Chapter two

As the man beside me disrupted the room's tranquillity, the one standing opposite me uttered with a shudder, "Your mother... she's no more." His words struck me like a bolt of lightning, and at that moment, my world shattered into a thousand fragmented pieces. He clicked his tongue dismissively, casually entering the room before closing the door with a resounding thud. I struggled to process the devastating news; my mind clouded by echoes of Mama's voice calling out to me.

Curling into a small ball, I desperately tried to silence the memories that flooded my mind. They played on repeat; each scene etched vividly in my thoughts like a well-worn record.

"Mama, look at my tail... it's a beautiful blend of blue and white!" I exclaimed in pure joy, twirling around her with childlike enthusiasm. She chuckled, attempting to calm my exuberance.

"Sweetheart, it's just a tail. Mama might trip if you keep spinning like that," she lovingly chided, joining in on my laughter. Gathering me into her warm embrace, she gently stroked my hair and gazed into my eyes, overflowing with love.

"Oh, my darling, you're going to be a princess," she whispered, planting a tender kiss on my cheek, her head nestled against my stomach.

I burst into laughter, trying to wriggle free from her grasp, but the moment felt too perfect, too blissful to let go. The reminiscence of that fleeting happiness abruptly dissipated as the voice of the tattooed man brought me back to reality, causing me to flinch at his sudden presence.

He loomed before me, crouching down to meet my eye level, gripping my cheeks firmly as his gaze bore into mine. "She's quite a beauty," he commented, his eyes wandering over my striking blue irises. With a gentle touch, he turned my head to the side, inspecting my jawline, and even dared to playfully run his fingers through my hair. His intentions remained enigmatic, leaving me perplexed and unsettled.

A smile slowly crept across his face as his gaze shifted between me and the other man standing behind me, whose arm still encircled my back protectively. "She's the one," he murmured, a tinge of greed evident in his voice.

The man who held me, in stark contrast to the one before me, appeared more like a beta—a member of the pack's hierarchy. However, the man confronting me exuded an irresistible aura of strength and allure. His muscular physique strained against his fitted shirt, veins tracing pathways beneath his taut skin. A necklace dangled from his neck, accentuating his chiselled jawline. He was a vision of masculine perfection, a prince among men.

"Well, I beg to differ. Akira is far more suitable. She possesses the essence of a fierce warrior," the man holding me asserted from behind, his voice sending shivers down my spine, resonating through my very core.

"Akira is not fit for this girl," he lifted my lips to examine my teeth, giving them a flick to test their sharpness and strength. However, his actions caused genuine pain, which shot through me.

"Listen, brother, I don't believe she will bring any benefit to our pack," the man behind me spoke once again, expressing his dissent towards the dominant male.

Annoyance washed over the face of the higher-ranking male, his grip on my teeth slowly loosening as his hands fell to rest on his powerful thighs. I could sense the tension in the air as he responded with a hint of aggression, his voice tinged with a growl as if someone had offended him deeply.

"I understand the pack better than you do, so stay in your place," he asserted firmly, the authority in his words reverberating through the room. A gust of wind swept through, sending a resonance down our spines.

It was an eerie sensation, reminiscent of the fateful night I lost my beloved mama. These men surrounding me knew nothing about my true nature, yet they held control over my destiny. At that moment, I couldn't decipher if this was my inevitable fate or the worst possible outcome that could befall me.

The nurse barged into the room once more, her fear evident as she nodded in acknowledgement to the man who held my hand. There was an undeniable aura of power emanating from the men surrounding me, and it seemed to install fear even in the nurse's presence.

"Bring her to the throne by evening," the commanding male wolf cleared his throat, directing his words past my ears to the man who stood behind me, awaiting his response.

Amidst the haunting echoes of my mother's voice, confusion clouded my mind. I struggled to focus on anything other than her ethereal presence. However, the mention of the throne ignited a spark of curiosity within me. What mysteries lay hidden within that enigmatic place?

The man holding me tensed visibly, swallowing hard as he bowed to the other male, watching him depart. I traced the departing figure with my gaze as he exited the room. As soon as he was gone, the nurse guided me back to the bed, gently laying me down.

The man with a vibrant tail, the one who had been embracing me and drawing comforting circles on my back, stirred awake. His gaze met the nurse's as he brushed his thumb gently over my cheeks. "You're going to be saved," he whispered under his breath, his eyes softening with reassurance. Although he may not possess the same overwhelming power as the other male, a distinct aura of strength enveloped him.

He patted the nurse's back and swiftly left the room. The nurse, now standing before me, held up an injection. Its liquid was a vivid shade of red, and I recalled my mother mentioning that red often contained herbs used to weaken wolves, rendering them fragile and susceptible, typically employed in times of war.

However, I found myself bound to the bed, unable to escape her clutches. She wore a sinister smile, her intentions etched upon her face with clear signs of jealousy and anger. As she inched closer, preparing to inject the blood-red liquid into my veins, I frantically kicked my legs against the mattress, chanting, "No, please, no!" Desperation filled my pleas.

In that intense moment, something snapped.