Word Count: 1998
~Hunter
I pull the covers up to my chin, muttering a curse under my breath.
Today is meant to be the day. I should be loading up a horse and bidding this place farewell, and instead, I'm stuck in bed, trying not to writhe around in pain.
I groan as a loud knock sounds from the door.
It's opened tentatively, Tay sticking her head around the corner. "You're sleeping late."
"I feel terrible," I mumble, sinking deeper into my pillow.
All the progress I've made seems to have melted away, my strength having seemingly vanished as a sickness plagues my body.
Tay rushes to the side of my bed, panic sullying her features. "What? Why?"
"I think I'm coming down with something." I heave myself up the pillow a little, but only manage a few inches. My wound feels like it's been torn open again, although the nurse assured me it's fine, that this may just be a complication with my healing.
Tay looks towards the one bag I have that is fully packed with donated goods from herself. "But you're meant to leave today."
"I guess I can't. Not yet anyway." I try not to sound too defeated, but it's hard.
I've spent all these weeks excited for my escape. At the same time, I've been anxious about my past catching up to me, even if I haven't heard whispers of my real name around yet.
Tay grabs the glass from my bedside table, placing it into my hands. "Drink plenty of water and stay in bed as much as possible."
I smile tentatively, although irritation is burning in my blood. How could this have happened? How could my wound be having problems now, when I thought it was doing well before?
"I can't stay in bed, I'll go mad," I tell her.
"We could go out and do something?" She offers, smoothing her hand down the pale duvet.
Being stuck in bed isn't the only problem I have here. There is a pressing reality that I thought I could escape, and now I'm going to have to face.
"I'm worried about your brother. I got so mad at him, and I'm sure he hates me even more. I didn't think I would care because I didn't think I would see him again..." I explain.
I feel so terrible about what I excused him of, and he has every right to hate me.
Tay just smiles knowingly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about Kaan, I don't think he's capable of hating you."
"He seemed pretty convinced."
"He has a hard time opening up to people. I wouldn't let it get to you." She taps the bottom of the glass, raising her brows expectantly.
"Maybe..." I mumble before draining the glass, ignoring the way my stomach churns.
"I know you don't want to, but why don't you get some rest. I'm sure you will want to avoid my parents getting home today." She nudges me gently.
My breathy laughs feels a little pained as it comes out. This illness, or lack of healing sucks, but not as much as having to face these people's parents.
They won't be happy with me needing stay a little longer.
"Are they going to be upset I'm staying longer than they wanted me to?" I ask, sharing my worries with her.
She shakes her head, tucking a piece of tawny brow hair behind her hair. "Everything upsets them. But I'll make sure you can stay, don't worry."
Her warm smile is comforting. For once, the thought of staying here with Tay isn't so upsetting. She's been growing on me a lot, and officially, I think she is my friend.
"Thank you, Tay."
She straightens. "Don't worry about it. I like having you here, even if you couldn't leave sooner."
***
Tay leaves me alone for the rest of the day, letting me fall in and out of sleep. The pain wakes me every hour or so, forcing me to roll onto my side or onto my stomach. Nothing seems to help, though, and the healers here have nothing more to offer me than some herbal tea that just seems to numb my throat and not my back.
As dusk settles, a knock wakes me instead of the pain.
I blink warily as I sit up, Kaan opening the door, stalking in purposefully.
For a moment I fear he's going to yell at me, to tell me to leave even though I can hardly walk. That is, until I realise he's flustered, a faint sheen of sweat gathering on his forehead, his deep brown strands sticking to his skin.
"Kaan-"
"Come with me," he instructs tightly.
He sweep a hand through his hair, shifting anxiously. Something is wrong. He seems panicked, like he's received life altering news that I may be about to learn.
"I can barely walk, Kaan," I grumble, motioning down to my legs.
He sighs. "Then I'll help you."
He stalks to my bedside, throwing the covers back. My protests are cut off as he sweeps an arm around my waist and helps me up to standing, letting me brace my weight against him.
"What's going on?" I question as we head off. It takes every ounce of strength not to wince pathetically with every step I'm forced to take.
"My mother and father want to speak to you," he states grimly.
"What about?"
"You'll see."
"Kaan...Tell me," I hiss.
He remains uncharacteristically silent, not responding to any of my pushing as he leads me downstairs and into his parents wing of the house.
Realisation strikes me. They are kicking me out. Kaan isn't telling me the bad news himself, waiting for his parents to do it on his behalf.
I'm officially screwed.
