Wronged

ROSALIND’S POV
I waited patiently till it was dark, then headed to the spot to meet River. My mind was all over the place. I needed to be sure. I just couldn’t believe what I had seen in the petition room.
River showed up after a while, he didn’t say anything. That was good. It took everything in me not to start interrogating him at the spot, but I had to be patient, this wasn’t safe anymore. Soon, we were in the territory of witches.
The teleportation still had the same dizzying effect on me but I ignored it.
I glared at River. Even though I didn’t want to believe it, I knew that he was well aware of what his people were doing. He was their commander after all.
“You cool?”
He asked, cleaning some dust off his black trousers. When I didn’t answer, he looked up at me.
Before he could say anything else, I slapped him very hard across the face.
As fast as his reflexes were, he didn’t see that one coming. He might have seen it but not fast enough. My hand making impact with his rough face was more painful than I had anticipated but there and then, I didn’t care.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” He spat, taking a few steps back in surprise.
“What’s wrong with me?! How dare you ask me that when you and your people have been attacking my pack ever since you moved in!”
River stared at me, not saying anything.
“My people?”
There was a hint of pain in his voice
“You say it like you are not part of us, like you haven’t been coming here regularly to hone the pure energy inside you.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. Innocent people have been hurt and you have been aware of everything this entire time. Why come under the pretext of peace only to cause more havoc in Southern Paw? Why?”
Right then, I hated the sight of the man in front of me. Someone that I saw as a friend. Yes he had kidnapped me, yes he was a witch and he was dangerous, but I had learnt to trust him, to learn how to control my powers from him. All just to find out that he had been lying from the start.
“Listen to me Rosalind. There is no other way.”
His voice was expressionless, devoid of emotion.
This made me even more furious.
“No other way? What exactly do you fucking want? Attacking the villagers, robbing people, harassing innocent wolves….”
“Rosalind.” River called in a tone that forced me to listen.
“These people that you defend with so much passion, would not think twice to hang you if they found out what you are. Do you know that?”
I wanted to bite back but he continued without letting me.
“The councilmen already hate you because you are an omega princess, what more when they realize that you have an inkling of magic in your veins? Even your dear princes would turn their backs on you.”
“Does that give you the right to hurt people?”
“They hurt us, Rosalind. They killed our new born babies and pregnant mothers, they burnt males alive. They slayed children without a second thought. They nearly wiped us out.”
I said nothing.
“Look, Rosalind.”
He took a step closer to me.
“Something is coming. Something huge. I know you feel it. And when it comes, you are going to have to choose between that pack and this pack. These people are different from us. You don’t need to hide who you are when you are here.”
He took my hand in his and there was a faint glow.
I recalled the dreams I had been having, the ones I couldn’t remember. The glow from our palms gave me an immediate headache. I shut my eyes and saw blue light. It was getting more and more intense until I pulled my palm away from his.
River looked at me with disappointed eyes.
“When it comes to a battle, you will have to pick sides. You can’t be like us and still live like them. At some point you will have to choose. They don’t deserve to be happy.”
He said, taking my hand in his again.
I pulled my hand away and slapped him hard across the face for the second time that evening.
River saw that one coming but he still let it land.
He smiled and wiped the blood off the side of his lip.
“This is the last time I come here.”
“Very well. You’ve made your decision.” He nodded with a wry smile and snapped his fingers twice.
I was back in the land of Southern Paw before I heard the second snap.
That was goodbye forever.
******
The whole pack was bubbling in excitement. Tasks were being dished out left and right by Aunt Lily. Decorations, lights, music… everything. Tonight is the moon festival. The atmosphere was electric.
Every soul in the pack was willing to work. Everyone was everywhere, doing one task or another assigned to them.
From the looks of everything, Aunt Lily was in charge of decorations and setting. I came downstairs to help out and was surprised at how many people were busy doing one thing or another.
I just stood and watched.
A group of about six wolves were carrying big stage lights and trying to set it up in the middle of the square.
“No, no. To the left. Yes. Now take it back a bit… back up, back up. Perfect.”
Aunty Lily sounded like a traffic warden as she directed everything that was going on.
She looked different today. I had only seen her in her expensive gowns, adorned with jewelry and flawless makeup. Today her face was bare and she wore just a simple black gown and a satin bonnet. I thought that she had looked younger than her age because of the makeup she had on, but apparently I was wrong. She looked just the same.
Her eyes met with mine and I almost jumped.
“Don’t you have something to do?”
There was no harshness in her tone. It was just a plain question. I wasn’t used to that from her. Maybe she already had enough things to do to spare me a thought?
“Oh… I came to help out.” I said, trying not to sound timid.
