Princess...

Chapter 6

Accalia

Searing pain in my neck roused me and I struggled against the urge to fall back into the darkness, noticing how my inner wolf was still surprisingly quiet and I tried to focus on my surroundings before opening my eyes. Based on the scent, I knew I wasn't in Irvine anymore, at least not in the coffee shop anyway. I didn't recognise the scent but I caught a whiff of wolves, a lot of them. And then I was jostled harshly and it dawned on me that I was being carried somewhere. My eyes shot open and had to squint them in the harsh sunlight. I looked around and saw I was being carried into a rather luxurious looking building and I made eye contact with the Beta walking alongside my kidnapper. Was it still kidnapping if I was no longer a child? My mind wouldn't work properly, no doubt due to being drugged and I settled on the idea of being abducted. I looked up, making eye contact with hazel eyes and I panicked

"Put me down!" I shrieked without even thinking and the Beta beside the Alpha gave me a harsh glare. We crossed the threshold of the building and my inner wolf awoke at once with a start, filling me with anger and rage. I began hitting the chest of Alpha Lake, ignoring how many werewolf rules I was breaking just by acting out against the Alpha. However he didn't seem affected by my hits, no doubt due to the fact that I barely had any energy and still felt groggy. Alpha Lake came to a stop and I continued landing pathetic hits to his hard chest, though I knew it was futile

"Put me down!" I shouted, surprising myself at how loud my voice was. And then I did it, I really fucked up. Being as clumsy as I am, my arm flailed out and connected with the Alpha's cheek instead of his chest, making his head snap back to me, a cold venomous glare chilling me to the bone and causing my inner wolf to submit very quickly. Before I could process what was happening, his arms let me go and I fell to the floor in a heap, my hip taking the brunt of the impact. My chest heaved with a combination of anger and fear. The rest of the wolves had gone silent after I hit the Alpha and were watching with rapt attention.

"Rogue Ace. Stand immediately and submit to Alpha Lake." The Delta ordered and my inner wolf gave me the strength to stand shakily, going back to submitting as soon as I was on two feet. I bowed my head, noticing the oak wood flooring below my feet and remembering the last time I'd seen these types of floorboards; in the warrior's quarters... I pushed back the thought and focused back on the tense silence that surrounded the room. I knew I couldn't escape right now, they'd kill me if I tried. That didn't stop my inner wolf coaxing me to take a tentative step to the left, towards the door I had been carried through and then another before a harsh kick to the back of my knee caused me to fall onto my face, my nose coming into contact with the wooden flooring and I forced back tears at the burning feeling in my face.

"Rogue Ace you will follow Kurt to where you will be staying. He will explain more then. He is the Delta so respect his authority and remember your place rogue, or face the consequences." The Beta spoke from behind me and I rolled over, cupping my nose to try and stop the blood from spilling down my face. A warrior who had been stood by the door hauled me up, flinching away from his touch as I kept myself on two feet, head bowed in fear of dying in such an unknown place. Kurt, the Delta, began stalking off down a corridor and I forced my feet to follow him clumsily down the unfamiliar hallways.

"Alpha Lake has assigned you a role in the house, you will be working in the kitchen half of the time, as a maid for the other half, and then in the garden in between. You will be staying with the other rogues down this hallway." Delta Kurt gestured down a narrowly lit hallway towards a set of rooms. I nodded hastily, cautious of the knife that glinted from his waistband

"You obey the Alpha now and if you manage to avoid pissing him off, he may allow you to join the pack when he sees fit." My eyes widened at this information, I wasn't going to join a pack that despised my old one? The pain was too much for me, especially as all of the memories of my old life were quickly coming back to me. And then a thought occurred to me; why was I here? Why did Alpha Lake choose me to serve him? Delta Kurt asked if I had any questions and I nodded once, swallowing thickly.

"Yes, Delta. Why did Alpha Lake ask me here? And where am I?" I mumbled my questions, keeping my head bowed as I had been taught all those years ago, tracing the pattern on the floor with my eyes.

"You are in Salt Lake City territory. As for your arrival, the rest of the pack awaits the answer also at a meeting later today to decide your fate." With that the Delta turned away, leaving me alone in the hallway. I pondered whether to try to escape, but realised I didn't even know my way back to the door I was carried through, let alone to escape and find my way back to Irvine. Salt Lake City was a considerable distance from there, I wouldn't be able to run it all in one go. As I considered my options, a larger grey-haired woman appeared from a door to the right of the hallway I faced, catching sight of me and smiling

"You must be the new help!" Her voice was soft, motherly and I cringed at how much I desired my own mother to speak to me that way, instead of the harsh, unforgiving tone she always used. The woman cupped my face, eyeing my nose warily

"Did the Alpha give you this?" She muttered, more to herself and I shook my head quickly, looking down in reflex as I submitted to the unknown woman

"Lift your head up, dear! I'm Raula. I'm sort of the mother wolf of the workers. And you are?" Her smile seemed genuine but I had learned my lesson by now, even salt looks like sugar sometimes. Or cocaine, that too, Janie once told me. My heart panged with guilt when I realised that I'd abandoned Janie, no note or anything.

"Rogue Ace..." I whispered, offering a small smile in a way I hoped was friendly. I couldn't let anyone know my real name, it's too dangerous, especially now being in Salt Lake City territory. She nodded, ushering me down the hallway and into a door that opened up into a larger living room area with couches all around the space, a bookcase and a large flat-screen TV on one of the walls

"Everyone, this is Ace! The Alpha's new rogue helper," I cringed at how candid Raula was being but forced a smile on my face, even my inner wolf was on edge. They all greeted me, clearly eyeing me warily

"Ace this is Honi who assists with training in the pack," introducing me to a tall woman, not much older than me with jet black hair and piercings littering her face but I could clearly see the muscles from under her shirt
"and Jet, the gardener" pointing to a man in his 20's who had blonde hair and brown eyes who smiled up at me from his position on the couch.
"then this is Adolfina and Louvel, the twin maids who manage to keep this place spotless." The twins looked around 30 and had brunette hair and piercing blue eyes in comparison to my grey ones; I honestly didn't think I would ever be able to tell which sister was which. At a closer glance, Adolfina's skin was smooth and blemish-free, whereas Louvel had an almost unnoticeable mole by her right nostril. I averted my gaze and nodded in understanding, fiddling with my apron pocket as silence took over the room. Raula cleared her throat and clapped her hands, making me flinch at the sudden noise as my inner wolf remained guarded, not trusting a single person here; all I could smell were rogues. Raula escorted me out of the living room and towards a door at the end of the hallway, opening it to see a room bigger than one I'd seen in a while

"You have to excuse the others, they can be quite wary of other rogues coming to join us. Your arrival was quite a surprise dear." I figured this had to be my room as it was empty and cold, clearly unused. 

"I don't know why I'm here either. I didn't really have a choice..." I muttered, taking a tentative seat on the edge of the bed and forcing away the urge to crawl under the covers. Raula saw my temptation and chuckled lightly

"You should get some rest dear. We'll show you the full ropes tomorrow but I'll have Louvel come to fetch you for dinner after the pack have eaten so we can start your training afterwards." She left without another word and closed the door, allowing me to fall back onto the soft comforter. My inner wolf growled at our predicament and I rolled my eyes. I wasn't happy about the situation either, but until I could figure a way out of here, I needed to play the 'rogue worker' role until I had a better plan than falling over my own feet on the way out of the door.