Free Web NovelChapter 126: Chapter 126: Eve of the Storm
SONIA’S POV
"You shouldn’t have done that!" I said, as I caught up with Ivy who had run out after Alpha Ramon left.
My voice echoed slightly in the quiet night air, the words coming out sharper than I intended. The path felt uneven under my feet, small stones pressing through the thin soles of my shoes as I hurried after her.
"Why shouldn’t I have?" She asked, as she continued walking. Her steps were quick and determined on the dirt trail, kicking up faint puffs of dust that caught in the moonlight.
"I was the one that was supposed to be punished, not you. If you keep this up, you wouldn’t have any more friends in the pack. Do you want to be isolated?" The words tumbled out, heavy with worry.
"So what do you want me to do?!" She came to an abrupt stop and turned. Her eyes flashed with frustration under the pale light, her shoulders tense and squared.
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"Do you think I enjoy going against the pack? Because I assure you, I don’t. But in the same breath, I absolutely refuse to watch you get teamed up against. That girl started shit tonight. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t stand up for you?" Her voice rose, raw and protective, cutting through the quiet rustle of leaves in the wind.
"A sensible one, maybe? You once said I don’t practise self-preservation. Well what about you? Why can’t you choose yourself?" My throat felt tight as I spoke, the weight of everything pressing down on my chest.
"Choosing myself means that I do whatever my mind tells me to do. What my mind has told me to do is to protect and defend you." Her words hung in the air, steady and unwavering, like a promise carved in stone.
"But why?!" I cried desperately, trying to see things from her perspective. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, hot and unwanted. The stream nearby trickled softly, its gentle flow a stark contrast to the storm inside me.
"Because you’d do the same for me? Because I can? Because you deserve to be defended? I have three answers, you can pick the one that suits you best." Her tone softened just a fraction, but the fire in her eyes remained.
She turned and continued walking. I let out a sigh of frustration and ran after her again. The ground felt cooler now, patches of grass brushing against my ankles as we moved deeper toward the water.
"We’re going to be whipped. Are you not scared?" I asked, stepping into the spot she had just entered. It turned out to be one of the channels of the stream.
I sat beside her and waited in silence, until she was ready to speak.
"He’s not going to go through with it," she said after a while. Her voice was calm, almost certain, as another stone skipped across the stream.
"Maybe he could relent on you. Find a way to get you out of the equation. I don’t think it’s possible for me." My hands twisted in my lap, the fabric of my gown bunching under my fingers.
"Hey, he’s not going to go through with it," she repeated, word for word. "I know you don’t believe me now, but it’s a promise." She turned slightly, her profile sharp against the moonlight.
"And what if he does?" I asked, tears welling up in my eyes. "My skin is tired of getting hurt. I don’t know if my wolf can handle more pain." The words cracked as they left me, raw and honest.
I couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. I released my chest, and it poured out like heavy rain. Hot tears slid down my cheeks, mixing with the cool night breeze. My shoulders shook with each sob, the weight of everything crashing down—the slap, the stares, the fear of what tomorrow would bring.
She didn’t try to comfort me, and I appreciated her for that. I just needed to cry it out. I had held on to these tears for a little too long.
When my tears began to subside, she turned to me and smiled. The expression was soft, warm in the dim light. "Feel better?"
"Much better." I nodded, wiping my face with the back of my hand. My cheeks felt raw, but lighter somehow.
"You saved me from a fire, Sonia. You ran in and saved my life. I could never repay that debt, no matter what I do." Her voice was quiet, filled with genuine gratitude.
"Don’t feel obligated to. You saved me from isolation. You’d be surprised how more wicked mental death is in comparison to physical death. That’s what you saved me from." I managed a small smile, the memory of empty days in my old pack flashing through my mind.
She chuckled. "Look at us. A maid and a captured princess. What could go wrong with that kind of combination?" Her laughter was light, easing the heavy air between us.
