~Steph~



The scent of antiseptic reached my nostrils, my eyelids where heavy as if they where being held down by a weight.

My eyes gently opened to the flickering lights of a room.

I struggled to grasp my environment, I blinked slowly.


The room was poorly lit.

On turning my head, I caught the sight of a window, the sun streaming through the room in a soft golden light.



'Where am I?"

A soft rustle caught my attention, I turned to see a nurse entering the room, her face glowing as she wore a soft and welcoming smile.

'Good day, Steph you're awake!" the woman said her voice gentle.

'We also lost you, you know?"


'What? But how?" my mind was struggling to recall the memories.


'You almost drowned but for our king, and your sister"

And an unwelcome tide, the memories surged back gradually.


'I was pushed down from the corrider of my room" I said to the nurse, my hands firmly placed on my head.


'You should just rest, don't worry about that for now"

The nurse said with genuine concern on her face. She then turned and took her leave.


THUM THUM

I heard distant footsteps approaching my room. Her foorsteps were well too familiar.


Emily!

I had mixed feelings to meeting her. I was nothing but grateful and happy she saved me from drowning death but what she did and with whom she did it with was totally unforgivable.


'Hey sis!" Emily's words reached my words. Her voice seemed very weak and her face pale. She gently approached me and stood just in front of my bed.


'I thought I lost you"

I gave no reply to her. I couldn't just let her think that just because she rescued me, means that everything will be okay. If I do, who knows she might sleep with my next boyfriend. I still couldn't trust her.


'How did this happen?" Emily asked. I wanted to ignore her question as well but as my sister I thought it was best she knew.


'Someone pushed me into the river"

A sudden anger stirred up in me as I said it.

I had an urge to find out who did this and makes sure whoever he or she is gets a proper punishment.


'Who did this to you?" another question from Emily reached my ears causing me to think deeply.

I tried it recall what happened.


I stood at the corrider of my room inhaling the fresh breeze blowing against me. I was trying to get my mind off what happened theast night with my sister and Luther.

'Die you bitch!" I heard a manly voice said behind me before he threw me off the corrider down to the lake. I never got a chance to see his face.


'I don't know, but he was a man" I said to Emily.


Emily stood there for a moment deep in her thoughts.


'Okay, sis I have to go. I'll be back" Emily said in a hush as she rushed towards me and gave me a warm kiss on my forehead and dashed out of the room.


I could not but wonder what Emily was up to, a thought which worried me. But nevertheless I know Emily well enough and I know she does what she does for me.

I really wished what happened the other night wasn't real, that it was just a dream.


'Emily!" I heard the warm voice of the nurse from earlier.

'You have another well wisher"


A manly figure walked in.

'Hey"


What! I was shocked beyond measure to see Luther here at the clinic.


I gazed at me, with his piercing amber green eyes.

His long black hair well curled up. His smile cause my heart to melt.


'I just came to check on you" he said taking a seat next to the bed I laid.


'You're doing better right?" he asked his voice very gentle. I'm not sure he had ever spoken to me like this.


'I'm getting better" I said, my cheeks turned red, I was flatteredo by the affection he was showing me.


Has he changed?

Does he finally have feelings for me?


'About the other night with Emily, that was a mistake"

'I'm sorry for how it happened, I was really drunk and your sister tried to take advantage of me"


'Wait, she did?" I couldn't really get my head round what Luther said.

So, Emily lied to my face playing victim when she was the one orchestrated everything.


'Yes!"


Emily could really stoop so low! How dare she!

'How can she do such?"


'I don't know, but I came here also to tell you something"

Luther said prompting me to give him a curious look.


'I know who tried to kill you"


'Really? Tell me please! I will make sure he rots in jail for what he did".


'It was Rowan".


My mind went blank for a moment. I couldn't believe what Luther said.


'Wait are you sure? Rowan?"


'Yes, it was Rowan" Luther said this time his voice laced with more confidence.


How could Rowan do this to me. He was the only one among all these Lycans who showed compassion to us. His probably the reason Emily is still alive.


'I saw him with my own eyes as he rushed out of your room the exact moment when I heard your cry from the lake"

Luther added, convincing me even further.


'But why?" I asked, my mood was bitter sweet.

' I don't know Steph, but I need you to come and testify what happened

But don't say I told you, they won't believe me. Say you saw him do it right before he pushed you"


'What?! but….. I can't lie.. ' I said my words stuttering.


'You have to Steph, if not the person who tried to kill you will go scot free" Luther said as he grabbed a hold of my hands.


' I have to go back to the castle Steph, but I trust you to do the right thing"

Luther rose to his feet and then exited the room leaving me to my thoughts.


Luther left me in a very tough spot. I had to make a very crucial decision.


