10. ARRIVAL

JULIA

Another group of people came to fetch us after the incident. We were all silent on the way during the next following hours of traveling. Zeke was still beside me, but he was silent the whole time, looking out the window with his elbow resting on the frame.

He felt like a different person.

I wanted to talk to him, ask about what had happened, but I didn’t have the strength nor energy to do so. Things happened fast and we were almost killed as soon as we left the forest. I suddenly remember his two brothers.

Were they the ones who did this? Did they really send people to hunt Zeke?

Maybe it was because I was tired, but I felt my lids getting heavier by the second. I wanted to stay awake in case something happens again, I wanted to talk to Zeke. But I was so tired and drifted into the darkness.

But before I felt my body drop, warm arms encircled me, and I felt safe.

I woke up to the voice of people talking in hushed voices. I also felt my body sway, and as I opened my eyes, I saw the orange tinted sky as well as Zeke’s face. I almost jumped and panicked but then I realized I was being carried by Zeke.

“Zeke,” I meekly said, my cheeks heating up. We weren’t the only people here which made it more embarrassing. I could see other men with my peripheral vision.

“I’ll put you down when we get inside,” he answered without even looking at me. They continued to have a conversation while I squirmed to get out of his hold, but he was too strong, entrapping me in his arms and I only ended up being slammed into his body.

“Do not move, Julia,” Zeke suddenly whispered to her. “If you keep rubbing your body against mine, I’m not so sure if I could stop myself.”

And just like that, I turned stiff. I wasn’t so sure if I heard that right, but my body reacted and just turned stiff. He turned to the men once again as if what he said was nothing and continued the serious conversation. I closed my eyes and was still for as long as I could.

A few moments later, he gently shook me in his arms.

“We are here now,” he said.

Turns out I fell asleep again. Like a baby being cradled. I couldn’t be more embarrassed. I nodded at him, and he gently placed me down on the cold marbled floor. My feet curled at the unfamiliar sensation of the cold and smoothness of the floor after walking on dirt and rocks for months.

The light inside the big house was bright. The walls were cream-colored and surrounded by a lot of ceiling high arched windows. There were frames and ornaments on the walls, and a grand staircase that went up to a second floor.

I was surprised, but also felt the familiar sensation that I have been to place like this before I lost all my memories.

“Julia.”

Zeke, Amir, and other unfamiliar people eyed me with wonder as I was taking in the unfamiliar place. It was so much different than what I was used to.

Amir nodded at a girl who looked like my age, with olive skin and emerald, green eyes. She walked towards me with her head low.

“May I escort you to your room, Miss?” she asked. I turned to look back at Zeke who was talking to another man, an empty feeling in my stomach started to settle.

“Zeke?”

Not even a second and he turned to me. I wasn’t so sure if he understood what I meant by the way I looked at him, but I hoped he got the message. I didn’t know any of these people. He was the only one I knew and trusted.

“You can go with her. She will escort you to your room and give you new clothes. I still have things to settle.”

I didn’t want him to leave me. But the men behind him looked like they were waiting, and it was about something urgent. I didn’t want to go in their way and become a nuisance. That’s why I just agreed and nodded.

“This way, Miss.”

I nodded at the girl as she walked ahead of me towards the staircase. As we were going up, I couldn’t help myself but look back at Zeke and the others.

I was completely exhilarated by the room I was given. It had a big bed, a tall and wide arched window, a wardrobe, and a desk that was all in color white. The floor was soft because of the carpet, and the lights from the lamps were warm colored.

The girl silently laid out clothes on the bed.

“Do you live here?” I asked her.

She nodded.

“Well, before, this was our house. But then Cronos came back and took it.”

“Cronos?” The man that Zeke beheaded.

“Amir is my father. He was previously the Alpha, but Cronos took over again and now—” she did not finish what she said and paused. “I’m sorry, Miss. I do not mean to disrespect the new Alpha.”

I still could not wrap my head around the whole ‘alpha’. There are so many things that I don’t understand and it’s just making my head hurt.

They aren’t human, Julia.

Even this girl in front of me may look delicate and polite, and young. But she is not human.

“Here is the bathroom, miss.” She pointed in the direction of the bathroom door. I nodded in silence and went there. The bathroom was as spacious as the rest of the house. There was a bathtub with aromatic petals, and it was warm too. I could wait to dip my whole aching body in there.

I jumped and yelped when someone tried to take off my clothes.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” The girl looked horrified and stepped back with both hands in the air. “I didn’t mean to miss!”

My heart was beating out of my chest.

“It’s—it’s okay,” I breathed. “What’s your name?”

She looked around with her shaky eyes, fear loomed over her face but she managed to answer me.

“Lyla, my name is Lyla.”

I nodded and slowly walked towards her.

“It’s fine, Lyla. I was just surprised.”

“I really apologize, Miss. I was just helping you take your bath.”

I shook my head at her.

“It’s fine, I’m more comfortable bathing alone. You can do the things you need to do, I’ll just take a bath by myself.”

“But—” she tried to resist but I gave her a small nod. She hesitated for a while but eventually bowed her head politely and left. As soon as I heard the door closed, I sighed.

I’m not used to being treated this way. It feels uncomfortable.

I closed the bathroom door and made sure it was locked. I immediately stepped out of my dirty clothes and sunk myself in the warm tub of aromatic water.

The bath felt so good and refreshing. It relaxed my aching muscles and washed all the grime off. I stayed there for an hour or more until I decided that I was clean and relaxed enough to leave the tub.

The mirror was covered with fog when I stood in front of the sink. I wiped it with my hand and couldn’t help but stare at myself. I haven’t seen such a clear reflection of myself for months, or even for as long as I can remember.

I stood in front of the mirror and looked down at my body. I traced my fingers on the light lines and thick marks that vine around my abdomen, my thighs and on some of my arms.

I do not remember how or why I have these scars on me. I wonder what kind of life I had before I woke up in the forest. I sometimes wonder what kind of person I was. But a part of me didn’t want to remember, I’m not even sure if I want to go back to that life.

I covered myself with a towel and went out into the room, immediately missing the warmth of the tub. The clothes that laid in the bed fit me perfectly as though they were purposely designed for me. The fabric was soft and smelled good.

It felt so nice to have new clothes.

As soon as I finished dressing up and drying my hair, I heard a knock on the door. Amir’s face appeared in front of me.

I looked around behind him to see if Zeke was with him but felt disappointed when it was just him.

“The Alpha is in a meeting. He said that you should not wait for him and eat first.”

Amir must have noticed how disappointed I was and offered if Lyla would eat with me instead, but I refused. I told him I wasn’t hungry, and I would go to bed early. He hesitated for a while but let me be.

I laid in bed, stuck staring at the ceiling. Zeke was busy as soon as we arrived.

I wonder what will happen to us now that we’re here in this new place. I hope things are better than before.

There were distant howls from the forest but my eyes were heavy and couldn’t help but fall asleep.

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END