"I don’t know, a lot?" I laughed, resting my head on her shoulders.
It was in that position I drifted into a dreamless sleep. The exhaustion pulled me under like a warm blanket, the sounds of water and night insects fading into quiet peace.
When I opened my eyes the next morning, I was laying on a bed. Soft morning light filtered through the window, warm and golden on my skin. The room smelled faintly of clean linen and the faint herbs from the clinic.
"Ivy?" I jerked up, looking around for her. My heart picked up speed as I scanned the empty space.
I was in my room, but she was nowhere to be found. I paused my breath on my bed and opened my ears to listen for a sound, or even a heartbeat. I couldn’t hear any. The silence felt thick, almost too still.
No one was around. My heart skipped a beat when my eyes went to the window. It was morning already. The eve of the full moon. The light outside had that crisp, expectant quality, the air humming with the promise of what was to come.
A lot of things were going to happen in the span of the day. Including the whipping I wasn’t anticipating. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine, but I pushed it aside for now.
Grudgingly, I rolled out of bed. There was nothing I could do to change the course of the day. My muscles ached from the night before, a dull reminder of everything that had happened.
However, my brother Seth did always have a saying. "It was good to look good even on one’s worst day." His voice echoed in my memory, warm and steady.
I never understood it until now. It was no wonder my other brothers considered him pretty. He should always tell me how they used it to tease him. The memory brought a small smile to my lips, chasing away some of the morning’s heaviness.
My face widened into a smile. Even the thought of my huge, menacing brother Wolf didn’t send shivers of fear down my spine. Whatever happened today, I was going to hold on to the memory of all of us, seated at a table, eating together. The warmth of those moments felt real, a shield against the uncertainty ahead.
It was that memory that carried me to the bathroom, as I began to shower. The water felt cool and refreshing against my skin, washing away the remnants of tears and fear. Steam rose gently around me, carrying the faint scent of soap.
When I returned to the room, I searched for a dress in the closet. Ivy had helped me with a few things. Amongst these dresses was a cute red dress. The fabric was soft and simple, falling just below my thighs. I’d usually wear long stockings with dresses like these, but I didn’t have the luxury of owning one as a prisoner. The material brushed lightly against my legs as I slipped it on.
Finding a brush on my dressing table, I brushed my hair. The strands felt smooth under the bristles, catching the morning light. I would always pack my hair into a bun but decided to do something different with it. I decided to do nothing and let it fly. Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection. My eyes looked tired but determined, my cheeks still faintly marked from the night before.
"Whatever happens, happens." I wasn’t going to hide today. I had fully accepted my punishment. The words felt steady on my tongue, a quiet resolve settling in my chest.
The sound of the front door opening dragged my feet to the living room. Lorena had stepped in, with two guards behind her. Their boots sounded heavy on the floor, their presence filling the small space.
"I’m here to get you," she said. Her voice was sharp, laced with satisfaction as she looked me up and down.
"I know." I nodded, keeping my expression calm.
"Aren’t you the least bit curious why the alpha sent me to you? It’s kind of poetic justice if you ask me." She smirked, crossing her arms.
I didn’t respond, because whatever I said, she could very much use it against me. The air between us felt thick, charged with old hatred.
"I’ll tell you anyway," she shrugged. "He owed me one last night. I’m just collecting."
"I’m ready." My voice stayed even, though my heart raced beneath the red dress.
The smile on her face vanished, and in replacement was a sick frown. "Oh darling, even if you had an entire year, you wouldn’t still be ready for what’s about to happen to you."
I kept my composure and didn’t flinch as I was dragged out by the guards. Their grips were firm on my arms, the fabric of my dress bunching under their fingers. The morning light felt harsh outside, the cursed land passing by as we walked.
My eyes went to the cursed land as we walked past it. And as I blinked, I could swear I saw the conflicted woman, screaming out to me. Her form flickered for a brief second, eyes wide with unspoken pain, before vanishing into the morning haze.
