Sweat trickled down Charlotte's dirt-riddled face as she panted heavily. She raised her head and looked around her, her heart palpitating faster than ever.
Her delicate hands were now scarred in the heavy silver chains she was bound in, and the air carried the pungent scent of dry metallic blood and the earthy aroma of soggy dirt.
There were others bound in chains around her, and it seemed like she was in a moving carriage as the wheels of the carriage galloped through a stony path.
"Where am I?" Dad! She yelled out, but her voice was muted; only she could hear herself.
The carriage opened, and her eyes stung at the sudden exposure to the bright light, and everything outside the carriage was pure white like a canvas waiting to be painted. Snow enveloped the whole world around her.
She was terrified; there was no snow in Lyra.
A disheveled werewolf with a mercenary-like appearance gave a sinister smile before gripping her chains and dragging her down. She suddenly fell with a soft thud on a seemingly soft material. And her eyes suddenly flew open. Trying to settle her breath steadily, she realized that it was a dream. She panicked at this realization.
Her dreams come true. Always. They were more like prophecies. Only her father knew this, and it was pretty much useless to let other people know because she sees only irreversible situations. That will only create a gnawing fear in the minds of people who know about their terrible future as it looms ahead of them.
She broke into a loud sob as she hugged her knees. She'll be 22 in the next few hours, and that dream is more like a spoiler alert that things wouldn't go as she hoped. There was snow all around; will she go to the US, or where the heck is there so much snow? Judging from the carriage she was in, it definitely isn't a cute place. Trouble awaits her.
She gathered her already shattered resolve as she went into the bathroom to wash her face. It's definitely going to be a big day tomorrow. There wasn't any indication in the dream that she didn't turn. She was bound with silver chains; it could be that she got so powerful that they had to take her away. Who knows? She could end up beating up the filthy mercenary guy to a pulp. She'll be like Wonder Woman. This thought brightened her mood, and she was back to her normal self. She went back to sleep to kill off the anxiety building up within her.
Hours passed, and midnight finally came. Her alarm struck immediately at 12 am, and she jolted awake. She rummaged her hands around her body to see if anything had changed. She's meant to be in a lot of pain, taking account of what she has read about turning. She sat on her bed calmly, almost too calmly, like she was in deep thought.
She was brought back to reality by a gentle knock on her door. That must be her dad. The door silently opened, and her dad looked fondly at her. She looked back at her dad, and tears started to pool at the edges of her eyes.
"Oh my little moonflower, don't cry," Bran finally reached her side, and she let the dam of tears she was withholding break out.
"There's still many hours left in the day," her dad said, trying to console her.
"It happens only at midnight, Dad, don't try to give me false hope."
"I've failed again. I just want to vanish," Charlotte lamented. "Don't say that; you'll stay here with me. We've only got each other, Charlotte."
"I'm sorry for my outburst, Daddy; I wasn't thinking straight."
"It's okay, dear."
Her dad let her cry some more till she slept.
The day passed with Charlotte being locked up in her room. It would have been a catastrophe if she were to be at the alpha mansion. The day after, her father was summoned for an emergency meeting at the alpha mansion, and he was required to come along with his pup.
He was able to get Charlotte out of her room after much difficulty. Her face was already swollen from crying and puffy eye bags were under her eyes.
Alpha Rufus, Beta Rex, alongside a few elites in the pack, were gathered at the council to make a decision concerning her matter.
A shrewd elite, clad in gold silk and heavy jewelry, spoke up.
"The case of the much-respected gamma's daughter has brought us together once again, for the umpteenth time already. Her existence has been a stain on our reputable werewolf pack and the whole Lyra country. As we all can see, she didn't turn again after 11 years of coming of turning age. She was spared at birth due to her father begging the alpha, squeezing out every drop of the alpha's benevolence just to spare the life of his daughter. Our pack has now been known as the pack harboring the cancerous being of the entire werewolf existence. The atrocity of her father is now a glaring bane in our community, and we all would like to put an end to this cancer in our midst so we can finally breathe fresh and clean air."
Charlotte wanted to speak up, but her father motioned for her to hold her peace.
"My highly distinguished alpha," a wise-sounding speech.
"She should be killed; we mustn't tarry long on this decision."
"Yes, we agree; she should be killed."
Beta Rex, feeling pity for the father and daughter duo, tried to calm down the elites.
