~Steph~



Why is the world so hard on me? Why is it so cruel to me?

I don't even know who to trust. Do I trust Luther and what he says or Emily despite all she has done to me?

Did Emily really try to sell me out to the vampire kingdom or is Luther lying straight to my face.


One of these might be true and the other a lie.

I could only wish both of them were all lies.



My hands were tightly wrapped against my body as I curled myself up in a corner of my room.

Many thoughts were flying around in my mind, almost driving me crazy.


KNOCK

KNOCK

A loud knock on my door snapped me out of my misery.

'Yes, come in!"

I yelled out my voice cracking.

'Hi Steph!"

Luther walked in, his face a picture of concern.

I was in awe for a moment as Luther stepped in. He has never for once paid me a visit up until today.

Has he really changed that much?


I walked up to me and sat on the floor as well. Our distance was very close, his fragrance reached my nostrils, almost calming my heart.

'Are you okay?" Luther asked me yet again. The second time in less than an hour.

Wow he really cares for me that much.


'Yes I…….. Actually NO!" I thought of lying but I couldn't keep all these emotions to myself.

I broke down in tears and rested on his lap.

'I understand Emily, I really do"

Luther tucked in my hair behind my ear as he spoke in his calm voice.


'Why would Emily do this to me?!!"


'Well that's what happens when you go around with my brother, he has turned turned sister against you"

Luther spoke in a way that made me believe he was correct and that Emily did betray me.


'Don't sit around and beat yourself up. Be strong so you can get one over your sister, what do you say Steph?"

Luther encouraged me a bit.

'Yeah I will!"

He extended his hands prompting me to stand up.

I gently placed my hand on his as he then pulled me up to my feet.

'We have to know what Zayne and Emily's next move is"

Luther suggested, I listened carefully as he spoke.


'My brother is having his birthday celebration today, we can attend that and observe closely what there up to"

'Okay and when is that?"


'By 10 pm past curfew, I'll send in your dress later, OK?"


I nodded in reply and watched as Luther left my room.

Luther was right. I need to observe Emily and Luther closely.

I have to be sure for myself about their evil alliance.

The birthday party tonight will be a very good chance.


After a while, some dresses got in my way.

Hairdressers and make-up artists also came in and did their work for me.


'I look beautiful!" I said admiring myself from a mirror.

I've never looked so classy in my life. I could only recall a single time before now I had used makeup on my face.

Back at Riverview we weren't that rich to use such classy stuff so we had to improvise.


After I got dressed up, I stood at the terrace outside my room admiring the view of the night.

The cold wind crashing against my exposed body.

I patiently waited for Luther to come pick me up.


I squinted my eyes closely on seeing two figures sneaking inside the castle.

Zayne and Emily.

Amazed at first, my heart soon sank in despair on realisation that Emily did sell me out.


Why are they sneaking to the castle past curfew? Luther was right.


I had an urge to call out their names and ask them, but I was sure they'd probably lie.


'Steph, are you ready?" Luther barged into my room.


'Luther, you were right all along," I approached him.

'Emily and Zayne are working with the Vampires"


'I told you Emily!" Luther himself was a bit surprised, his eyebrows raised, but he managed to hide his amazement.


I lowered my head in disappointment. 'How can she be so heartless, she would prefer to see me die just to protect herself"

I said my voice tinged with sorrow.


'Don't be sad Emily, rather channel your emotions towards trying to stop my brother and your sister.

Join me, Reta and Thorn, and I promise you we will take down Emily and Zayne" Luther spoke with a certain confidence, his words very inspiring as I listened word for word.


'You and I will then rule the Lycan kingdom. I will be the Lycan king and you my queen"

Queen?

Luther's last words seem to puzzle me a bit. From my experience here at the Lycan kingdom, humans are despised by the most, it would be a catastrophe if I ended up at the throne ahead of them.

'How can I, a human, be a Lycan queen?" I asked.

'Luther has made everyone think humans are evil, but I promise you once I become king, that will be no more Steph. Humans will be treated same as Lycans"

Luther managed to convince me and bring me full on board with his plan.

My life with him would be so much better than with Emily or anybody else.

'Okay I'm in!" I said with full commitment.


'Okay let's go to the party, shall we? By the way Emily you look gorgeous"

Luther's words flattered me heavily, my cheeks turned red.

'Thank you" I said to him, my voice very faint.


He offered me his hand and I placed mime on his.

Clenching our palms tightly together we walked side by side out of my room and upstairs at the hall.


On arriving, I could see the large number of people already present at the event.

Loud chatterings and murmurings came from all corners of the room.

As we walked in, I could feel the piercing eyes of people from the crowd staring at us.

We stood at the centre of the hall, my eyes went searching round the hall.

There she is.

