Ch 5-Freya

Nothing happened. My eyes widen in shock when the monster in front of me disappears, and in its place the Alpha King stands in all of his glory. His face ashen, his expression mirrors mine. He falls to his knees in front of me.

I scramble backwards as his tumbling body finally hits the ground with a thud, too close to me.

What just happened?

He was just about to…

It does not matter. I shake my head.

Back to the mission at hand, I try to continue deeper into the forest, but a strangled sound halts my movement. He is shaking.

Why is he shaking?

A quick glance around the forest, and I notice it’s getting darker; I need to run and get away from him.

He’s dangerous.

A few steps away from him, and I begin to ponder on what should not be my concern.

What if he dies?

Did I just worry about him dying?

My safety is on the line,

My life_ and I am worried about him?

He killed Mom and other women, lots of them, and I was just about to join the list.

So many reasons why he deserves to die, but something gnarls in my chest.

His eyes. More than just shock—it was as if he was drowning. I know because it’s a familiar look that comes with anguish.

What kind of desperation was he going through?

These stupid thoughts are what have me turning back and moving towards him. I should check if he’s still alive.

Right?

I tiptoe towards him and crouch down. My head is spinning at how terrible this decision is, but my hands still stretch out slowly to touch him.

“Ahhhh!”

A torturous cry escapes my lips, snatching my hand back at immediate contact as a burning sensation ricochets through my whole arm.

The pain is extreme. He’s burning up—too hot. I clutch my arms, looking for a sign of burn, but find none. Unusual. The pain is still there, with no evidence as to what it might be.

Unable to find a way to deal with it since I can’t touch him, I grab a stick and poke—but nothing. There’s no way to check if he’s still breathing, as he’s face down on the ground.

“What did you do to him?” A voice booms, and I startle, coming face to face with a tall, blond man.

How quiet was he to have gotten here without my notice?

Does he plan to kill me too?

His green eyes pierce into mine, and I shift away from the Alpha King.

“Nothing.”

My voice comes out strained, but in a way, I feel like I did do something. I watch him pull a huge coat over the King and step back, careful not to touch him. His eyes move back to me, perusing with skepticism as if I’m something unusual.

A few guards surround us immediately and I know my escape plan has been thwarted. I should have just left him. They wouldn’t have been able to catch me so easily.

“Beta Kaden. You found her,” one of them exclaims, but his eyes remain on me.

“Take the criminal to her prison cell,” he barks the order, and I freeze. Criminal?

What offense did I commit this time?

My whole body vibrates with the need to scream as the guards drag me to my feet.

“Where’s the Alpha King?” the same guard asks, but Beta Kaden narrows his eyes at me the moment I’m about to speak.

“Do as you have been ordered,” is all the reply he gives before they drag me away.

Green eyes didn’t take his calculating stares off me until I was out of sight.

We marched back to the castle, and I had no strength in me to fight. I doubt I’d make a dent on any of these guards, who are built like mountains.

The Alpha King was right there. Why was his whereabouts a secret?

“Be careful with that one. You wouldn’t want to lose your head.”

One of the guards snickers.

“She will not leave my sight,” another answers, pulling me forward while the other guard heads in another direction.

Down the hall and finally into a dark pathway. When the doors to my prison cell open, I am in instant awe. The lights are blinding as they bounce off crystal-like chandeliers. A queen-size bed settles in the centre of the room with plush bedding and furniture. When he pushes me further into the room, I turn to him.

“Is this a prison cell?” I ask, suddenly weary of my surroundings.

The male guard only glares at me with murderous intent.

“Yes, though you will not live to see the end of the week,” he snarls before slamming the door in my face, causing me to flinch. Then a jam lock echoes behind him.

I stand unmoving, as if time stopped, just staring at the door.

I won’t live to see the end of the week?

I gulp as an electric sensation envelopes me, then with the last shred of strength I have, I turn to my new prison cell—beautiful, to say the least.

Walking further into the room, I catch my reflection in the mirror and I don’t recognise myself. My hair is scattered around my head like a mad woman’s, with leaves hanging out on every side. My face is smeared with dirt that suddenly matches my golden eyes. The milk-colored gown I changed into after the maids dressed me is now turned brown, torn halfway, with my thighs smeared with dirt peeking out. My pale skin is bloodied on the arms.

To say I look horrible is a high understatement. I haven’t looked at myself since my wedding.

The reminder brings tears to my eyes as everything that has happened these past few days comes crashing down on me.

It all happened so fast. I thought he chose me. I was finally getting the safety I craved all my life. I was his.

Tears stream down my face.

“Damon…” I croak out in a low voice as I remember his face—eyes so red they would kill me if they could.

They did.

They all did.

I died for what was not my doing.

My husband.

My father.

Jane…

Why would Jane betray me?

That question was the loudest in my mind. Flashbacks of my rejection and desperation to get away from the monster.

I died, but then I awakened to find myself here. In his kingdom, left to face his wrath. No one knows why the cursed Alpha King takes one female from one tribe a year.

We only know once they cross the gates, it’s death after. And now with a failed escape mission, the guard’s words echo in my head again.

I won’t last a week.

My whole body vibrates with ferocity as I weep, the tears blurring the image in front of me. I brace the wooden bed frame for support as I sink to the ground.

Silent sobs leave my lips. For hours, I cry as I allow everything to crash down. I don’t know how long I was on the ground, but when I no longer had any tears left, I stood up.

Picking myself off the ground despite my knees screaming at me to stay down, a crippling exhaustion follows. I had been running on adrenaline since I woke up. I must have outdone myself, but I didn’t have it in me to continue wallowing. I look around, trying to find a bathroom of some sort to clean up. No way was I going to do anything in this state.

I was going to survive if it was the last thing I did. I will not give anybody the chance to see me fail, to believe their plan for me was working. The Moon Goddess has no idea how much hate can be fuel for one scorned.

Whatever was in store for me this week, I will overcome. And the next. And the next. Until I escape. And then I would like to find out just one answer.

One. To the question that plagues my mind.

Why was I betrayed?

Because if anyone should be here, it was never supposed to be me.