Chapter 5 - The view.

Ariana

IT TOOK SOME DOING, but I escaped! I felt like sticking my tongue out at the girl who told me I couldn’t do it, but there was no time to be petty. I had to get out of the castle. Making my way down one of the many long dark passages, I ducked behind a door frame the moment I heard the familiar clang of the guards’ boots. It was a lot easier to escape than even I anticipated.

In fact, it was too easy! My blood ran cold and I wondered if they would hunt me! I heard from some of the slaves on the boat over the years how some owners would let you think you escaped. They would purposefully make it easy to escape and the moment you ran, they would hunt you down like some animal. Okay, fine, so I’m a wolf, but still, who the hell would do such a thing?!!

I pondered going back for a moment and then decided to let fate fall where it may. I was going to make it out even if it killed me! I wasn’t going to make it easy for them to find me! Quickly finding my way out, I sneaked out of the castle and I saw the forest for the first time in many years. The scent of it hit my nose and I almost cried out. I had to duck back inside and very nearly got seen by more guards and as soon as their noisy boots disappeared into the distance, I ran.

Every muscle in my body was burning and crying for relief, but I couldn’t shift. I was too weak and it would probably kill both of us if I did. I almost couldn’t believe it when I made it into the forest and, without looking back, I kept running. In the distance behind me, I heard guards shouting something, but I couldn’t hear what it was, so I stopped and hid behind a bush.

I was trying to catch my breath and hold it at the same time to make sure they didn’t hear me when I heard voices. Damn! This was one of those packs that hunted you! What did they do, watch us the entire time to see who escaped?!!! My heart started to race and I closed my eyes to calm my heart rate. I learned over the years on the boat that keeping my heart rate calm kept my wolf down easier.

If I let her take control right now, it would be over for us … Again! She would want to fight and we were just too weak. I heard the familiar sound of paws, heavily plopping into the dirt making their way in my direction and I jumped up and dove in behind another bush. Gasping, I fought the urge to scream as my arm hit the floor and I could have sworn I broke it, but I quickly figured out that I could still move it which meant it wasn’t broken.

I had given away my position in my haste and then that damn scent hit me right between the eyes and I jumped upright from behind the bush. It was him! It was his wolf form! He was handsome and I just wanted to nuzzle his thick, grey fur. His green eyes pierced right into my soul and if I wasn’t made of stronger stuff, I would probably have melted into a little puddle in front of him.

It was my mate who rejected me, but I was beginning to think that rejection had been a blessing in disguise! If he liked hunting innocent slaves, I wouldn’t want him either!

“You little bitch!” The guard shouted and the whip came out, tearing the back of my shirt and ripping into my skin before he bowed to the king and dragged me back to the castle. “You have made me look bad in front of the king!” The guard shouted and when I couldn’t keep up with his large strides, he simply dragged me along the corridor and back down to the darkest parts of the castle. We turned left where I knew we were meant to turn right.

“Where are you taking me?!” Using what little bit of strength I had left, I tried to pull out of his grasp, but he was too strong. “What are you going to do with me?!” He looked at me with such vile that I wanted to throw up!

“You are going to pay for trying to escape!” He growled and his amber-glowing eyes sent a shiver down the back of my spine. At that moment, it felt as if all hope was lost. My pack didn’t come for me all those years while I was on the boat. No prince came on a white horse to save me as all the stupid fairytales told me they would, and when the king found out I was his mate, he didn’t hesitate to save me … Twice!

“I don’t care what you do to me. It was worth it to see you grovel in front of the king!” I spat in his face and he dragged me deeper into the castle. Pulling out a key from underneath his shirt, he came to a halt in front of a huge wooden door. The lock sounded heavy as he unlocked it and he threw me inside. I nearly went over the edge and I gasped at the beauty. Who would ever have thought a cell could be this beautiful?

