Esmeralda
I ducked behind Selene as Jade, Amelia and Madam Dora got closer. My heart almost exploded from my chest from anxiety. Never had I been that nervous.
Maybe if they see Selene first, they wouldn’t be hard on me.
Or maybe not…
Anyway, all I knew was that I was a lump of dead meat.
Their hasty footsteps made my head begin to pound, causing a throbbing ache.
But that was the least of my concern.
The cell door was thrown ajar by Madam Dora and she made her way in, still without any expression.
I wasn’t surprised that she opened the locked cell. She knew her way around the cell and where the keys were kept.
But what was she up to? Why was she masking her feelings?
She doesn’t have to pretend that it doesn’t hurt when we both knew how heartbreaking it was to lose a child.
“Esmeralda, dear,” She sniffed, tossing Selene aside and engulfing me in a warm hug.
Confusion washed over me.
What was I missing?
“I’m so sorry this is happening to you. And I’m also sorry that I showed up late, don’t blame me, I had to come when Alpha Kade’s guard was down, you know how the security here works,” She pulled me closer as she mumbled those consoling words against my ears.
Words made me heave a sigh of relief as I hugged her chubby frame. Not too chubby though.
She released me, “Goodness, look at you… you look like a total mess,” She lamented, before helping me to sit.
“Look at your hair,” Her hands brushed my tangled hair that hadn’t been brushed for days.
“Your skin looks dry, your eyes are sunken and puffy at the same time, you look terrible…”
“Yes, because she is a terrible person!” A voice filled with hatred lashed out, “I always knew she was up to something. That sneaky bitch. I know you’ve come to finish what Lucy started, you snake!”
I raised my head to the door to see Vanessa who was vibrating with anger.
“Get out of here, child!” Madam Dora yelled at her before ordering Amelia to lock the door.
“Go on and lock me outside, I will report to Alpha Kade that you sneaked in to see a prisoner with his food. You think I didn’t see you…”
The rest of her words were inaudible when Amelia slammed the door in her face before running to us.
“Stupid child,” Madam Dora mumbled before holding my hands.
“Did he hurt you?” She asked in a concerned tone, making tears sting my eyes.
I wasn’t crying because of her question. I was crying because of her motherly nature and her caring nature.
How could she be this calm knowing she is holding the family of those responsible for her only child’s death?
More tears ran down my eyes when I remembered my mother. She was just like Madam Dora who cared about everyone equally.
Bless her soul.
“He did?”
“No, he didn’t,” I replied amid tears, watching her heave a sigh of relief.
“Oh my goodness, look what Esmeralda has been feeding on,” Jade alarmed, her mouth was thrown open in surprise, “Even the slaves here don’t feed on this,” She whispered, holding the dry pieces of bread.
“Holy shit!” Amelia cursed, making me raise a brow.
Since when did she start using swear words?
“Don’t worry, child, we brought food. If I had known, I would have brought it earlier,” She brought out plates from a bag, placing them on a wooden table beside me.
“Eat as much as you want, I will bring more food tomorrow, okay?” She said, taking the lid off one of the plates.
The heavenly aroma of rice hit me, making the worms in my stomach roar in hunger.
It was a little embarrassing, but who cares?
It wasn’t just rice, it was Nigerian jollof rice, specially made by Jade. No one makes jollof rice better than her in the whole Pack.
“Oh, dear,” Jade and Madam Dora shook their heads as they watched me salivate as I stared at the food.
I couldn’t wait to descend on it.
“I made one of your favourites,” Jade said.
When it came to Nigerian foods, especially the food made by Yoruba tribes, nothing could stand it, not even the pastries that Selene brought earlier.
All Nigerian foods were my favourite.
“Really? You are in a dilemma and all you are thinking about is food?” Emerald blocked my thoughts, snarling loudly.
“It’s not my fault, Emy, I lose it when it comes to their Nigerian foods,”
I was about to take a bite of the fried turkey when I withdrew my hands, pushing the food aside.
What was their mission?
Why are they strangely nice?
Isn’t it obvious that they know my weakness and they want to use it against me?
Be smart, Esmeralda.
“Wait,” I halted, folding my arms, “The last time I checked, I caused all of you pain. Your only daughter died because of my cousin,” I pointed at Madam Dora who wore a frown.
“You lost your parents because of my cousin’s actions,” I said to Jade.
“And you,” I faced Amelia whose face was already covered in tears, “You lost years of your life trapped in your head because of Lucy,”
“And now you all are here, pretending to me that everything is fine when the original plan was to use my weakness against me to get rid of me,” I blurted harshly watching them wear a shocking expression.
“I know what you all are here for and I know how much hate you have for me, but I understand. If you must kill me, then do it, don’t pretend,” I cried, yanking Jade’s hands off my shoulder.
“How could you talk like that, child? The past is in the past. I have accepted my fate and I have moved on. I don’t hold anything against you,” She pulled me close, but I was no fool to be cajoled by her words.
She can’t play a fast one on me.
“I have forgiven you, Esmeralda. Meanwhile, you are not the culprit. It’s your sick cousin. You are a good person,” Jade said before wrapping her arms around me.
“And you?” I asked Amelia.
“You saved my life, I could have rotted in the North wing up till now. I could have still been in there, trapped in my head, screaming like an animal when I thought my attacker was near, but you changed it, you changed me. You did what the doctor failed to do for years. How will I resent you?”
I broke down in tears at Amelia’s words.
I haven’t heard her speak much.
Her pedicured fingers cupped my face, “Jade is right, you are not the culprit, and even if you were, people change to become better versions of themselves. We are not mad at you, I swear by the Moon goddess,”
I couldn’t believe this.
