The Alpha's Unwanted Princess

Chapter Four~A Warning

The next morning, Roxanne awoke feeling much better than she had the night before. Gertrude had given her a treatment to expel the poison from her body and it had not been the most pleasant of experiences. The treatment had made her break out into a heavy sweat and caused her body to change between her wolf and human form many times throughout the night. They had not been pleasant changes, either, but slow ones. Reminding her of when she first went through the change when she was younger. It was like she could feel each individual bone-breaking and healing over and over again. It was definitely not something she wished to experience again anytime soon.

After all the horrible side effects from the treatment, she finally passed out and slept through the rest of the night. She had no idea how she had made it back to the castle but she had awoken in her own bed. Bridget woke her gently to make sure she was okay. Through all the changes she made last night the claw marks on her back were nearly healed so Gertrude had given Bridget permission to prepare a bath for her. After the night she had, it was pure bliss and she stayed in the bath until the water went cold. Once she got out she let Bridget dry her hair by the fire and braid it before helping Roxanne into one of her wool dresses.

“Bridget? I see a lot of the women here wearing trousers rather than dresses or skirts…”

“Oh yes, m’lady. We find it much more practical when we have to do heavy chores or work outside.” Bridget responded

“Do you think the local seamstress can fashion me some?” Roxanne asked

“Of course, m’lady! We can head right over there after breakfast.” Bridget replied, finishing up the last button on the back of Roxanne’s dress.

They headed downstairs, Bridget heading towards the kitchen to eat with the other servants while Roxanne went into the dining hall. The soldiers had already begun breaking their fast while it seemed Nikolai and Roland were waiting for her. She took her seat beside the Alpha and the servants came to place the morning meal before them.

“How are you feeling this morning?” Nikolai asked.

“I am fine, Alpha Nikolai.” Roxanne replied, going to grab a fork and knife to cut the sausage on her plate.

Nikolai placed his hand over her plate, halting her. An older lady approached and sat down on the opposite side of the table from Roxanne.

“May I? m’lady?” asked the older lady, reaching out for the fork and knife.

Roxanne handed them to her and watched as the lady cut her sausage and then took a bite. She chewed, waiting a few minutes before she looked towards the Alpha and nodded. A servant came and gave Roxanne a new fork and knife and the lady stood, nodding her head before walking away. Roxanne turned to look towards the Alpha.

“A taster?” Roxanne inquired.

“ You can never be too cautious.” The Alpha replied before turning back to his meal.

Roxanne looked out across the room. A few of the soldiers were looking in her direction. They had seen the taster and knew what it meant. Roxanne suddenly felt very weary and looked away. It was hard enough being the outcast but knowing someone was out there trying to kill you made it worse. She returned to her meal and finished it in silence, The Soldiers leaving, making the silence even louder. Roland left after Nikolai ordered him to head to the training grounds leaving just her and The Aloha and a few latecomers left in the room. Roxanne finished her meal and placed down her fork and knife.

“If you don’t mind, Alpha, I will go start my day.”

“And exactly what do you plan to do today?” Nikolai asked turning to her and giving her a suspicious look.

“I promise not to cause any trouble today, Alpha. I don’t want to take you away from your duties.”

"Don't make a promise you can't keep, Princess. I have a feeling trouble follows you..." Nikolai replied before standing up from his seat and heading out the same door Roland had gone through.

Indeed, the Alpha was right to warn her. The Princess did not keep her promise of staying out of trouble. By the end of the week Hez, whom he assigned to watch over her, was on his knees pleading with the Alpha for forgiveness. Nikolai did not blame Hez, however, because who could have expected a Silver Moon Princess to behave in such a way?

 It all began when she and the castle chef had gotten into a huge fight, bowels flying and everything, over something frivolous like deciding the dinner menu. Nikolai had to come to the castle and stop the full-on battle that had been taking place, the whole kitchen now covered in spilled flour and thrown eggs. The princess had taken the worst of it, being covered from head to toe with egg yok and flower. Luckily all the smashed bowels missed her but after he got the Princess to leave he had scolded the chef for wasting food and bowels. Reminding the chef that even though the Princess was from Silver Moon, she was still to be mistress of this castle one day.

Roxanne needed no help, however, in fixing disputes it seemed.  The next day, she made some of the Archers very cross with her by beating them all in a target match they thought she could never possibly win. They had moved the target the farthest back than either of them had ever shot and the Princess’ arrow had struck right in the bullseye. At first, the Princess refused to demand remittance from them which had been part of the bet. If they won the Princess would never be allowed in their target practice area again and if she won they would do whatever she asked. Eventually, she told them all to go hunting and bring their finest kills to the chef. In fact, they had had venison all week when usually it was rabbit stew almost every night. The Archers had wanted to show each other up and they were now stocked up for the whole summer and winter.

