Karen’s eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar room. The pastel colours were a stark contrast form the cold white walls of the servants quarters that she was used to. She looked around, wondering how she had gotten here.
She slowly sat up in the bed that felt like fluffy clouds. She was wearing a nightdress that she sure as hell didn’t wear when she ran away.
Her memories came flooding back. She was running form Kai and his pack, and somehow she had got hit by a car.
She looked around the room again. It looked like a princess room, girly and pastel. She didn’t like the bright colors. It made her dizzy.
She examined her body, there were no injuries. Not even a single bruise. It made her wonder just how long she had been asleep for for all those injuries to heal themselves.
The door opened and a woman walked in back first. She saw Karen and gasped.
“You’re finally awake!” She exclaimed.
The woman was petite and older. Her hair was gray cut to shoulder length. She was dressed in work clothes looking like she was just leaving for work or perhaps coming back.
Karen nodded. Her throat felt very dry like sand paper. She spotted a glass of water beside the bed and grabbed it, drinking it like she hasn’t seen water before. Her throat felt better after the water.
“Hello,” She said softly to the woman.
“Oh you poor thing.'” The woman gasped. She made her way over to Karen and sat on the edge of the bed. her kind brown eyes watched Karen closely.
“What happened?” Karen asked.
“I don’t exactly know my dear, you walked into the road and I hit you. It was a shock believe me and for a moment there I was more than terrified.” She chuckled lightly.
Karen smiled. “Ah, I see….”
“But then you were still alive. I tried to take you to the hospital but by the time I got to one, all your bones were okay and you were just asleep.”
Karen could see her eyes, and they were free of judgement.
“It’s a miracle you’re alive now.” The woman said. “The doctors did what they could and here we are…”
“How long was I out for?”
“Three days” the woman replied. “Oh my goodness! Where are my manners?! My name is Shelly Osborne. And you are?”
“Karen Winterblood.” She said softly.
“That’s a very peculiar name you have there.”
There was a bit of silence, Karen not knowing how to respond to such a statement.
“Where are you from, Karen?”
“Nowhere…” Karen replied. She couldn’t tell a human about their world. It was forbidden.
Shelly watched her with kind eyes. “Poor child. It’s been rough hasn’t it.”
Karen nodded. “Yeah.. really rough.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Karen didn’t want to. But this woman, this kind human had taken her in and cared for her. She guessed she owed her at least an explanation of why she walked into the road and nearly got her in trouble.
“My um….” Karen started and cleared her throat. “My father was killed by someone he owed money.” She started, reconstructing the story. “And I got kidnapped by the man that killed him and…. and we’ll…. a lot happened .” She laughed.
Shelly looked shocked her hands flew to her mouth and tears gathered in her eye. “Were you hurt?”
Was she hurt? No. Not at all. Because apparently hurt and injuries didn’t count when you have fast healing. As Kai had said, by morning she was brand new and fresh for another session.
“Was I hurt…” She echoed the question, her eyes developing a far away look. “I’m okay.” She said.
Shelly looked at her with pity in her eyes. Karen absolutely hated that.
“Then I ran away.” She concluded her spin off version. “And here I am.”
“You don’t have anywhere to go to.” Shelly asked softly. “No relatives you can call? An uncle or aunt somewhere?”
Karen wanted to laugh. “No, none at all. I’m all that’s left”
Shelly pulled her into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that.”
Karen was shocked, her arms at her sides. Then she relaxed and hugged Shelly back. She smelled nice, clean and of flowers. Karen liked it.
“You can stay here okay?” Shelly said as she pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes. “You can stay with me, I don’t mind at all. This room is yours. You didn’t have to go through all that at such a young age!”
Karen remembered Kai and what he had suffered at her father’s hands. She remembered Nicolas and his huge green eyes pleading with her.
Did she really not deserve to suffer?
“I shouldn’t.” Karen said and started getting out of bed.
Shelly grabbed her hand and pulled her back. “Please, I can’t let you go back out there! ”
“Why are you being kind to me?” She asked, her eyes narrowed. “What do you want ? My body? My speed? What exactly is your plan here?”
“Your body?!” Shelly gasped loudly. “Oh my goodness they hurt you like that?!”