“Am I dreaming?” I asked, looking around.
“This is us in the flesh, Esmeralda. We love you and we will always be there for you. I know my brother can be a jerk sometimes, you know when he sets his mind on something, he will make sure to do it and no one can talk him out of it. But I’m sure he will come around by the time I pester him,” Amelia assured me before placing a kiss on my cheeks.
“I’m so lucky to have you,” I hugged them, letting my tears pour freely, “I thought you were here to tell me hurtful things or kill me,”
“So you don’t hate me?” I asked again to be sure.
This was too good to be true.
“We swear by the Moon goddess,” They chorused.
A smile crept on my face at their words.
I was grateful to the Moon goddess that they believed me.
I didn’t know what I would have done if they behaved like Vanessa.
“That witch!” Emerald spat, “I don’t know her, but I hate her already,”
“We all love you, Esme. I don’t care what your evil cousin did, I know she took our loved ones, but that doesn’t mean we will hate you. You remind me of my dead daughter. She was so beautiful just like you, with blonde hair, just like her father’s,” Madam Dora spoke softly, staring at the space.
“I won’t deny that I miss her a lot, but I’ve decided to put everything aside and let bygones be bygones,”
My heart clenched at her words. It was like someone was squeezing life out of it.
She lost the only person she loved in this world.
I will lose my mind if I lose Selene.
“Please, forgive me.. m” I broke down in tears, holding onto them.
“It wasn’t you. You are a good person. I just hope Alpha Kade comes around,”
I wiped my tears with the back of my palm, “And if he doesn’t come around?” I asked, sniffing.
“We will find you another way,” Madam Dora said with determination written all over her face.
Curiosity shot up in my head.
What other way?
Cast a spell on him to make him forget everything?
“You will leave and never return,” She stated with seriousness, “By the time the whole Pack hears that the family of the person that murdered their loved ones is still breathing in this Pack, they will come for you and it won’t be nice. Nothing will stop them, not even Alpha Kade,”
My nervousness shot up again.
Not only Alpha Kade wants my head, the whole Pack too?!
“And even Alpha Kade is not happy with this. If it were another person, he would have ripped him apart the moment he learns the truth, but I’m sure he is still keeping you alive because of Amelia and because you are his mate,”
“What do I do?” I asked nervously.
“I just said it, flee. You are not safe here. Alpha Kade would deliver you to the members of the Pack soon and trust me, Vanessa is spreading the news,” She halted briefly, “I will open the gate and lead you to a shortcut while Jade and Amelia will distract the guards. Don’t worry, we will help you,” She affirmed.
“Oh God,” I muffled a scream, clasping my hand over my mouth.
“Isn’t that too extreme? Arcade is her mate, he won’t deliver her,” Amelia argued.
“Can you stop your brother when he is extremely angry?” Madam Dora asked, turning to Amelia who shook her head before going silent.
She cocked her head to meet me, “That is the safest choice. I wish I knew where you would flee to, but I don’t. Just lay low and send a message once you are safe. You can live in the human world for a while, they are nice, they will accept you…”
“You can go back to your late mother’s house,” Selene chipped in, interrupting Madam Dora.
“How didn’t I think of that?” I said, hitting my head with my palm.
I could go back to the human world and start a new life.
“Write to us and when everything is over, we will let you know if you can come back,” Jade whispered, hugging me tight.
“Uhm, guys,” Amelia called, disrupting our moment, “Arcade just mind-linked me, he is asking of us, we should get going,” She hurriedly rose to her feet.
“We will be dead if he finds us here,” Jade said.
“Are you not coming?” Jade and Amelia chorused.
“She is my best friend. We will go through everything together and that includes me staying with her and running away with her,” Selene stated, making my heart swell with pride and joy.
“We will come to visit often,” Madam Dora promised before hugging me one last time, followed by Jade.
“You are forgiven,” Jade whispered against my ears before letting me go.
Amelia threw herself on me, almost throwing me out of balance as she pulled me into a warm embrace, “Thank you for bringing me back after all these years. I would have been in there alone, crazy, ghosted if it weren’t for you. Even my brother abandoned me. Thanks for not giving up on me,” She cried softly as she murmured those words against my ears.
“Thanks for giving me a chance,” I replied.
Tears welled up in my eyes when they said goodbyes, locked the cell and left me with Selene.
“Let’s dig in, shall we?” Selene took the plate of jollof rice, “It tastes so heavenly,” She said, sniffing the air.
“You look lean. Let me feed you,” She said, raising a spoonful of jollof rice to my mouth, but she withdrew the spoon when she sensed I was in pain.
“Are you alright?” She asked, rapidly covering the plate before holding my hand.
“Ah!” I screamed, holding my chest as pain nearly ripped it apart.
I couldn’t explain what was happening to me. It was like someone was stabbing me with a hot smoking knife while another was pouring a generous amount of salt on the open injury.
I couldn’t fathom what was going on in my body, my whole body was on fire.
I couldn’t breathe, my whole body ached terribly. It drove me crazy.
“Talk to me!” Selene screamed in fear.
My knees grow weak and I dropped to the floor like a piece of paper.
“I don’t… know… what’s… wrong with… me,” I managed to say.
“What exactly is wrong with you?”
“I… am in pain,” I screamed again, crying loudly as I lay vulnerable on the floor.
My wolf was not left out, she whimpered in pain and cried too.
“What is happening to us?” Emerald cried, howling in my head.
“I don’t know,” I replied, holding my head as it began to throb.
“I think I’ve seen this before… I think your mate is in pain too,” Selene said.
“I think I know what the problem is… Our mate is having sex with another woman,” Emerald blurted.