TESTING THE WATERS

Selene's POV

"Wake up, Selene. You have work to do. " The red-haired old lady in a white cloak urged from a distant. I was confused, my consciousness slowly slipping away.

"What work? Who are you?" "Wake up, Selene. You have work to do. " The woman kept repeating the same words over and over again. My eyes fluttered around, hoping to find a means of escape, but everyehere was covered in white. My feet weren't touching the ground. I reverted my gaze to the woman, but instead, I saw my mother. My heart skipped a beat.

"Mother!" I called out, but she slowly drifted away, her eyes filled with pain. "Where are you going, mother? I miss you a lot, " I cried out, stretching out my hands to reach her, but I couldn't move.

"Please... Come back!" I yelled, tears falling from my eyes. The look of disappointment in her eyes caught me off guard. Tears poured out of my eyes as she disappeared into thin air. Suddenly, the white walls around began to crack and fall off, revealing a dark abyss. Fear gripped in as it pulled me in. I was terrified, struggling to remain on the same spot. All efforts proved abortive. Suddenly, numerous hands with claws pulled me from behind.

"Ahhhh!!" I screamed, darkness taking over. ***** My eyes shot open as I breathed heavily, sweat beads trickling down my face. What was that? A nightmare? My head throbbed as I tried to recall the details, but my memory was blank. I was pained. I scrambled to sit, but a sharp pain shot through my chest, keeping me stuck to the bed. My eyes darted to my chest; it was bandaged and swollen.

"What...." My words trailed off as fragmented pieces of my memories in that cell came together. The witch. My heart was filled with great trepidation as I recalled every bit of what happened. I had never been so scared of someone in my life as I was scared of her. I thought my life had ended there. I wondered who saved me. Suddenly, the door swung open.

A blonde haired man with blue eyes behind a pair of glasses walked in with a warm smile on his face. "Hello, young lady. How are you feeling now?" He asked with a softened voice. My survival instincts kicked in. "Who are you?!" I questioned, my voice rigid. The man's smile broadened. "My name is Javier. I'm the head doctor of Shadowfang Pack."

"Oh, " I pouted in realization, letting my guard down a little. "Okay." "Your name, please?" He questioned. I hesitated a bit but replied. "Selene." "Oh, wow!" He exclaimed. "Nice to meet you, Selene. You'll be fine in a few days, but till then, I want you to cooperate with me. Let go of the fact that you don't belong here till you're done recovering. Can you do that for me?"

"Tch... Fine" I looked away, then a face flashed before my eyes. I shifted my gaze to Javier. "What about the strong-headed Alpha of yours?" Javier chuckled. "You wouldn't want to see the outcome if he hears that from you. Well, I haven't seen him since he brought you here."

"Huh... He saved my life?" I gasped in disbelief. "That monster saved my life?" "Yes, he did," Javier affirmed, his voice stern and serious. "Now, I'll advise you to watch your mouth. I won't tolerate your insults towards my Lord, else I wouldn't mind causing you a bit of pain to put you on the right track." His coldness caught me off guard, but I didn't apologize. "After recovering, you'll be sent to the inner court to work as the Alpha's maid. Enjoy your recovery days while it lasts, " He added. He was about to leave when a lady walked in with a frown on her face.

"What's wrong?" Javier asked. The lady stared at me for a moment before responding. "Lord Wolfe sent some guards to move the patient to the inner court. They're waiting outside." "But she isn't supposed to leave now," Javier argued. "Lord Wolfe made the decision himself. We don't have any choice but to heed to it, " the nurse stated.

"They want to take her now." My body shook with apprehension as I struggled to help myself up. "Where are you taking me to?" I queried, ready to fight. Javier looked at me with eyes full of pity. "You're going to the inner court. Don't worry, I'm sure the Alpha meant well."

"Yes," the nurse chipped in. "He said you should assign a nurse to go with her." "Alright then," Javier agreed, and immediately, three guards walked in with stern faces. "We'll be taking her with the bed," one of them stated, his voice rough. Javier had a funny look on his face. "Huh...." "You'll get it back. Lord Wolfe doesn't want her to sustain anymore injuries, " the guard replied, and just like that, Javier and the nurse gave way for them. The feeling of dread surged through my veins as they approached me. "Don't come any closer," I snarled, my searching for an opening.