The Alpha had to put a halt to their hunt so that the nearby herd was not wiped out by their competitiveness. The chef had gotten over her anger after being delivered all the fine deer meat but there was one person whom the Princess had angered that week that the Alpha could definitely not help her with, the Head Stable Master. After hearing she had broken the black mare he had tried to ride the horse himself but she was not having it. In fact, the only person she would allow to get near her was the Princess. After days of trying the stable master had reluctantly given the horse to the Princess who was more than happy to take over her care. She fed, brushed, and rode the horse every day. She even gave her a name, Midnight. The Head Stable Master came to him, telling him the news, and even gave the Princess a tiny compliment on her horsemanship which Nikolai had never heard him say about anyone. 

Other than the Chef, the Archers, The Head Stable Master, and Hez, a few of the farmers had come to him with their displeasure over the Princess. Apparently, she had her own ideas about how to help the farms be more efficient. She heard the farmers were having problems with their crops and went into their fields inspecting them without permission. After a hoard of angry farmers surrounded her, Hez had done his best to hold them off. Nikolai had to come by to calm everyone down and listen to both sides. In the end, the farmers begrudgingly decided to give the Princess’s ideas a chance since all their previous attempts had not been working. After that, the Princess spent a few days with the farmers explaining her method of turning the soil and enriching it and about setting up a rotation of crops on all the fields so that they did not keep planting the same crops in the same field.

The Princess was definitely trouble but Nikolai was unsure if it was a good kind of trouble or the bad kind. The castle chef was happier than ever with all the prime meat she had been given. The Archer’s spent their days trying to improve their skills in order to match that of the Princess. The stable master seemed to be pleased now that he did not have to let go of the black mare, even if only the princess could ride her and the farmers seemed to be working together better than they ever had. The only person who really was suffering at the moment was poor Hez.

The Princess, nonetheless, did not think she was trouble at all and thought she was doing a good job at finding her place here in Blood Moon. Things were looking positive and there had not been another attempt on her life all week. She knew that there were still a lot of villagers and soldiers who did not like her presence here but with time she was hopeful she could prove herself. However, other dangers lurked in the shadows.   

On the last night of that first week, the nightmares began. A voice calling her name from the darkness. At first, Roxanne was too scared to answer it but she had to know who it was that needed her.

"Who's there?" She called out into the darkness.

A shadow passed over her room, the only light coming from the moonlight beaming through her open window. She was lying in bed but unable to move like some unseen force was holding her down.

"What's going on?"

Do not fret, child. You will find out soon enough.

the voice was dark and menacing and it hissed directly in her ear. Roxanne tried to turn away from it but to no avail. She was frozen in place.

Oh, you do not wish to hear me? I have a great secret to tell you.

"A secret? what secret?" she asked.

The room around her changed into a place she did not recognize. It was dark, yet she could see perfectly. A black sun hung in the sky, like a solar eclipse. The room shifted and she could see wolves, thousands of them, in chains and cages. The image left her mind and she was once again in her room, trapped in her bed.

"What was that?"

The past, The Future. Both are right.

"What does that even mean?"

That is up to you to figure out.

"Why are you showing me this?"

Because you need to know.

Roxanne was tired of going in circles with this voice in her head. It was almost as if it was toying with her as if it took pleasure from her pain and confusion. 

"Stop giving me riddles! who are you?!"

I am death. I will be the one who will kill you when the time is right.

"Why must you kill me?" she asked, her body going cold with fear.

Because you are the bearer of the Prophecy. The prophecy must never be fulfilled!

"What Prophecy?"

Suddenly, the image of a wolf appeared before her. His fur was a whirlwind of red and white, his eyes burning a bright gold. He howled into the night and was soon surrounded by wolves. All looking ready for battle. He led them down a tall mountain but she could not see their destination before the image faded quickly.

You will never know the prophecy... never see the day!

The voice screeched before everything went black.

Roxanne woke with a start. She looked around the room and felt a chill race down her spine when she saw her window open. Had it really been a dream? or had it been real? She could not recall if she had left the window open or not. She slowly got out of bed and walked to the open window. Looking out towards the dark forest. It was far in the distance but she could still see it. That dark ominous place held the creatures that seemed only to want to kill them.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she could have sworn something was watching her. She looked down towards the ground and around the nearby village but no one was there. All the windows in the village were dark and the only lights that could be seen were by the entrance to the castle and the outer wall. She glanced back to the dark forest and let out a loud gasp, stumbling backward until she fell against the bed.

She could have sworn she saw a thousand red eyes, staring back at her.