"Your Majesty" screamed Claudia as she ran into the room. "You must leave immediately, the palace is under attack. They are looking for you".
"Who is after me?" Selina asked.
"The werewolves," Claudia replied.
Selena remembered Anton telling her that the vampires had been at war for over a hundred years. The war started due to the fact that a pack of werewolves came into the vampires' territory and kidnapped her mother, whilst she was out hunting for food. Selena's father apparently left the castle alone to rescue Selena's mother and never returned. Selena's mother's body was found by the river.
Anton apparently ordered his men to attack the werewolves to retaliate and avenge Selena's parents' deaths. Both sides had been senselessly murdering the other since this incident.
Anton told Selena that the werewolves were trying to put an end to the royal bloodline. He would often use this as the reason to forbid her from leaving the castle.
Selena used to question Anton for further information but this was all he would tell her.
Selena had never even seen a portrait of her father, as there were none in the gallery. She would often wonder who she got her blue eyes from as her mothers were green. Were here fathers eyes also blue, she wondered.
Before Selena could even react Claudia grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room into the courtyard. The two palace guards who usually stood silently outside of Selena's room were covered in blood.
Groans and screams could be heard from all directions.
Selena watched as wolves were ripping pieces of flesh from the guards. One of the guards had managed to sink his fangs into a wolf's neck. The wolf let out a loud howl.
Selena had never witnessed such a bloody scene. Selena had only ever seen photos of werewolves in books. She thought that they looked much more vicious in person.
These creatures were huge, much bigger than the guards.
"Follow me," Claudia instructed as she sped off. Selena followed Claudia through the courtyard towards the dungeons.
After a few moments they stopped at the top of some stairs.
Claudia and Selena started walking down the stairs when they heard growling. They turned to see a brown wolf towering over them with saliva dripping from his large teeth.
The wolf pounced at Selena his blood soaked claws cutting into her pale flesh. She let out a cry.
She pushed the wolf off her with all her strength launching him across the yard.
Claudia took out a key and handed it to Selena.
"Lock the door behind you so that they cannot follow you. The door leads to the passageways which run under the castle. Follow the passageway until you reach the mail hall. Go through the main hall and head to the throne room. Blade is there waiting for you."
Selena nodded.
Claudia turned around and charged full speed into the wolf.
"Run now your highness" Claudia yelled.
Selena hesitated before she ran down the steps. She fumbled with the key before managing to unlock the door. She then quickly locked the door behind her.
BANG!
The wolf was trying to break down the door with his body. Selena started to run down the dark and narrow passageway.
After sometime, Selena arrived at the main hall. The hall had become a mess in the panic of the fight. There were bodies everywhere both vampire and wolves lay cold on the ground. The room once filled with the laughter of celebrations was now silent.
She went to turn right to head towards the throne room but stopped. She saw a familiar face walk towards her. It was Amber. Usually Selena only saw Amber whilst she was with Blake as she was one of the many women who followed him around.
"I thought something bad might have happened to you" she sounded disappointed.
"Luckily I am okay," Selena replied.
"I am glad," Amber said.
"I must go, Blade is waiting for me," Selena said as she started to walk towards the throne room not interested in continuing the conversation with Amber.
"Don't you think it's weird that you have never seen a picture of your father?" Amber said whilst smiling. Selena glared at Amber wondering what she wanted.
"I overheard my father talking to Anton about how lucky it is that your parents are no longer around. Now that Blade is the King, I wouldn't be surprised if you are next. It is not like they need you anymore. You should be careful as it would be a shame for you to disappear just like your parents" she said before Selena had the chance to question her motive.
"You know nothing," Selena hissed.
"I clearly know more than you." Amber smiled. "Anyway I have to go, unlike you my family will be waiting for me" and with that she left the hall.
Selena stood silent. Did werewolves really kill my parents? she wondered. Her mind was racing.
She was sure that everyone was hiding something from her. Otherwise why would they lock me away she thought.
Footsteps could be heard approaching from behind. Selena decided at this moment that she couldn't go back and decided to run left.
She ran and kept running until she arrived at the exit of the castle.
Selena could still hear the battle cries behind her.
Selena took a deep breath. The air was filled with blood. The blood from the werewolves smelt almost metallic; this was different to the usual small animal smell Selena was accustomed to.
Selena froze at the exit of the tunnel unsure whether she should turn back.
She looked down at her chest where a necklace hung. The necklace had a silver chain which hung an orb containing the colours red and the silver of the moon. The colours swirled inside the necklace as if it was alive. This necklace was gifted to her by her mother as a baby. It was made by Selena's mother when she found out about her pregnancy and wore it throughout to protect her and her child. Selena had never taken this necklace off.
Selena fiddled with the necklace. As she thought about her mother she realised she could not return to the palace without discovering the truth.
Selena felt pain in her arm. She had almost forgotten that she had been injured earlier. She ripped the bottom of her dress and wrapped it around the wound. She took a deep breath and ran straight into the forest.
Selena yawned. She had been running for most of the night and now the sun began to rise. Luckily, the tall thick trees blocked the sunlight from peeking through.
Selena was starved. She hadn't had a chance to feed. She had never had to hunt for an animal herself.
Selena lay on the grass from exhaustion. She hadn't had any sleep and now the sun was out she needed to find somewhere safe to rest. She drifted in and out of consciousness.
She must have been lying down for no more than an hour when she heard a noise.
Selena's ears pricked as she heard a voice
"Over here" the stranger shouted. The sound was getting louder as it drew closer to her. Selena was too exhausted to run away. She closed her eyes and listened.
"Somebody has passed out here" the stranger said to his companion as he towered over her.
She lay still waiting. Then she felt these warm muscular arms surround her body as the stranger picked her up in his arms.
The warmth felt nice against her skin. She felt her muscles relax as the stranger gently started to walk with her in his arms.