stared at him, the more I realized that his eyes were Black. The darkest I have ever seen. His personality reminded me so much of Alpha Knox. If only he was here or had come to save us. Maybe all these things wouldn't have happened. I looked up from my thoughts. Suddenly he turned and he and I made eye contact. Immediately I looked away. He was quite intimidating. By morning I had managed to, avoid eye contact with him all through. He announced that he was going to find food. Meanwhile I was very hungry. The moment I spotted a wild fruit, a slow smile spread across my lips. I stooped and picked it but immediately the fruit was sho
Maximus ordered the guards to lock me up in a room. I would have no food or water for the next few days. The next day, someone knocked on my door. “Psst Nina” “Nina” I turned around lazily. I had lost hope of it all. Just I saw someone echo looked like Marcus. “Marcus?’’ “Yes it’s me. I will get you out of here this night. Just hang in there” he said and walked away. True to his words, he rescued me. We managed the escape the dungeon and we got into a restaurant in town. “We will be safe here” he said. He ordered food and water for me. And I stayed there for a day. On the second day, I was beginning to wonder how to go back to the winter fell pack. I discussed with Marcus. Then I heard a loud bang. I looked up immediately. Suddenly the door was yanked open and I screamed. Immediately I jumped. My heart beat loudly, I was almost sure everyone could hear. What was happening? Broad shoulders. Height as tall as a mountain. Fierce looking men clothed on guard clothes w
I was taken into Maximus’s chambers. I tried to wriggle out of their grip but it was already useless. “Bring that whore here” he ordered. As soon as I got close to me, he slapped me two times and I fell to the floor. When I stood up I realized that my nose was bleeding. “You are becoming a thorn in my flesh and I will do away with you one day” he growled. This time Maximus grabbed me and shoved me to the corner of his room. There he tied me up to a chair in his room. For days I had no food or water. One morning before Maximus left for a meeting, he walked to my corner and stooped to my level. Immediately I shut my eyes tighter. “Open your eyes” he said. I ignored him. My eyes still closed. “I know you are not sleeping.” He said. “People who sleep do not have their eye lid shaking” Finally I couldn’t take it anymore. “What do you want?” I glared at him. “I knew you were awake” “Okay what difference does it make? You have me here tied up like a dog. Do you want to come and glo
It's a beautiful day. I knew it the moment I woke up. Today is finally the celebration. My eyes glanced around the room. It was beautiful. For the past more week, since preparation has become more serious I began to see another side of Maximus. He wasn't exactly kind but a lot of things have changed. The ordered the guards and The maids to bring in a new bed in his room. Of course you must precious. I could live in it and not move around. And from then on I began to notice the way I was being treated. Like a person worthy of respect and love. Maximus was barely around and for that I hard the room all to myself. Within a few minutes, maids flooded my room. I was given a bath with that best oils and then I was out. I dressed up and sat for my make up. I barely noticed the maids bustling around me, adjusting my gown, pinning up my hair, dusting shimmer onto my skin. My mind was elsewhere until I felt something prick my skin. “Ouch!” “Sorry your highness” the maid pleaded. I nodde
“What are you guys doing here?” I quizzer the maids. “Nothing your highness” they muttered. They couldn't look me in the eye. That was how I knew they were hiding something. “Speak up! Why are you here!” They exchanged glances between each other but still said no word. My blood began to boil. “If you don't talk, I'll tell the alpha that you tried Killin me” they gasped, shaking their heads. “Alright then talk” I ordered. One of them cleared her throat. She opened her mouth to speak but one of the maids stooped her. “Leave me! “ She eyed the girl. Then she looked up.’ you highness, it's the alpha. He asked that we come glam you up” “For what? I thought the celebration is over” She shook her head. “ I have no idea” I stared at them briefly and sighed. Maximus and not being clear these days. What did he want from me now. “ Okay ladies, you may all go” they looked frightened. “I know it's the alpha's orders but I'll look into it” I said. They nodded and left. I watched them lea
