A THREAT

Forester Pack was in a bright mood, the sun mixed with the steams of street bakers rising into the air. The bridge that linked the wolf village to the town is a wide brick that was more than 30 feet long.

The blue clear stream gives a soft rushing sound. At the shore, on the rocky path, kids not older than ten and eleven jumps into the stream and play around with the mud.

 A few feet away from the castle, a crowd gathers around a girl dressed in rags and sitting on the floor. She was surrounded by angry mobs who were holding stones and sticks to beat her.

"Let's burn her, guys!!" A plump man with a bald head yelled and everyone else agreed.

"How dare you come to steal from us here?" Another man with a dirty brown apron tied around him chipped in, his beards full of white powder.

Some young men had gone to look for diesel and matchbox while the women shook their heads in pity as they watch the men soak her body in diesel, the girl's hoarse voice begging for help. Her face is barely visible for it has been padded with blood. Her nose was bleeding as well.

Just when they wanted to light the match, they heard the gallop of a horse behind.

"Enough of that!" A deep authoritative voice boomed and in fear, they all dispersed. It was the new King of Forester himself.

Alex looked at the almost lifeless body laying down on the floor. Her golden hair had turned brown which was evidence that she'd been dragged across the streets and to further ascertain his thoughts, he saw her peeled skin laced with thick blood. He suddenly felt pity for her.

"What's going on here?" he asked his army commander.

"They said she's a witch and she had crossed the border not only to steal but also spy on the pack," 

Alex turned to look at the 'supposed' witch again and couldn't help but smirk at the people's foolishness. 

"A witch who couldn't fight for herself, isn't that interesting?" His commander shrugged, obviously not believing it himself. 

Old Alex would've turned a blind eye to this jungle justice but this new Alex just couldn't. he needed answers to so many things but the first step was getting to win the hearts of the people. for that to happen, he needed to put up a good show. 

Getting down from the horse, he walked up to the girl and stopped so he can look at her face.

"Hey! It's fine now." He assured her but all he got was silence. He raised an eyebrow, thinking she was maybe dead. he turned to face the members of his pack that has gathered around and promised to get to the end of the matter. he would find out who she was and what she wanted from their pack. 

"Blake! Get this girl to Royal Infirmary now!" Alex commanded. She was carried on the horse and they all rode back to the palace.

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SELENA 

Selena trembled as she watched her Father fume. Anger was evident in his eyes. He was pacing back and forth in the room. Just after she told him Alex was already thinking of changing the decisions of marriage, his head spun.

What would happen to his plans of being an in-law to the king of Forester? What would happen to Selena's wolf? What would happen to the people he has bragged to already?

Many thoughts ran through his head as he watched his brown head daughter sitting on her bed, eyes fixed on the tufted made carpet on the floor.

"You never cease to get on my nerves, you know?" He started to say, trying his best to sound calm and composed.

"All my plans of so many years. You want to throw it all away, uh?"

"I'm sorry, Dad." She begged for the umpteenth time.

"I just don't know why you're hell-bent on getting me married to someone I barely know. I haven't even recovered from the trauma I had after Craig's death because I've always known all my life that he's the one I'm betrothed to. And now you want to...to push me into the hands of," she paused not wanting to mention the devil prince for fear that he might hear since they were still in the castle.

"I don't care," Drake spat. "I am your father and I know what's best for you. And the best thing is for you to marry the King."

She sucked in her breath.

"But, how?"

"Anyhow you wanna do it. Talk to him?" He spread his hands indifferently.

"Talk to...Dad that's preposterous! I am scared to even look at his face."

"I know you, Selena. I know deep down. You are not afraid of anything. Anything at all. So fix this."

With that, he walked away leaving Selena in a state of despair.

She strode to the window side where she sat down, elbow leaning on the sill and her head resting on her hand. She felt hopeless. Her Father was right. She has never been afraid of anything. But every time she came across King Alex, she always felt something different in her lower abdomen. But she couldn't tell what that feeling was. Fear or attraction?

She heard noises below the building and she decided to take a peek. A carriage was wheeled in and she could see Alex directing his men. He looked hot in his White Shirt and now changed pants tamed at the end with black boots. He looked very royal unlike Craig, a Prince with a bald head and full beards even at twenty-nine. He was just five feet tall compared to Alex who was six feet two inches tall. His broad and strong shoulders looked like they could rip the shirt off anytime. She has never felt this way with Craig.

Soon, she saw a girl being wheeled into the building and Alex had a deep frown on his face. She has never heard of the devil being this concerned about any other person. Is the devil not supposed to be cold-hearted? Maybe what she was beginning to feel for the king is what the King feels for the sick girl.

Like a thunderbolt, she rushed out of the room bumping into a maid who screamed. Less bothered about the mess she's made, she made for the stairs where she ran down, her white gown flowing behind her.

As soon as she got outside, she was told the King was in the infirmary with the patient. Her heart sunk. Who was this girl? Why is her presence suddenly making her feel threatened? She's just a patient, right? But no commoner is allowed to use the royal infirmary. Does that mean she's so special to the King? There is only one way to find out.

She tiptoed across the empty corridor that was silent except for the hushed tone of two men talking to each other. Walking clandestinely towards where the voice was coming from, she heard Alex clearly.

"So, how long do you think it will take her to recover?"

"I can't really say. Especially with the fact that she's a total stranger and you don't know anything about her origin."

'total stranger?' Selena thought.

"What do you mean?" He asked the rather short old man with a tiny head and spectacles placed on the tip of his nose.

"What I'm saying is, I discovered she might have had memory loss given the numerous questions asked from her but she hasn't given any information. The chances are quite high as she is suffering from trauma caused by physical violence and battery. If I am able to confirm she's lost her memory, we'll have no choice than to either keep her here with proper care or send her back into the forest"

"But then she wouldn't even know who her people are to be able to lead us to them." He sighed audibly, his two hands placed on his waist.

"I'll say she stay here till she recovers." He concluded before turning to leave.

Selena thought of running back but she couldn't as the hem of her gown had caught a nail. She tried removing it but it proved stubborn. Meanwhile, the King's footsteps came closer.