Hidden between the thick branches of a big tree, I assessed the ground in front of me. The dungeons, where I needed to be, were to the south. At the back of the castle and under the ground. There were at least forty guards, twenty guarding the border walls and twenty on the ground. And goddess knows how many were inside the actual dungeons.
I climbed down the tree silently and steadily. And now the question was, how could I enter the dungeons without anyone noticing me? How? How? H-I noted a movement in my peripheral vision and looked in its direction. A guard was walking towards a tree in other direction a few feet away. Maybe for his personal business. I smiled to myself. The opportunity came itself to my door.Walking on my toes, I stood behind the man and waited for him to notice me. His ears perked up and he turned to me. But before he could react, I gripped his throat and put pressure on the side on a particular spot until he fell unconscious.Some tricks were very useful at times like these.I dropped the guard and pull his uniform off of him and put it on myself. The size did not fit well me so it was a little uncomfortable. To my luck, the uniform consisted a thick hooded cape which indicated that he might be someone of a higher rank. Well, someone was going to be furious after waking up.I pulled the hood up and walked towards the small opening in the wall. I entered through the small door and moved my face side to side so no one could get to see my face clearly. I swiftly headed to the door which led to the dungeons and entered. Advantage of what I wore, no one even looked at me, let alone question anything.Getting inside, I was met by some stairs which led me downwards. The daylight from the outside lighted the first two-three steps and the rest were illuminated by the fire lit torches on the walls. I descended the stairs and reached a corner which led to a long hallway.I hid behind the corner and slowly dropped my uniform. I couldn't go in there in that disguise anymore. I fished out a small pouch from my pocket and opened it. I took two pinches of the purple dust and blew it in the air. I quickly pinched my nose close and saw the dust fly away and mix with the air.It was a special magical dust grandma gave me before coming here. It would keep the guards asleep while I did my work. Moments later, a thud sounded. Then another, then another and another. One by one, all the guard dropped to the floor and fell into the slumber of oblivion.I stepped out and ran through the hallway. There were cells on both sides. Every cell was filled with prisoners. Some rouges, some normal wolves. Finding grandpa among them should have been easy. Because I'd heard that there was no other witch kept prisoner.Sniffing for his scent, I ventured more into the hallway. The unpleasant smell of rogues, damp ceilings, and dried blood made me want to stop breathing but I kept going on. Just before reaching another corner, I caught that scent, smoking wood. I rushed to the next cell on my right and looked for him. "Grandpa?"A weak old man slowly rose from the floor, wrapped in an old rugged blanket. When he stood up, iron chains dangled from his neck and wrists. Iron, to keep his magic locked up. He squinted through the bars, his face wrinkled, eyes narrowed in focus. "Who are you, little girl? What are you doing here?" He said in a hoarse voice."Its me, grandpa. I am your grand daughter." I said and hurried to him but flinched from a burning sensation when I touched the bars on the gate. "It is silver. Be careful." He calmly said. Holding my hand I checked with wide eyes. Indeed. My palm was burnt."You called me grandpa. Why? Is my daughter..." He asked in confusion. I looked at him and nodded."Yes. She was my mother." He frowned at my words so I explained in a small voice. "She died. She is not with us any more." I saw the way his teared up instantly."We don't have time right now. Someone might come in." I looked around for keys and found them dangling across on the wall and ran to grab them. "Don't touch them!" He yelled but he was a little late. I burnt my already burnt hand, again. Silver. I growled in frustration and turned to him. "The keys are also silver how do they unlock the gates then?" I asked."They wear leather gloves. Only the guards have them." I decided to run to the uniform I dropped by the stairs, I remember it had gloves at the belt, but I halted when I heard footsteps approaching. "They are coming you should go."I turned to him in panic. "But I can't leave you here. I came for you." I whispered to him."But that is not a possibility right now. They are too many. You don't stand a chance." He frowned. Contemplating what would be the right course of action, I drew out my swords. "Go, go, go. They will capture you, too." he urged. I turned again to him and looked in the eyes."I promise, I will come again. Wait for me, grandpa." Giving him a nod, I bolted out. Hurriedly walking through the hallway I reached the corner and focused on the footsteps. They were two.I masked my face and waited for them to reach right in front of me and once they did, I grabbed one guard's throat and shoved my sword in the other guard's chest so he won't make any noise. My weapons were not made of silver. Because I didn't have intentions of killing anyone. They were just coated in a little wolfsbane, enough to delay their