CHAPTER FOUR: THE NEW WORLD

ARIA POV

Pills and potions, idle chatter and misguided counsels—none of it is sufficient to anchor my recovery. I am alone in another man’s fantasy script.

Thinking of my wishes and ambitions for when I’m older—No. I didn’t have any. I was just a wandering girl, tossed about by the winds of fate, inexperienced with the bumps and loops of life.

It’s a cruel world out here, and I am not equipped with the skill set to navigate its terrain. This and more flood my mind when the beeping sound of the clinic jolts me back to reality.

“Wake up, sleeping beauty. How are you feeling today?” Her remarks always give me the chills.

What the hell? I stare at the doctor as she smiles in a strange, unsettling way.

“Where am I, and why am I here?” I ask hysterically.

“The emperor found you and rescued you from the chains of vagrancy,” the doctor says as she caresses my head.

The chills return. What the hell is wrong with this woman? And why does she use such a condescending word on me? Who told her I had no purpose—that I wandered like the wind until he found me? But deep down, I know she isn’t entirely wrong.

“So, I need you to chew on this while I run some tests on you,” she adds.

I scoff. “As if I have a choice.”

“Pardon?” she replies.

A wave of fear sneaks under my skin, but I summon the courage to speak. “Yeah. I don’t have a choice. Why would I? Seeing that you handcuffed me and chained my hands to the bed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry about that,” she replies calmly. “The emperor wouldn’t want you to do anything stupid. He fears you might take to your heels once you get better.”

My thoughts spiral as my emotions run wild. Were they all subjected to this kind of treatment?

Would they be chained, locked up, or punished if they decided to opt out and elope one day? Is this what pack life looks like?

These thoughts ambush my mind like a panther lurking in the shadows as I stare at the doctor.

“Well, you are looking much better than yesterday. If you are patient and stick to your meds, you should be out of here in no time,” the doctor sighs as she ties the back of her hair into a ponytail.

My mother always wanted us to come under a pack; she claimed they would provide the covering and security we desperately needed. It was a scary season, because I was secretly grateful whenever we were kicked out of any pack she intended to join.

This was the reason for her demise, because we were safe until she embarked on the forbidden journey and lost her life on the road.

I wish she were here—oh, how I desperately crave her presence, how I long to hear her voice, even if it is just one last time. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday, a remarkable episode in the prolix narrative of my life, and I wish to share every moment with her.

I hold back the tears in my eyes; people will think I am weak if I let it rain.

“Hello, Aria,” the doctor’s call snaps me back to reality.

“Of course, I will stick to your prescription,” I nod in acceptance.

“Emperor Bond would be here in a minute. Please, behave yourself,” she concludes.

My mind bolts into panic. I stare at the handcuffs on my hands, and my tongue tastes sour. I feel my skin crawl as my hair stands on end. I cannot fathom whether I am excited or just scared of him.

Then the door creaks open in an instant, and Bond walks in with a smirk on his face.

He walks in briskly, in an odd fashion. “Oh, you are alive. How are you feeling, though?”

“I’ve been awake for hours now,” I reply, staring at him in disgust.

He holds his chin. “You don’t have to be so sour, though.”

“What do you want from me?” I ask in frustration. I am in awe—this emperor spent years chasing down my dad and me, and I didn’t think it was just because I was fated to him.

He stares at me for a long time, trying to figure something out from my eyes. “It’s really astonishing for someone to speak to me in such a manner,” he replies.

“I don’t really care, and as soon as you take these chains off me, I’m going to bounce. Honestly, I don’t even know why you wouldn’t give up. You chased me to the ends of the earth, killed my father, and you let my mother die,” I glare at him.

He turns to the doctor. “Get me something to drink,” he says, as he collapses into the couch next to the bed.

“Look, Aria, your dad was a traitor. He betrayed my father, joined an alliance to kill my father, and destroy my empire. As for killing your dad, he didn’t give me an option. He knew the penalties for his actions, and he still did it. Even when I offered him amnesty, he refused to take it.”

He stares at me to see my reaction, then he continues. “Your dad attacked me first, and I had to do the needful. As for your mum, I had no hand in her death. It was your and her decision to make.”

“What the hell?” I protest. “You let her die.”

“Maybe your mum deserved it. I am the King of Alphas, an emperor feared all over the world, but your mother wanted to keep you away from me.”

I feel my heart beat rapidly as a rage of fury gathers all over my chest. I clench my fists as my fingers sink deep into my skin, and I grit my teeth.

I piece my words together as I stare at him in anger. “You bastard. She hated you, and it’s your fault. You don’t deserve to be worshipped or revered.”

He stands up from his chair. I feel the air in the room tightening as a wave of thunder strikes the building. His fists clench, his eyes are bloodshot, and his movements are swift as he launches at me.