He helps me into the conservatory, where both his parents stand. His mother, Allira, sits at a small table, sipping at her tea from a prettily painted cup. His father, Cyrus, stares out past the glass wall, hands seated in his pockets.
Cyrus turns as we enter. "Hunter. I see you're not doing any better."
"No. It seems I'm still sick," I say uneasily, trying not to grimace in both pain and embarrassment. I'm about to be kicked out of here. I won't get far, and I'll be chased down by my past in no time.
"It's perfect timing," Allira states, smiling at her husband.
"Really? Why?"
"Kaan, why don't you give us some space," she encourages.
He draws in a deep breath before nodding. He helps me sit on one of the seats before he gives me one last look before he's out the door.
A cold feeling of dread spills through my veins. I don't feel safe alone with these people.
Cyrus steps closer. He knows he's intimidating.
"We know who you are, Livia," he says grimly.
My stomach lurches, and my heart jumps into my throat.
No. Tell me I'm dreaming.
"I...What do you mean?"
Allira's cold gaze pins me. "We know you come from a Pack on the other side of the land. And we know you are an Alpha's daughter, who is engaged to Alpha. Isn't that right?"
If I were standing, my legs would have given out from under me. This can't be happening...I thought I would get away in time, before they came to realise about the missing girl from a large, powerful Pack.
"How-"
"Many alerts have been issued for you to return home. Your husband is very eager for you to be reunited with him," Allira states, her smile cruel.
"He is not my husband." I try to sound confident, but my voice quivers.
The man my father promised me to will never be someone I could consider loving. He rules of his own, smaller Pack, and he is a monster.
I can't be sent back to him...I can't.
"No. It seems you two are just engaged. However, this engagement could be lifted, in certain circumstances," Cyrus states, stepping closer, like he's trapping me in.
"Such as?"
"A new engagement. A fresh one."
"I left because I wanted freedom. I don't want to be tied to someone else," I exclaim. I know where this is going, and the thought is horrifying.
I stare down at the tiled floor, trying not to be sick all over it.
Allira looks at Cyrus, full of pride at their well-timed deductions. "We have decided that you will be engaged to our son, Kaan."
Despite knowing she was going to say that, I feel faint just hearing it.
"What? No...Why?"
"An opportunity like this has never arisen. A girl of Noble birth within our own home, of age to wed and have heirs, that Kaan may not be completely opposed to," Cyrus explains.
"He doesn't want to marry me, and I don't want to marry him," I snap.
They haven't even be around long enough to see how much I hate him, about how much he hates me. He shot me in the back...He is the reason I am here, trapped, and after what I said to him, there is no chance he will want me as his wife, as his partner.
"If not, we can always return you to the man waiting for you in your home Kingdom."
I press down my panic, at the thought of being trapped.
I can't be sent back. I can't. I may not like Kaan, but he wouldn't hurt me like my fiancé did. He wouldn't tie me down and expect me to be someone I'm not.
Although his parents might.
"He will come for me if it is announced that Kaan is my new fiancé," I remind them coldly.
"He will have less political ground to have you returned. But if he knew you were here, we would have no other choice but to return you, by law," Allira reminds me.
I look between them, unable to comprehend how evil they truly are. No wonder Kaan hates them and Azura won't come downstairs unless she knows they are gone.
"You're threatening me..." I breathe.
Allira stands, smoothing her hands down her dress. "Kaan is a handsome man, and there are no shortage of woman wanting to marry him. However, none have such an excellent noble background."
I'm from a line of Alpha's and Luna's. I'm as good as they may ever get.
"It's your decision of course. You can stay here and marry our son, or you can return to a man waiting for you, who we hear, is not the most gentle of lovers," Cyrus adds, raising his dark brows.
I knot my fingers together on my lap, the pain in my back completely forgotten.
"Does Kaan know about everything?" I whisper.
The two exchange glances. "No. We chose not to tell him."
"Why? Because you think he will be so desperate not to marry me, that he will contact my fiancé, and have me returned?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.
I'm glad they haven't told Kaan. I hate keeping secrets, but this one is worth it.
"All he knows is that we expect him to marry you, due to discontent within our Kingdom. Our borders are threatened, so we cannot bring him in another marriage prospect for a long time, and now more than ever we need a unified front," Cyrus says uncomfortably.
No wonder Kaan looked so flustered. He's horrified that he has to marry me, to fill me with heirs...My stomach flips again, and I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment.
"I have no other choice, do I?" I choke out.
"Kaan will make an excellent husband. If you give it a chance."
My head falls into my hands. I'm marrying Kaan.
I'm fucked.
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~Midika 💜🐼