Chapter 3: Dread

EMMA 

My body felt hot—too hot. A sharp headache hit me immediately I dared to part my eyelids. My gaze rested on a ceiling. Not familiar, but that wasn’t the reason my heart skipped ten beats at once, nor was it the reason my throat suddenly went dry when the rays of sunlight from the window kissed my face. 

Only one question continued to echo in my mind. 

Was this the afterlife? 

The room was so pretty, I was convinced it would was. 

 It had to be. I had never heard of anyone surviving such poison, especially not a wolfless one like me.

The last thing I remembered was hitting the water and, feeling myself slowly let go of my consciousness. I couldn’t keep much of what happened after in my mind, but I knew when my body kissed the sea. I knew I didn’t fight when water engulfed my body. 

My heart was thumping, loudly, I was alive?

How was this even possible? I survived that hit? Roots mixed with nightshade? 

 That was deadly for a wolf—how much more for someone like me, who didn’t even have a wolf yet?

My attention moved to the ceiling above me. I was no doubt in an unfamiliar room. 

I struggled to look around, just to make sure I had an exit plan if I needed one. 

Lavender polished walls, a queen sized bed, and a tall vanity mirror at the distal end. The circular room was large and spacious, unlike anything I had ever seen before.

 I had no idea where I was or who had brought me here. Not the wolf pack, they didn't build their rooms in this way. This one looked really advanced. 

Who then found me? 

Was I safe now? What if they were more dangerous than the ones I had been running from?

How long was I out? I wondered. 

It was better I pretended to be unconscious to gather as much information as I could about the place. I closed my eyes and pressed my arms to my sides. Not too much, so I wouldn’t look suspicious. 

I was thankful for that choice when the door opened and I heard two pairs of footsteps walk into the room. 

“She’s very beautiful. She will make a nice slave for our king.” I heard a soft female voice mutter. 

A what now? I nearly jerked out of the bed. 

“Maybe that’s why the prince spared her. He must plan to send her as a tribute on his next visit to the Lycan King. That’s what his guards said at least. The Lycan king will be extremely pleased.” 

I would have swallowed hard if they weren’t so close to me. 

I was itching to move,to break out to a run but I decide against it

I heard the sound of things being moved about and the sheets covering me were moved 

Next thing I felt a cooling sensation. It felt so good I nearly moaned out 

They wiped me down with a cooling cloth. The sensation was amazing against my overheated skin. Whatever they were using, I liked it. 

I remained as still as possible. They had mentioned something about a slave. Could they have been referring to me? Certainly not, right? 

Who were these people? 

Their accent sounded a bit strange 

But they smelt pleasent and rich, they were no doubt refined 

I stayed quiet, itching to know more. 

Soon they left and I was left staring at the ceiling 

How long had I been out, what was the place? I had to many questions but I slowly gathered information while pretending to still be unconscious wherever they came to the room 

Staying still for the entire day armed with the ammunition I needed: information. The ladies who had come in to clean me up weren’t the only ones. 

So from what I knew, I was instructed to be taken care of, given the finest treatment and things because I was to be sent as tribute. 

Goosebumps broke out across my skin at the mention of that

The woman wiping me paused for a moment, I could feel her stare hard at my face. 

It took all of the ability Inside of me to act still. 

She looked away finally and continued with what she was doing. 

King Xavier. The Lycan king Xavier 

Another shiver went down my spine at the mention of his name. 

I had heard of him, who hadn't, a ruthless man, through and through

He was quite known in the wolf pack. 

The Lycan and wolf relationship were strained, their reputation and superior strength made us avoid them even more. 

Back at my pack, we were threatened with the Lycan king. 

That we would be banished to the Lycan kingdom and captured. The thought of it left whoever heard about it shaken enough to put them on their best behavior. 

That king that was renowned terror. 

He was cruel and heartless. 

That was the man they planned to hand me over to? 

Oh goddess 

I didn't need this second chance or this life 

You should have taken me at that time. I cried to her silently. 

This people were Lycan's no doubt. 

Which meant I was in their territory. 

Moon bossess why me? I wondered. 

The windows of this room were way too small and was made in a weird way that it was slanted shut completely makin escape impossible. 

I couldn't help it at this point. 

I had to start planni a way out from here. 

Thankfully,I didn't feel weak or hungry, whatever drugs they were administering made me feel whole. 

Whenever the young mais came in to treat me, I would grab a few herbs I recognized when she left for a moment and tuck them under my pillow when she stepped out. 

I did the same thing the next day as well stealing from the set bowl some fruits and sweets. 

Under my bed and pillow, I had gathered several plants. I ate the edible ones to sustain myself, sipped some water when I could, and remained still whenever they returned.

Then today, I spotted a very potent and rare plant when a maid, one I recognized, stepped out.

It was a Valewind Lily. I knew it was an extremely rare plant, this one was in a way toxic . I remembered knocking myself off to sleep one day when I had burnt that back at the pack house. It was an effective drug when administered, but when burnt and  inhaled on the other hand, it became something else entirely. 

That evening I was taken more and special care of, my hair was being brushed carefully and I was even sprayed nice perfumes. 

Why would they use such rare herb on me? I wondered. 

The Lycan prince would be arriving tomorrow,he has to see she's being well taken care of.

I swallowed hard. 

The prince that was going to take me to the king. 

Time had come, I had to move now

Not wait for tomorrow. 

It was finally time to put my plan into action. From what I gathered, this was the outermost part of the kingdom. 

What I did notice about this place, was the Cold. There was a lit fireplace that kept the room warm.

The fireplace too wasn't an option to use to escape, it wqs closed up 

I couldn't understand how their technology worked here, but the smoke seemed to travel to other rooms as well. 

I sighed lying back in bed in frustration,I had to think up something and fast

If we went further into this Lycan kingdom,  escaping would be impossible.   My stomach made a loud growling sound almost immediately. I rubbed it gently and heaved a sigh.

1 was starving. If I was going to escape, I needed food and energy.

Goddess, please. 

 I waited, sitting upright, for the next nurse. They usually came around this time.

Soon, a woman entered.

I laid back down acting groggy like I'd just woken up. 

“You’re awake! Thank goodness,” Bright brown eyes sparkled with relief as she walked in.

 “She’s awake!” she peeped her head outside the door and called out.

I forced a small smile and nodded in tiredness. 

Then I looked around like I didn't know where I was as the women who had gathered, beautiful women from my observation peered curiously at me

  

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?” one or them asked and I shook my head slowly. Even the wound on my chest which was still wrapped  seemed to have healed which was surprising 

A tall woman with red hair walked in and I recognized her form her voice, she was the doctor that looked at me everyday. 

Let's check you now. She said gently and I lay back down 

I fell from a cliff, I explained still in awe of how I was alive in one piece.

Now was when I had to sell myself. 

“Ouch!” I winced in pain when she moved over to my legs. 

She moved down to my legs examining them 

“You don’t have any broken bones. I wonder what could be wrong…”

“Anna!” she called, and a young girl entered.

“Send for Cedric.”

A man entered a short while later and began examining me.

I hissed everytime he touched my legs,  feigning pain. I needed to make it believable that I was weak and frail so they'd drop their guards. 

“It might be internal damage—probably from the poison or the fall. Those are the worst kinds,” he noted, shaking his head as he spoke. 

 “We will have to wait until the prince arrives. It will need the attention of the royal specialist. This seems to be some unique bone deficiency, we don't know what exactly she's been through, the man said.

Oh you poor thing, the women said feeling sorry for me.