2 - Not Surviving

THALIA.

Something was threatening to peel off my skin, so I woke up from my long sleep. While my chest weighed heavy, I quickly sat up to see what was going on. I was surprised to see that I was in my room, but I was more surprised to see a strange man standing in front of me with his eyes closed and he was doing that while the most vicious flame surrounded us.

“Is this an illusion?” I asked the man and at the same time, I hoped that the whole drama at my wedding was an illusion as well.

He opened his eyes to reveal very dark blues that I would have loved to swim in if I wasn’t surrounded by fire that was threatening to kill me.

“You are awake,” was all he said.

I jumped to my feet. “I don’t want to die while having small talk with you.” I didn’t bother to ask how I got to my room and why I was dressed in only a loose top and panties. “I have to leave.”

“You were left here to die,” he said.

I raced towards the entrance and jumped back when a piece of wood fell at my feet and increased the threat level.

“I have to live,” I replied to the man.

“If I help you live, you owe me a favor.”

Of course, that’s a dubious statement. But I don’t want to burn to death.

“I can return your favor as long as I am alive.” I faced him. “So help me.”

“Before I help you,” the man maintained his serious stance, he didn’t move an inch, “know that your parents are dead.”

“What?” I was still processing that sentence when he carried me bridal style and raced out of the burning building with skillful moves.

Once we were outside and at some distance away from my burning house, his words had fully settled in my mind and I opened my eyes to ask him a question.

“Where are they? Where are my-?” The man was nowhere to be seen.

“Thalia!” I recognized that to be the voice of my friend, Vistral. “Oh thank goodness, you are fine!” I looked around for the blue-eyed man who helped me out of the burning house, but I saw no trace of him. “Thalia, you are fine.”

I stood up and stared at him. “What happened?”

“After the wedding went to shit, you disappeared and while we were all looking for you, your-”

“My parents.” I could somehow tell he was about to mention them. So, I held his hand and searched his eyes. “What happened to my parents?”

“Thalia…”

“Tell me they are fine, Vistral.”

“Then,” a heavy sigh left him, “I would be lying.”

Something heavy settled in my chest. “Vistral… Did they…?” I looked at the ground. “Did my parents…? You know what?” I shuddered. “Lie to me. Just do it.”

My friend closed his eyes. “We promised never to lie to each other, Thalia.”

I stared into the greenness of my friend’s eyes and when I saw the sadness growing in them, my eyes began to tear up. “Just lie to me, Vistral.”

“Thalia.”

“Just lie to me! Just do it!”

“Your parents are…” His gaze fell to the side. “... fine. After you disappeared, they searched for you for a while and we met up and they were fine. They just… needed to rest for a while. They are fine, Thalia.”

By the time his words ended, I could no longer see his face. My tears blinded me and I finally gave in to the intense pain in my soul. And, as I wailed and crashed into Vistral’s arms, I began to wonder what was going on.

Did I offend the universe or something? Or is this some kind of game where I am expected to survive no matter what goes wrong in my life?

You know what, game maker, I can’t survive this. How can I? My family is gone. The man I love is gone. The friendship I cherished for so long is no longer there!

Life has no meaning now.

“Thalia…” Vistral made sure to hold me firmly.

And, seconds later, with little strength left in me, I closed my eyes and within my tears, I managed to say, “I want to see my parents.”

“Your parents are-”

“I should see them off, shouldn’t I? The journey ahead must be tough.”

“They are at home.”

Thankfully, my house wasn’t too far from my parents. So, with a little smile of appreciation, I said to Vistral, “Wait for me here.”

“Thalia, let me come with you.”

“I want to meet my parents alone.”

“Thalia…”

Before he could convince me to not go, I began to walk away from my perishing house. And with slow steps, I readied my mind to face my dead parents.

But, the moment I took a turn that led to the gates of my parents’ place, a tough hand gripped me from behind. I was given no chance to fight back and soon, I was knocked out.

~~

When I came to, a noise I could not filter filled my ears. So, my eyes snapped open and the sight I saw startled me so much that I jumped to my feet.

Surrounding me were men, hefty-looking men who looked desperate to suck some blood.

