Chapter Two: The Betrayal

I felt Thorne's grip on my waist tighten painfully, I was already finding it difficult to breathe. 

'Oh please let this be a bad dream' I cried within me and closed my eyes as tight as I could, but when I opened them, Thorne was still behind me and clutching my waist with an enraged strength.

That's when I began to hear noises. Swords were clashing in the distance and people were screaming.

"Do you hear that princess" he said coldy in my ears "that is the sound of Victory" 

"Thorne, something's happening on the ship. Let me down so we can check what it is" I said with a deep breath, trying to move away from the edge and engage him in conversation to distract him.

"You don't seem to understand, do you? You must be a rather daft princess. How were you ever to rule an empire such as this?"

He yanked my hair back, sending a searing pain to my scalp. I couldn't help letting out a wounded cry. "Thorne! You're hurting me! Why are you doing this?" 

"Because you are too weak to rule MoonShire. This Pack deserves a better leader. What were you planning to do when I married you? Throw me aside while you and your father controlled the affairs of the Pack? Never!"

"Just push her off already!" A firm voice came from behind. It was a woman's voice. I couldn't turn to see her face, but I knew who it was. I could tell by the breachwood scent of her perfume. The lady in red. 

"The men have killed Vander and all the members of the Royal family. We are ready to take your orders" she continued

My heart nearly seized. I couldn't believe my ears.

"Are you sure they're all dead. I want no witnesses. I want no mistakes" Thorne said with not an ounce of sympathy in his voice. 

"Don't you trust me my love. The work is done. It is our throne now. All hail Thorne Blackwood, Lycan King of MoonShire" 

"You bastard!" I cried, tears streamed uncontrollably down my face and the icy wind hit me harder. "What have you done!?"

"Cave! Father!" I cried out to my brother and father, but there was no response. 

"No one can hear you princess. But don't worry, I'll make sure your story will be a very interesting one"

"What story?" I asked, my voice shaky and trembling. I could barely speak with my hair pulled back so tightly and with the pain of his clutch.

"That the wedding ship was attacked by the brutal sea pirates of Forlorn Pack. I fought desperately alongside the King, but they were too strong and killed the Royal family. Princess Elowen couldn't bare the loss of her family and jumped over the ship"

"No!" I screamed "No! Let me go!" I wriggled with as much force as I could, but Thorne was stronger. His large arms that once cuddled me in warmth were about to throw me into the depths.

"Tell the men to start destroying the ship and tossing the bodies overboard. We will arrive in MoonShire by the small boats as planned"

"As you wish, your majesty" I heard the lady in red walking away.

"Please don't do this Thorne!" I cried, desperate, but the cruelty in his voice made it obvious that he had made up his mind.

In one hefty move, he spun me around to face him. I looked directly into his eyes and stared at him, confused. I searched for any trace of the man I thought I once knew, but all I could see was hatred.

He leaned in closer to my ears, I could feel his every breath on my bare skin.

"I promise to take good care of MoonShire for you Elowen. So you can rest in peace... Your majesty" 

Before I could respond, before I could react or even process what was happening, he shoved me backwards at the chest with brute force.

My body lurched as I stumbled. The edge of the ship's railing digging into my back. I tried to hold on to something, anything, but there was nothing to hold on to, his push was too strong.

When I hit the water, it felt like slamming into a wall. The icy waves swallowed me, stealing every breath from my lungs as I plunged deeper. Through the water I looked up and I saw them.

Thorne and the lady in red. 

He held her and they kissed each other passionately while I was drowning below. How did I not see this. How did I miss the signs? Who was she?

But it was too late for any of those questions, it was too late for me.

The weight of my wedding dress dragged me down fast. I heard splashing above the water. They were throwing the bodies into the sea. I attempted to scream and my tears mixed with the cold water when I saw my father's body sinking beside me. 

His face was pale, expressionless. I had just seen him smiling at me this morning. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?

"They will pay for this father, I swear on my last breath". But I was already giving up my last breath when my locket began to glow. The locket my father gave me was still hanging on my neck and glowed through the water. 

I finally gasped and water filled my lungs. The pain was sharp, like stabbing knives. My body began to twitch and jerk and I convulsed till all I could see was the glowing of the locket.

Then darkness.

---------

I opened my eyes and found myself lying in a shallow stream, my torn and shattered wedding dress clinging to my body.

I was surrounded by trees and by the scent of it, I knew they were Cherwood trees, the sacred trees of MoonShire, our symbol.

I managed to raise myself up above the water, but instead of me to be dripping wet, I was completely dry. 

Everywhere was quiet asides the birds chirping and the sound of the flowing streams. The place was serene and beautiful.

"Where am I?" I asked, wondering if this was Havella, the Wolf heaven I always read about in books at the Palace library.

I noticed my locket was open and no longer glowing as I last remembered.

"Welcome Elowen" I heard a voice behind me. I spun around to see who it was. In front of me stood a woman. She was clothed in a silver robe, her long white hair flowing over her shoulders.

She was so beautiful, I could barely take my eyes off her. Beside her, there was a white wolf. It stared directly at me, not with agressiveness, but it looked at me like it knew me.

"Who... who are you?" I asked, still dazed "and where am I?"

"Elowen, Your mother once gave me water to drink when I was dying and trapped in the human world" the white wolf spoke, not minding my questions "she nursed me back to health and helped me find my way back to the spirit world"

"My...my mother?" I didn't understand what she was saying. How did she know my mother?

"I couldn't save her Elowen, but I can save you"

The wolf walked closer to me. It seemed her feet weren't even touching the ground.

"Do you want to be saved, Elowen?"