healing.I knocked the first guard on the head to make him unconscious and grabbed my disguising clothes. But halfway through, a guard saw me from top of the stairs and shouted for the guards. I growled and threw the clothes away in frustration. Why they had to come right now?I drew my swords out and charged for them. Climbing up, I dodged as many attacks as I could. Jumping and flipping in the air, I just threw some kicks and punches here and there. If I didn't involve any blood shedding they might not call others, thinking they could catch me. I tried to escape without fighting any further but they had now covered up all the possible ways of exit.They all gathered around me leaving no way to go but, I didn't let my mind lose it's calm and skidded past all the lazy men through the space between their legs. Seriously, the king should have paid mind to these fat, good for nothings. Not just only on his soldiers.I ran as fast as I could. I reached another face of the castle and thought of climbing out from this wall. But I knew more guards were coming and I wouldn't have enough time. Not having any other options I slipped through the gate behind me. It was a wide hall with its wall adorning a lot of vases and some paintings. The walls had a golden hue to them, making everything look so very celestial.Hearing the footsteps become louder I ran again. I could admire the castle another time. Avoiding all the servants and the other people I ran through the hallways and climbed up some flight of stairs. I reached a corner where there was just a small balcony in front of me. I looked out to calculate the situation outside. Guards were running outside shouting for a masqueraded female.I stepped back and looked around me. My ears picked up faint chatter coming out from across the hallways and I looked for a hiding place. The door to my left was left ajar, so I slipped in. The room was mostly dark wich was lightened only in the centre which looked like a bathing pool built in the floor. The pool was large enough to fit atleast seventy people in it. Everything else was blurred due to the mist in the air.Mixed in the scents of many oils and fragrances, I smelled the most intoxicating scent I have smelt in my life. Pine and sandalwood. I inhaled a large gulp of that heavenly scent and looked for it's source. My gaze centered to a figure sitting in the large pool showing me its back. I concentrated on it, it was a werewolf, a male. As if feeling my eyes on him the man turned his head slightly towards me.Even in the blinding mist, where anything else was not sensibly visible to my eyes. I caught his deadly gaze. Piercing brown. The darkest of browns I have ever seen but they still had the glimmer in them. My eyes locked with him and my breath got caught in my throat when a voice echoed in my mind.Mate.ALPHA KING ELRICKMate.Something I have wished for more than anything else. Something I couldn't ever have. 21 years back, to be exact, I made a decision. A decision which shed all of my hopes and expectations.Yes, I was disappointed. In myself, in my faiths and the goddesses. Because that decision was going to tear me apart. The decision, being that I shall kill my mate the very moment I meet her. Isn't it just ironic and quite cruel? To kill the one you have that you are supposed to love and live for.I know it is not something that someone would be proud of, but in our ancestry, promises come first of all. And I promised my father and his father and his father, that despite all of the circumstances, I will protect my kingdom, my throne. And she is a threat to all of those promises I need to keep.From the day I was born to the day of the prophecy, I saved my love, my attention and my body for the one and only female it was meant for. But in the past years, I slept around with num
Panting, running and stumbling a few times, I was sprinting through the forest. I didn't know where I was going I just wanted to get away. Get away from the nightmare that just turned into a living reality for me.I didn't want to meet him. I didn't want him. How did I ended up in his choke hold while on a rescue mission? What was he even doing there? Does he live there? Who is he?Putting my thoughts and body on hold, I crouched low, putting my hands on my knees. I took deep breaths closing my eyes to calm my rapid breathing. But even when I was thinking of absolutely nothing, an image of dark chocolate brown eyes flashed before my eyes and they snapped open.I couldnvividly remember, as if happening right now, his piercing gaze on my face. I could nfeel his calloused hands holding my wrists as pleasurable tingles shot up my hands to all the way to the end of my spine. I could smell his heavenly scent of pine and sandalwood on myself.But what I couldn't feel, that everyone else expe
"Where were you the whole day?" The loud voice of my friend caused my ears ring when she opened the door before I could knock."Well, I can tell if you would let me in." I said. She pursed her lips but stepped aside for me to enter. The aroma of delicious food was heavy in the air and there were meals served for two at the dining table. "Who is here?" I asked in confusion. "David came home today. He has got leave for a few days." Ah! David. Her mate was assigned for patrolling at town's border. He came home in every few days. So, tonight I was to meet him, at last."Go and get freshed. I am serving dinner and then we have some thing to discuss about." I raised a brow in question. She just shrugged and went in the kitchen and I headed to guest room.Dinner was not as awkward as I thought it would be. David was a young mascular man with golden hair with grey pair of eyes. He was a person who could do all the talking alone without making it awkward. I was just answering his small questi
