SEIZED AND THROWN INTO THE DUNGEON

LIA BLAKE

 

"What the hell have you done to me?" I muttered in disbelief. Gosh, what happened to Lia Blake that I used to know? The last time I came close to looking this snatched up was last summer at the school prom night. Of course it didn't end well for me.

 

She walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a white long lacy and extremely pretty dress. Wait…isn't that a …a wedding dress. 

 

"A wedding dress?" My eyes widened. 

 

She extended it to me and said, "Put it on…erm but before then I would like to say something…" 

 

Now this is beginning to get scary. Who exactly is this woman before me…

 

She hung the wedding dress in one of the hanger, ran her fingers on it as though she didn't want to leave it but for some reason had to.

 

"You know, I have always been excited for this moment…my wedding, the night I get to be fully joined in marriage to my mate and love of my life…well…life doesn't always go as planned…" her voice went low. I could feel the sadness in her tone. Who exactly is she and why does she sound so sad…

 

"I have to marry someone who doesn't feel a bit of attraction for me. I can't bear it. I can't live my entire life in a loveless marriage…I just can't…That us why I need your help…" I could hear her sob even when I couldn't see her face.

 

I had seen the sadness in her eyes but I had no single idea she was this sad. 

 

She sniffed back tears and turned to face me. 

 

"I'm really sorry I'm making you go through this, I'm so sorry… but I am going to stop here and take a step back and I will let you make the final decision. Please help me…just for tonight…be my substitute until I get away…"

 

"What? I mean how I can be your substitute… we don't even look that alike…"

 

She took my hands into hers and gazed into my eyes."We don't have to look alike. He won't see your face until later in the midnight during consummation but I will have my men take you away before that time. All I need from you is to be beside him during the ceremony and the vows. Please, help me…" she pleaded. 

 

My wolf purred pitifully. Oh, not now little wolf. This was as risky as it sounds. 

 

Her hold on my hand loosened. "It's fine if you don't want to do it. I completely understand. I guess I can't run away from my sad fate."

 

"Wait! I will help you!" I blurted out as she turned to walk out. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face me again, her face lit up. "You will help me?"

 

"Erm, well, since you said it will only be until midnight…"

 

She gripped my hands again, "Yes, I will make sure you go back to your life before he discovers the truth." 

 

She went over to where she hung the wedding dress and brought it to me. "Go on and put it on."

 

Lia Blake, what exactly are you doing…oh shit shit shit!! 

 

"Go on," she urged me on. With slightly shaking hands I collected the white dress from her and slipped my body into it. And then slided my feet into an equally pretty white shoes that matched with it. 

 

"You look so beautiful. As if this dress was made for you…" she said as she smiled at me. "Go on, take a look at yourself in the mirror…" 

 

Okay. Breathe…breathe Lia. It will be fine. It's only for a few hours. Just a few hours… I took plenty deep calming breaths after which I turned to look at myself in the mirror. 

 

Oh my…oh my! I was frigging dazzling!

 

"Woww…"

 

My moment of awe was cut short by the barging in of the man from earlier. 

 

"We have to leave now." He told the woman. 

 

"Yes, there is no time." She faced me and handed me a soft thin light fabric. "Wear it," she said. And I looked at both her and the fabric confused. 

 

"I don't understand. What is that?"

 

"It's a veil. No, sit. I should install it myself." She made me sit and she quickly brushed my hair after which she installed the fabric on my hair. 

 

"You can pull it up for now. When the time comes, someone will come pick you. Just wait here."

 

"Excuse me…I don't understand most of what you just said." 

 

"It's fine. You only need to do as I told you. One of the servants will come pick you up when the time comes. Don't take the veil off before midnight…"

 

She took my hands, her expression softened. "I'm sorry for putting you through this. And, thank you…"

 

"Ma'am we must leave here if we are to make it." The man reminded her. 

 

Slowly she left my hands, turned and sauntered out of the room with her crew. 

 

I exhaled sharply the moment I was left all alone in the room. 

 

Now what Lia?

 

Well, I might as well just admire my beautiful self in the mirror until I am needed. My dress was one of the most beautiful wedding dress I had ever seen. I looked like a really perfect bride. Unfortunately it will only last for a few hours. I sighed when I remembered I hadn't even asked for her name. Well, it will only be for a few hours. 

 

I thought of Carlos, if he hadn't abandoned me, no, if the moon goddess hadn't been cruel on me and mated him with someone else, I could have had a moment like this with him. 

 

I was still admiring myself in the mirror when I heard a knock on the door. I quickly pulled down the veil over my face.

"Who is it?"

 

"Luna, it's time. The Lycan king is waiting."

 

Luna? Lycan king? Waiting? 

 

I was still munching on the words I just heard when the knock came again. This time the door was pushed open and a woman entered. I presume she was the servant that would lead me into the wedding hall. She was dressed in a servant dress confirming my assumptions. 

 

"Please come with me, my Luna, the Lycan king awaits your entrance."

 

"Erm, excuse me...what do you mean Lycan king…" I blurted without thinking but I was quick to hold back knowing that a slip from me would only give me out. 

 

The woman looked at me. "Is there a problem, my Luna?"

 

"Of course not! Lead the way, please…" I said, twisting my voice a bit. 

 

Okay I am actually terrible at imitating accents especially not when I had barely known this woman I am supposed to act as until midnight. 

