She was getting married in a few hours.
She stared out of the window and watched castle employees dismantle the tents. She withdrew from the window and went to see Ariel.
She was taking her afternoon nap in the massive bed. Alex smiled as she recalled last night after the dinner when she had slept with Ariel. She had had to tell her three bedtime stories to get her to sleep finally, from all the excitement of staying in the castle. Alex kissed her sister on the forehead and checked the water jug. It needed filling. She picked it up and went to the door, giving Ariel one last look before leaving.
As Alex descended the grand staircase and passed the great hall, she heard loud noises coming from inside. The maid had told her earlier the guards would be celebrating with the prince on his upcoming wedding and she wondered if women were present at this party. She swallowed the wave of jealousy threatening to suffocate her. Pursing her mouth, she passed the great hall and made her way to the kitchen.
Hesta told her if she needed water, it was out in the back of the kitchen, through large doors that led to an outdoor well. After a few minutes of walking through the vast castle, Alex found the well.
She placed her jug on the ground and, as she leaned forward to grab the pulley, heard an angry female voice behind her, making her jump.
‘I would have won the contest.’
Alex turned around and saw a tall, dark haired woman standing by the shed. She seemed unkempt in a soiled dress and messy hair.
The woman gave her a malevolent glare and for a split second, Alex was afraid. There was something odd about her face, her eyes. Alex frowned, peering closer at the woman’s face and gasped, jumping back. Her irises were changing colour. They were turning amber.
‘You’re a Lycan,’ Alex whispered, staring at the scratches on her neck.
‘Ah, so you’re familiar with my kind,’ the woman growled. ‘You ruined all my chances. For that you will die.’ She brought a rough hand up to her neck and clawed her skin, nearly drawing blood with her nails.
Alex was too numb to be afraid. ‘No.’
‘Yes. I could have finally been happy.’
Alex tried to remain calm. ‘Ma’am, you must realise how crazy this sounds. I don’t even know you. The king gave you gold.’
She spat angrily on the ground. ‘Do you think a few paltry pieces of gold would make me happy? I wanted it all. I deserve it all after the hell I’ve lived with for two years.’
‘You turned two years ago?’ Alex asked, playing for time. Surely, someone was going to come along soon.
‘Yes and I would have preferred death to living like this, with ants crawling all over my body, day and night, scratching me, tormenting me. When I heard of the Royal Contest, I realised some good could come from my condition. You see, even in my human form I possess incredible strength and speed–and I would have won!’ she screeched.
Alex ran a quick gaze around her to see if she could find anything sharp that was made of silver. Nothing! She brought her gaze back to the woman. Maybe she could calm her down.
‘Look, I’m sorry you wasted your time. I understand you had hopes of winning this contest, but you must know I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn’t ask the prince to choose me.’
The woman’s face twisted with torment as she brought her hands up to her face and dragged her nails up and down her gaunt cheeks. ‘I can’t stop them from crawling all over my body! Make them stop! Please make them stop!’ she pleaded desperately.
Alex sucked in a harsh breath. This woman wasn’t evil. She was mentally unstable and needed help. She took a step toward her. ‘It’s…it’s going to be okay. Let me get you help.’
The woman screeched again and clenched her fists at her sides, glaring at Alex with hatred and rage on her face. ‘Bitch! You bitch! Because of you, now I will never be happy. My skin will always crawl with maggots and worms and ants. I will never find peace under my skin. Never!’
She then shifted into a seven foot Lycan as Alex recoiled in horror.
* * * *
Vasilis took a big swig of his ale. He looked around him and watched his guards enjoying themselves. He was getting married soon and judging by the drinking and laughter around him, he knew his royal guards were satisfied with his choice for a bride.
King Drago chuckled at Vasilis’s side. ‘I think Hesta will have a few patients to attend to later. Krako has nearly drunk a keg to himself.’
Vasilis tried concentrating on what his father was saying, but all he could think of was Alex. A marriage in name only! He grimaced. He was mad! After what happened yesterday in his tent, he didn’t think he could control himself with her anymore. Still, he didn’t want to rush her into anything she wasn’t ready for and in time, he would make her grow to love him.
He froze. Love? Where did that come from?
His father made a comment to him about Ortega’s intake of ale when something violent slammed into Vasilis’s gut. He dropped his glass of ale and it crashed to the floor, splintering in a thousand pieces. He sucked in a harsh breath, swearing roughly as he staggered to his feet.
‘Son, what is it?’
‘I don’t know.’ Vasilis said, breathing hard. ‘I…I feel something. Holy Mother of God! I think it’s Alex,’ he rasped.
Stunned at the powerful feel of her everywhere, he swallowed hard and looked wildly around him. What the hell was happening? He could feel her. Sense her. His Lycan blood pounded in his ears. His heart raced with terror. She was in mortal danger!
Vasilis threw his head back and roared like a beast unleashed. ‘Alex!’
He could feel where she was. She was by the water well. Shifting immediately into his Lycan form, he vaulted through the air, his silver dagger in his hand, and sprung for the doors, his father and the guards running behind him in their human forms, their silver swords readied.
Vasilis was at the well within moments and his heart nearly stopped when he saw the She-Lycan dangling Alex by her neck in the air. Alex was clutching at the She-Lycan’s hands, gasping and choking for breath.
With lightning speed, he sprung in the air and threw his body over the She-Lycan, tossing them all to the ground. He tossed a quick glance to Alex who was on her knees, gasping and breathing in a lung full of air. He then turned on the She-Lycan.
He grabbed her by her neck and squeezed, bringing his sword’s point to her chest.
‘No, Vasilis!’ Alex screamed hoarsely from behind him.
He felt her pulling at his arms, trying to loosen his hold on the She-Lycan and he looked down at her. ‘She tried to kill you,’ he growled.
Alex continued pulling on his arm, her eyes welling with tears. ‘Vasilis, no,’ she moaned. ‘This woman is ill. She needs help.’
He struggled to understand what she meant.
‘Vasilis, she’s mentally unstable,’ Alex rushed on. ‘She was bitten two years ago and has since lost her mind. Can’t we…can’t you help her?’ She let go of his arm. ‘She’s gone mad. She’s not evil. Don’t kill her. The poor woman’s gone mad since she turned,’ she said, collapsing on the ground, sobbing into her hands.
Vasilis froze. Had his mother gone mad, too, and he never realised it? Slowly he released his hold. The She-Lycan shifted back to her human form and Alex grabbed the torn dress off the ground and gave it to her to hide her naked limbs and breasts.
‘Take her to the cellar,’ Vasilis told Malek. ‘Put a guard with silver on her watch and tell Hesta she has a new patient.’
Slowly, he turned to Alex and grimaced. Her face was taut, ashen. He knelt in his Lycan form by her side and gathered her close in his arms.
His heart was heavy with anguish. What kind of life was he subjecting her to, he thought with deep regret. She deserved better than him. She deserved a normal life. She deserved a man not a beast.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said hoarsely over her head.
‘You have nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t kill her,’ she mumbled into his massive chest.
‘I’m not sorry about that. I’m sorry that bringing you into my life has surrounded you with danger.’
She wiped her tears and raised her face to his, placing her hands on each side of his monstrous face. She held his gaze with unwavering determination. ‘I’m not sorry I’m going to wed you. You may be a Lycan Prince, but you’re also the most understanding, kindest, most protective man I know.’ She paused and then kissed him on his Lycan mouth.
He stiffened. In two hundred years, no one ever kissed him with such warmth in this monstrous form.
In that moment he knew. He knew how much he loved her.
