Luna's Pov
"Do you always eat together?" I asked Jamil as we made our way toward the palace gates. Seeing three members of the council sitting together had made me slightly uncomfortable but luckily, they had not seemed to even notice my presence. Despite my discomfort, there was someone who their presence seem to unsettle even more. Blaire. Throughout the meal, she had spent all her energy focusing on avoiding her mother's gaze. I had looked around, wondering if anybody else noticed the awkwardness but either they all pretended not to notice or they considered it perfectly normal as everyone focused on their meals. If there had been any doubt, the way Blaire had ran off once she was done proved it. Shortly after her, Ulo had left as well, then Leon. I suddenly hated that I had asked for so much food. I had been feeling extremely hungry when I had arrived but now, knowing that three very suspicious eyes were fixed on me, the food suddenly lost its taste and became drier than a desert making me want to reach for the jug of water desperately since I had finished the one in my cup but it was sitting right before the Beta and I would either have to ask the Gamma to pass it or get up to pick it up myself. None of the options was feasible for me so I gave up altogether and rose to my feet as I made my way out. Jamil had met me halfway out which had surprised me because in my panic, I had totally forgotten he was still there. At first, I had half expected him to ignore me as well but he had continued to walk with me in companionable silence before I broke it with my question. "Usually, we do. Unless they are away for one reason or the other. Like yesterday for instance." "But why do they allow me to join on for breakfast? It is not like I am one of you. I am not even a wolf." Even as I asked the question, I had a pretty good idea about why but I wanted to hear what he had to say. He chuckled. "I think you know why, Luna. Come on, we should go see the Pack for real this time." The last time he had promised me a tour, we had had to cut it short so, instead of taking me around, he had simply shown me to a hill to the left side of the training grounds which had its back to the palace. From there, he had shown me the entire Pack with a bird's eye view. Now, he was going to show me everything for real. The idea both excited and unnerved me. The last time we had a tour, we had run into some wolves who had shown me just how much they liked me and now, I was going to be meeting them in their numbers? Another notion that worried me was the fact that the territory I had seen was a very huge one and now, walking through it, on barefoot? It worried me. "I will be right back." Jamil veered off and was soon out of sight, leaving me standing uncertainly a few feet from the intimidating gates. Seeing them in the daylight struck so much more differently than it had at night. The gates were at least seven feet tall with sharp edges to discourage scaling which seemed a mere formality to me because I did not see how someone could get around the security outpost at the edge of the kingdom but then again, Jamil had mentioned the existence of other entrances. For a moment, I wished I could find it and get out of here already. The gates were painted white as were, I was starting to notice almost everything that could not move or talk. The parts of the gates that faced inwards was a big frame for a painting of a massive wolf leaping toward the moon. I scoffed at the ridiculousness even just as I started to hear the clip-clop of hooves. I raised my brow in wonder wondering if I had heard wrong but sure enough, two horses burst out of the corner Jamil had disappeared to. The horses pulled to a stop before me and raised their front legs, neighing impatiently as they blew hot air out of their noses. One was a brown mare with white spots while the other was a glossy black stallion. "Hop on!" Jamil grinned, extending the reins of the mare from atop the black stallion which neighed, raising its hooves even higher than it had the first time. "Horses!" I muttered silently, unable to believe my eyes. "You are not scared of horses, are you?" Jamil questioned, his brows furrowing when I would not collect the reins. "Scared?" I could hardly hold my laughter as I collected the reins and lithely leaped astride the mare. I bent over the horse so closely that I could smell her, a mixture of hay and well, horse. I rubbed her neck fondly, sensing her impatience to burst onto the tracks. "What is her name?" I raised my head long enough to ask Jamil. "Lea!" He replied, his face lost somewhere amusement and surprise. I hardly noticed though as I went back to my horse. It had been so long since I had last been this close to a horse. She sensed it too as she relaxed slightly. I rubbed her mane as I bent so my lips were beside her ear. "Hey, Lea." She snorted contentedly her legs tapping on the ground more calmly this time. "I can see that you are raring to go. Guess what, I am too. How would you like to run?" She raised her hooves and neighed loudly. I laughed. "Yes baby. Fly!" The next moment, the wind was zipping past my ears as we flew.Luna's PovThe only thing I knew about this territory was the outline which I had seen from atop a hill. This was probably enough reason for me to let Jamil ride ahead so he could guide me but that was so not happening. Not if Lea was to be the judge at least. Her feet were moving in perfect sync as she leaped large areas in bounds. Soon, we were in the heart of the pack and given that we were already closing in on noon, most of them were outside, going about their daily businesses. Before they could wave and say hi though, Lea had taken another huge leap turning them into tiny blurs in the distance. Jamil was trying to catch up on his stallion but Lea wasn't giving them any chance. My hair had been scattered in the billowing breeze, spreading into my eyes, nose and mouth so that I constantly had to brush them away. Rather than feel terrified though, I was elated. With the world zipping past, I felt like I was at the top of the world. Like...I was free again. Riding always did that to
Blaire's PovIt was with great relief that I welcomed the arrival of dusk. I had taken great care to avoid running into Ulo and Jamil which was rather easy considering that none of them had returned to our quarters after breakfast. Watching the huge ball sink in a golden blaze of colours, I was filled with an equal measure of dread and anticipation. Using the cover of darkness, I found my way to the kitchen where I slipped some food that I was pretty sure wasn't going to be missed. With the ease that is gotten from having done the same thing for the past three days, I meandered my way to the dungeon. I had hardly gotten in when the prisoners started their protest which was even more intense now given that I had more or less dashed their hopes the other day. Well, we would have to live with that because there was no way I was stepping an inch away from the center of the path. They raised their voices but I was not going to give them the satisfaction of looking at them. I could see t
Blaire's PovFinally, it was the day that Indrik would be freed. It seemed like ages since he had been whipped and thrown into a dungeon like he had killed someone but finally, everything was going to be alright now. I woke up long before daybreak, eager to see Indrik out in the open again. Soon, I was ready to go but the sun seemed to be taking pleasure in torturing me as it refused to rise despite the fact that it had been a thousand and one hours since I had awakened. After the encounter with my mother, I had been unable to return to the dungeon because my mother had collected her keys and tightened the security out the area. I had spent the past few days worrying my hair off which was what made this day even more exciting. I paced back and forth in my room until I couldn't take it anymore and exited through the doors. I hurried to the other end of the rows of room and knocked on the last one on my row. It took three consecutive knocks to bring the sleepy eyed Jamil to the door.