 

Good thing the woman hadn't noticed. When I stepped out, I noticed a few other servants waiting too. My suspicions heightened. Who exactly is this woman I am impersonating? Why did the woman call her Luna and why was the Lycan king waiting for her? What exactly is going on…

 

I couldn't ask questions lest I give myself out. And so I held it all in and followed the group of servants. 

 

They led me through a corridor, out of a building and into the next building. It was a huge and beautiful place well decorated. They were guards around and that increased my suspicion which had grown into fear. What if…what if I was really impersonating a Luna…oh god, I will really be dead if the Lycan king finds out. 

 

I have heard stories about him. Scary ones. A hard hearted, rigid and ruthless Lycan king. 

 

No, this can't be happening right now. 

 

My legs became heavy and my heart started to hammer against my chest. 

 

What have I gotten myself into…

 

With heavy legs I managed to drag myself with the servants until we got into the building. It was there it dawned on me what terrible mess I had gotten myself into. 

 

Oh Lia, I am in a deep shit. 

 

A man walked up to me. He flashed me a big grin. 

Who could he be…her father?

 

I leaned towards the servant woman. "Who is he?"

She turned and looked at me as though I had asked the silliest question on earth. I know I know, it really is. I mean how could the Luna not know him but then I am not the Luna. 

 

"He is your father's closest friend and has been acting as your father since your father's death. The Lycan king's family favors him. Did you forget? Is your head hurting somewhere? Should I get your herbs?" 

 

"Ohh, no, no, I am fine. I mean I didn't forget. I was just pulling your legs…hahaha…" I said and laughed, doing my best to hide my nervousness. 

 

Fuck! This is crazy. This is fuvking crazy!!!

 

Okay okay, calm down Lia. That woman has promised to get me out of here by midnight and I will be gone. Yes, I won't have to face the Lycan King. I just have to put on this veil and never take it off till then. 

 

The man opened his arm for me. 

 

I took a long deep breath before I sling mine into his and we started to march forward. The scent of Lycans couldn't have been missed by my nose. It was hard to tell which was Lycan or werewolf in the midst of the crowd when all were in their human form but their scent? My nose couldn't miss that. I wondered if father was here too. As an Alpha of one of the four packs, there was a high chance he would be here. For my sake, I hoped he wouldn't. 

 

In front, I could sight a man suitly donned.Tall and muscular. Despite my veil, his charm and dazzle under the lights couldn't be missed. His high nose stood firm and straight atop of his rigid face. His grey eyes are strikingly beautiful. But there was something in them. Just something that eluded my understanding. 

 

As I got closer to him, I could feel his strong aura and I needed not to be told he was the Lycan king. Derrick Kings. 

 

My body shivered and goosebumps ran down me at the sight of him. He wasn't just as scary as they said. Everything about him was intimidating. His countenance and demeanor. How on earth did those around him cope?

 

I unlinked my arm from my stand-in father. He patted me and walked to the section where others stood. My heart flipped as I turned and faced the Lycan king. It's hard to tell if it was the extremely handsomeness of his face that had my heart misbehaving or the fear from being caught. Gosh, he was a fucking demi-god! I had never seen a more perfectly carved face.

 

We faced each other and there was an unusually large woman, a Lycan who presided and read out the vows to us. 

 

All through the vows, his gaze remained fixed on me but he barely blinked much. He only spoke when it was needed of him. Not even a word to me, his supposed bride to be. Well, not like I am his bride. What was all this coldness in his face? Now I realize why the woman sounded pitiful and ran from the marriage. No woman could put up with this much coldness. 

 

"Now, you may share a kiss to seal this bond, forever." The presider said. 

 

Share a kiss??? This wench didn't tell me this part. 

 

Shit!! My heart was beating so fast as he took two steps towards me, closing up the space between us. His hands went around me and he pulled me to himself. I gulped hard, forcing my breath to a halt. 

 

I fear at this point, he would hear how crazily my heart was beating. The only thing stopping me from taking to my heels at that moment was the fact that he wouldn't have to completely take off my veil that moment. 

 

Slowly he shifted away a portion of the veil covering my lips region, bent and claimed my lips. 

 

But it only lasted for a moment as a group of guards scampered into the place. 

 

"That woman is an intruder! The Luna is gone!"

 

Derrick King tore his lips away from mine at once. "What!!!?" He growled and with a pull,he fling the veil off my face. 

 

"Seize her!!!" He ordered and in a matter of seconds a good number of guards had gripped me. I thought to plead but I feared the terror in his eyes would have me dead even before I finished my words.

 

"Lock her up in my dungeon right now!!!" He roared and the guards started to drag me away. 

 

As I was being dragged away, the memory of his eyes the moment he realized I wasn't his rightful bride kept flashing in my head. I hadn't seen such darkened grey eyes in my life before. 

 

I was thrown into the dungeon. The coldness and foul smell of the place welcomed me the moment I was pushed inside. When I looked to my right, I saw a man half-dead and brutally wounded. The foul smell came from his untreated rotting body.  

 

He flashed his greasy dirty teeth at me the moment our eyes jammed, perhaps pleased to see a dungeon mate. 

 

I collapsed onto the ground knowing I most likely wouldn't make it through the night. If the ruthless Lycan king didn't have my head, then the coldness and the foul smell here definitely would.