Sold to a Hybrid Prince

Chapter 15

XYLA

I gulped, staring at her. Her demeanour was either off, or I generally didn't like her. It was probably both, but I immediately knew something wasn't right. 

She raised an eyebrow at me, tilting her head to the side. "Aren't you going to call me inside? Where's my brother?" She stalked in, shoving me away with her arm. 

I sucked in a breath, hugging myself, as I stood near the door. She turned her head, her ponytail flailing around her. 

"What? Close the damn door."

I stared at her silently for a second, before obliging. Even if she was here to hurt me, the only person who could protect me was within this room. No outsider was going to come to help. And it wasn't like I could run from her. She was a hybrid. I were human. It would be stupid. 

"Oh, he's in the shower," she said softly, now fully turning to face me. "Looks like it's just you and me, huh?" 

I looked away. I had no idea how I was supposed to interact with her. Anything I'd say, could be considered disrespectful and I'd be punished. I didn't even know if Allister would protect me in such a case, although my heart wanted to believe that he would. 

Hela started to walk towards me and the alarms in my head went off. I curled my toes on the carpet, and stood my ground. I couldn't flinch and back away. She'd trap me against the wall. That would not be good for me. 

"So, Xyla, is it?" she asked, her eyes golden like Allister's, but somehow evil. 

I nodded. Words would absolutely fail me right now. Head gestures were safe. 

"How is life with my brother Xyla? Does he hurt you too much?" She stopped in front of me, and it took everything within me to not back away. Her hand reached out to my face, and she took a strand of my hair, twirling it around her finger. "Well?" 

I shook my head. 

"He doesn't? That's new. His last pet was covered in scars the very first night. But then, she was unlucky enough to come here on the full moon."

A shudder went through me. I stood my ground. I had to. 

"You know when the next full moon is, right Xyla? It's tomorrow. I just came to wish you good luck," she whispered, letting go of my hair. 

Hela leaned in, making me suck in a breath and close my eyes. 

"Don't tell Allister I told you this." 

I met her gaze again, which suddenly held sympathy, her eyebrows were furrowed. "You know what he did to Jiya on the last full moon? He killed her. Do you wanna know how?" 

My lips trembled, but I shook my head no. 

"You deserve to know, Xyla. She was running, and he was in his deadly, wolf form. He pounced on her from behind. Then he dug the claws of his back legs into her thighs, to hold her in place, and used his front ones to slowly rip her chest, blow by blow. Her screams were so loud, I registered them even when I wasn't in my senses. I even tried to save her, because I knew how good she was. How obedient, how caring. In fact, I think she even loved him. But all he did was use her as his little bait, to keep him entertained on the full moon. He had locked her in a cage that night, to make things easier for himself despite her pleas to let her be, to let her live. But she somehow got out later on. It makes me shiver when I think about it, and now, when I think about you…"

My heart was drumming against my chest by now, so hard that I could feel it in my head. A tear slipped down my cheek. 

Hela tried to wipe it away, but I stepped back. 

"If I were you, I'd run away tonight. The back gate opens at one in the morning, and no guards are posted there tonight. You could slip out with the servants who take an off on the full moon," she said in the softest of tones she could muster, probably so he wouldn't hear her. "Don't tell him what I told you. He'll kill us both. The moon is near, he's in a twitchy mood."

I held my breath as she walked past me and left the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Just then Allister's door clicked, not even allowing me time to gather myself again. 

He stepped out, wearing only a towel around his lower half, his upper body glistening with moisture. 

"Where did you keep my bathrobe, Xyla?" he snapped, making me flinch. 

"I… I--I didn't keep it. I don't know," I whispered, watching him walk to his cupboard. 

My gaze set on the tattoo on his back, of the moon, that was almost completely coloured now. Allister had another tattoo just below it, of a black wolf with glittering golden eyes, that appeared to be howling at the moon above. His muscles flexed as he retrieved his clothes from the cupboard, and turned to me. 

"What are you looking at?" His tone was gentle, yet I flinched again. 

"No--nothing."

He closed the cupboard, stepping towards me. 

"Is everything okay, Xyla?" he asked, frowning. 

I nodded quickly. 

He didn't believe me. 

"I'm not mad at you for the bathrobe thing. Why do you look so afraid?" 

"I'm not," I squeaked out. 

He stared at me silently for a moment, before his jaw clenched. 

"Hela was here. Wasn't she?" he asked sharply. 

My eyes widened. He probably could smell her. 

"Y--Yes."

"What did she say to you?" he walked over to me, and I instinctively backed off, against the door. Thankfully he stopped at a safe distance. 

