Waking up, I could hear the birds outside the cabin singing. I was still in the chair and the fire was roaring again. A blanket laid on my lap, covering my legs and I and the chair were pulled farther back from the fireplace than I had been when I went to sleep. I could hear the Alpha sleeping.
Escaping seemed like the best idea right now, but even at full health, without the broken foot, we would be nearly matched. This was why fights between our people were so deadly on both sides. For every one we got the edge on, they seemed to match it. But then, he seemed so much stronger than me just from our few interactions. Standing up, my foot protested deeply, and I clenched my teeth together.
Following the sound of his falling breaths, I wandered into the bedroom. He was sleeping deeply, a pillow under his arm. He looked very peaceful. Watching him for a few more seconds before realising if he woke up and saw me, he might freak out. I didn’t need him to hurt me even more.
Walking quietly, I nearly left his room. Setting my foot down, I felt my foot shift and I let out a shrill scream as pain shot up my entire leg. The sound of movement on the bed had me panicking, and I forced a few steps to get out of his room. My entire leg was consumed with pain and my vision was swimming. The chair by the fireplace was a world away. There was no way I was getting back there without more pain than I could handle.
The Alpha was awake now too. I could feel him behind me, waiting for me to get out of his way, most likely. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck and I didn’t like it in the slightest. It was giving me goosebumps. He said nothing either. He just stood behind me.
“Sorry I’ll move.”
I put weight on the foot, nearly gagged from the level of the pain.
“Is it worse now?” He asked suddenly, causing me to jump. Before I could land on my poor foot, arms kept me up in the air. Arms belonging to the man, the werewolf rather, that did this to me.
He carried me like that right back to one of the two chairs in front of the fireplace. He roughly dropped me onto the seat. Mumbling to himself, he seemed annoyed as he hunted for something. Finding what he was looking for, I heard him hum before he held out a green glass bottle.
“This should help.”
I was confused. Why was he suddenly helping me now? After all the pain he had given me, now he was trying to help me. I wanted to ask, but I settled with just letting him help me first. He walked over and gave the bottle after pulling the cork out of the top.
“You should only need a mouthful, any more than that, and I’m not really sure what it will do to your kind.”
“Alright.”
I took the bottle and poured a small amount into my mouth and swallowed it. It burned the entire way down and tasted terrible.
“Gah! What is this? It’s awful.”
“Opium, a pain reliever.”
I nodded. I never had to take a pain reliever before. I knew what it was, but never was I given one when injured. My father believed that pain helped you understand not to get hurt again. Not that anything my father taught me felt important anymore, now that I knew some of his crimes.
Unable to stop myself from asking, I spoke.
“Why did you kill Gaal?”
I watched his entire well muscled back ripple at the name. He was visibly shaking.
“Do not mention that creature’s name in my presence.”
“What? Why? He was a very kind—--”
“You clearly know nothing about a single person who sits among you in your court.”
“Yes, I do. I know—--”
“That man assisted your father in the slaughter of my kind.” He said, his tone now having a bitter edge to it.
“No! I refuse to believe Gaal would do such a thing. He would never!”
“If that was true, don’t you think he would be alive right now?”
“You killed those who didn’t surrender!”
“I didn’t kill you, and you didn’t. Neither did half the vampires here. I only killed the ones I distinctly remembered.”
“You lie! You killed too many for that to be that true.”
“One vampire for one wolf. Your father chose me, but there are wolves here that bear the names of others, too. I am not the only one.”
“No!”
“Yes! My words are true and you know it! You can feel it!” He yelled, throwing the bowl in his hand. It shattered against the wall not too far from me.
The pain reliever had kicked in and I couldn’t stop talking, no matter how hard I tried.
“How old are you?”
“Old enough.”
“Everyone calls you Alpha, but what is your actual name? You have never mentioned it. Mine is Elias, and—-”
“William.”
“William, really? That’s an ancient style name. I don’t think it fits you much, Will. That’s much better, I think.”
