MALIA’S POV
I have no idea what I was expecting but when our journey finally came to an end in front of an exquisite building with mouth gaping, I was filled with nothing short of bewilderment.
Throughout the journey, I have come up with different theories in my head regarding who he might be but with everything I see now, I didn’t even come close to doing justice to his reputation.
At some point, I even regarded him as a hunter which at that time made complete sense because who else would be stupid enough to run a forest as precarious as that if not hunters? Well, exclude me from the list cause I had my reasons.
The moment we stepped into the supposed pack he had been talking to me about, I began to pick up different acts from people surrounding him that he was in fact far from a hunter, far higher on the status chain.
“Have it cleaned thoroughly and whetted, I do not want the stain of any filthy rouges on my sword” He tossed the sword to a random person, who judging by the way he dressed, was a guard.
Who would command a guard if not someone who is of higher rank than them?
I don’t know much about how this pack operates but by the general rules of all packs, I knew definitely that a pack member cannot command a guard. Which left me with only one possibility to stick to. He was royalty.
And then we surged deeper into the pack away from the borders. The way he walked, the way he carried himself like he owned the entire place, it spoke volumes. And then there are the people around him, looking up to him like some sort of a leader.
“Was he a leader?” I asked myself inwardly.
That question didn’t take long to get answered. It was as if the universe was thinking of being fair to me today cause the moment I thought about it, we were approached by a group of guards who bowed to no one else but him.
“Your Highness, welcome back” I have never seen anyone bow so deeply to even Zade as an Alpha. I shook my head to rid it of the thought of him.
“Now is not the time,” I told myself.
In acknowledgment, he nodded his head firmly toward them and easily passed them without even sparing them a worthy glance.
Okay, he was someone important, but how important?
I wasn’t that lucky this time and my question wasn’t answered with immediate effect. We had to walk for about ten to fifteen minutes before it was answered. By no one, I just put the puzzle into place myself.
When we stopped in front of that ancient yet magnificent place, I knew instantly that to live there, he had to be either an Alpha or beta.
Apart from the exquisiteness, another clear factor was the enormousity. It was so hefty that calling it a house felt like a huge sin. This is a palace. Not your regular kind of four-fenced palace, this place is….. complex.
Yes, that’s the word, complex. I knew it even before I stepped in.
“Take a picture” Someone tapped my shoulder, instantly bringing me out of my trancelike state. “It lasts longer”
Only when the end of the statement was completed, did I realize it was Tyler. I followed after the squad that rounded him immediately, overcoming my fear of getting lost in this place. I can safely say if I get lost in here, I will spend at least a week before I can finally find him. Yes, it is that huge.
I stayed close, trying so hard to resist the urge to look around as we stepped into the palace which was even more awe-stricken than the outside. If the outside is beautiful, then when I stepped inside, I can confidently say I was in heaven.
“Keep it together Malia, not right now” I forcefully tear my eyes away from the biggest chandelier I have ever seen, sparkling from the light reflected on it from the beaming sun rays.
His more-than-average height and the emerald green hat he had on which made him stand out from the entire crowd was what I looked for when I got lost for a second.
With time, the number of people around him began to decrease as he addressed everyone until gradually, I was the only one following him. His strides are purposeful and two times faster than mine. I had to practically jog to keep up with him.
The more we went into the palace, the more deserted the place became until we entered a part with no one else in sight but myself and apart from the guards that greeted him as we were about to pass in.
Not for once did he turn back to glance at me and when he finally stopped in front of a door and was about to unlock it, I used that opportunity to announce my presence cause definitely, he might have forgotten.
I cleared my thoughts and waited with my hands folded behind me. He halted with his hand on the door handle and then gradually turned back.
“Oh” He exclaimed, running his hand through his hair. “You are still here, right?” He spoke as if he expected me to find my way around the palace the minute we stepped into it.
“Yeah?” my answer sounded like a question even to my ears.
With a snap of his finger, two guards appeared out of nowhere and bowed in front of him.
“Give her a room, a new set of clothes, and everything necessary. Have her taken care of” He instructed them.
“In who’s quarters your Highness? The servants?” One of the guards asked.
“Not the servants” He looked around like he was trying to find something. “Find her a room around here. My quarters” He stated and then he left, walking into the room and leaving me out here in an unknown place with strangers.
Well practically he was a stranger too but I would have preferred his presence to anyone’s.