Chapter 9 Chapter 9
LENORE
I wanted to get the fuck out of here.
I slammed the door of my room shut immediately after running in, and my hands shook as I locked it. Then I collapsed to the floor.
Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.
There was no other word in my vocabulary right now. I'd almost died moments ago.
I was still hyperventilating as my hands flew to my neck, my fingers trembling as they traced over it like I needed proof I was physically in my room right now and not laying dead in that hallway with a crushed neck. My neck throbbed with a dull, burning soreness, and every breath felt like I was swallowing broken glass. Oh my God.
Tears gathered in my eyes and I pressed my hand to my mouth as a sob wracked my body. I couldn’t believe what just happened… I couldn’t believe the prince had actually tried to kill me just because I ran into him. Was that all it took to deserve death around here?
I sniffled, wiping the tears that had escaped away before stiffening when I heard footsteps in the hallway outside. Is that him? …Is he coming for me?
I couldn’t bring myself to move or breathe as the footsteps grew closer— only to pass my door and continue down the hallway without stopping. My shoulders relaxed, but I still didn’t feel safe. He was in the palace so he could come for me whenever he wished.
It felt like he was calling to me from some hidden corner of my mind, whispering how he'd squeeze the life out of me.
I hated this place. I hated everyone here. I wanted to leave.
As I pulled my knees up to my chin, I became aware of a buzzing noise coming from the nightstand, and it took me a moment to remember I’d kept my phone there before leaving for dinner. I didn’t take it with me because of the incessant calls from Cameron and William.
I pushed myself to my feet and headed over to the nightstand, pulling my phone out of it just as it stopped buzzing. Based on the amount of missed calls I had, it was clear they had called me the entire time I was away from the room. There were even a few from Virginia, Wayne, and Aimee.
As I debated calling them back, raucous laughter drifted up from the yard outside, and I glanced at one of the windows before tentatively approaching it. After drawing the curtain back and opening the window, I leaned forward and peered out to see some of the pack representatives sitting on the grass, laughing and drinking. They looked like they didn’t have a care in the world.
...Must be nice.
“Oh, hi,” a voice said, and I jolted. I jerked backward, wanting to shut the window, before I saw the owner of the voice standing in the balcony of the room next to mine.
It was a girl with long, wavy brown hair, wearing a deep burgundy dress that had thin straps. Her eyes widened slightly at my reaction before she gave me an apologetic look.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“...It’s fine.” My voice was hoarse and pain radiated from my throat.
She slightly drew her brows together. “Are you okay?”
No. “Yeah.” I slowly moved back to the spot I’d been standing in, and she flashed me a friendly smile.
“I’m Cate. Cate Roxley.”
“Lenore McGuire.”
Her smile widened a bit. “I know. You’re kind of a celebrity around here.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say to that.
“People have been placing bets on you.”
I tilted my head and immediately regretted the action as pain flared in my throat.
“On if you’ll run home before Sunday or if you’ll die here,” she added, and my brows snapped together.
What the fuck? I mean, sure, it did seem like either of those things could happen, but come on…
“And what did you bet on?” I asked, and she looked a bit surprised by the question.
“I don’t know you well enough, so I didn’t. Besides, it isn’t very nice.”
I gave her a small smile. “What pack are you from?”
“Lotus pack,” she replied. “You’ve probably never heard of it.”
I hadn’t, so I wasn’t sure if my father’s pack hated, liked, or simply considered hers insignificant.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” she replied, giving me another bright smile, before shifting her attention to the people in the yard. I did the same and drew my brows together as more representatives joined whatever was going on. “What do you think of this?”
I glanced at her and gestured at the people hooting and hollering in the yard. “This?” I thought they were being rather reckless.
The King might have welcomed us with a smile and said we could familiarize ourselves with the palace grounds, but he was still a vampire. We were still in vampire territory and seeing how lit up the city was, it was safe to assume every vampire in the city was awake.
I doubted I’d be able to fall asleep tonight.
Cate shook her head. “This diplomatic gathering business. What do you think of it?” she asked, and I gave her a noncommittal shrug.
“Nothing.”
She cocked her head, then realization dawned on her face. “Oh… You don’t want to be here.”
At all. I raised a brow. “Do you?”
“Yes.” She heaved a sigh and glanced heavenwards. “My pack has been having a lot of rogue vampire problems. We’re on the smaller side so we can’t defend ourselves that well. I’m hoping something that helps us comes out of this gathering.”
“Oh.” The memory of the first time my father’s pack dealt with a vampire invasion came to mind, and I immediately dispelled it. I’d only been five then and I almost died that day.
Before I could say anything else, a warm sensation skittered down my face. It felt like someone was watching me. My brows snapped together and I glanced down before my eyes zeroed in on a pair of glowing blue ones watching me from just beyond the hedges near the fountain.
The first prince.
I gasped. My heart rate picked up and my neck throbbed like he still had his hand wrapped around it.
“Is something wrong?” Cate asked, but I didn’t take my eyes off the prince.
I couldn’t see his expression clearly, but I assumed he was frowning as he tilted his head.
“Uh, it was nice to meet you, Cate. I hope things go the way you want them to.” I didn’t wait for her response before shutting the window and yanking the curtain closed.
I really hoped he’d just leave me alone… but I had a feeling he wouldn't.