One month earlier. “How would building a calf benefit us?” Abram barked. I glared at him. I was about to stand but I felt a hand on time mine. It was madam Lafayette. She stared at me and nodded. “Why are you against building a Calf?” She asked. I turned to Abram. “ Because it's stupid. “ He replied. “How would you do that when we have our women veong captured and held hostage by Maximus and Stephen!” For the past one hour I had tried convincing the elders of my pack to go with alpha Margo's plans. Her plan was beautiful. It was well thought and intelligent. Madam Lafayette was really convinced we would win the war. Everyone amongst the elders agreed to our plan except one man. Elder Abram. That man has become a thorn in my flesh and I wanted nothing hit to deal mercilessly with him. Madam Lafayette warned me before this meeting. She said I needed the approval of the other elders to get gold to build the calf. For once in my life I had to calm down. But with each word that cam
I have to admit, life as a maid was horrible. With each passing day, I was beginning to regret my actions. Maybe I might have judged Alpha Knox too harshly. No matter what I did to him, he would never be cruel to me, the way the chief maid and cook were to the maids. They don’t want to see you happy or resting. If they get you in any of the stated two, they always find a way to milk you of the joy in your heart. I went from cleaning to washing to cooking. By the end of the day, I would be too exhausted to think of anything. And the next day was the same, and again and again. This was my life. I hated it with all my heart. And that thing they said, the two palaces would not share jobs were utter bullshit. Time and time again, I had been sent to clean cars and stables belonging to, Alpha Knox. Luckily for me, no one recognized me. I tried to think of possible ways to leave but the more I thought, the more absurd my ideas were becoming. One day while I was cleaning the stables
" What are going to do now?" Anna held my hand as we walked from work, back to the house. I shrugged. "Don't worry, dear Anna, I'll find a way," I said with a small smile. Anna smiled sadly at me too. She was the first person I met at work. While others were snobby and Rude, she was like a breath of fresh air. Alex had asked me to sleep with him if I wanted to keep my job. I couldn't do that. At least not now, that I didn't know when the alpha would be back. He would go bunkers once he found out I had actually mated with someone else. He might even kill. That was exactly not what I wanted. Anna bid me goodbye at my hostel apartment and left. That night I did a lot of thinking. If I didn't work it would mean no food and no money for rent. These two things kept me on my toes when I escaped. I did not want to live on the streets and beg for food like I did when I first escaped. The next day I decided to go look for a job. I walked all through the day but no one had vacancy. I a
2 weeks later If I had known that walking in the outside world was this brutal, maybe I might not have run away. Firstly, I hid around wearing shawls and all, but even when I found out the alpha was not back, I decided to relax. 2 days later, after sleeping in a shed, a shop owner recommended a job at a cleaning company. And I got it. But then there was a problem. 2 weeks in, the young boss, Alex wanted me to date him. Of course, I said no, but he had a coconut head. He kept chasing me. Staring at me all the time and bringing people's attention to me. I had no option but to try to avoid him. I thought Knox was cocky until I met Alex. One day a general meeting for all staff was going on. While the others listened, I was running around, craning my neck and praying I didn’t get caught. When Alex was called out to speak, I began to sweat profusely. My heart pounded furiously. I was scared that everyone in the room could hear how loud it was. I took in mouthfuls of air as
I jerked awake with such a force. I was panting like I had climbed a wheel. My eyes were wide as I tried to understand what was happening. Where am I? The last thing I remembered was almost drowning. The water was in my throat, eyes, and belly. I had drunk enough and I was full. I was splashing water everywhere, and I screamed for help, but while I struggled, no one came to my rescue. It was while I was screaming that I woke up. I bent my head like a dying flower and wept. Wept so hard. What have I done to deserve this sort of life? Who did I offend? Who were my parents? Maybe if my mum had aborted me, I wouldn’t have to go through all this? It was while I was crying that I remembered what had happened earlier. I was sleeping and heard that noise. I looked down to see myself bound by hands and feet like an animal. Knox! Yes. It must be him. I raised my head, whipping my head around, and then I stopped and squinted. There was a figure at the curtain. I didn’t know what it was.
