03

Diana

Letting several minutes go by before making my move, I looked around the dark room, searching the wall for where the light switch might be and when I finally found it, relief washed over me as the light came on.

I broke into a fit of cough, by the amount of dust that I came in contact with, proving that the room hadn’t been used or cleaned in a while.

Once the coughing stopped, I started to look for a way to escape, trying to pick the lock was out of the question since Lucien literally has a guard outside, guarding the entrance.

The only option left for me was to try the window which was on the second floor of the house. Looking out of the window, an idea suddenly occurred to me, and without hesitation, I started to remove the bedsheet from the bed.

My plan was to tie a couple of the bedsheets I could find in the closet together and then use it as a rope to climb out of the window.

Half an hour later, the first phase of my plan was completed and by then I was sweating profusely but the urge to escape before Lucien grew bored at his party and realised he still got me up here, fuels my need to work faster.

I tied the first half of my rope bed sheet around the leg of the bed stand, hoping that the bed weight of the bed was heavy enough to support my way before throwing the other end out of the window.

As if on cue, I was on the verge of climbing out of the window when I heard the door begin to rattle. I stared at it with horror, realizing that any chance of me escaping just flew out of the door.

Once the door opened and Lucien saw me trying to escape, he dashed after me, pulling me back before I could make the job.

“I knew you couldn’t be left alone!” He growled as if he couldn’t believe I would try to escape. “You had one simple job! To stay here until I find a use for you and you try to run away?” And the next thing I knew, he hit me across the face, causing me to fall backward on the bed.

Stunned, I lay there motionless with my palm pressed against my cheek. I couldn’t believe he just hit me!

As if realizing what he just did, he pulled me up from the bed, pushing my hand away from my cheek to brush his finger across it, in a manner that was supposed to smooth the pain. Instead, it only made my skin crawl.

“Get away from me!” I cried, jerking my face out of his hold.

“Why do you make me do these things, Diana? Why do you make me hurt you? All you have to do is listen to me and please me. You’re mine! Don’t you think trying to run away from me isn’t a good sign of that? I’m sorry, okay?” He tried to touch me again but I moved away, which made him snap because the next thing I knew, he grabbed my hair, using it to force my face close to his.

“Lucien stop, you’re hurting me.” I cried as pain exploded from my scalp due to how tight and forceful he was pulling my hair. At that moment, I was terrified of the man in front of me, Lucien had never hit me before or laid his hands on me in violence, before everything he usually just ignored me whenever we had a disagreement but this Lucien in front of me looked like he would break my face if I made the mistake of uttering a single syllable.

“I’m sorry! I promise not to try and escape anymore Lucien, I’m yours…please just stop hurting me.” I begged, seeing no other choice but to pacify the beast at that moment.

He slowly released my hair, the corner of his mouth twitching at my obedience which made me feel sick. I didn’t want to please him or anything, I wanted him to leave me the hell alone!

I wanted to be free from him and if I wanted that, it was obvious that I’ll have to do whatever pleases him until he trusted me enough to let his guard down.

Once the opportunity arrives I’ll make my escape then, I concluded in my mind, staring at him from beneath my lashes as he completely moves away from me.

“That wasn’t so hard now, was it Diana?” I hated the sound of my name coming out of his lips. I never thought a day would arrive when I would hate him this much which is funny to think about because just this morning, he was the center of my universe but now I was dumped with the ice water of reality.

Realizing he was waiting for a response, I fearfully nodded my head, terrified of being hit again.

“I have a proposal for you, something you will be delighted to hear seeing that you want to leave me so bad that you would risk your life by jumping out of a building. Tonight, I want you to play the role of my dotting wife, my Luna and by this time tomorrow you will have your freedom.” My interest piqued at his words but I tried not to show it, not wanting him to know I would do just about anything to get away from him.

“You expect me to trust a word you say when you’ve been lying to me for years?” I retorted in a small voice, flinching when he suddenly turned around. Seeing my reaction, he smiled, something sadistic dancing around in his eyes.

“I guess you will just have to trust me regardless.” He leans towards me, smoothing his hand over my hair.

“We were so good together, what went wrong? Ah…yes, you had to go and listen to Beth, basically ruining everything between us.”

“I will do it!” I announced. “As long as you keep your words…” I added.

He nodded and without another word, he stepped out of the room, this time leaving the door open. I watched him disappear out of sight, knowing he was testing me by leaving the door open so I did the opposite of what he was expecting by sitting back.

A short while later, a couple of young maids strolled into the room and started to doll me up, a fresh bath in as prepared for me, new dress, a stylist but the worst torture for me was sitting through it all with smiles, pretending that everything was peachy.

Almost two hours later, I was finally free from my torture— temporarily of course because soon after Lucien had walked in, sticking his elbow out for me to take as he escorted me downstairs to the hall where the party was taking place. I leaned into me, smiling as all eyes turned on us the minute we stepped into the hall.

“Alpha Lucien, can I speak to you in private?” One of the council elders asked, making it quite clear that he didn’t want me there for whatever discussion they wanted to have.

“Go ahead, darling,” I whispered, pressing my lips on his cheek. “ I’ll stay right here and interact with our guests on your behalf,” I assured him, smiling up at him with an almost dreamy expression on my face.

He hesitated, probably deciding if he should trust me or not. “Alright, I won’t be long.”

I watched him walk away and the moment he disappeared through the door, so did the smile on my face. Ignoring a woman excitedly waving at me, I hurried towards the entrance, going through the back door.

Since there was a party going on in the house, I knew there wouldn’t be a lot of guards patrolling around in their usual station which gives me the chance to easily slip from one corner to another to easily invade the few guards I met patrolling.

“You don’t have to worry about that, it has been taken care of, every action in this incoming attack on Moonstone pack has been carefully planned. Nothing can stop me from claiming it, cheers to that?” I froze, hearing Lucien’s voice from his study.

It wasn’t his plan that shocked me, it was the fact that he was planning to wage war against the most successful but peaceful pack.

Of course, he was! Only knowing for causing destruction, using and taking what belongs to other people, this action by Lucien doesn’t surprise me but the fact that his councils were also in on it, instead of advising him against it.

The room suddenly grows quiet and I immediately run in the opposite direction in fear, what if someone in the room smells my scent? Then Lucien would recognize it, basically putting me in more danger now that I knew what they were up to.

I left the building, finding myself in the garden instead. Looking over my shoulder to see if someone was coming after me, I bumped into someone. “I’m so—” My words trailed off in a breathless whisper as my body collided with the man I had bumped into.

His scent filled my nose, wrapping me in a warm but safe blanket, my heartbeat increased at an alarming rate, and in his blue dreamy eyes, I could see my stunned reflection.

There was something about him, something familiar, something that made me flustered and I blushed lowering my eyes as my body hummed with excitement, an excitement I don’t ever remember feeling.

“Mate.” My subconscious whispered, making my eyes go wide with shock.