Karen sighed. She wished she hasn’t said anything.
“I don’t want anything from you. Karen, I’m trying to help you.”
Karen narrowed her eyes even more. “Won’t your daughter miss her room?”
“My daughter is dead.” Shelly said and cleared her throat. “She was abused…. raped I mean. And um…. she couldn’t take the trauma.”
Karen softened. “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry to hear that…”
“It’s fine.” Shelly said with a forced smile. “We caught the bastards. And I’ll just say it didn’t end rosy for them”
“Oh,” Karen slowly sat on the bed.
“So when you said that… it… it reminded me of my Danika and I…”
Karen hugged her. She didn’t know this woman, but she felt a pull to her. “It’s okay, please…. don’t cry. I don’t want to see you cry.”
Shelly hugged her back, patting her back as she did.
They stayed in the embrace for a few seconds. Then Shelly pulled away. “Are you hungry? I’ll make some dinner for us.”
Karen nodded. “Thank you, that would be appreciated.”
She nodded and got to her feet. “You can take a while to settle in. I’ll come and call you once I’m done.”
Karen nodded.
Shelly walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.
Karen exhaled. She got up and looked around the room. She wondered how old Shelly’s daughter was, she hadn’t asked. Karen decided that for her sake she would leave the room as is. Sort of a tribute to her.
Karen walked over to the dresser. It was filled with brightly clothes and shoes. She closed it immediately. She walked over to the desk and computer area. There was a photo on the desk. She picked it up and looked at.
It was of Shelly and a young girl who looked about Karen’s age. Danika, that was what Shelly had called her. Danika had a bright smile on her angelic face. In the photo she was wearing a white gown. She hugged her mother tightly as the photo was taken, the smiles on their faces pure and bright.
Karen dropped the photo and picked up another one. There were a lot of photos on the desk. Danika alone, Danika with friends, Danika with more friends. Karen sighed and turned away from the desk.
She spotted her clothes bundled neatly on a chair. She walked over to it and picked it up. A small parcel fell off. She picked it up and opened it. It had three bank cards inside and rolled wads of cash.
Karen wondered if it Elise that did this, putting it together with her own clothes. Karen didn’t know what to do with it so she packed it and placed it together.
She exploded the bathroom, shocked to find even the tiles and toilet seat pink. She sighed to herself, thinking how she was going to be turned into a princess if she stayed in this room any longer.
Karen done with her exploring crawled back into the bed and laid down. She found her mind wandering to Kai.
What was he doing now? Had he replaced her already? Or was he just back to life with Verena.
Her heart ached, the mating bond she had stubbornly refused to get rid off pricking her heart. She was starting to regret not breaking it.
She had told Nicolas she loved Kai. did she really? or was she just blinded by lust. Karen doubted she even knew what love was, never having felt it in all her life. She never knew a father’s love or a mother’s love or the love of a friend.
Her eternal mate rejected her and stopped her from rejecting him.
He branded her a slut and was going to execute her, not even allowing her to defend herself.
The more she thought about it, the more tears came to her eyes. She buried her face in the pillow with it’s pastel pillowcase and cried.
It hurt.
It hurt a whole lot.
Now she was a rogue, a castaway with no pack, no mate and no future. She has no idea what next to do with her life. And worse she could hear the healers voice in her head telling her the news.
Karen wanted to go home. Back to her old life where all her problems were getting her work done on time and bantering with her maid.
Kai had truly broken her as he had said. And she couldn’t believe she had fallen for him.
“Karen?” Shelly’s soft voice called as she knocked. “Dinner is ready.”
“I’m coming, I’ll be a minute” Karen called back, her voice sounding muffled form the pillow.
“Okay, don’t let it get cold okay.”
Karen was in the human world now. She knew if she played her cards right, they wouldn’t find her. And besides, she was just one slave. If Kai wanted he could get a thousand. Have them be at his every beck and call.
Karen got up from the bed and wiped her eyes. She squared her shoulders and walked out of the pastel bedroom. She walked down the hall and down the stairs following the aroma of freshly cooked food till she got to the dining room.
“I’m sorry I kept you waiting.” Karen said with a smile. “I’m really starving.”