Chapter 4

Royal's POV

I stumbled backward, my heart racing. I couldn't believe Mimi would go this far, but I knew better than to underestimate her.

"What are you doing? Stop!" I cried out, grabbing onto the window to steady myself.

Mimi walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the shattered remains of my locket.

I heard her laugh maniacally and I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger and rage coursing through my veins. But I knew that fighting her was not an option. I would only end up in the hospital, or worse.

As I stared out the window, I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair wash over me. Without the locket, I felt like I had lost a piece of myself.

But I wasn't going to let Mimi get the best of me. I took a deep breath and resolved to get my necklace back, no matter what it took.

With a newfound determination, I quickly made my way out of the room and down the stairs, scanning the ground below for any sign of my beloved locket.

As soon as I heard the door close, I immediately sprang into action. I grabbed a torch and dashed out of the room, determined to find the locket that was thrown out into the open space.

My heart was pounding in my chest and tears were streaming down my face. That locket was the only thing that remained of my parents and losing it was not an option. As I ran, I wiped away the tears with the back of my hand, my eyes scanning the ground for any sign of the locket.

Suddenly, I collided with the solid frame of a man. I stumbled back and almost fell, but the tears in my eyes prevented me from seeing who or what I had hit. "I'm sorry," I stammered, my voice hoarse from crying. Without waiting for a response, I continued running, my torch illuminating my path.

I had never walked alone at night before, but I was determined to find that locket. I walked carefully towards the back of my window where it was thrown, my torch held out in front of me.

The garden was vast, and I knew that finding the locket would not be an easy task. I started by searching the flowers - hibiscus and daisies. I didn't want to damage any of them, so I searched them one by one, carefully sifting through the petals and leaves.

After searching the flowers, I moved on to the orange trees. I searched through the branches, hoping to catch a glimpse of the locket. But it was nowhere to be found.

As I moved towards the weeds, I felt a sharp prick on my arm. I hissed in pain, dropping the torch. I quickly picked it up, rubbing my arm, thinking I had been pricked by a thorn.

I continued my search, my torch illuminating the path ahead of me. In the distance, I saw a mini forest, filled with different plants and trees. I could hear an owl hooting, but I didn't pay it any attention as I continued my search.

Suddenly, I saw something shiny in the distance. Without a second thought, I ran towards it, unaware of the danger that lurked beneath my feet. I stepped on a snake and it hissed, startling me. I ran for my life, the snake chasing me like a predator chasing its prey.

As I ran, my torch fell from my hand. I quickly bent down to pick it up, but as I stood up, I felt a sharp pain in my arm. Unknowingly, I had stepped on a sharp branch, tearing my clothes and skin. Blood was dripping from my arm, and the pain was excruciating.

"Fuck," I whispered under my breath, examining the torn skin on my fair arm. I tore a piece of my gown and tied it around the wound to stop the bleeding. The pain was unbearable, but I knew that I couldn't give up. Not until I found that locket.

I picked up my torch and stepped out of the garden area, determined to find the lost locket. Hours passed as I trudged through the rain, searching for any trace of the necklace. Just when I was about to give up, I spotted a glimmer of light reflected in a pool of water.

Excitedly, I walked towards the pool, my heart pounding in my chest. As I got closer, I could see that it was indeed my locket. Without hesitation, I plunged into the water, swimming to the bottom to retrieve it.

Finally, I emerged from the water, gasping for air and clutching the locket to my chest. But as I examined it more closely, I realized that the silver casing had been damaged, making it almost impossible to open.

Frustrated and exhausted, I headed back to the pack house, eager to get some rest and have the locket repaired. But when I arrived at the entrance, my enemy Mimi was waiting for me.

"Oh, I see you found the locket," she sneered. "Well, you won't be able to enter the house till dawn."

I was taken aback by her words. "What? Why not?" I asked, hoping she was just playing a cruel joke.

"Because I said so," Mimi replied, her voice dripping with malice. "And if you try to force your way in, I'll make sure you regret it."

I tried to reason with her, but she was adamant. As I approached the gate, she suddenly lashed out, hitting me hard in the abdomen. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of me, and I fell to the ground in agony.

Gasping for breath, I tried to apologize, but Mimi was having none of it. She locked the gate and left me stranded outside in the pouring rain. I struggled to crawl to a nearby tree for shelter, clutching my locket tightly and wondering what I had done to deserve this treatment.

As I lay there, shivering and in pain, I realized that I was completely alone, with no one to help me. And as the darkness closed in around me, I couldn't help but wonder if I would ever make it out of the pack house alive.