When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on the floor of my room with a security guard kneeling beside me. I tried to make sense of the situation, but my eyes widened in shock when I saw Luna Catherine and Mona standing at the entrance.
“W-what’s happening?” I stammered as the security guard helped me sit up slowly, holding my hands gently.
I wiped my mouth instinctively, feeling something wet at the corner of my lips. When I glanced at my hand, I saw white foam. “Is this a dream?” I muttered to myself, trying to remember what had happened.
“Are you okay?” the security guard asked, his voice filled with concern.
“I’m fine, thank you.” I withdrew my hands from his, still dazed, but kept my tone steady. Then I turned to Luna Catherine and Mona, both watching me intently. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be downstairs with everyone else?”
Luna Catherine’s eyes narrowed. “Why are *you* here instead of helping with the procession?”
I took a deep breath, keeping my emotions in check. “I’m sorry for any inconvenience, ma’am. I’ll go back to work immediately.”
Both Luna Catherine and Mona looked stunned by my calmness. Without another word, I stood up and left the room, my heart racing, but I didn’t let it show. As I walked down the hallway, I heard the rapid footsteps of a maid rushing toward them.
“Alpha Derrick has arrived!” the maid exclaimed breathlessly.
I saw the excitement flash across their faces, especially Mona’s. Of course, Alpha Derrick’s arrival had been anticipated all day, especially since today was Mona’s engagement. I watched them for a moment, unsure how to feel, but I quickly turned away and headed downstairs.
The living room was packed with guests-members of various packs from nearby and the city. Most of them were from the Nightwalkers, Alpha Derrick’s pack. As soon as I entered, I felt dozens of eyes on me. Embarrassment washed over me, but I fought it, reminding myself that I had nothing to fear.
“Why should I hide?” I whispered to myself, steeling my nerves. “Everyone already knows how Alpha Derrick rejected me.”
I walked through the crowd, keeping my head up despite the whispers that followed me. Once outside, I took a moment to breathe before heading to the basement. I had to see it one last time before everything changed. Tomorrow, I’d be leaving with Alpha Derrick, not as his bride, but as his slave.
When I reached the basement, I froze. Red flowers were scattered everywhere-from the entrance to the bed and the sofa. My drawings, once crude sketches on the walls, had been transformed into beautiful, intricate designs. I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
“What is all this?” I muttered, looking around in amazement. “Who did this?”
I wandered over to the bed and sat down, running my hands over the soft fabric. It was as if the whole basement had been redecorated just for me.
“You like it?” a voice said suddenly.
I jumped, turning to see Damien standing by the door.
“Damien!” I gasped, my surprise turning into a smile. “It’s been a while.”
He grinned, sitting down beside me. “I figured you’d like it. I’ve been waiting for you to come back here.”
“What’s all this for?” I asked, gesturing to the transformed room. “Why go through so much trouble?”
“I knew today would be your last day here. I wanted to give you something nice, even if things didn’t turn out the way you wanted.” He paused, watching my face. “I’ve had it ready for a while, but after your engagement was called off, you never came back down here.”
“You’re right,” I admitted quietly. “I couldn’t bring myself to come back after that night.”
Damien’s face softened. “I’m sorry things turned out this way, Kimberly.”
I nodded, trying to keep my emotions in check. “The procession is probably starting by now. I had to get away before it began.”
“I understand.” Damien’s expression darkened slightly. “I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you to watch all this.”
“I thought I’d be okay,” I said, my voice trembling. “But the closer it gets, the more I realize how much it hurts.”
“You’ve been strong through all of this. But now you have to be even stronger. Tomorrow is the start of a new chapter, no matter how difficult it seems.”
I gave a shaky smile, appreciating his encouragement. “Thank you, Damien. You’ve been a good friend in all of this. I need a favor, though.”
“Anything.” Damien’s face grew serious. “What do you need?”
“Help me find my father. And my friends.” My voice was pleading now. “I know I’ll be far away, but I need to know what’s happening here. I need your help to keep searching for them.”
Damien looked at me, his expression thoughtful. “I’ll do everything I can, Kimberly. I promise. And don’t worry-I’ll come visit you at the Nightwalkers pack when I can.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, feeling a small spark of hope. Damien was the only one I could trust now. Sir Jethro would be too busy to help, but Damien… he was willing.
Suddenly, we heard loud cheers from outside. “Alpha Derrick and Mona are officially engaged!” someone announced.
The words hit me like a punch to the chest. My heart shattered, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face. I had held myself together for so long, pretending to be strong, but now it was all too much.
Damien noticed my tears and gently pulled me into his arms. “It’s okay, Kimberly,” he whispered, stroking my hair. “Let it out. I’m here.”
