Thirty Nights Forgotten

Chapter 17: Annabelle

Addy’s POV

Darkness.

I feel like it’s trying to swallow me whole, like a giant weight keeping me anchored in nothingness. It’s a struggle to open my eyes, but my body wants to stay asleep forever as my veins feel burdened with lead.

As the hazy room comes into focus, I’m lying beneath a soft, sheer canopy bed. My fingers slide across the fluffy, floral duvet that envelops me like a cocoon, which entices me back to sleep.

But where am I?

This is the question that suddenly invades my thoughts, sparking a panic in my chest. My heart begins to race and my breathing becomes shallow as I sit up in a panic.

Why am I so exhausted, and how did I get here?

And…and who am I?

With knitted brows, I gingerly sit up and slide from the bed, my bare feet touching the soft rug on the floor. Wandering into the attached room, I find an enormous bathroom of white marble waiting for me. When I spot the long mirror on the opposite wall, I immediately rush over to it to stare at the reflection gazing back at me.

Long, blonde hair sticks out at all angles to frame a pale, sunken face, where dull, blue eyes stare back at me. But it’s not a person I recognize.

Who the hell am I?

A sparkle of light catches my attention, and I hold up my hand in front of my face. There’s a beautiful, white gold ring on my finger with a circular diamond ensconced in a crescent-shaped ruby. It sort of reminds me of the sun inside of the moon.

Where did I get such a pretty ring? Did someone give it to me?

My emotions feel all over the place: panic, fatigue, curiosity, and a hint of…worry? That last emotion doesn’t quite feel like my own, but I’m not sure what to make of it.

I hear the door to the bedroom opening, and I whip around to face the door of the bathroom. The sound startles me, and it sends my heart racing once again as fear grips me.

“W-Who’s there?”

Is that what I sound like? My voice is so weak and timid.

Stepping into the doorway to the bathroom, the person that appears looks different from me. Her hair is silvery, and her skin is much paler than mine – almost white and translucent. As her ruby red gaze studies me blankly, I reach up to touch my ears. No, they aren’t pointy like hers.

“Who are you?” I demand, trying to sound tough. But still, I wrap my arms protectively around myself.

“I am Sayah,” she answers. “I brought you lunch.”

“Oh.”

She disappears from the doorway, leaving me to follow from behind. I’m led into a large sitting room with a crackling fireplace, and it looks like a room fit for a princess.

Am I a princess? This woman seems to be acting like my servant.

“Excuse me,” I ask timidly, “but where are we?”

“We are in the castle of the king of the Demon Realm.”

“Huh. Okay.”

I have no idea what any of that means, but if I’m in a castle, I must be a princess. Or, at least somebody important.

“Can you tell me who I am? What my name is?”

“All of your questions will be answered by the king at dinner tonight.”

I have a million questions buzzing through my head in one big, blurry mess, but I can’t seem to grasp onto one long enough to ask it aloud. Instead, I eat my lunch quietly as Sayah stands as still as a statue in the corner.

Is that normal? It doesn’t feel normal, but how am I supposed to know for sure?

When I have finished my lunch, Sayah draws a bath for me and helps me get ready. After doing my hair and makeup, she dresses me in an elegant, icy blue evening gown.

Yeah, I must be a princess to wear something as beautiful as that.

It feels like it takes all afternoon to get ready, and when we’re finally done, Sayah leads me down the stairs for dinner. I notice that there are certain areas of the castle that are in complete disarray, but there are servants working hard to clean up the rubble.

Was the castle attacked? Is that why I don’t remember anything, because I was injured in the battle?

My brain is starting to hurt with all these burning questions, but as we approach what appears to be a dining room, I know that my questions will soon be answered by the king.

I’m expecting an old man with a white beard, but the person that’s waiting for me is much different – and much younger – than I expected.

The man standing before me seems only a little older than I am, although I can only guess at my age. The king is tall and muscular, with sandy hair and a chiseled jaw covered in a thick stubble.

And when he turns his icy blue gaze onto me, my heart stops.

This guy is insanely attractive. Who is he to me, exactly?

I can’t wait to find out.

“Ah, there she is,” he says in a low voice, crossing over from the table to greet me. “How are you feeling?”

When he places his broad palms on my shoulders, staring at me with a look of concern, I practically melt into a puddle on the spot. I feel warm all over at his touch, and he makes me feel like I’m the center of his world right now.

I really hope that I am.

“I…I’m feeling okay,” I whisper. “I have lots of questions, though.”

“I’m sure you do,” he chuckles. “Why don’t we discuss this over dinner?”

He wraps a protective arm around my shoulders, and he towers over my little frame as he leads me to the table. Pulling one of the chairs back for me, he gestures for me to take a seat, which I accept.

However, as he pushes my chair in, I jump when I feel his breath fanning my neck. He inhales deeply, burrowing his nose into my hair to take in my scent.

“Your scent is not how I remember,” he murmurs into my ear.

“D-Do I smell bad?!”

He steps away from me, throwing his head back in laughter.

“No, my dear, you smell divine. Just…different is all.”

As he turns his back to take his seat opposite me, I quickly sniff my hair. It smells fine to me, but his remark throws me off.

The door opens, and a servant appears with two plates of food, which he sits in front of each of us. While the king begins to dig in, I simply stare at the handsome man sitting across from me.

“Who are you?” I whisper. “What am I to you?”

“I am Elijah, Emperor of the Demon Realm and King of Alphas,” he smiles warmly. “And you are my fated mate.”

“Your…‘fated mate?’ What does that mean?”

“The Moon Goddess blesses all werewolves with their one true love: their destined mate. And you are my long-lost mate now returned to me, Annabelle.”

“My name is Annabelle?”

“Yes, my darling,” he says quietly. “And now you’ve returned to me.”

He reaches across the table to take my hand, giving me a tender squeeze as he gazes at me with a loving expression.

“So…does that mean I’m a werewolf too if you’re my mate?”

“Not exactly,” he says, his smile fading. “Annabelle was a werewolf before she was killed in a battle defending the realm against an ogre invasion. She died most valiantly. After her death, I was consumed with rage and practically driven to madness. That fiery rage was what pushed me to seek my revenge against the one who as good as killed her: King Nicholas. Had he fulfilled his promise to send troops to secure the border, Annabelle’s life would have been saved. But I took his throne, and broken promises will never be made to the kingdom again.”

“Hold on…so, I died?” I ask slowly. “How can I be sitting here if I’m dead?”

“I cannot explain it myself,” he says with a soft smile. “But the Moon Goddess has given us a second chance. She sent you to me, in this human form. But from the moment I saw you, I knew you were Annabelle.”

Is that why I don’t have any memories from before? Because I died and came back? It doesn’t make any sense, and yet, he seems so sure about it.

“So, if you’re the king, does that make me your queen? Is that why I have a servant?”

“You will become my queen once the mating ritual happens, and then we can be wed. I will throw you the most lavish wedding this kingdom has ever seen. The people have been through so much; a royal wedding will lift their spirits and bring hope after so much hardship. And once you bear me a son, we can ensure the continuity of the new royal lineage.”

A wedding? A son?

“This is all…a lot,” I say with a deep breath. “It’s just a lot to process all at once. I mean, I don’t even remember you, or who I even am.”

“I understand, my darling. You just need a little time to adjust, but I know that soon you’ll come to feel the same for me that I do for you. We’re destined for one another.”

He brings my hand to his lips, planting a gentle kiss on it.

“And I promise you, Annabelle, that I will woo you all over again. I will prove myself a most worthy mate to you.”