On the side where the door was, the cell led to the castle, but on the other, there was the most terrific view of the ocean, the mountains, and the forest! One wall of the cell was completely open, but it couldn’t be used to escape. Although the view was breathtaking, it was also on the highest ledge I had ever seen. There was a straight drop down onto some very sharp-looking rocks that would kill anything that landed there by mistake.

The heavy door locked behind me and I turned to hear the guard laughing. I couldn’t understand why he was laughing. If he thought this was a punishment, he was really daft! After all the time I spent on the boat, this view was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I took a seat in the corner to make sure if I fell asleep, I wouldn’t fall off the ledge and then it struck me like a bolt of lightning. That was why they thought it was a punishment!

You couldn’t really fall asleep here, could you? If you rolled the wrong way you would find yourself shattered in no time! Right then it started to rain and the rain hid my tears as I realized I was also not protected from the elements. I might have been better off if I shifted, but I didn’t want to take the chance. The rain was cold against my thin skin and I snuggled my legs up to my chest as close as I could.

It was freezing and, in the end, I blacked out. When I woke up, my wolf had taken over and we had shifted. I was looking at the view through her eyes as we lay on the cold floor.

“It’s really beautiful out there, isn’t it?” She sighed and I nodded.

“Why did you shift? We could have died?” I sighed, feeling the warmth of her body envelop me for the first time in years.

“You were dying, idiot! If you die, I die and I am not going to die because some bastard thought he was being funny! You can sleep, love. I will keep watch. I will wake you if anything happens.” I breathed a sigh of relief and closed my eyes. They would probably not come to get me soon, so I could rest. I could rest properly for the first time in forever.

I woke from a growling stomach, but I was soon distracted by the beauty of the night sky. It was clear outside and the stars were twinkling in the sky outside, giving me a sense of peace. My wolf stomach growled again and I told her it was time to shift back. Having us in wolf form was chewing threw the little bit of energy we had left in our body and we wouldn’t be able to keep it up for much longer. I had just shifted when the guard returned.

He threw my food down on the ground and I glared at him. As if it wasn’t enough that I had to eat what smelled like rotten porridge, he was forcing me to eat it off the floor! I didn’t move to take the food, no matter how hungry I was. I luckily wasn’t thirsty since someone left a cup behind had previously and my wolf saved some rainwater in it for us. The guard sneered before locking the door and wishing me a so-called good night. I was starving, but that food would make me sick if I ate it.

“Have you tried to find a way out?” Scooting closer to the edge, I tried to see if there was any way I could climb out and my wolf howled for me to move away from the edge.

“I had a look and there is only one way out of here.” She breathed a sigh of relief the moment we were far enough away from the ledge.

“That’s not entirely true.” I rolled my eyes and she huffed.

“I don’t know about you, but jumping to my death is not the way I plan on going.” She retorted. The night grew colder quickly but since I slept enough, I decided to just sit and study the sky.

Lorenzo

I WANTED TO RIP that damn guard to pieces, but I had rejected the slave girl! I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for her anymore, was I? Storming into my office, I paced back and forth and pulled my fingers through my hair while trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me.

The rejection must have taken because if it didn’t, I would have killed him for sure. Why was I still feeling so damn protective over her?!

“Because you might have rejected her, but all I want to do is protect her! Did you see how fragile she was?! Did you see the scars on her back?!” My wolf growled inside my head and I felt pain shoot through my heart. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what she had been through! I knew the slave traders treated their people terribly, but that! What I saw … That was just inhumane!

“LUC!” My growl shook the windows in my office as my beta came rushing in. “I want you to find the boat.” He frowned and I explained that I wanted him to find the traders who did that to my mate. I was furious and someone had to pay. I might not want her, but she didn’t deserve what they had done. Nobody did!

Punishing the slave traders might not make up for anything, but at least I would have someone to take my frustration out on! They had to know that treating someone like that even if you saw them as property was no longer allowed in my damn kingdom!

“I want you to bring them to me. I want to see them face to face!” I growled and Luc scurried out of my office as my fist slammed down on my desk and cracked the thick wood.