I ran to and fro, from the corridor to outside where I slept. My bags and clothes were outside. I had to get them to a dry place. But the more I tried to shove the boxes out of the rain, the heavier the rain fell. At some point, droplets of rain felt like huge boulders that hit my back. I felt the pain of each drop, and it hit my back. Leg, head, face. Thunder clapped, and the lightning illuminated the place. I flinched and left every bag I was carrying and ran to the corridor. To the little shelter it could provide. I sat on the ground, and my teeth chattered. I grabbed a cloth and draped it around me. It was when I saw the material that tears began to pour from my eyes. It was a shawl given to me by Lilith in prison If only she was here. ******************************************** “Your Highness!” Someone tapped me, and I woke up. “Yes,” my eyes were wide open as I tried to take in all that was going on around me. “Anna?” she was a close friend of Amelia “Yes” her face had
I spoke at length with Lilith. She told me lots of beautiful things that happened in the prison. Also, she talked about the bad ones. We cried about it. When we stopped crying, Lilith stared at me. "What?" I asked. She smiled. " I know what you are doing?" "And what is that?" I asked smiling. "You are trying not to talk about your ordeal" and then the smile was wiped off my face. I looked at my hands. Lilith tilted my face towards her. "I have been worried about you," she said." But if you are okay not telling me about what you went through, I am okay.,"She smiled. I took a deep breath. Oh, Lilith. I nodded. " I will talk. I need to gather more strength" and she nodded. I went quiet as I tried to collect my thoughts. My eyes watered. "I miss the times we spent together...I mean Amelia" Lilith's eyes went wide. " I mean the good times. She was the only person I Interacted with for months" Lilith stared at me longer before she nodded. "Do you understand?" She nod
All through that night I didn’t sleep a wink. I kept dreaming about seeing Lilith and having a fun time with her. When I woke up the next morning, I didn’t need anyone to tell me that I had been given false hope. Because when I woke up, I found out the Infirmary was moving me to the palace. Back to the alpha’s room. “wait!” I screamed as they tried to lift me off the bed. The nurses stopped, looking at me. “ tell me again, who authorized this discharge? Is the doctor aware? Is the alpha aware?’ one of the nurses turned to me. She gave me this long stare and I regretted asking that last question. It was like she was asking me, why I wanted to play dumb. Didn’t I know who Knox was again? “Obviously, it’s the alpha," one of them said. “Lift her to the wheelchair, don’t let her keep us while she keeps asking us stupid questions,,” the nurse who had stared at me said. I narrowed my eyes at her. “Watch the way you talk to me,” I replied sharply. She turned, facing me. With
For the next 3 weeks, I was confined in the royal infirmary. The royal healer said that the wounds I had sustained in the prisons were not ordinary. He said they were injected. And so needed to be treated. The alpha wanted me to move back into his bedroom but the doctor said he risked being infected. What the doctor didn't know was that he couldn't be infected. Very few knew he was a hybrid, immune to a lot of things. So he let me stay in the royal infirmary. He asked his guards never to leave my side. So I was under their eyes 247. Despite all that, I didn't feel any better emotionally. It was in the first week of my stay that the alpha executed all the elders who were involved. The female wardens and males in charge of the torture were stabbed countlessly with a hot knife. Then for Amelia, I heard she died the most painful death. He took two weeks to kill her. I remember seeing a nurse attend to her amputated leg that night. Well the next day, he ordered that the other o
I was drowning in pain, and my eyes threatened to close, but I wouldn't. I couldn't. Knox had ordered me. I looked away from the bloodied Amelia to his face. His eyes burned with a fire. One I know that would not be quenched if blood did not flow. I sighed, and every time my brain threatened a shit down, I tried to remind myself of that order. So I focused on myself. On my pain. Every breath was like sharp needles poking through my ribs, the remnants of the beating I endured in the dark, stinking prison below. I thought I'd die in there. I really thought so. I tried to move my legs, but I couldn't My limbs felt like dead weight, bruises blooming beneath my torn dress. But none of that mattered now. I was no longer alone in the filth, no longer shackled in silence. I was in his arms. Knox was the last person I expected to see. I thought he was dead. I mourned him. The few times he was calm with me were my best times with him. His scent was a wild cedar and the crisp bi