“Uhm…” I managed to say while my eyes hooded to avoid full eye contact with the men glaring at me. “C-C-Can I know where I am?”

Laughter that shook my soul filled the room. The men jested about how I asked the question and while I barely had the energy to scorn at their reaction, I watched with a thin line formed on my lips.

In the midst of all that, I discovered that my throat was scratchy.

So, after the deadly laughter had died down, I faced one of the men and asked, “Can I get water?” my voice was very weak and it made me wonder if I’d ever recover from the pain that had been etched in my soul.

“Water?!” A thick voice echoed from the back of the room. “Did that wench just ask for water?!”

Everybody else in the room kept mum and the next thing, the floor started to shiver as a very tall figure walked out of the dark side of the room. The man approached me and no matter the amount of scuffling I did, he caught up to me and soon, he was towering above me, his physique enough to scare me to bits. The next thing, he slapped me.

“How dare a captive ask for water?” he said, his hand gripping the back of my head seconds later.

“I…” I could barely speak, the spot he slapped kept tingling without an indication that it would be reducing soon. “I just…”

“What the heck is this wench muttering about?!” He yanked my hair and while I shut my eyes tight, my heart ripped because of the pain. “You are nothing but a thing that was sold to me. Isn’t that right?”

At the mention of selling me off, my eyes flung open and I stared at the man.

“I said,” his thunderous voice continued, “isn’t that right?!”

“Yes, sir!” The entire room chorused and I finally knew that I had indeed landed myself in hot soup.

How I got here, I don’t know. But I know that I have to leave by any means possible.

I can’t let these men sell me off to goddess knows where. I have to remain in The Night Stream pack to protect my parents' honor, I have to make Octavius and Paterica pay for what they did, I have to-

“Don’t think so much, little woman,” the man gripping me said. “You can never escape.” He inched closer. “If you try to, I will catch you. And when I do,” he inched even closer, “I will take a sharp dagger, grab your pussy and mark you as mine in a way you will never forget even after you die.”

There was joy in his eyes as he spoke. Seeing that irritated my soul. So, after some seconds passed, as he stared into my eyes, I summoned some saliva and without holding back, I spat a chunk into his eyes.

“What the fuck! You fucking wench! Hold her down!”

Before I could run, two men reached and held my hands up.

Their leader walked to me, held my chin with brute force and without holding back his hatred, he spat, “How dare you?”

“Let go of me,” I managed to say. “I don’t belong here.”

“You need to be more quiet,” he said quite calmly. “If you make noise, I’ll be forced to do worse to you.”

“What’s holding you back? Are you terrified of what will happen to you once my husband finds out what you are doing?” I know. Octavius Storm didn’t end up being my husband, but allow me to use his damn title for once. I need to make sure I escape this place.

The man laughed. “Your husband? You don’t have one, Miss Thalia. We all know what happened yesterday.” He held my chin firmer. “Let me let you in on a secret since we will never meet again.” I could sense that his grip was trying to create a crack in my jaw, so I tried to resist his force. “Do you know who sold you to us?”

“Why would anyone sell me to you?”

“Oh,” he smiled, “someone did quite alright. And thanks to him, I have a priceless jewel like you as part of my goods.”

“You are bluffing.” I am surprised I still have the strength to talk.

“Bluffing?” He laughed. “I wish I was.”

“So,” I twitched my lips while one of the men holding my hands brushed my hair to the back, “who is it? Who sold me?”

“I can’t say it out loud.” He finally let go of my chin. Then, he brought his lips to my ears. “Our great Lycan King…” My eyes widened and my heart raced while my whole body weakened even more. “... was kind enough to pay us to get rid of you and your family. And thanks to your refusal to die, I will sell you off and get even richer. Isn’t that fascinating?”

My head rang and my little strength failed me. The words the man spoke replayed in my mind and while I struggled to make sense of them, I slowly lost control of my entire body.

The next thing I knew, with my lips gapped, I felt light.

Within my daze, I was almost certain that the breeze of the night would be able to carry me away.

And, truthfully, with the crazy thing I just heard, I wish that I could remain light forever so that a very strong breeze will fly me off to a place where pain, betrayal and sorrow do not exist.