Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Savanah

"I told you, young lady. You're gonna have a good life. You're gonna marry someone powerful!" the fortune-teller exclaimed.

I laughed but Sophie pinched me on my arm. What? I couldn't help it. She dragged me here anyway even when she clearly knew I was never a believer of fortune-telling. I wouldn't agree on this only if it wasn't her birthday. She knew that.

"Would you listen, Sav? She's good. She told me Greg would cheat on me and it happened." Her teeth gritted when she remembered her ex. "That son of a bitch."

I shook my head while trying to supress another laugh. My eyes drifted back to the old woman as I hugged my knees. "I'm sorry, Madame but I don't think it's possible. Bersant is too small and I'm too ordinary. Besides, the richest one here is the corrupt mayor."

"Hija, I didn't say you'll meet him here." She pulled out another card. "See? He's from a very wealthy place."

Sophie leaned closer and whispered to me, "maybe in Morgana or..." She gasped. "What if he's from the Inner District? Oh my gosh, I hope he is!"

"That's impossible." I punched her on her arm. "No one dares to go there and Inner District people would never set foot in this crappy place."

Bersant is too small. It's a town in the outskirt of Remorse District. I mean, the outer district of Remorse. The five cities in the Inner District were rumored to be pretty wealthy that's why that part of the District was very exclusive.

"Hah! If she's right, you owe me a set of pearls. Courtesy of your rich and powerful future husband." She sipped on her frappe and wiggled her eyebrows.

I chuckled softly as I shook my head. "Sure. Maybe in my next life, that'll happen."

"Bummer," she rolled her eyes.

I sighed. "Knock it off. I'm too old to still be fooled by fairytales. Come on. Laudry's waiting for me at home."

"Have you called Ethan?" I asked Sophie while folding the laundries. 

Sophie raised a brow while throwing a meaningful look at me. "Why? That shithead cousin of mine starting to reach your heart?" she teased. 

"You know I will never look at Ethan as someone more than a brother even when he told me he still wanna court me despite my countless rejections. Silly. I just wanna know if he's still with Markus. My brother hasn't come home yet. Dad might be here on Saturday."

When the dryer stopped, Sophie stood up and unloaded the sheets in it and put it in the basket. "I'm gonna call him later. His phone's been out of reach since morning."

I didn't want to think of the worst but I swore if Ethan dragged my little brother into trouble, I'd smack his head. Not that I was a violent person. I was just this overly-protective sister to Markus. He and Dad were all I got.

When Mom died, Dad met Emily. She was okay at first but after giving birth to Markus when I was seven, Dad had to work in the City of Wales. He was always away and Emily would often leave with her friends until one day, she didn't return anymore.

Markus was barely two. I waited 'til night. It was raining and lighting kept striking the dark sky. Thunder roared and it woke Markus up. Despite my fear of lightning and thunder, I went to Markus. He was crying on his crib, asking for his mother.

That night as I looked into my poor brother's teary eyes, I promised myself I would take care of him even if it kills me.

I would do everything for my little brother...

Sophie was about to say something when we heard a couple of honks coming from a car that parked outside. We looked at each other, wondering who that might be. She stood up first and went to peek at the window. When she gasped, my brows furrowed in confusion.

"Looks like God finally delivered your sugar dada, hmm?" she said, grinning before she ran towards me and drag my ass towards the door.

"Hey, what are you--"

I paused when Sophie opened the door. When I saw the good-looking man standing next to a luxury car that probably would cost more than an arm and a leg, my jaw almost dropped to the floor. 

He lifted his head but when our eyes met, I saw a glint of recognition in his slightly widened eyes. Even his lips parted as if he didn't expect to see me. 

"Oh, hey there. Looking for a maid or a wife? I nominate my friend for both." Sophie giggled.

As if he was slapped back to reality, the man cleared his throat and avoided my gaze. "I'm looking for Savanah Hemsworth."

"I knew it! Madame Aura was legit!" Sophie squeezed my arms, her grin almost reaching her ears.

"Knock it off," I warned her before I walked towards the man. "Uhm, I'm Savanah, Sir. How may I help you?"

He looked at me for a couple seconds with a foreign expression written in his obsidian pools. He then swallowed and looked away again as if he was afraid to reveal something to me.

"My name is Grant. I'm from the City of Brenther."

My eyes widened. "B--Brenther? Brenther of the Inner District?"

He jerked his head. "I need you to come with me, Miss Hemsworth."

"Uhm... what for, Sir? I can't remember ever applying for a maid post in Brenther. Did someone sent an application on my behalf?"

He shook his head. "No." A sigh escaped his lips. "But your brother is in trouble, and the Alpha wished to speak to you."

