Chapter 2:

ASTRID.

I stand there, shock still washing over me. He hisses under his breath and jostled me outside of the cell.

"Follow me." He says, his hands tightening around the edge of my arm. I can’t even remember the last time I had walked on my legs. We climbed a few ancient stairs, the light propping through my face.

My eyes shut due to the light, because it's been a really long time. As we pass the ancient stairs, I see the portraits that line up the wall. The portraits are the only thing my father cherished. It consists of every bloodline in the Alpha family, each family picture taken according to each generation. At least. That’s one thing Alpha Lucien didn’t take away from us.

I stare at my great-grandmother, the previous Alpha. My grand-father. My father, and then me. The picture was taken on my seventeenth birthday, I had worn my finest gowns, my mother had even dabbled my face with powder.

I stare at my seventeen year old self. The light long blonde hair that had always ruled our bloodline, our soft golden eyes flecked with a layer of brown. My seventeen year old self stared back at me, if only she knew what would befall her, she would have trained harder. We approach a room, and he pushes me in roughly before leaving.

This was my seventeen year old room, everywhere is still the same as it was five years ago, like any normal teenager ready to begin the first phase of her life, swords I used to practice with my father still lay there untouched, I can’t even remember how to use a sword anymore. Why am I here? Is Zeke trying to torment me? The door is pushed open, wind flushes through my face. A woman strides in.

"Hello. I am Evelyn." She chirps over to me. "I am the assistant pack-keeper, I am here to fix you up." She says, like it’s her job to do exactly that.

I don’t recognize her, so I presume she’s newly hired after the war. She doesn’t look old, we are roughly around the same age, with her being a few years older.

"Let’s get you fixed up." She rings the golden bell in my room, and the other maids flood in, they take me towards the bath, and bathe me. One rubs oil onto my pale skin, another washes my hair.

Evelyn orders them on what to do. I stare up from the tub, my long blonde hair covering my body. "Why are you doing this to me?" I find myself asking, my body trembling from under the warm water.

"The Alpha ordered us to do this." She smiles weakly, she feels sorry for me. I can see it in her lids.

When they are done bathing me, they lead me towards the chair facing the mirror. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, even after years. My eyes haven't seemed to change one bit, and after the bath. My hair is silky, long and soft.

I sigh in my seat, they dab make-up onto my face. They settle me in a red bodice gown that reveals my collarbone.

When they are done. They leave the room, I am all alone with Evelyn now.

"You look beautiful." She says gently.

"What does the Alpha want from me?" I ask, my throat is dry and I realize I have not had breakfast at all. She senses my discomfort and orders the food to be brought in.

The trolley is pushed in, seeing the food that racks the tray makes my mouth savor. For years, I have been served nothing but cold toast. Seeing the different categories of food makes me almost want to say thank you.

I pick up the spoon and shove the rice into my mouth.

"Gently." Evelyn says. "I am sure there are plenty more to come."

Is there truly more to come, or will I be thrown back into the dungeon? I don’t want to think about anything as I shove plenty of food into my mouth.

Evelyn watches me quietly from under her long lashes, I wonder what’s going on in her mind, I wonder if she knows everything about the war. I wonder if she knows that my family once ruled this pack, and if not for the war. I would have been the Alpha, I would have gotten my mate, I would have had were-pups of my own.

After the food is cleared, Evelyn says. "I am going to leave now, please stay in the room. The alpha will meet you in the evening," She bows gently, before exiting the room.

Again, the lonely room reminds me that I am alone. What does the Alpha want from me? Does he want to torture me the same way his father did? I am scared, afraid of what he’s going to do to me. The candle flecks illuminated light. The gold speckle of the fire reminds me of the color of my own eyes.

I stay on the bed waiting. When I was seventeen, I hadn’t heard about Zeke before, though then, he would be attending the academy. When a wolf turns eighteen years old, they go to the academy where they spend three years. One can choose from a variety of courses. I wanted to become a doctor, but the war took that away from me.

I sigh deeply, staring at my red gown that descends down to my legs, a cut in the shoulder, giving my collarbone a splendid view from afar, my hair is held into a perfect bun, pins attached to one end.

I take a nap on the bed, and when I wake up. Night has stretched really far, everywhere is inharmoniously quiet. I can hear the hooting of the owls from outside, that instant, the door flushes open. My heart thrums against my rib cage, sweat forms in the layer of my brows, a shiver runs through my spine, it’s like years ago when I was running, the dread that ran up my body, it is coming back to me, this time, churning my stomach so badly.

My breath stills for a moment. I hear his footsteps growling on the tile floor. He’s here.