OPHELIA
I let out a gasp as I'm pushed to the floor, with my hands tied to the back. My curled red hair scattered to my face, making it hard to see the people in front of me.
I didn't know where I was 'cause my face was covered on our way down here. I've never been mishandled like this ever and it had incited a crazy surge of bitterness in me. Whoever these people were, they're surely gonna pay with their lives.
"Untie her!" A voice ordered and firm hands worked their way on the crushing knot around my hands. Soon, my hands were released and I winced slightly at how sore they felt.
I ran a hand through my hair, tucking a handful behind my ear so I could get a better view of where I was.
It's a large room with a couple of men who either sororally lived in the gym to look muscular and gigantic.
A man was standing in front of the hall staring at me with the most disdainful pair of eyes. The haughtiness lying within was more unnerving than insulting. Why the hell was he looking at me like that? Who the hell are these people?!
"I bet you have a lot of questions." The man began with a snort, twirling something in his fingers. I recognized it instantly to be my gold ring. How dare he take it off my fingers?
"Who the fuck are you?" I asked with renewed boldness, meeting his gaze and squaring my shoulders. Even on my knees, I refused to feel intimidated.
He chortled, turning around and then back to me. "Ain't you supposed to be Ophelia, the precious daughter of that sneak, Derek?"
De–Derek? Hold the fuck on. Did he just call Father by his first name, and in such an insulting manner? And what, a sneak? The audacity!
"What?" He taunted, arching a full brow. A lock of his brown, sleek, laid-back hair dangled on his forehead. "I can't call him what he is?"
I swallowed the fury, rippling through my throat. "It's a shame your mother failed to instill a tiny bit of manners in you. But not to worry. You'll have what's coming to you soon."
To this, he let out a guffaw, and the other men in the hall broke into snickers. They were making fun of my anger. Cheap pricks!!
"Are you sure you got the right girl?" He asked the men. "Is she the little princess of Faye Stone Pack?"
"Yes, Beta Barton. She's Princess Ophelia. I checked." The man replied. His huskiness. It was him. The one who pinned me against the wall.
"Whoa. She's feisty." The man in front of me gasped amusedly. Beta Barton. That's what the other man called him. It sounded familiar. Beta Barton. Where have I heard the name?
"Yeah, I think she knows a bit about fighting. She knocked down Jake when he tried to grab her." The man who pinned me explained.
Jake. It had to be the man who tried to grab me in my room. Learning their names without knowing who they were or why I was there was frustrating.
"Can someone just tell me what I'm doing here?!" I yelled, and they both fell silent.
Beta Barton stalked me and his gray eyes once had amusement in them now held a frightening dose of animosity. It almost scared me. Almost.
"Well, Princess…" He sputtered the last words, and for once, being called 'Princess' didn't sound appealing. "You're here because your father played a dirty game and it backfired."
"Where is this place?" I asked, needing a firm answer. "Is it across the world? A cave? The land of the giants?" I flashed a glare at the lined-up men with ridiculous heights.
"The Lycan Palace." Beta Barton dropped the bomb, forcing me to go speechless.
My heart slammed hard against my chest and my hands suddenly got too clammy. What did he just say?
And that's when I glanced at the men again and it finally dawned on me. Lycans. Incredible strength and agility. Heights. More beastly looking and terrifying.
"What am I doing here like this?" I ran my gaze over my pathetic frame. Why am I kneeling in the Lycan palace? Why was I dragged down here like a rogue?
Father had always been the second in command to the Lycan King. They made the rules of the region together. They had a good relationship, as far as I knew. I've never gotten the chance to see him but the rumors depicted him as one ruthless monster who killed for fun. He's cold and aloof. A menace and a bloody lunatic. Also, he's an impeccable Don Juan. A fucking Casanova who has a thousand breeders at his disposal. Father never allowed me to meet him even in situations where I should have. I've always been so curious to see him. I needed to know why so many ladies would brainlessly stick to him when he doesn't even value them.
"You're here as the daughter of the man who committed treason. Not as a guest. Or a princess, Princess." Beta Barton replied, still taunting me.
I shook my head as his words made no sense. "I don't understand. What are you trying to say?"
"I know you're not retarded, Princess. At this point, you should be able to figure out what's going on."
My knees were beginning to hurt from being pinned to the floor this long but I ignored the pain. His words seeped into my head, as I tried to make sense out of them.
Treason. Sneak. Father? It didn't make sense. Father would never be associated with such words. The man must be high on some horseshit!
"I won't have you stand there, insulting my father like you have the right to!" I barked, letting my rage take over. I felt my wolf coming alive inside me.
"Oh, how exciting. Like father. Like daughter." He chuckled dryly. "But then again, what should I expect from the daughter of a man who tried to kill the Lycan King for his selfish gains?!"
A pin-drop silence followed. My heartbeat increased. Time seemed to have stopped. My body trembled as his words reverberated in my head.
Father tried to kill the Lycan King?!