Luna's PovIt has been two days since I have been tending to my master, Indrik. After he was brought back, I had officially resumed my duties as his maid, cleaning him up, tending to his wounds, watching over him and most of all, making sure that he doesn't join his ancestors in his sleep. Not my dream job, but well... I dropped the bowl of water that I was bearing in my arms on the shelf by his head and took a look at him. Since his arrival, he had developed a huge fever coupled with the huge pink boils that have popped up on his arms and legs. Walking closer, I placed an arm on his forehead and removed it almost immediately. His body temperature was so hot, it was a wonder my palm was not singed. I sighed as I adjusted his blanket and started to give him a wipe over. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the past two days, always muttering gibberish in his sleep which was why I was so surprised to see his eyes snap open. It took a while for him to focus his vision b
Indrik's PovListening to my latest master turn me down sent me down a spiral of emotions ranging from hurt, to disappointment, to anger. I almost nearly snapped but something held me aloft. Something that differentiated her from all of my other masters. Unlike the others, she was mine. So, what if she had made up her mind to not teach me? We still had a whole lot of time ahead of us to get used to each other and a lot of time for her to change her mind. So, she wanted to play the maid? Two could play that game. I was starting to enjoy our little game when someone came barging in. Someone that I had hoped would stay away from me, forever. Veronica!I would have covered my nose with both of my hands if she wasn't squeezing them so tightly right now. As usual, she was overdoing everything that had to do with her. I cursed under my breath wishing that I wasn't feeling so weak right now. Maybe then, I would have been able to slip out of her grip and get as far away from here as I could.
Indrik's Pov"Is there a problem?" I snapped, not very happy with the knowledge that Luna had been staring at me without blinking. She scoffed as she walked forward and dropped the tray she was still holding on the bed before me. "Here! I hope you like that.""Wait!" I called glumly, halting her in her steps. I opened a platter and the heavenly aura of pot roast filled my nostrils. I almost sighed in satisfaction but instead, I slammed down the cover on it as hard as I could, sending her a fierce scowl. I opened the others as I continued to scowl, much against my stomach's volition. At the end, I raised my head toward her, "what is this?" I growled and it really wasn't that hard to look angry. I had already been slightly irked by her announcement that she would not train me and then, Veronica had come along too. Seeing her, I had barely been able to hold myself from swinging my arm in her face. That was how annoyed and irritated she made me feel. All of that anger needed an outlet wh
Blaire's PovI could barely hold in my smile as Indrik fumed. Watching him get mad was always a fun thing to see. From the way his forehead wrinkled, to the way his face hardened as the muscles on his face stood out, to the way his lips curled cutely, to the way his eyes blazed like it was going to break out in raging black fire in a moment, to the way his jaw clenches in a perfect manifestation of masculine beauty, everything about him does in fact go from handsome to dangerously cute whenever he is mad. "She is not my fiancee!" He growled, his voice husky from his trying to keep his anger in check. His eyes blaze in silent warning for me to get off the topic but I wasn't about to stop when my fun was only just starting. I smirked as I moved even closer taking note of his clenching fists. They are not muscular, in fact, the sight of them would be enough to make the weakest wolf in the pack go mad with laughter but somehow, it still managed to accentuate his beauty. Yes, I did call h
Veronica's PovTears stung my eyes as I spurred the horse to move faster, the wind clawing at my face. My heart felt heavier than lead in my chest as I recalled how Indrik had spurned me, disgracing me even before his maid. The path before me blurred as the tears poured without restraint. Reaching the golden gates of the palace, I barged in, barely noticing the beautiful sights that rolled past. The horse pulled to a stop before the palace and I slid off it, not caring about what happened to it as I ran into the palace. I could barely see ahead of me as I made my way to my room. "Where are you coming from?" The booming voice of my uncle stopped me in my tracks just as I reached out toward my doorknob. My entire body trembled at the realization that I had been caught red-handed. I knew I was supposed to turn around but my face was still wet with my tears so I didn't dare to. "Vee?" He called again, more softly this time as he started to approach me. An involuntary shiver consumed me