Kaela's POV

The sheets my hands touch is unfamiliar. My head hurts, deepening my brows as I sit up. This room, the bed, and my surroundings...it's distant and unrecognisable.

'How did I get here?'

I close my eyes, allowing myself to surf through my memories, and I recall. The Lycan King of the cursed Black-Fur Lycans took me!

My nerves shoot up, chills racing down my spine, and when my eyes wander around, it centers on a figure. A man is at the balcony, his hands deep-rooted in his pockets. He seems lost in his thoughts, but his aura is powerful, similar to the one I felt back in the woods last night.

I detach the lamp next to the bed and grip the holder, pointing its sharp ends towards the man as I approach from behind. When I'm closer, I hasten but then, he turns around and faces me.

"Good morning to you too, Your Highness." The man tilts his head when he realises the tip of my weapon is at his windpipe.

"Who are you?" I speak with authority, a rage in my eyes. "Tell me this instant, or I swear I'll sink this into your neck."

His lips tug to the left, his expression not shaken before he uses a finger to shift the holder from his windpipe. "I came here to check up on you, Kaela."

"My name. How did you know it?"

He walks towards the bed, gliding his hands past the fabric. He takes his time before he spins to face me again and narrows his eyes on me.

"Kaela EmberFang, born of Alpha Bloodline and rightful Queen of EmberFang Pack." He claims and I swallow a lump. "Although, that isn't the case now anymore, is it?"

I refrain from being intimidated so I summon yet another courage. "I'll ask this one more time. Who the fuck are you?"

"Wan, my name."

There's a way he speaks that's different, and trust me, I've met many werewolves and Lycans in my lifetime. While I haven't been around Black-Fur Lycans, I will still be able to differentiate them from werewolves.

"Your aura is strong but obviously not a Lycan's. You're a wolf."

"You're smart, Your Highness." He is clapping. "You caught that fast, didn't you?"

I don't understand. What is a werewolf doing in Black-Fur territory? He must either be a slave or a traitor. He must be the latter because he seems... free and outspoken.

"Alpha Theron awaits your presence tonight. I've prepared a maid to come and dress you up. For your own safety, I advise you don't do anything stupid." He says and walks in the path to the exit.

"How dare you work for that devil?"

"Just last night, you were whimpering and now, you stand up to me." He sounds curious rather than interrogative, then he adds. "My wolf is a Beta and a member of this pack, so yes I serve Alpha Theron."

"When I'm out of here, I'll have your head on a spike!" My threat halts him again, this time, his laugh ripping through the space.

"A decade ago, I was condemned, an outcast used as a rag, left to rot in the woods but Alpha Theron found me and I was reborn. Once a nonshifter, now a Beta, so fuck you and how you see me. I don't give a shit." He pauses for a second. "In this world, when you're a nonshifter, you have no family or friends. You've suffered the same fate, Your Highness. Get used to this new life."

I drop my gaze with a twitching jaw. As much as I hate Wan, he speaks the truth. As a fellow nonshifter, even when I was rightfully Queen, I still fall behind. My own childhood friend and lover stabbed me in the back, including the ones I call family...or maybe it's all a lie. Until one day when I have all my answers, I can't risk fragmenting my mind.

The sound of closing doors calls me back to life. "No, no, no! Open this door! Let me the fuck out!!"

When I'm out of breath, I slide to the floor, staring into the distant with a million and one thought passing through my mind. My eyes shift to the balcony, and I head there.

"Shit!" It's practically impossible to jump. If I'm not exaggerating, this floor is close to the clouds. That's how high from the earth I am. An ocean spread out with valleys faraway, fairly veiled by more clouds. A bright greenery on the distant mountains, glamorous as the sun shines upon them.

Back in the room, I spend the entire day looking for anything to aid my escape. A map, landmark...anything at all, but it's all futile. My muscles are sore by the time it's dusk.

My attention wheels to the door as a young lady enters. Trembling breaths, face dropped to the floor. She's nervous.

"Who are you?"

"A maid." She replies softly. "Lord Wan asks me to prepare you for the Alpha. I'll get you a warm bath and I bring you new clothes."

Until now, I never realise I am in different clothes. No wonder I felt so comfortable since morning.

"No, tell your Lord and Alpha they can fuck off."

