AUNT HYACINTH I woke up with a terrible headache thanks to my impulsive decision to drown myself in alcohol. I don’t remember a thing so seeing myself naked was the most horrifying experience.My heart was beating faster than eyes were blinking. I was panicked. I hastily threw some clothes on before going go check the door. Its locked from the inside and it gives me a certain sense of relief. “No one could have gotten in if the doors were locked,” I thought but a counter thought popped in, a silver of doubt.“What if I personally locked the door after the person who came in and saw me like this?” What then. The panic came back faster than it left. I swear never to drink alcohol for the rest of my life, no matter how short. I guess some things are hard to forget no matter how much alcohol you drink. I vividly remember that I don’t have much time left to live so why can’t I remember what happened hours ago? Or at least before I lost my clothes? My room has never been this disorderly
HUNTER. If overreaction was a person, Nikolai would be it’s superior. Aunt Hyacinth's letter specifically said not to worry but here I am on a trip with no specific destination in mind. She’s a full grown woman that is more than capable of taking care of herself. I’m no dummy, I know aunt Hyacinth is capable of killing. She can not have lived that long in the palace and not have blood on her hands, she’s not a saint. I have no idea why Nikolai is so worried, he’s not telling me but this has a lot more to do with what happened before returned home than aunt Hyacinth's letter. I finally arrive at her house. It’s the only place I know to find her, I would have let Nikolai do the search but u don’t want him to going over board the moment he leaves. He has a wife to tend to and except he wants to end up like me, he better. “Anybody home!” I yell as I bring my horse to a stop. It’s covered in dust and so are my boots but it’s the least of my problems right now. “Anybody!” I y
NIKOLAI. Everyone is failing to understand, I know what it looks like but I’m sure they’re mistaken. I’ve known her all my life and the only time she ever told me not to worry was hours before my mom died. She never says not to worry except there’s something to worry about and with all the recent security threats, I can’t take any chances. I aggressively tousled my hair almost ripping the whole thing out. Everything looks like a mess. Hell, everything is a mess! I don’t know how I managed to make my office look like this in only a few hours. I pick up a book from the ground and a piece of paper falls from it. There’s something written on it. It’s a reminder to help Jacob find his missing wife. I totally forgot about it. I’m glad I wrote it down. It’s been one problem after the other lately, the only good thing I have going on is the pack project. It’s like the entire land is cursed or something, I don’t know what’s going on. I sit back to analyze all my problems and think of pr
HUNTER.“Why did you clean up the blood?” she asks and I shrug. “I didn’t want the real owner of the house to come back to a bloody house.” If aunt Hyacinth decides to make a quick stop at home, I’m not sure she’d be happy to see that someone was wounded in her home. “The home is still a mess though.” She notes and I nod in agreement. “She could easily conclude that an animal did it.” “I’m not sure animals come with luggage.” They don’t.“A bunch of thieves are better than a bunch of killers.” I say with finality and she glares at me. “I still think you shouldn’t have cleaned the blood, it’s the only indication of danger.” She might have a point but there’s no way I’m losing to her. “How old were you when you first rode a horse?” she asks and I wonder what she’s getting at now. “I don’t think we’re close enough to tell each other childhood stories.” I snap and she tries to move her leg.We’re on our way back to the palace and she’s seated in front of me, her hands are wrapped a
DAPHNE. Every mother, at least most mothers will do anything for their children. I will do anything for my children, it’s not their fault that they had an unfortunate father but they don’t have to know that, I took care of that part of their lives, I can’t be sure that they’re going to have new father any time soon but at least they don't have to grow up with an unfortunate one. “Are you just going to sit there all day and mope?” My father asks glaring at me. I think he might even be pissed that I exist. “What would you suggest I do, father?” “You better watch your tone young lady, you seem to forget that the only reason I let you in is the twins.” He bellows. How can I forget? He reminds me every ten minutes. Just when I start to think that there’s a little sympathy left, that he still feels something for me as his daughter, he knocks on the door and corrects my thoughts with his husky voice. “I never forgot dad, I’ll try to earn my keep. What do you need me to do?” I offer an
NIKOLAI“I didn’t think you’d join us for dinner, heard you saw the pack doctor. Does your leg still hurt?” There’s mockery in my voice and Hunter definitely doesn’t miss it.“Why, you want to break it again?” He responds without raising his head from the food.“Hey, it’s not my fault you’re a terrible fighter. Don’t put this on me.” He raises his head and gives me a disbelieving look. “You had one job! To teach me how to fight, not make me disabled.” He snaps and I clear my throat a little too loudly.“Fine, it’s my fault for not teaching you well. Happy now?” “If you’re going to apologize, then do it properly.” Winter scolds tapping me on the shoulder lightly. “There’s no need to apologize, I want a rematch.” “Done.” I say without hesitation and he smirks. I don't know what’s gotten into him but I won’t pass up any opportunity to beat the shit out of him.It'll help all my frustration go away. Winter makes a tsk tsk tsk sound and continues with her food. “I can never understand
AUNT HYACINTHI don’t know what part of not to worry did Nikolai not understand but I’m touched that he’s looking for me. At least in my last moments, I know that I was loved and I loved.Looking for me might bring him a little trouble though. I don’t know who the men were but they looked pretty brutal and Nikolai isn’t one to let go of things easily.I'm not quite sure what they did inside my house but I do know what they’re doing now because I’m on their tail, I followed them from my house but before that I walked around the pack aimlessly for a while. After I left the palace, I realized that it had always been from the palace back to my home. I never went anywhere else. I was about to die and the only two places that I know is the palace and my home, I had to fix that, hence the aimless roaming.As I continued to go around admiring all the beautiful people and houses, I saw a familiar figure on an awfully familiar horse. The similarity between the horse and Nikolai’s horse were u
HUNTER.“Search the premises, she couldn’t have gotten very far, she’s wounded.” I growl.“Yes sir.” The guards reply and start to run in different directions like seeds out of a leaking bag while I stomp back to her room.I don’t know what's running through Tara's mind but she better have an explanation prepared for when she gets caught. I didn’t expect her to give me a grand show of appreciation or pledge her eternal loyalty to me but leaving without saying goodbye, that’s a little suspicious and completely unacceptable.I comb through the room with anger as I wait for the guards to bring her to me. It still has her scent, it’s a little faint but the room still smells like Tara. She smelled like sweet spices and even though she was covered in dirt, her skin practically glowed in the daylight. I’m glad the first place that my legs led me to go as soon as I woke up was this place. If not she could have gotten away, the guards wouldn’t think it was suspicious if she just got up and