Do I follow Luther's words and lie about seeing Rowan push me so he can get his deserved punishment or I do otherwise and let Rowan go free for what he did.


If I don't do what Luther suggested, I might risk loosing him forever.


NO! I will do as Luther said.


I pulled away the blanket over my body as I placed my feet on the floor.

I gently stood and walked out of my room, taking each step at a time.


I hastened my steps a bit through the hallway trying to avoid any of the staffs from spotting me.


Yes! I was out!

Without wasting little time I went straight to the castle.


I was shocked to see quite a crowd gathered at the castles courtyard. I also noticed a few detectives judging them based on their appearance.



'Phew"

I took a deep breath, and then marched straight for the courtyard.


'I know who pushed me" I said my voice spread to the whole courtyard. All the people there turned their backs to my direction.


'It was Rowan"


The whole crowd let out a huge gasp in disbelief.

They were all stunned, their eyes widened in shock and mouth parted ways.


'Impossible, I know my guard, he can't do such!"

Zayne's firm voice reached my ears.


'Brother, everybody is a suspect in this case and let us allow Steph to say her reason" Luther countered his brother.

Tension was beginning to boil, tempers heating up.

All the eyes returned to me, as they were waiting on me to say something.


'Earlier today, I stood at the corrider of my room, admiring the view and clearing my head.

When I felt a large presence behind me.

I quickly turned to see who it was.

And within a spilt second, I was able to get a little glance at him before he pushed me down.

And it was Rowan I saw, him and no one else"


I turned towards Rowan's direction. He looked condemned.


'Rowan follow us to the room, for further questioning, everybody else is excused"

one of the detectives said.

They all marched to a small room by the corner of the castle, Zayne followed them in from a distance.


Murmurs and chatterings exploded from the crowd gathered at the courtyard as they dispersed to their seperate locations.


A female figure approached me from a distance.

'Steph, are you sure it was Rowan" Emily stood in front of me her brows furrowed, discontent in her voice.


My mind recalled what Luther told me earlier. Emily tried to take advantage of Luther being drunk.


'Emily you sick liar!"

Emily's pupils narrowed, she didn't expect to hear such words from me.

'So you can stoop so low to sleep with Luther even while he was drunk".


'When I said you're dead to me, I meant it!" I walked out on Emily not waiting to hear anything she had to say.


~Reta~


'Our relationship is over! '

Zayne's words echoed in my head as I laid on my bed as I stayed sober to myself. I couldn't care any less what was happening downstairs at the castles courtyard.

The could thing I could think of was Zayne and how he broke up with me.


I don't believe it!

All my dreams to rule the Lycan kingdom alongside Zayne have been ripped into pieces.

KNOCK KNOCK


'Go away!" I yelled out, I didn't care who it was, I just wanted to be alone.


'It's me Crystal, can I talk!?"


'Come in!!" I said as Crystal gently opened the door, causing a creaking noise.


Crystal walked into my room and sat next to me on my bed.

'I heard about what happened Reta, I'm so sorry.

You don't deserve that"

Crystal said, I could tell her care for me was genuine.


'Thank you for that, but it won't change anything. Zayne has broken up with me and now I'll just be seen as nothing". I said disgust evident in my voice.


'And it's all her fault. Emily!! That lowly slave"

It was all Emily's fault.

But for her pity party with my fiancee none of this would have happened.

'I agree Reta, Emily is a menace to us, we need to take care of her"

Crystal said in a very mischievous tone making me very intrigued.

'What do you have in mind, Crystal?"


'We will need to go to her old town and dig any any past dirt on her. And for you, you should try to get closer to Luther, Zayne's brother"

I gave her a puzzled look, I was confused by the last part of her plan.

'Luther is the heir to the throne when Zayne can no longer be king so…. '.


'If I get closer to Luther, it would be easier for me to rule the Lycan kingdom" I completed Crystal's statement.

'Crystal you're a genius!" I praised her.

Her plan seemed perfect, if Zayne wasn't going to get me to the throne then Luther will.


'Well, Reta I'll give you some space" Crystal rose up from the bed.

'Bye!"

I waved back at her.

My heart was a bit comforted thanks to Crystal. I now have hope again to rule over the Lycan kingdom, my one and only desire.


KRAKKK!

But as I moved away from the window for a moment, the glass erupted into a thousand pieces, scattering like stars across my room.


I placed my arms in front of my eyes trying to shield it from any particles.


As I scanned through the mess scattered across my room, I found a large stone, its surface rough and hard.

Someone threw this into my window!


My eyes widened as I picked up the stone, there seemed to be a note attached to it.


I pulled out the note to read, the writing familiar to the one I saw a few days ago.

I read through the notes word for word, as the contents of it were very troubling as it sent chills down my spine.


‘Reta Maculay you will die!'