Chapter 5. Bella POV

I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, just listening to the sound of my own heart and pulse. Half-eaten food litters the cell and at night the sounds of rats have started to keep me awake. It is half-eaten because it is disgusting and I would rather go hungry right now. Wallowing in self-pity doesn't require too many calories either. However, I know that a few more months of hunger and I will eat any slop they give me. My lethargy towards my own life does not extend to starving to death just yet. I try to ignore the fact that if I am treated mercifully, as they would describe, I could be in this room for another sixty years.

Once more I cast my mind to a different location and try to evacuate reality. Laid on the narrow bed, staring vacantly upwards, my imagination took me to a better place. One where I still had Gitte and where Bram adored everything about me. I am like an untethered boat once my mind wanders, I just float along wherever it takes me as long as I am not in this cell. 

Of course, I knew Bram was mated to Luna Grace a few months before I arrived but everyone knew they clashed. It was as if the Moon Goddess had set them up for a challenge. Oh, Bram was so unhappy with her. He said when the mate bond clicked even though he was physically attracted to her he knew his soul was still free to find love.

"My soul only became tied once I met you, Bella."

Can you imagine, I still swoon a little inside remembering him whispering that to me.

"And are you...physically attracted to me?"

"Come here and find out," he had growled huskily back, his arm pulling me closer to him on the bed so our noses were touching.

Seventeen, and the twenty-one-year-old prince of your pack is in your room whispering sweet nothings like that...I remember writing in my diary that this was how lottery winners must feel.

"What have you possibly got to smile about?" 

An annoyed yet confused voice rang out across the room causing me to physically shudder as my daydream broke. Wearily I slowly tilted my head to the side to see who had disturbed me. Usually, it was a young guard or a Beta on training duty. Nearly always someone I had been snooty to several months ago and people really do enjoy delivering a taste of karma.

Seeing Helena before me was unexpected. Wearing her black hood with the ruby red lining and a dramatic long green tunic dress tied at the waist she looked every inch a woodland princess. Eight months in charge had clearly done wonders for her. I slowly lifted myself to a sitting position, being in no rush for anything, not even the pack Luna could make me hurry now.

"Good morning Luna Helena," I reply as courteously as possible, dropping my eyes to the ground. My stomach lurched in fear.

"It is afternoon," she replied in a voice filled with concern. "How have you been Bella?"

Well now, there is a question. You cannot sum up the increasingly pressured sense of impending death pithily so a simple, "not too bad," is the best I can manage.

"Your hair is so short," 

"It got matted. They don't allow personal care items," I shrugged. 

"I meant to visit you sooner than this but…" and I watch as the words fail her. 

"I didn't expect you to personally deliver my execution date," my eyes lifted, meeting her hazel eyes defiantly. There is no other reason she could want to be here other than to see justice done.

"Bella…" she whispered. "That isn't why I'm here." As she furtively peeked around the corner of her hood to ensure we were alone I watched her attentively. Like a cat watching the sunspots move on the floor, it was almost alien having this much activity before me. 

She leaned forward, her quick energy and edginess at odds with my lethargy. It made me tired just looking at her, desperately plate-spinning.  That used to be me, juggling secrets and lies and a small smile escaped me at the thought.

"What?" She snapped catching my smirk.

"Nothing...I was just remembering when I had a lot of secrets, it's exhausting."

Helena raised her eyebrows but did not correct me, instead a sigh escaped, filled with exasperation.

"You are right, Bella. I need to ask you some questions if you do not mind. I appreciate you don't have to help me…"

"Ask away"

"Do you know of a goblet in the palace that looks like this?" sliding through the bars a drawing of a goblet with a ring of jewels around the rim. I breathed in and shut my eyes to look like I was thinking.

Truthfully I had never been near anything that grand and like a mistress, I was never taken out anywhere so there was no chance of coming across such an item.

"I am sorry," I exhaled after a minute, opening my eyes, "I have not seen anything like that."

Helena sighed and ran her hands through the frenzy of brown curls she had exploding out from her scalp. I had tried to style it all back sleek and smart once, she had hated it. I had to confess the crazy curls suited her energy. She was a dynamo. My sloppy, haggard bob matched me perfectly too now I guess.

"Then have you ever met a man with three red scars in a line across one side of his neck?"

I couldn't even pretend to think about this one.

"Definitely not, I would have remembered a wolf with markings like that? Who is he?"

Helena let out a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. She stood up and came close to the cell bars. Gesturing with her hand I rose to meet her. Almost nose to nose she spoke in the lowest of whispers.

"He is your way out of here. If that is what you want?"