3
NAOMI
I barely had time to say goodbye to my parents before I was whisked into one of the trucks that had brought the Lockwood army from their pack.
Because I had agreed to follow him, Alpha Lockwood had allowed my father to have his throne, but with an agreement in place that he had to pay tribute every month end, and eighty percent of the income the city made went to him.
My father was still an Alpha, but Alpha Lockwood was literally his boss.
The drive to the Lockwood pack was a long one. Time and time again, I tried to look out of the window, but had absolutely no idea where I was. Even if I tried to escape, I knew it was going to end up being futile.
The sergeant who had discovered us back in the store had been stationed to watch over me.
He sneered at me, a huge grin plastered on his face.
"We've attacked two other packs, but we never came back with a princess. You're the first princess we're capturing."
I turned away, knowing that on a normal day, I would've had the guards back in my father's palace to strip him of his clothes and flog him till he could barely move.
But it wasn't a normal day.
I was at the back of a truck, being transported to a pack I knew nothing about, in the midst of strangers and men who hated me.
"I have no idea what Alpha Lockwood will do with you, but I'd love to have a princess for myself, you know."
Grinning, he inched forward, placing his hand underneath my chin.
The wave of irritation that shot up my system made me act without thinking. In a flash, I bit him, clamping my teeth down on his hand until the metallic taste of blood seeped into my mouth.
I released him as soon as he raised his hand, ducking the slap that almost caught my chin.
His panic stricken scream stopped the truck.
I watched, my heart clattering in my chest as he retrieved the gun that was in between the waistband of his trousers.
"You bit me! How dare you!"
The door of the truck opened, and I instantly recognised the Captain who had slapped my mother earlier. He stared from my face to the sergeant's face, the surprise evident in his features.
"What's this?"
"She bit me, Captain. Allow me to end her right now."
The Captain eyed him ridiculously, then chuckled.
"You're aware that this young woman is the Alpha's prisoner, right? You touch her, and you won't last a minute in the pack. He'll feed you to his dogs."
I glanced at the sergeant, observing the instant change of countenance. The fear was there, and he brought the gun down slowly, his hands trembling.
"Do you need anything, young woman?"
"I want to go back home."
He laughed again, loud and longer than the first time.
"You're going to your new home, woman. Alpha Lockwood never forgets. Your father was amongst the men who voted to have him banished from the country. This is all Alpha Lockwood telling everybody that counted him out that he is back."
I looked away, the pain of the words striking home. I would probably never see my parents again.
The door closed and a short while later, the truck began to move.
This time around, when the tears came, I didn't try to stifle them. I was done being strong.
*
I was asleep when the truck stopped moving again.
The door opened, and for the first time, I was in a place where my father and mother didn't exist.
The Lockwood palace was huge.
A large premises that was filled with lights, I wondered how Alpha Lockwood had been able to come back into the pack without the other pack leaders in the country knowing.
The Captain came forward, dragging me by the ropes that held me.
He approached a short woman in a white and black uniform, who bowed as soon as she saw him.
"You're going to take this woman into the palace and wait for the Alpha's orders regarding her. In the meantime, give her food, water and a bath. You can loosen the ropes. There's no place to escape to, young lady."
The woman bowed again, before proceeding to take me into the palace.
The paintings and the sculptures that decorated the front room of the palace told me all I needed to know about the Lockwoods.
I had read a few books, and from what I knew, they were extremely rich. They had been the richest pack before the banishment, and according to the stories, the wealth was what had made it possible for them to develop the evil practices that had taken place in their pack.
The Lockwoods had largely participated in human trafficking, which massively boosted their wealth and income.
It was after a major sale that the other pack leaders had found out about it, converged together, and had them banished.
A move that Alpha Lockwood had never forgotten.
"Come this way, my lady. We must give you a bath as soon as possible. Alpha Lockwood doesn't like to be kept waiting."
I followed her slowly, then spoke before I could even stop myself.
"You don't have to call me my lady. I'm nobody here."
The older woman looked at me pitifully, and for a while, I could see she was struggling with what to say next.
"I'm sorry this happened to you…"
I nodded, wanting her to quit apologising. Right now, the last thing I needed was pity. I had to find a way to get back to my parents.
"Just call me Naomi. And stop apologizing. What do they call you?"
She opened the bathroom door and began to make sure the water was running properly before answering the question.
"Agnes. I am the head of affairs here at the Lockwood's house…" she paused before continuing. "You can wait here, Naomi. I'll fetch new towels and a robe you can use."
I nodded, watching her closely until the door shut.
I turned to the closed bathroom window, an escape plan already hatching in my mind.