"She--she asked if you hurt me a lot," I muttered, forced to look him in the eye if I didn't want to stare at his chest. 

"And? What did you say?" 

"I said no."

"What else did she say?" he pushed. 

"She said you'll be in a twitchy mood today because it's the full moon tomorrow."

His gaze hardened. 

"Anything else?" 

I gulped, contemplating whether to tell him. Apparently, he didn't wanna wait. 

"Did she say anything else, Xyla?" he asked a little louder. 

"No," I squeaked out, shaking my head. 

"Are you sure?" He stepped closer. 

"Yes!" 

He stared at me for another second, before slowly nodding. 

"Never answer the door unless I'm here and I tell you to. Do you understand?" he warned. 

"Okay. I'm sorry," I whispered. 

"Good. I'm trying to keep you safe. Tomorrow will be a long day. You'll spend it in the pet room, away from everyone else, and you are not to step out no matter what you hear or what happens. Do you understand?" 

I gulped. "W--what about you? Where will you be?" 

"Don't worry about me. Just stay in."

His dismissive response did not help my nerves. 

What if Hela was right? Was that why he hadn't killed me as yet? He had been nothing but kind to me, but could I ignore the story I was just told? What of the sympathetic stares I received from the servants and the slaves? Were they all wrong about him? 

Or was I? 

Was he just playing with me? To watch the terror and shock in my eyes as he'd tear me apart? Limb by limb? 

I walked over to the couch and slumped down, pulling a blanket over myself. I wasn't going to anger him today. Maybe he'd decide to let me live. 

- - - -

Allister noticed my uneasiness throughout the day, but did not ask me about it. He looked like he wanted to, but seemed too busy, or too agitated himself. Hela wasn't wrong about his mood. He had been snapping and yelling at everyone else except me, mostly because I avoided him as much as I could. He chose to ate in the dining area today, and told me to stay in the room. I pretty much did not step out at all.

But as darkness fell, and I gazed at the almost full moon in the sky, my heart wouldn't stop racing in my chest. I flinched at the smallest of sounds, barely keeping calm and sane. Whenever he'd even pass by me, my entire body would freeze. And it did not end once he fell asleep. 

I felt his eyes on me constantly, even though they weren't. The clock sounded like a time bomb. I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. Everytime I dozed off, I'd hear him shuffle in his bed, and wake up again. 

The clock struck one. I couldn't take it anymore. 

Holding my breath, I climbed off the couch, carefully setting the blanket and pillows on it, so it'd appear I was still there. I knew he'd sense my absence, but I was hoping this would fool him long enough for me to escape. I didn't know where I would go. I didn't know what would happen if I were caught. But what would be worse than being mauled to death by a beast? I didn't want to see his real face. I didn't want to be another one of his pets that they talked about with pity. I didn't want to be collateral damage to him losing control.

I had survived for this long, and I would continue to do anything it took to stay alive. 

The door didn't make too many sounds as I slipped out. Allister did not stir. I closed it as gently as I could, before making a careful run for it. That was my best bet. Stay hidden, and be quick. My steps were soft against the floor, and I kept my breath as quiet as I could. The only thing I couldn't help was my frantic heart beat, but I hoped no one would care to listen in.

The Palace was huge, but there were plenty of spaces to hide. Especially once I got to the gardens, I knew I'd be safe unless there were guards at the gate. I hid behind the trees and the lush bushes, making sure not to make them rustle too much. By the time I reached the back side, my forehead was covered in sweat, and my feet in wet mud. 

I caught my breath standing behind the fountain, peeking at the metal gate. Hela was right. It was left open. But there weren't any servants leaving. Maybe I was slightly late. But it didn't matter, there were no guards either. 

An uneasiness spread in my chest as I stared at the world outside. The back gate led straight to the forest. What would be waiting for me there? What if I'd end up in a problem much worse than the one I was in? 

Allister's face flashed before my eyes. His gentle voice. His light, tender touch. Was he really going to hurt me? 

"I don't think I could bring myself to do it even if I wanted to…"

What was I doing? 

My eyes widened. No. I could not leave. No one in this wretched world would treat me better than he had. Not even my own mother was kind to me. 

I had to go back. 

But the second I turned around, my breath caught in my throat. Staring at me from a small distance away was the man who had started this all. The cruel man who had bought me. 

Robert. 

"An escaping pet. How interesting."

- - - - - -

Oops. What do you think will happen to her next?

Stay tuned, guys!

Follow me on I*stagr*m, jamersy.dreame.

Like my page on F*ceb*ok, JAmersy Writes.