Rebekah's POV
That day, I entered my prison cell with a smile on my face. Then I remembered how much I was not easily persuaded by the bare minimum and so I held in my smile.
A few moments later, I heard movements from the guards outside. I would ignore them usually but when I saw that two of them were carrying heavy bags I knew that something was not right. The guards usually only came to deliver meals and maybe to lock up a criminal who sinned. The only person I knew to be an exception was Marbel and she only came because she was ordered to.
I stood up gently from where I was sitting and held onto the rails of the cell. "Hey, what the hell is that all about?" I asked when I noticed that they were both heading in my direction.
One of them unlocked my cell while the other sighed. "You better be grateful, our Alpha asked us to deliver these to you."
I was surprised. Indeed, I had told Reagan about my desire to get more threads to knit. But I didn't expect I'd get them this fast. And much more importantly, I didn't expect to get more than a couple of bundles.
As soon as the guards landed the bags, I opened them and instantly marveled at the delicateness of the thread. These looked even way more expensive than the ones Marbel gave me.
The guards left me once again to my own boredom while I ravaged the sack. In all honesty, I wished I had been more courageous and asked Reagan for better things that would make my time more fun here. Wait, ew, why would I think about such pathetic things? The main thing that could ever make me truly happy was my freedom. Why in the hell was I sacrificing that for menial things such as this one?
While contemplating my plight, my nose picked up on a familiar scent. Marbel.
"You'd be surprised how much more the Alpha King would do for you once you give him your heart and subject to him as your mate."
I sighed. I was over that sort of conversation by now.
"Don't you have anything to say other than kissing up to the Alpha King in your speech and words?" I looked up at Marbel who was literally glowing. Her scent was fresher too.
"What is the special occasion?" I asked her.
"I was rewarded!" She said without hesitation.
"Well, congrats."
"For serving you."
"What?"
Marbel nodded like a cute little puppy which made me shake my head at her.
"I can go to the market to buy whatever I want now thanks to you, Luna."
I nodded my head at her. "Right. Don't call me your Luna."
"If only you could stop being so stubborn!" She yelled. "Many girls would love to be in your shoes. But you… you're taking this opportunity for granted."
I didn't expect what Marbel was saying but at least I could discern her thoughts better now.
"Are you trying to say if the Alpha King was your mate and you were in his prison, you'd jump at the opportunity to be his woman, bear his children, live a happy love story?"
"I would," Marbel said. There was no hesitation in her voice and this made my heart pound. I didn't know what that feeling was, I only knew that it made me feel uneasy.
"That is pathetic," I said. "As a woman, don't you have any shame? Where's your honor and your self-worth? How can you submit to a man just like that? Huh?!" I didn't know why but my anger was heightened to a dimension I never knew existed.
"See?" Marbel chuckled girlishly. "You're jealous."
"What?" My cheeks turned bright red at the realization of what Marbel was saying. I didn't know why but for some reason, she was extra-annoying today.
"I think I've had about enough of you Marbel, you should get going."
"You have no idea what is going on, Rebekah. You're not meant for a cage. You're meant to run wild and be free."
Marbel's words had some warmth in them. But I was still uneasy about her choice of response when I asked if she'd jump at the opportunity to be Reagan's woman if she were in my shoes.
I knew very well that whatever the wordplay I'd switch on her shouldn't matter but it still irked me.
"Look, Marbel. Pick a side. You're saying I'm meant to be free and blah blah blah but that can only happen as so long as I'm not with Reagan."
"You can be with the Alpha King and still be free, Rebekah. That is what I'm trying to tell you. So much goes beyond this prison. If you truly desire freedom, your first bet should be to get out of prison first. Let's be factual here, Rebekah. You know nothing about Lycans."
"I don't."
"You know nothing about the pillar and hierarchy of status and also, you're weak here."
Her words stung but I knew that it was merely the truth that she was telling me.
"You're a wolf, Rebekah, but if you get out of here, and I hope you will, you can be more. You will have people on your beck and call, and I, Marbel would desire to serve under you."
"Some feeding cliches," I said. "I have no interest in any pathetic battle of power or whatever that is. What I want is to return to my people."
"And I'm telling it to you as someone who is concerned about your wellbeing that you can't. There's no other wolf here. Even if you manage to run out, you and the people you care about would be killed."
"From the minute it was discovered that you were the Alpha King's Luna, a chess game already started and whether you like it or not, the game already started."
I pretended to not hear Marbel even though her words to me were clear.
"The Alpha King needs you, Rebekah. He needs you more than you know. And you not acknowledging the bond that you two share is making it harder on him. Do you know how many blindly loyal armies he's got? Many are rioting and planning to kill you because you keep resisting the Alpha King. Yet the Alpha King can't tell them off because if he does, you will probably be accused of practicing witchcraft."
"These people are sick," I murmured. "The more reason Reagan needs to set me free from here."
"I feel like you're not listening to me at all," Marbel commented.
"What is there to listen to?" I finally stopped ransacking through the threads of colors. "I already told you I want nothing of this place."
"Then did you know that the reason you're able to go to sleep peacefully every night is because the Alpha looks after you?"
I went to settle down on the bench after hearing what Marbel said. "What?"
"I am telling you the truth. The Alpha King sleeps on the rooftop of your prison just so he can be close to you and protect you if anything happens."
I was stunned by the words that came out of Marbel's mouth. Was it the truth? My heart started to beat heavily in my chest. I was in disarray concerning what to do. But I knew there was nothing I could even do concerning the situation.
However, instead of answering the sentence with compassion, I said, "I didn't ask him to!"
After a moment, Marbel gasped and looked up at the ceiling. "What's wrong? Why are you looking up there?" I asked.
"It's the Alpha King," Marbel said, sniffing vigorously. "I think he heard what you said."
There was this heavy feeling that suddenly weighed hard on my chest. I felt ungrateful and shallow.
The Alpha King, in spite of his situation, had gone out of his way to ensure I was comfortable in the prison cell when he could have easily gotten rid of me. He even looked after me when I was unaware, in order to make sure that I was safe.
But what did I do in exchange? Nothing. I even insulted the Alpha King and looked down on his kindness. Even I, could not deny that I was in the wrong for what I said. The Alpha King needed an apology. I owed him that.
"My superior is asking for me," Marbel said after looking as though she was in a trance.
I couldn't help but feel a bit scared. What if Reagan was really mad at what I said?
Was he the one calling a meeting with all the Lycans in his area? I wondered what he would do.
"I have to go now, Rebekah, but I'll drop by here whenever I'm free," Marbel said before retreating from the prison. I was left alone again in solitude and in silence. And this made me think of the magnitude of what I had done. Indeed, I'd done the Alpha King wrong.