"Don't stress yourself. We can't hurt you even if we want you. " The guard chuckled amusingly. The moment I tried to move, my chest ached. I looked down to see fresh blood gushing out. "The nurse should come with us," another guard stated. Gently, they whisked me out of the room. The pain in my chest was so unbearable that I couldn't utter a word.

An injury from my kind would have healed up by now. So, this was what it was like to get injured by a witch? "It seems this is your first time being attacked by a witch," one of the guards voiced out like he had read my thoughts. "That's why your wolf can't heal fast. A wolf who's immune to a witch's attack would have healed up by now." My pride shattered into pieces as his words sunk into my ears. So, that was how weak I was compared to them?

Soon enough, we got out of the healing fortress, or whatever I heard Javier call it. I spotted a horse standing with a cart attached to it. Two of the guards placed me on the cart, while the third one went ahead to ride the horse. We started moving. The horse halted in front of a gate, and without uttering a word, the gate opened. My eyes widened in shock the moment I saw the interior designs of the inner court.

It was a huge contrast to the outer court filled with savage wolf guards. The she-wolves around were dressed like royalties, likewise the he-wolves. "Is that the new maid?" A female voice grabbed my attention. It was an elderly woman with a hard expression on her face.

"Yes, she is" the guard on the horse replied. "She isn't allowed to work until she's fully recovered." "Alright then, " the woman replied. Later on, I found myself lying on a soft bed with a nurse stitching up my wounds. I had almost reached the dreamland, and when she left, I gave in to slumber. Unfortunately, someone had other plans for me.

The door creaked open, and I became alert. I was stunned when I saw who had walked in. A sweet scent clouded my senses as the mate bond tugged at my heart. I felt the urge to run into his arms, but my resistance was stronger thanks to the fact that he hadn't marked me.

"Your peace won't last for long." His alluring yet devilish voice echoed in the room, and I scoffed in disgust. "My life was never a peaceful 6 I retorted. "Oh, great. Then, you'll be fine living in hell. " He shot back, smirking. "I was born in hell," I fired back. "I practically grew up in it. If you have nothing else to say, you can leave." Instantly, he burst into laughter. "Leave?

You keep forgetting that you're in my territory, Selene." I flinched. "How do you know my name?" He smiled mischievously. "What do you think?" His smile made me tremble as another image flashed through my head. It was him. I was sure of it, but he looked younger. How? I shook my head to get rid of the thought.

Suddenly, I recalled my conversation with the witch. "Killian Wolfe" I called boldly, ignoring the warning signs. "What's this curse thing all about? Why do you have a witch in your territory?" I had a lot of questions.

"Tch... That crazy witch!" I heard him curse, then sigh. "Some things are better left unsaid. Focus on getting better." I ignored the chill in his voice. "The curse killed your previous mates, right?" "How did you know?" He snapped. "Your witch lover mentioned it, I replied curtly. "Though she didn't say much, I'm smart enough to put the pieces together."

"Ugh.. good for you!" He scoffed, but I wasn't done yet. "Why didn't the curse kill me like the rest?" I probed further. Killian's brows furrowed. "You ask too many questions."

"But I need answers," I retorted. "Well, I don't intend on giving you any," He snarled and stormed out of the room in anger. I was unsatisfied as I remained alone, diving deep into my thoughts. Hours passed before a young maid walked in with a tray of food.

"Hello," She greeted meekly, but I wasn't moved. I was rather irritated by her obvious weakness. "What's your name?" I asked. "Ella" She replied, then an idea popped up in my head. She looked like someone who could be used without putting in much effort in convincing her. "Ella," I called softly. "I'm really confused. What do you know about the curse?"

Her eyes widened in shock. "How did you know about that? That's an open secret; no one talks about it." "But I need to know, please" I pleaded, throwing a pity party. Her gaze softened immediately; just what I wanted. "Well, I heard the curse kills any mate given to him by the moon goddess," She replied with a low voice. "It's been like that for centuries. Everyone avoids talking about it."

"One more question, " I pleaded. "What's that?" She inquired. I exhaled heavily, knowing I was taking it too far. Well, I didn't care. All I wanted was to satisfy my curiosity. "What's the reason behind the curse?" I asked.