Different Perception

Gracie's POV

I stood by the pool, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. Relief that I was out of my father's house, and apprehension at the thought of living under the rule of the Lycan King. As I looked around, I noticed an omega wolf from the pack approaching me. He looked nervous and kept glancing around as though he was afraid of being seen.

"Gracie, what are you doing here?" he whispered, eyeing me suspiciously.

"I was just taking a break." I replied, feeling a pang of guilt. I knew that I was supposed to be doing my duties, but I had been feeling so overwhelmed lately that I needed a moment of respite.

"You need to be careful," he warned, looking around once more before continuing in a hushed tone. "The Beta is looking for you. He's been in a foul mood all day and I don't think you want to be on his bad side today."

My heart sank at the mention of the pack Beta, Walter. He was known for his cruelty and his love for making examples out of those who dared to cross him. I quickly nodded my understanding to Hillary and turned to leave, hoping to avoid any unwanted confrontations.

As I made my way back to the pack house, I couldn't help but wonder why the Lycan King had suddenly become so nice to me. It seemed almost too good to be true, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. But for now, I pushed those thoughts to the back of my mind and focused on completing my tasks for the day.

As the days passed, I noticed that the Lycan King hadn't been on seat for some time now, and I was worried, hoping to see him and talk with him once more. I found myself adjusting to life under the Lycan King's rule. I was treated quite well, fed twice a day, and given a warm place to sleep, and I no longer had to worry about my father's abuse. But despite the somehow comfortable living conditions, the feeling of being a prisoner still coated my being. I was not free to come and go as I pleased, and I was constantly under the watchful eyes of the Lycan King's guards at each step I took.

As I was tending to the pack's livestock, as one of my duties here, I overheard a group of Lycans talking amongst themselves. They spoke of the Lycan King's plans to attack a neighboring pack and wipe off every citizen of that pack, one that had been at odds with us for years. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could the Lycan King be so cruel and bloodthirsty?

My heart sank at the thought of innocent lives being lost each day at his mercy. I knew I had to talk to him about that now that we're getting quite along slowly, to stop the impending attack, but I also knew that going against the Lycan King's orders could mean punishment, or even worse, death.

As I continued to ponder my dilemma, I was interrupted by a guard who informed me that the Lycan King wished to see me. My heart raced immediately. "He's back so soon?" I whispered to myself, hoping from my seat, and I made my way to his chambers, wondering what he could possibly want with me.

When I arrived, the Lycan King, Alpha Jerri, was sitting on his throne, his eyes fixed on me. I tried to remain calm, but the intensity of his gaze made it difficult.

"Gracie," he called out to me, his voice cold and emotionless. "I hear you've been eavesdropping on our conversations."

I tried to protest, but he silenced me with a wave of his hand.

"Don't bother denying it," he continued. "I have eyes and ears everywhere. But what I don't understand is why you would care about the welfare of a pack that isn't even yours."

I took a deep breath and gathered my courage. "Because I don't believe in senseless violence and killings." I replied, meeting his gaze steadily. "And I don't think innocent lives should be lost just because of past grudges."

The Alpha Jerri's eyes narrowed, and his lips curled into a snarl. He stood up from his throne, his towering figure casting a shadow over me. "How dare you speak about my personal matters?!" he spat, his voice laced with fury. "You have no right to judge me or my actions! How dare you?!"

I swallowed hard, feeling a wave of fear wash over me as he called out to his guards. "Strip her of all her clothings, and put her where she belongs!" he barked, pointing towards me.

The guards moved forward, their muscles bulging under their armor. I tried to struggle, begging and calling for the mercy of the Lycan King, but he uttered no further word. The guards' grip was too tight. They dragged me on the floor, and towards the door, and I knew I was in deep trouble.

As we passed through the dimly-lit corridors, I could feel the weight of despair pressing down on me. I had thought that the Lycan King was different from the other cruel leaders I had heard of, with those few moments of calmness towards me, but I was wrong. He was just like the rest, a ruthless and heartless tyrant.

We finally reached a dark cell, and the guards threw me inside, slamming the door shut in my face. The room was pitch black, and I couldn't see a thing. The air was stale and suffocating, and I could feel my heart beating faster with every passing second.

I tried to calm myself down, but the darkness and the silence were too much to bear. I was alone, trapped, and powerless. I didn't know what was going to happen to me next, but I knew that it wouldn't be anything close to good.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. Likewise, days to weeks, and I was only fed just once in a day. And sometimes, nothing for the whole day. At a point, I lost track of time, and I started to lose hope. I was sure that I was going to spend the rest of my life in that cell, forgotten and abandoned.

Lying on the cold floor, a beam of light filtered into the cell, and I realized that there was a small hole in the ceiling. I stretched my arms towards it, and I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin.

It was a small thing, but it gave me hope. I started to exercise and meditate, trying to keep my body and mind sharp. And then, one day, the door burst open, and someone walked in.

He looked surprised to see me in good shape, and I could tell that he had expected to find me broken and defeated. "The Lycan King wants to see you," he said gruffly, motioning for me to follow him.

I didn't know what to expect, but I knew that I had to be careful. I followed the guard, my heart beating faster with every step.

We finally reached the throne room, and I saw the Lycan King sitting on his throne, his eyes fixed on me. "You have proven to be stronger than I thought," he said, his voice cold and detached. "I have decided to give you another chance."

I didn't trust him, but I knew that I had no other choice. I nodded, trying to hide my fear. "Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

The Lycan King nodded, and I could tell that he was still wary of me. "You will be under constant watch," he warned. "If you step out of line ever again, you will be back in that cell, and a place far worse than there. And this time, there will be no escape route for you."

I nodded again, feeling a mixture of relief and apprehension. I knew that I was walking on thin ice, but I also knew that I had to be strong and resilient if I wanted to survive in this world of wolves and monsters.

"Show her the way to clean up, and bring her straight to my Torture Chambers in 20 minutes." He said to the guards. Then he turned to me, "And make sure all your parts are thoroughly cleaned and smelling nice; I don't have any business with smelly pussies.. else, I'll make you clean them up right in my presence!" He continued, "If you don't know what that means, wait till you experience it first hand!

My eyes widened in terror at his command.