I never thought castles exist outside fairytales but as Grant pulled over in front of a huge, century-old looking castle, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of secrets the Inner City was truly hiding from the outsiders like me. 

Grant went out of the car. I couldn't help but watch him and observe his features as he walked towards my side to open the door. He's really tall with a body of a jock. His light brown hair was short and a little messy on the top as if he'd run his fingers onto it a couple times during the ride. I couldn't tell if he really did. Grant blind-folded me as if he didn't want me to find my way home later.

His obsidian eyes looked at me but he turned his back as soon as I caught his gaze. "This way."

I couldn't help but furrow my brows. What's up with this guy, really?

He led me to a series of halls. My eyes couldn't stop roaming around, admiring everything I was seeing. Jesus, this place was legit! Everything, from the heavy maroon curtains to the expensive paintings lining up on the walls, was fancy.

I swallowed. I was like a moth in this extravagant place...

We reached the giant mahogany double door by the end of the hall. My eyes almost popped out of my sockets when Grant effortlessly opened it like it's a normal door. What kind of workout did this guy do to have such strength? I asked myself, but the moment I saw the cage in the middle of the huge room, I felt my heartbeat stopped.

"M--Markus!" I ran towards the cage, scared and confused. What's going on? Why was my brother locked up like an animal?

"Sav... Sav, you gotta get out of here! They ain't human!" Markus exclaimed that made my breath get trapped in my throat.

My rational mind refused to believe him. I looked at Grant instead with tears building up in my eyes. "Let my brother go! Why are you doing this to him? He's not an animal, for goodness sake! What kind of people are you?" I wiped my tears when I saw how Grant's eyes soften but when he looked away instead of releasing my brother, I sobbed. "My brother is a nice kid. He doesn't deserve this."

"Is that so?" a cold, deep voice that reminded me of thunderstorms echoed from a distance. It made me froze on my spot, the little hairs on my nape stood to its end as I shivered.

My head slowly tilted towards the man sitting on his throne. His leg was crossed over the other in a manly way while his elbow was resting on the armrest. He was caressing his well-defined jaw as he stared at me in an intense way, and as soon as my terrified eyes met his pair of silver rims, my heart almost jumped out of my chest.

I almost forgot to breathe when the corner of his lips slightly curved upward. The interest in his eyes flickered, sending another jolts of foreign feeling through every fiber in my body.

God, he was the most beautiful man I'd ever laid eyes on...

He's like a prince. A dangerous prince to be exact, and when he stood up to take his steps towards me, all I could do was fear him while admiring everything about him.

"I could have killed him the moment I caught his stupid ass." He said in a low, dangerous tone as soon as he reached me.

He towered over me with his eyes slightly squinting as if he wasn't pleased to see the tears trailing down my cheeks. A gasped escaped my lips when he knelt in one knee, and the moment the back of his hand touched my wet cheek, I shuddered.

The whole room went quiet as we all watched his eyes trail down from my eyes to my parted lips. "But I didn't. It means you owe me more for sparing his life..." he uttered in a breathy way as if there's an on-going turmoil inside his chest.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and gathered the remaining strength in my body before I would totally get lost with his touch. "I'm begging you, Sir. Release my brother and take me instead."

His inky brow cocked. "What a brave sis we got here." His eyes went dangerous as he moved his jaw. "Reminds me of my own stupid sister."

"Oh, please--"

He lifted his hand to shush the only girl inside the room with us. Her eyes twinkled with pain and her lips pursed together before she glared at the man in front of me. When she stormed out, the man breathed out heavily then held my chin. Warning bells echoed inside my head and Markus banged the cage, telling the man to leave me alone. 

He's nothing but a storm--deadly and catastrophic, but why couldn't I find the courage to look away? Why was I so drawn to his pair of silver pools?

"Tell me, you sweet little thing. How willing are you to switch places with your stupid brother?"

I gulped and didn't blink as I thought of Markus. That night when Emily left us came on my mind. I remembered my promise to my little brother. The promise I knew I would still keep no matter what.

"No! Savanah, get out of here! Don't listen to him!" Markus screamed.

I looked at my little brother with tears rolling down my cheeks. "It's okay, Markus. I... I'll be fine."

His eyes twinkled with fear. "No, you don't understand! They're not human!"

I inhaled deeply and flashed a broken smile. "I'll do everything for my little brother..."

My heart thrummed loudly and my eyes almost popped out of my sockets when I saw how his eyes went from silver gray to a pair of burning golden yellow.

"Good girl... but foolish." He patted my cheek and then he stood up, towering me again. "Lock her up. Make sure the boy will keep his mouth shut..."