The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard

33~ A GLIMPSE OF RED

"Tie her to this tree," said Petra.

When the twin halted their steps, I looked up to find a giant tree that was thrice bigger and perhaps ten times taller than my body.

"Are you sure this is close enough?" Zelda asked. "Maybe we should go further in."

"That's unnecessary. Thomas is in his wolf's form now. His nose can sense from miles away. The reason we came this far was because we didn't want anyone to see her."

"Oh, I see. Sis, you're crafty."

"That isn't a laudatory word."

"But I meant it as a compliment."

"Never mind," Petra sighed. "Now, let's get things started. Avice must have done her job already. Thomas will be here soon."

"Roger that, sis."

"What are you two planning to do to me?" I looked up at Petra, who had already dropped my arm, and walked to stand in front of me. She was taking a rope off her shoulder and untangling it.

"It won't be a surprise if you know the detail. So, consider this as our warm welcoming to you. Hold on. No. I don't think it's the right term. Let's call it... our farewell gift instead." Zelda snickered.

"Don't tell me...you want to kill me?" I asked, swallowing the lump in my throat. I knew I was an outsider to them. Still, I had never done them wrong. We only met today.

Why did they hate me so much?

"Yes, and no. We'll get you killed, but we won't be the one to do it. Let's just say… we want to get rid of you for good," said Zelda in a proud voice.

"Are you planning to make Thomas a murder and a scapegoat? If you dare to plan this, why don't you dare to execute it yourself?" I glared at her.

At that moment, I wish my body had a fierce strength as my eyes. At least, I could break free from them and run away.

Unfortunately, my body felt like it weighed a million pounds. It was as if a mountain had dropped on me. It was so heavy that I could barely keep myself up. My head felt like an ax was splitting it into two, and my vision started to get blurry. I could barely make out the smirk on Zelda's face as I glared at her.

"b***h!"

Not long after her enraged exclamation, I found my face forcibly turned to another side. My eyes landed on the dead leaves next to Petra's feet. Zelda slapped me so hard that I could taste blood at the corner of my lips. My cheek was on fire that I wouldn't be surprised if there were red, angry fingerprints on it.

"Zelda, control yourself," said Petra.

"How could I, sis? She just hinted that we're a coward!" Zelda stomped her feet like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

"Let her. It's her last, anyway. Starting today, she won't be able to speak anymore. Not even a single word. We should show our prey some mercy," said Petra in a calm voice. Her words sounded diplomatic, but it could make one's blood go cold if thinking about it.

"You're kind-hearted, sis. But I am not like you. I wish I could cut her tongue and silence her at once. I can't even stand hearing her voice."

"Are you sure you can't stand it? Don't you want to hear her screaming for help later? It'll be worthwhile. We can remember it as our bedtime lullaby." Petra's feet moved as she stepped closer to me. Then she hooked her hand under my chin and lifted my face to meet hers. "Nothing sounded more beautiful to my ears than a desperate cry for help. Allow me to thank you in advance for entertaining me. I've been suffering from insomnia ever since I'd heard that Ascian had an outsider. All of this will be gone when I replay your helpless plea inside my head every night before I went to bed."

This woman is a psycho! I thought to myself. Unable to contain it anymore, I spit on her face. It was the only thing I could do to vent my anger since my arms and legs had no strength in them.

"Disgusting!" She let go of my face and wiped her face in haste. Taking advantage of her position—she was standing in front of me—, she kicked my tummy hard. I gasped for air and fell to the ground at the same time Zelda let go of my hand. A spasm in your diaphragm made me want to yelp in pain, yet I refused to let it out.

If I were going to die, I'd rather die with dignity. After all, I was the queen. A royalty. I wouldn't cover like a coward.

"Sis, are you okay?" Zelda rushed to her sister's side after she dropped my hand.

"Tie this b***h up!" Petra's dark brown eyes were fierce when she looked down at me. It was as if she wanted to skin me alive with her eyes. "Right now!"

