Prescott’s pov
“Your Majesty!” Dixon called out, his voice echoing through the hall as he jogged toward me. His heavy boots clacked against the stone floor, each step bringing him closer and closer.
I turned on my heel to face him, he rushed up to me and he gave a quick bow before straightening up to meet my gaze.
“Yes, Dixon, did you get anything?” I questioned, my eyebrows raised as I stared at my best warrior, shaking his head negatively.
“Your Majesty,” he blurted out, his voice deep and breathy. “I am afraid to tell you that I was unable to get anything. It doesn’t seem like the rogues are staying in this pack.” Dixon uttered, carefully picking his words.
“Is that it?” I asked, staring at him with my lips pressed in a thin line.
“Yes, your Majesty!” he gave a bow before straightening up.
“Okay, you can retire for the night, we will check out some things outside the palace, in the morning.” I proclaimed, turning on my heel and entered into the apartment that was given to me.
As I entered the bedchamber, my eyes immediately landed on the files that were spread across the desk in the study. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I took in the neat stacks of paper, knowing each one was filled with important information.
I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement as I made my way to the study, eager to delve into the files and see what I had been hoping for since I became the Lycan King. My heart was pounding in anticipation as I picked up the first file, ready to read through it.
As expected, the elders had put in their signatures in the necessary places and I couldn’t help but to spread the smile that formed on my face.
“Finally, I can call myself the King!” I exclaimed, a grin spreading across my face.
I picked up the files, inhaling the musty scent of the aged paper. It was an intoxicating feeling, knowing that I was about to take my place fully as ruler of the nation. I felt a surge of strength and excitement, knowing that my dreams were finally coming true.
“I suppose I was wrong about the Queen being useless,” I mused, a chuckle escaping my lips as I remembered how I had criticized her in the past couple of days. I felt a twinge of guilt for my harsh words, knowing that she had been following my instructions since.
“Maybe I was a bit too hard on her,” I thought, realizing that she had always been fearful around me, recalling how she had hugged me earlier, I realized I had been too mean to her, and I wish I could bring myself to apologize to her. Let her know that I was sorry and that appreciated her efforts.
I gathered the files together and placed them carefully back on the study desk. I stood up and stretched my legs, feeling a bit tired from all the walking I had been doing.
As I walked over to the bed, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I sank into the soft mattress, feeling my body sink into the welcoming embrace of the bed. I lay on my back, staring up at the pristine white ceiling, my mind drifting into a dreadful haze.
I tried to fall asleep, so I shut my lids, hoping that the sweet embrace of slumber would soon take hold of me. But after 30 minutes of lying there with my eyes closed, I realized that sleep was eluding me.
I groaned in frustration, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. I was restless, unable to find peace in the silence of the night.
“Why can’t I sleep?” I asked aloud, my frustration spilling over into my words. I felt like I was trapped inside my head, unable to find the peace I needed to drift off to sleep after the long day.
“What’s keeping me awake? What’s going on in my head?” I wondered, searching my mind for an answer. It was as if there was a nagging thought that I couldn’t quite grasp, something that was preventing me from finding rest.
I reached down to the floor, slipping my feet into the shoes that had been left beside the nightstand. I shuffled out of the room, my steps heavy with fatigue. I knew I wouldn’t find sleep in the confines of my room, so I decided to take a walk to clear my head.
I made my way out of the apartment, the night air cool against my skin. As I wandered through the dark hallway, I tried to push away the thoughts that were keeping me awake.
I kept on walking until I found myself at the back of a tall building. It happened to be the Alpha’s building, the towering structure looming over me like a monolith in the night.
I couldn’t help but scoff at the absurdity of it all, of ending up here of all places.
“What am I doing here?” I wondered aloud, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all.
“This is the last place I should be,” I told myself, I made to spin on my feet when I heard muffled cries from the far end of the backyard of the building.
“What on earth?” I whispered, disbelief and confusion mingling in my mind. Why would anyone be out here in the middle of the night, crying alone in the darkness?
I couldn’t imagine who it could be, and I didn’t want to know who it was.
Nonetheless, despite my best efforts, I found myself drawn towards the sounds, my feet moving of their own accord. I rounded the corner, my eyes widening in shock at what I saw.
It was Randale’s Princess, my Queen, sitting on a bench in the shadows, crying softly into the night. She looked so small and vulnerable, her shoulders shaking with each sob.
I was frozen in place, my heart aching for her.
“What’s the problem? Why is she like this?” I questioned myself, my jaw dropped and my fist clenched to my sides.
With my heart thumping hard against my chest, I hurried over to the bench, sitting down on the empty space beside her. I grabbed her shoulders in my palms and spun her to look at me. She moved her face up, looking up to meet my gaze.
“Your Majesty?” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. Tears began to spill down her cheeks once again as she realized it was truly me who was sitting down beside her.
I sat down there, dumbfounded, unable to utter a word. Why was she surprised to see me? Was I the last person she was hoping to come for her? Was I truly a horrible person that she wasn’t expecting to see me?
“What… what are you doing here, your Majesty?” she questioned, her voice trembling. I could tell that she was overwhelmed, and I felt a rush of guilt for having been a bad person to her.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. How could I possibly explain? How would I justify my actions towards her?
“Your Majesty…”
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whispered, drawing her close to me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight as she sobbed against my chest.
“You don’t have to say a word, just let me hold you like this until you feel better,” I whispered into her ear, rocking her gently in my arms.
I could feel her body shaking with sobs, and my heart ached for her. All I could do was hold her, and offer her what little comfort I could. It seemed like hours passed before her sobs finally subsided, and she stood up from the bench.
“You should go back inside, your Majesty!” she wiped her tears and gave a curt bow before walking away from me.
She suddenly stopped and spun on her feet, “Thank you for the hug.”
With that being said, she walked away from the backyard, I watched her walk away until she was completely out of sight.
“Why did I do that?” I groaned, placing my palm on my chest to feel my heartbeat thumping hard against my chest.