I sobbed into his chest, the weight of everything crashing down on me. I didn’t care if anyone heard me. I just wanted the pain to stop.
We stayed like that for what felt like hours. Eventually, my sobs quieted, and I fell asleep in Damien’s embrace. When I woke up, it was late. The basement was quiet, and Damien was still asleep beside me.
Careful not to wake him, I slipped out of the basement. As I made my way back to the pack house, a voice suddenly stopped me in my tracks.
“Where are you coming from, Kimberly?”
I froze, my heart pounding as I looked up to see sir Jethro…
“Kimberly! What were you doing down there?” Sir Jethro’s voice echoed with surprise, pointing towards the basement.
I swallowed hard, avoiding his eyes. “N-nothing, Sir Jethro!” I forced a smile, praying that Damien wouldn’t show up and make things worse.
Jethro’s brows furrowed. “Nothing, huh? Then why do you keep looking down at the basement like you’re expecting someone?”
My heart pounded. Had I made it that obvious? I tried to stay calm, forcing out a laugh. “I’m fine, Sir. Really. No need to worry.”
He wasn’t convinced. “Good. But I didn’t see you at Alpha Derrick and Mona’s engagement procession. Where were you?” His eyes narrowed in suspicion.
The mention of the engagement stung. The thought of becoming a slave to the Nightwalker’s pack sent a sharp pain through my chest. “I didn’t see any reason to be there!” I snapped, storming away from the basement.
Jethro followed, his voice softer now. “I know this is hard for you, but what if someone else had caught you tonight? Do you really think you could explain yourself?”
“I don’t need to explain myself to anyone!” I shot back, my anger flaring. But as we neared the pack house, a sense of unease crept in. The place was eerily quiet. “Where is everyone?”
“They’ve all gone to continue the celebrations at the Nightwalker’s pack house,” Jethro replied.
“Oh.” The silence settled around us, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check. “How’s the search for my father going?”
Jethro’s face softened. “We got some information, and we’re leaving early tomorrow to check it out. But I can’t promise it’s accurate.”
“Can I come?” The words flew out before I could stop them.
His expression shifted, hesitant. “Kimberly, I don’t think you’ll be able to handle the journey.”
I stiffened, the realization hitting me. “I know why,” I whispered, bitterness rising in my throat. “It’s because I’m moving in with Alpha Derrick tomorrow, isn’t it?”
Jethro called after me as I stormed upstairs, but I ignored him, locking myself in my room. Tears streamed down my face as I collapsed onto the bed. Tomorrow, my life would no longer be my own.
A soft knock on the door startled me. Wiping my eyes, I got up and opened it, expecting Jethro.
Instead, I was met with the sight of Hannah and Louis. My heart raced, and I staggered back, convinced it was another cruel trick of my mind.
“No! You’re not real!” I shrieked, backing into the room, my hands trembling.
“Kimberly!” Hannah’s voice cracked with emotion as she stepped towards me. Louis followed, closing the door behind them.
My breath caught in my throat. “Wait… are you real?” I whispered, studying their faces.
“Of course we’re real!” Louis said, irritation creeping into his voice.
Tears welled up again as I realized it truly was them. “I can’t believe it!” I threw myself at them, hugging them both tightly. “Where have you been? What happened to you?”
“K-Kimberly, we can’t breathe!” Hannah gasped, struggling in my grip.
I let go quickly, laughing through my tears. “Sorry! I’m just so happy to see you! Tell me everything!”
“It’s a long story,” Louis said with a tired smile.
“I’ve got time.” I pulled them both to the bed, eager to hear their tale.
Hannah’s eyes clouded with sadness. “We’ve been through a lot, Kimberly. There were moments we thought we wouldn’t make it.”
I reached out, gently patting her back. “What happened?”
“We were at the coffee shop when some strange men tried to kidnap us,” Louis began. “We blacked out and woke up in a place we didn’t recognize. They took us somewhere far away.”
“And they were going to kill us,” Hannah added, her voice barely a whisper.
My heart sank. “Kill you? Why?”
Hannah shook her head. “We don’t know. Their leader, a woman, ordered it. But the night they planned to kill us, a strange figure appeared. Someone we couldn’t identify-maybe male, maybe female. They helped us escape.”
I listened, my mind racing back to the footage we had seen at the abandoned house. The figure-could it be the same person?
“So this person helped you get out?” I urged, leaning closer.
“Yes. They led us out of the lair, but after we got outside… everything went blank again,” Louis explained, his face darkening as he remembered.
I shivered. “Where did you end up?”
Louis and Hannah exchanged a glance, the room growing tense with their unspoken fear.
“We woke up somewhere worse,” Hannah whispered. “Much worse.”
The silence stretched, my pulse quickening as I waited for them to explain the next chapter of their terrifying ordeal.