He, like the gamma, knew their plan all along; they were eyeing the gamma's position for their next generation. The alpha made sure that his two closest subordinates were very much protected by certain rules, so they weren't challenged into any crazy power duel.
Hence the only way to get into the position was severing one of the subordinate's bloodlines. The beta had a male child who would take over his position, so it was a lost cause. Hence, they focused all of their ambitiousness on the gamma.
The alpha finally spoke up.
"I'll decide on what to do with her, and while I do that, no one should make any rash actions lest they are hungry for my wrath."
"Yes, Alpha Rufus."
They all said in unison.
Charlotte went back home with her dad for security reasons, hence she assumed she'd be safe. She was startled awake by a loud noise outside in the middle of the night. A good number of agitated werewolves were outside demanding she come out so they could kill her; else, they wouldn't be at peace. Charlotte panicked as werewolves when in this state, have little to no reasoning. She was about to leave her bed when her door flew open.
Her muscles tensed up, and she was in a moment of confusion, but her dad went over and hurriedly took away the duvet she was engulfed in. He packed a few things for her and carried her on his shoulder, swiftly running to their basement with urgency.
His blue eyes shone in anger, his inner wolf threatening to take control, but he had to consider Charlotte.
"You have to go to Fristia."
"I can't, I'll be slaved there. I saw it in my dream."
"You'll be killed here. You have to go quickly."
Their conversation was interrupted by a loud bang followed by a falling door. They've gotten in.
"I'll fight them off, run, Charlotte. Daddy will come get you soon."
Her dad gave her one last peck before going off to fight the mob of angry werewolves.
Charlotte felt a great fear, the fear of death. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she ran like never before through the underground tunnel, looking back occasionally to see if anyone was following her. She reached a dead end, and her eyes widened in terror. Will I die like this?
A musty earthy odor and stale air permeated the underground tunnel. She rested on the wall of the tunnel, and the whole tunnel started to rumble. The seemingly sturdy wall was opened right in her face, and beyond the tunnel was a world unknown. She had to live for herself, for her dad.
She ran out of the tunnel, describing running in the woods.
After hours of running, she finally saw a passing carriage. It was the carriage in her dream.
She found herself at a loss, unsure of what to do. If she is sighted, they'll save her, but she'll be in shackles forever. If they don't, there's a high chance she'll die in the forest. She hid under a tree, breathing heavily but faintly. Looking down at her body, she panicked. She had injuries all over. Like a colossal tide of waves, the acute pain from her injuries hit her, making her drift into drowsiness.
The smell of blood mixed with her unique scent will definitely be picked by a werewolf. She sat under the tree, hoping for a miracle to happen, but was startled by the presence of the mercenary werewolf, and that was the last she remembered.
She woke up with sweat trickling down her face. Her delicate hands were now scarred in the silver chains she was bound in. The carriage door opened, and she was dragged out along with the other slaves.
He kept looking at her like a delicious meal, which made her puzzled. Was she not a werewolf like them?
They got to a little inn after walking for some time.
Charlotte was not used to that amount of cold so she was beginning to shiver, her fingers and toes numbed by the freezing atmosphere.
Within the rowdy but cozy dimly lit inn, boisterous werewolves revel in the invigorating scent of ale, their laughter echoing amidst the wooden beams.
As she stepped in, all the werewolves in the bustling inn quietened and their eyes glimmered wickedly looking at her like prey.
Her heart started to beat fast.
Will she be eaten?
"Where did you get that one?"
"In the eastern outskirts. She sure is a lucky catch, running from her country, she's probably a rogue."
"What a beautiful rogue, one exclaimed. Sell her to me, I'll give you a million shekel."
"I'll give you two million, "another shouted arrogantly.
"Why bother? You all know the rules. The best goes to the palace."
"That's if they know Grimm." One of them coaxed the mercenary werewolf.
"No one touches her, I'll collect 20 million shekel for her from the palace. She is a good one, she'll probably serve at the inner court or the king's chamber "Grimm said giving a meaningful smile and the others hooted untamed
and their drinking continued.
She was served a sour meal alongside the others, she ate her meal quietly thinking about what her fate would be from here. Will she be used as a sex slave in the palace?
All that's left of her is her necklace. Her first best friend and the only thing that she has of her unknown mother. The mail she was sent contained a letter saying she mustn't take off the necklace so it has been a part of her. She kissed the pendant and hid it in her clothes so it wouldn't be snatched from her.
She was at least glad she was where her father wanted her to be. She finally drifted off to sleep.