"Yes, sis!"

My tummy was still numb because of the kick just now, so I had no choice but to let these two drag my body up and do whatever they wanted with it. They got me up on my feet and turned me around before pushing my back against the tree. I gritted my teeth at the pain, wondering if the open wounded had already soaked the tree, turning its greyish-brown color into crimson. Zelda and Petra tied the robe around my body tightly that I could barely breathe. It was as if they feared I would escape.

It was bad news to me, but good news to them. I couldn't break free even if I wanted to. My body wouldn't allow me. There was no way I could run away even if they didn't tie me up.

"Done." Zelda came back to stand before me and dusted her hands off. "Are you sure we can't be nearby to see the whole thing?" She turned to my left-hand side, where Petra was coming out from behind the tree.

"As much as I love to, we can't," said Petra.

"Why?"

"Can't you remember everything I've said?"

"Well, I was too excited to hear that this b***h was going to die. I… didn't really pay attention to the detail?"

The older twin sighed and shook her head. "We have to run far away from here. We need to make sure we won't be spotted around the area. It'd be best if we could make it back to the rest of the pack. Thomas is the fastest one, so he'll be the first to arrive. It'll take some time for the others to catch up. We can blend in during the chaos. If we're nearby, we'll become the suspects. It isn't just the three of us who hated having her here. So, as long as we aren't at the scene, even Miss Mez couldn't accuse us."

"Oh. That's smart." Zelda clapped her hands as if she was proud of her older twin's evil plan. "So, when will Thomas arrive?"

As if to answer her question, a growl reverberated from a distance. It wasn't a low one like what Avice did. Instead, it was a loud and angry one that scared all the birds and insects away, making them fly out toward the sky.

"Good job, Avice," Petra murmured. "Come on, Zelda. We need to get out of here. Thomas will be here soon."

"Okay. Let's transform."

"No!" Petra exclaimed and hurried to her younger twin's side. She grabbed her hand before she could transform.

"What? Didn't you say we have to get out of here fast?"

"I did. But not in our wolf's form. We had to go on foot."

"On foot?" Zelda's voice was full of confusion. "But wouldn't it be faster to use our wolves to run?"

"It's faster, but it isn't safe. It'll be difficult to hide our scent if we transform. We need to remain in our human forms." Petra dragged her sister away and disappeared behind the rows of trees in the opposite direction.

Being left alone and tied up to a tree, I had no choice but to await my fate. I couldn't do anything except watch the bushes and leaves fluttered as the growl got louder. Not long after, a giant black wolf leaped out of the shadow and bolted toward me at lightning speed.

Even from a distance, I could tell it was Thomas since I had seen his wolf's form once. Although his overall appearance was the same, his eyes were different. His eyeballs turned completely grey—even in the irises and pupils—like a blind person. It was as if the thirst for blood blinded the once cute and reasonable Thomas that I had known.

I guess this is where I die. I thought to myself as I watched Thomas in his wolf form approaching me. Ralph, I hope the letter has reached you. I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise. Please forget about us and live happily with your family. Queen Mother, King Father, Elric, Ermo, I'm coming for all of you. I'm sorry for being a useless daughter and an incapable queen. I hope you are kind enough to accept me to your side.

I took a deep breath, knowing I wouldn't be able to do this when I died. It was like I wanted to inhale the air on Earth for the last time. Then I closed my eyes, waiting for Thomas to arrive. I didn't want to know if he was going to sink his teeth into my throat or tear me into pieces. The only thing I asked for was for it to be quick. I hoped he could at least give me a painless death.

However, before my eyelids brought darkness to my vision, I caught a glimpse of something red. It jumped from who-know-where and stood majestically before me for a split second. Then it lifted its head and growled before bolting toward Thomas at full speed.

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©️StellaKMary | The Princess And Her Alpha Bodyguard



A/N: You might wonder what letter Lae is talking about. It's okay. I'll explain in the upcoming chapters. Thanks for your patience.