Princess's guard. Who the hell was she? "Who are you?" I voiced my question. The three looked at each other and then dragged me into a lonely corner. "Do not shout alright? I am…," she looked around us. "The princess of Zyrenia." Oh. I stayed quiet and her expressions told me that she expected me to scream or react in some way.I had never came across a royalty before, so, I didn't know how would they want me to behave. Should I bow? Father says never to bow before anyone except the goddesses but, I couldn't afford to raise suspicion on me. I stiffly bowed my head as if asking if I am doing it right. "No, no don't do that in the public eye." She said motioning me to stand up. "So what do you say?" She asked. What do I say? "Pardon me, your…highness….but, don't you have about thousands of soldiers guarding the castle? Why would you want me to guard you?" I inquired. "Yes," she huffed. "But they are not my soldiers they are my brother's. They only follow his commands, they won't let
I kept my hands steadily folded behind my back to hide them from the observing eyes of my doubtful mate. My hands were clenched tightly from the anxiety and even a small movement from me could reveal my real identity to him. His dark gaze never left me, as he was scrutinized my every feature from the tip of my hair to the sole of my foot.I told everyone that I came from a village far away, to meet a friend here, but the suspicion in the Alpha King's eyes never subsided. The princess was fidgeting impatiently beside me. "So what do you say, brother?" The princess asked and her brother's eyes finally moved from me. "I don't think it is a wise decision, Princess. She is a female herself, how will she protect you from the danger when she herself need protection?" The King gave his opinion and I was offended. "If you think that being a female makes someone a wekaer or lesser of a being, then you are in denial." Some gasps sounded at my comment and I looked around myself. Everyone was l
The blood oath was a bond among people, who swear their loyalty and confraternity to each other, connecting them through their blood. The bond allowed the tied ones to communicate through the mental conversations. I was going to be tied to the bond that all the soldiers, and guards share with the royal family.I was given a new uniform which was made of brown leather, suitable for carrying weapons around and comfortable moving. We were on our way to the temple at the heart of the town to perform the ritual. A mini parade was prepared to accompany us to our destination. Four groups of armoured soldiers was at our sides, led by the King and his men.The commoners were standing on the sides of the broad way and peeped through their windows to look at the royal party. Children were screaming in excitement while their mothers pulled them back and hushed them. We arrived at our destination and the group ahead of us split into two to make way for us to ascend the steps of the pristine templ
I navigated my way through the brightly lit hallways of the walloping castle to look for my chambers. I took in every turn and narrow hidden cabinets to memorize the structure in casez I ever needed it in the future.The echo of my boots hitting the shiny floor was the only sound beside the wind howling outside. . My demeanor was calm but my mind was racing a mile, thinking about how could I break through the heavy settings of guard at the dungeons without getting caught. After my little intrusion a few days ago, the security had been raised up."Are you the new guard to the princess?" A female asked from behind me. "Yes." I answered."The high priest has asked for you at the temple." She informed and I frowned in confusion. Why did the priest want to see me? Even earlier, he was looking at me weirdly. "Thank you." I nodded at the female and she returned to her work . Leaving the castle I reached the temple again that day, curious as to why the high priest would want to meet a stra
"I don't belong at this table, princess. I will sit where I am supposed to. Enjoy your meal, please." I gently removed her hand from my arm and went to the table designated for people like me. Guards who protected important people and valuable belongings.I filled my plate and settled into an empty chair. I was the only female on this table, for no female joined this type of job. I noticed the way all the men stole glances at my direction in curiosity and in irritation. They were annoyed that a female was sitting among them where they were a sign of masculinity and strength.The sounds of footsteps on the polished floor caught everyone's attention. A female entered the dining hall, with two maids trailing behind her. Her honey blonde hair that reached to her waist swayed slightly with her walking as she made her way straight to the table where my mate sat eating his dinner quietly. It was as if she didn't even notice anyone around her beside him and quickly went to his side. "I apolo