He frowned and sighed.
“Opium makes you chatty. Good to know.”
“Why are you being nice now? Before you cared less if you hurt me and you were set on blaming me for all my father’s issues.”
“I’m not being nice, I’m being civil. There is a sizable difference.”
“You didn’t address the fact that you are blaming me for my father’s behaviour.”
“There was a point to not addressing it. I haven’t changed my mind on it, and there isn’t a point in arguing about it.”
I nodded before speaking about what was on my mind about the subject. Folding my hands in my lap.
“I did not know he was even like that. There was never any sign of him being that way, and I didn’t know so many others were guilty alongside him. I get why you did what you did, and why you are blaming me. But it’s still a lot to wrap my head around.” I said, looking at my hands.
“Don’t worry, you will have plenty of time to get used to the facts.”
“What will happen to my people?”
“Those who can live along with us peacefully will be given that option. But your kingdom is gone—”
“What!”
“My pack is taking it apart stone by stone. Under my orders, no kingdom built on blood will remain in my territory.”
“That kingdom is in my territory—-”
“Elias, you don’t have a territory anymore. You’re nothing more than belonging. Like I was to your father, you will be to me.”
“How are you any better than him?” I yelled, my emotions welling inside of me.
“I’m merely reaping what he sewed.”
Standing up. I put weight on my broken foot. I couldn’t feel a single thing, not a touch of pain. William, the Alpha, had his back turned, and I bolted out the door. The sunlight outside was bright and blinded me as I ran through the snow. Unable to get my eyes to adjust to the sunlight, I smacked into someone and landed in the snow on my butt.
“Elias! What are you doing out here, running like that on that foot?”
The healer. He helped me up and I could just make out his frown. He kept his hand wrapped around my arm, not letting me go. It was a firm hand, but not painful.
“Let me go! He intends to destroy my home and I—-”
“Elias!” William’s voice was deep and angry.
Looking up at the doctor, I struggled in his grip. He looked down at me, and then at what I assumed was the angry wolf closing the distance between us.
“William will find you.” He said softly before letting my arm go, letting me run.
I didn’t understand the reason he let me go, but took off running in the snow again. I barely felt the cold. I knew how dangerous it was for me to be doing this, but there were things in the palace I couldn’t live without. I refused.
The palace came into view and so did a ton of wolves. Way more than I had seen last night at dinner. One woman looked up and spotted me, yelling something before she shifted. When I got to the gates, she and another blocked my path.
“Get out of my way. There are things inside my palace that I cannot live without. Things that belonged to my mother. They are dear to me.” My voice cracked when I mentioned my mother, and I hated it.
The enormous wolf beside the female stepped aside, shocking the female, who growled at me.
“I mean you no harm. Please trust me, I know my words hold little value to you.” I said softly, hooding my hands up to show her. Annoyed, she stepped out of the way and allowed me through. I didn’t miss the way they looked at my foot, the wrapping now falling off because I ran the entire way here on it.
I could see where they were already well into taking my kingdom apart, and it was sobering and saddening. I passed a few other wolves who stopped what they were doing and looked at me. One of them growled at me, showing his teeth.
“Like I told the ones at the gate, I mean you no harm.”
They clearly didn’t believe me.
“I don’t have time to explain this to you. I’m sure the Alpha is on his way here and I need things inside that castle.”
They all seemed to perk up at the mention of their Alpha. Walking past them, one of them grabbed my arm.
“Just let me get the items I want.” I snapped.
“You need nothing inside that—--”
“Elias!” The roar from the front of the gate told me I was out of time. Driving my elbow into the man’s ribs, he let me go and I ran.
“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you.” As I left, I yelled. I felt bad about it because I heard the man yelp in pain.
I didn’t bump into anymore werewolves till I got inside the castle and they looked shocked to see me. They weren’t able to grab me before I ran past them. I needed to save all my mother’s tea sets and a few other things that she had taken the time to make herself.
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