"Please, please, if you don't get dressed, they'll kill me. I don't want to die. I have a sister waiting for me back home. I can't...please, I'll be swift I promise." The lady drops to her knees and I bite my lips.

"You're a nonshifter, aren't you?" When she nods, affirming my curiosity, I add. "Fine, I'll take the bath. What are you called?"

"Gwen, M'lady."

I need to be out of this room anyway if I want to find my escape. I must think of a plan.

Minutes later, I feel refreshed. Never did I think I'll find a warm bath a luxury until this new circumstance. Gwen and I are now in the dressing room.

I'm wearing a gown that draws down my body, engulfing me with elegance. She's almost done, only tightening the corset. I have no idea what I'm doing right now, but I know I'll do my best to find an escape.

"How many of you did he enslave?" The question blurts out of me before I can even control it. From the corners of my eyes, I see Gwen fidgeting, remaining silent. "Hey, I plan to escape tonight—or soon. You can come with me."

"You have done enough, haven't you?" She scratches her hair as she trips back. "Stop! Please, stop! Don't feed me more lies!"

"What? What do you mean...lies? I don't understand."

She pulls the last tie and take to her heels but I pull her back. "I'm queen of EmberFang Pack. Although it's not exactly mine at the moment, I can help you find your people—your sister too. We can rebuild and fight back. Help me."

"I'm here because of you and your so-called mate! For years, the White-Furs stole our resources and EmberFang did nothing. Raped us, molested us, tortured us, and left us for dead. Those of us that escaped either ended here or in a fate much worse!" She's out of breath by the time she finishes. Her eyes reveal the horror she has passed through.

"Caius, Lycan king of the White-Fur Lycans?" My voice is little, a teary whisper.

"EmberFang was supposed to be our safehouse but you neglected us and you even married that monster. You know nothing of the outside world." She finishes and I have nothing to say.

"Please, follow me to the dining room. Alpha Theron isn't known for his patience."

Walking behind her, my hands sway beside me like a dead being. My thoughts are coarse and jumble. How can I have been so stupid? Caius's evilness has been in existence since the dawn of time, and I was so blind. My heart breaks even more, disgusted at myself, for all the years I loved him. He was so good with his game that he locked me out of the outside world, doing his damages without my knowledge. Until he no longer needs me.

The dining floor appears before me. A variety of fine dishes spread across the table. Gwen guides me to a particular seat. The room is lit with candles and a chandelier directly above me.

"Do as he says. Of us all, he hates you most." Gwen whispers into my ears before she scurries into the shadows, vanishing the space.

My heart leaps in my throat as I wait, but regardless of my fear, I have a plan and I'm sticking to it. Soon, footsteps approaches and Theron appears before me.

I don't know what I was expecting but definitely not a man in linen shirt and oversized pants. His shredded muscles are evident beneath, his left pec bulging out and his arms tightening against the fabric. There's an art of ink on his chest that I can't exactly read. His hair is messy, a strand stretching to the bridge of his nostrils, complimenting his grey eyes.

"Apologies for keeping you busy, M'lady." He nears me to grab my hand but instead I grab the knife next to my dish and aim for his neck.

He weaves my attack without breaking a sweat and bends my wrist until I drop the knife and cry out in pain. "Stop, please!"

"I'm here to eat with you. Not to bicker." His bass voice reminds me while I'm massaging my wrist.

Heading to his seat, I kick the table. Plates and cutleries ramble and break on the floor. "I don't require your hospitality. I demand to be released."

He raises a brow but remains unfazed. He ignores me and my anger triples. "Talk to me, bastard! You can't keep me here! I'm a queen!"

I quiver when he slams the table. "Hm, a privileged queen. Spoiled and unaware of the world outside her beautiful walls. Thinks everyone is supposed to respect her. Piece of horseshit."

"I'm not scared of you." I spit, eyes burning in rage.

"You should be. You're my slave."

"I'll die before I am used by you."

"Hm." He sounds completely disinterested in my threat, making me look more of a fool than I already feel.

He comes near me and picks me up, swaying me off my feet. "What—what are you doing, bastard?!"

"Fulfilling your wish."

"What?" My fear triples against the howling wind when he opens the window. "Drop me this instant!" I kick but it does nothing to him.

"Hm. Okay."

And like a dream, gravity shifts course as he throws me out of the fucking horizon.