Sacrifice (Book 2 of 2 - Sequel to 'Arranged Marriage To The Werewolf Prince')

Sacrifice -9-

-9-

After the wedding, things seemed so much easier. I felt like everything in my world was right for once, until there was some startling news from Vincent one evening nearly two weeks after the wedding, “Someone had been killing council men.” 

“Why?” I ask. 

“No it couldn’t-” 

“What?”  I ask trying to listen to what Aaron is thinking. 

He is insane, Aaron notes.

But harmless, Vincent adds. 

“Who?” 

“Do you remember that council man that kissed you?”

“Ryan? I have been trying to forget that completely,” I admit. 

“Well, Anastasia,” He sighs. “Ryan is my cousin. If Charlie or I can’t take the throne he is the next in line.”

“What about Skyler?” 

“She refused to take the throne, remember?” 

“So Ryan is insane?” 

“Not publicly. He spent a few years living with us after his parents were killed. He hasn’t been the same since. He is always rash in his decision making.” 

“But he is harmless,” Vincent chimes in. “He hasn’t seriously hurt anyone.” 

“But what if he is the one doing the killing?” Aaron asks. 

“Have you guys seen Anna?” Elena asks coming into the room with a frantic expression on her face. 

“We’ve look for her every where!” Charlie adds.

What if Ryan got to her... Aaron thinks.

“Don’t think like that!” Elena, Charlie, Vincent and I snap at the same time. 

“I’m just being realistic!” He holds his hands up in defense. 

“I’ll help you guys look, maybe she wandered out into the forest,” I suggest. 

“I will come with you,” Aaron offers. 

“I don’t need your help-”

“You need my protection, I don’t want to see you get hurt,” He says. 

“If you get hurt because of me I’ll be mad,” I warn. 

The two of us make out way out of the castle and into the dark forest. It seems more eerie out here than ever. Since it just stopped raining the air feels muggy and there is a fog hovering over the forest ground warning us to go back while we have the chance. 

Aaron and I dare to go in, we transform into wolves. I am a tall dark wolf and he is a white wolf with dark patches. We silently pad into the forest avoiding crunchy leaves and twigs that could alert anyone of out presence. 

With the transformation of becoming a wolf, my night vision has improved more than my day vision. I can see almost everything. The trees and bushes and leaves are not just shadows in the dark. They are a darker shade of what they would be during the day, Aaron stays close behind me, I can hear his quiet breath. I walk slowly, scanning the forest thoroughly and admiring it at night.

After circling the entire forest - twice - we return to the castle. We explain how we had no luck finding her or any trace of her whereabouts in the forest. Skyler had searched the castle grounds and couldn’t find her either. Vincent and Makeena had searched the nearby werewolf village incase she was kidnapped, but couldn’t find her.

Elena and Charlie were trying to think of any logical place Anna could be. We were trying to calm them down, but it didn’t help that we were worried about the small girl as well. How many places could a five year-old girl go to hide? She was a werewolf, but she knew not to stray too far away from home. 

Elena sits down on the couch and sigh, “I can’t help, but feel like something bad has happened to her.” 

“What do you mean?” I ask. 

“I feel like she is in danger. It bothers me because I don’t know where she is, meaning I can’t help her!”

Charlie joins her on the couch and wraps a comforting arm around her, “We can send out search parties tomorrow.”

“But our baby needs help now!” 

The door bell rings the same time the clock chimes midnight. “I’ve got it,” Vincent says. A minutes later he returns dragging in a four foot tall, and about a foot wide box. 

“What’s in there?” Makeena asks. 

“Whatever it is, it must be huge!” Skyler notes. 

“I’m not sure, there is only a return address and a black stamp that says ‘Open Me’,” Vincent lies the box down on the carpet so the ‘Open Me’ side is facing the ceiling. 

“Who is it addressed to?” I ask. 

“You,” The King says. 

“But... I didn’t order anything,” I look around the room and everyone looks about just as confused as me. 

“Just open it, maybe it’s from Ryan,” Aaron teases. 

“If you-”

“I didn’t, I honestly have no idea what it is,” He admits. 

I open the box and a mountain of packing peanuts pour out of the cardboard box before a rancid smell fills the air. “What in the world, if this is some prank... I swear-”

“It smells like-”

I grab the box by the end so whatever is inside will slid on to the ground. As I do this everyone gasps. I place the box down and freeze as I realize why everyone is so horrified. The source of the rancid smell... Anna’s lifeless corpse. 

Her skin that was milky white is now a sickly yellow color. Her mouth open as if silently scream in death. Her blue eyes are filled with red veins, but her opened widely as if she were caught off guard. Her dark hair is a rat’s nest and I notice a wooden stake is plunged into her chest. Nailed into the stake is a note addressed to me. 

No one moves for a long moment before I hear Elena let out a loud sob. Carefully, I rip the note from the stake and read the note out loud, “Dear Mrs. Mason, Let this be a representation of the way I feel about your new marriage. You can continue make the wrong decisions, but the people you love will pay for it. I’ll always be waiting.” 

“Who signed it?” Aaron is at my side, glaring at the paper. 

“No one.” 

“A return address is on the box,” Charlie notes. 

“We are going to find whoever did this to my precious baby and kill them,” There is venom laced in Elena’s tone.