My heart twitched as I spotted Emily, she was sitting on a purple couch, by her side was Rowan as they laughed and drank their cups of beer.

'Let's pay them a visit" I whispered to Luther's ear pointing in the direction of Emily and Rowan.

A sudden smile appeared on Luther's face. He always relishes a chance to tease at his enemy.


We walked intently to them, my eyes met directly with Emily's. She seemed genuinely confused by my presence.

'Hey sis!" I said to her in a rude tone. She chose to ignore me remaining silent.


'Come on Steph, we won't want to be around a socio killer" Luther said referring to Rowan. I turned ready to leave when Luther dropped to the floor right next to me.

'Luther are you okay?" I bent to my knees and asked Luther in genuine concern. He gritted his teeth against the other, clenching his fists tightly, he shrugged me off and charged for Rowan.

He answered back at Rowan, levelling him with his own punch.

A swarm of lycan warriors rushed in to seperate the two of them.

Rowan despite all the presence around him slipped through and managed to hit Luther with another punch.

The crowd around them increased the more but they still struggled to tame Luther and Rowan.

I stood and watched everything from a fair distance.


'Luther, I'm so sorry!" I raced towards Luther as he limped towards me.

His face had some bruises and in his palm a small cut.

It was all fault, I shouldn't have encouraged him to meet with Emily and Rowan.


'Steph, let's go home!" I aided Luther as slowly walked out of the hall.

I turned my head back slightly, taking a glance at Rowan.


Two security guards grabbed him by his arms. They seemed to be arresting him, probably for laying hands on a royalty.

My heart was a bit heavy, I had a strange feeling of remorse for Rowan.

I mean, he deserves to be arrested but not for this.

It was Luther who triggered him to act in the manner he did. But I guess God has his ways of punishing people for past crimes.


~Emily~


'Let him go!!.

I said let him go, do you know who you're arresting"

I yelled at the security guards who grabbed Rowan.

They turned deaf ears to all my words as they continued to drag Rowan to the castle dungeon.

Rowan himself didn't bother to put much of a resistance and just did to their pleasure.


They dragged him to an underground room. The room was dimly lit, darkness covered most of it.

Rats and other insects roamed around the room, my body had an uneasy feeling staying around here.

They were cells lined up for all prisoners. Rowan was taken to the fourth cell by the left and locked up.

'Rowan I'm so sorry this happened to you"I forced myself to lay on the cold irritating floor of the dungeon.

'It's not your fault Emily," Rowan said in his usual calm and gentle voice.

I could only wonder how Rowan could still be this calm even in the state he's in.

'You should get some rest, you won't want to miss training tomorrow"

Rowan was right, I need to get enough rest, tomorrow I'll be resuming my usual training.

'Are you sure you will be OK?" I asked in concern for Rowan.

I felt for Rowan, he now had to sleep in this nightmare of a place.


'Yes, by tomorrow morning I'll be out"

With those words from Rowan, I was about at rest.

I walked out of the dungeon and headed straight to my room. On my way to the maid quarters I passed by Zayne's room.

I could only wonder why he was behaving strangely ever since I showed him his gift.

Tomorrow I'll worry about that, first I need to rest.


I pulled off my heels and broke down to my bed.

As I shut my eyes to sleep, I could only think about Steph.

Today at the party, it was as if I saw a totally different Steph staring at me.

Even the manner she spoke to me was unlike her.

Lost in my thoughts, I soon slept off into the night.


KNOCK

KNOCK


A soft yet persistent knock on my door startled me up from bed.

My head was still dazed as I struggled to get my bearings.

'Emily!!" a female voice yelled from outside the door.

I opened it to see Flora holding a tray.

'Get this to Zayne,now!" she said her voice was laced with urgency.

I took a light glance at the clock I hung in my room.

'What?"

8:33 am.

Oh Gosh! I'm late.


'Thanks Flora!"

I quickly took the tray from Flora and hurried to Zayne's room.

His door was slightly opened so I just went in without knocking.

He stood shirtless looking through his window.

'Good morning Zayne"

I said, dropping his tray carefully on his stool.

'Good morning!"

I stood for a few moments, not saying another word, although I had an urge to.


'Any problem?" Zayne asked.


'Phew.

Rowan got arrested for laying hands on Luther"

I took a deep breath before opening my mouth to speak.


'What?!!" Zayne's pupils shrinked, as he healed his voice tinged with anger.


'I need to go!"Zayne picked up his black jacket from his bed and headed straight to the dungeon.


'I need Rowan right now, what happened last night was a mistake!"

Zayne said to the security guard who stood just outside the dungeon.


'I'm sorry my Lord but that isn't possible"


'Why is that?!!" Zayne raised his voice at the security.

'Luther has already ordered him to be hanged" The security said his voice trembling.


'Already? Oh no. We're too late!"