“Take these,” She said, pointing at the boxes on the other side of the room.
“Take them to Celia. She will need them. Both of you, help her out with these boxes.”
She called two workers to her side.
I lifted a box and noticed it was heavier than it looked. I had carried it thinking it was empty. Apparently, it wasn’t. I resisted the urge to drop it as I knew Aunt Lily was watching me. Probably waiting for a show of weakness from me.
We all lifted up the boxes and I followed their lead to where Aunt Celia was.
The aroma of delicious food hit me as we approached the kitchens where Aunt Celia was supervising activities. I had never smelled anything so appetizing. As we stopped in front of the kitchen entrance, I couldn’t resist my urge to peep inside.
I had never seen so much food in one place before in my life. There were bowls, trays, carriages, pots and more pots of every food I had ever eaten and dozens more that I had never tried but were sure to be good.
“They say no wolf in Southern Paw cooks like Lady Celia.” One wolf said, more to himself than anybody.
I snapped out of the enchantment of Aunt Celia’s food and rapped on the entrance doors.
Aunt Celia came herself and smiled when she saw the boxes.
“Thank you for this. I was just about to send someone over to get them. Were they too heavy?”
“Mine was a bit heavy, my lady.” The same wolf said, scratching his head stupidly.
Aunt Celia smiled.
“I have something for you,” she disappeared back into the kitchens and appeared with a bowl of what looked like roast chicken.
Everyone tried to put their hands into the bowl at once but she slapped their wrists and gave me the bowl.
I was surprised by this but didn’t show it. I shared the meat to everyone and took the last piece. The chicken was well seasoned and the flavours were amazing. She really was a great cook.
“When you’re done with that, quickly get back to Lily, she’ll be needing your help.” She said and disappeared back into the kitchen.
When we got back to the hall, the place was beginning to take shape. The colours of the pack were glowing brightly. The decorations, though yet to be finished, promised to be top notch.
“Rosalind?” Aunt Lily called, immediately we came back to the hall.
“Yes Aunty?”
She flung a bunch of keys at me and it took all my concentration not to fumble it like an idiot.
“The biggest key there is the one to the store. There’s a box of lights missing here. Can you run up there and help with it?”
I looked at the keys in my hands. They were all big but I didn’t want to ask questions. I nodded and went to do as she’d asked.
On my way to the store, I saw Adelyn. She didn’t see me, she was carrying a bag and entering a car. This side of the palace was very isolated. I hid behind a pillar and watched. Her bodyguard packed her things into the trunk and held the door for her. Adelyn took one last glance around before she entered the car and drove off. She was leaving.
She glanced about in shame, to make sure nobody saw her disappearing. After all, Cillian had rejected her in front of everyone despite the fact that she had won the trials. All I could honestly say was good riddance.
When I got to the store, it was locked. Of course it was meant to be locked, that’s why I was given keys. But I had no idea which one was the right key. The bunch of keys has more than twenty keys in it.
Oh well. I selected a random big key, put it into the lock and twisted it. There was a click sound and the store opened. Phew.
Inside the store, it was cold. I looked for the box Aunt Lily had described and found it. There was only one problem.
It was at the very top of the box shelf. How the hell was I supposed to reach that?
I thought about the look on her face if I came back empty handed and killed the thought immediately. I was going to get that box down somehow.
I scanned the room, there was no ladder to climb or stick to poke it down with.
The wood of the shelf looked very old. Climbing it was not an option. Then I saw a stool. Yes!
I set it in front of the shelf, climbed and stretched. My fingers were just inches away from the box.
Damn.
“Can I help?”
The sound of Cillian’s voice behind me was so unexpected that I nearly screamed.
I turned to see him smiling. He must have been watching for a while.
“Yes please. I could use a hand.”
I said, trying to get down from the stool.
Immediately, Cillian’s hands wrapped around my waist and lifted me up.
I whimpered in surprise and blushed violently at how he grabbed me.
“How’s this?” He asked from below.
I picked the box which was thankfully light and he slowly brought me down. I kept the box but Cillian still had his hand on my waist.
“You should ask for help when you need it…”
I stared at his lips as he talked. His strong arms holding me felt good. I kissed him before he finished his sentence and he kissed me back.
I dug my fingers into his hair and undid his shirt. I wanted him now. I felt his hardness graze my thighs and I knew he wanted the same.
“I said I just needed a box of lights…”
Aunt Lily’s voice came from outside. I tore away from Cillian’s kiss.
“… oh it’s even open. How hard is it to find a box like that?” Aunt Lily’s voice was just behind the door of the store.
Cillian heard it too, this time.
The door flung open before I could move and there stood Aunt Lily.