SAVANNAH
"Mmmmnnn ggrr," I groaned, helpless tears streaming down my cheeks. I loathed feeling so defenseless; I hated this, and a growing anger welled up inside me as my legs were spread mercilessly, with a sharp pain, and his fingers began to tear away my underwear to access my intimacy.
A red haze began to cloud my vision—the same rage I felt when I killed my ex-partner. A raven cawed above the tall treetops, and my consciousness began to surrender to my anger, to the darkness within me. "Kill, kill, kill" was all I could think about at that moment.
"Ahhhh!"
"What the hell?! No, no, no…! Aahaahhh!"
Screams pulled me out my trance, and the weight on my hips suddenly lifted. My arms were free, and I shot upright, trembling. I yanked the filthy shirt off my face and spat out the rag stuffed in my mouth.
Something warm splashed on my face. Startled, I touched my fingers to my lips and felt the slick wetness of blood staining my skin. In the dimness, I could see it—fresh blood, thick in the air.
I glanced up just in time to witness claws ripping through the chest of the man who'd tried to assault me, his heart still beating between the claws before being crushed into a bloody pulp. A rush of fear shot through my veins, and I scrambled backward across the forest floor, trembling, my eyes locked on the gruesome scene unfolding before me.
"Please wait, Lord, wait, please, I beg you! I can explain!"
The leader of the group was now kneeling before a hulking blonde man dressed in all black, like a shadowy harbinger of death. Behind him, two other corpses lay on the ground, lifeless with huge holes in their chests, their hearts removed by a woman I had never seen before.
"Speak quickly!" the Lycan snarled, his voice cutting through the night.
In the slivers of moonlight breaking through the trees, I recognized him—the guardian who had once asked me for a towel.
"This woman… we caught her trying to escape. Look, she stole from His Majesty and poisoned him! We were just teaching her a lesson in the name of the King…!"
"That's a lie! Liar!" I snapped out of my stupor and defended myself. "I was at the Governess's house! I was kidnapped and nearly assaulted! I didn't steal anything; the King gave it to me!" I could barely get the words out, fury and desperation choking me.
"Shut up, both of you!" the brown-haired woman at the Lycan's side roared, her voice silencing us instantly. I bit down on my trembling lip, swallowing my anger.
They were from his pack. Of course, they'd believe him over me. The King knew I wasn't a thief, but doubt gnawed at me. Had Fenrir ordered this? Was this some twisted form of revenge?
"We'll go to the castle," the Lycan declared, his gaze cold. "The King will decide your fate. But in this pack, crimes against women are punished severely. You will pay for this," he threatened the warrior, who lowered his head in feigned remorse.
"Move out, and for your sake, I hope you're not planning anything!" the guardian commanded, his voice icy as his eyes met mine. I nodded. Once again, I had no control over my fate.
We marched in silence, bound like prisoners with our hands tied tightly behind our backs to prevent shifting.
My mind raced, plotting escape. Returning to the castle could mean death.
I wasn't even sure anymore if speaking to the Governess had been a good idea. I had fled from the palace—it made me look guilty. I couldn't trust anyone.
As we walked alongside a narrow ravine, I glanced into the dark depths below where the forest continued to grow wild. Maybe I could survive if I leaped suddenly, catching them off guard. If the branches broke my fall, I could run, faster than any soul hunted by a Lycan.
The plan seemed deceptively possible. My feet edged closer to the rim, but I hesitated, unable to make the final decision, in the end, someone made the decision for me.
The infamous guard behind me stretched out his combat boot and tripped me, making me stumble forward. I was at the edge, and the loose ground gave way under my weight. I saw myself falling from the heights, losing my balance with my hands tied behind my back.
It was that feeling again of falling into the void; my blue eyes met, for a few seconds, with beautiful golden eyes like the sun before I got tangled in the branches of the trees. They scratched and wounded me, adding more marks to my body, and I could only close my eyes and scream in pain as my back hit a thick branch, knocking the air out of my lungs.
I fell, spinning, tangled in leaves, before finally crashing to the ground. Darkness swallowed me, and I cursed myself for believing that escape could come so easily.
***
Warm liquid trickled down my parched throat. Every part of my body throbbed in pain. I felt a large hand gripping the back of my neck to lift me slightly.
A presence hovered over me, protective, as I lay on what seemed to be a bed. My heavy eyes opened just a crack, and I saw him close to my bruised face, patiently giving me that concoction that smelled of herbs —and blood.
He was devastatingly handsome despite the danger he radiated, and I couldn't help but stare, captivated by his face.
"Are you awake?" he asked in a rough, low voice, his breath brushing my skin as he pulled the cup away from my lips.
I wanted to answer, but my gaze drifted past him to the door, which opened at some point, and a fierce monster stood there, glaring. Instinctively, my body trembled in fear.
"What in the world was happening here?! And why was this stranger touching my maid?!"