It all started to happen when I was on my way back to the castle. Two maids were accompanying me. But suddenly my head started to feel heavy and I felt dizzy.
It could not be poison. I took the antidote. There could not be anything wrong with the antidote. Then why was I feeling like that?
Ezekiel was not with me since it was not graceful to bring knights to tea parties or women's social gathering. But now I regretted it a lot. Something was wrong about everything. I could feel my body getting weaker.
The part of the garden I was crossing was almost vacant. I wished I could go to Demetrius as soon as possible. Or perhaps if Mother was here, she could help me to. But who would help me now? Those two maids? They were more like pawns of Lady Caerlion who were here to watch the fun.
There must have been something in the tea. It was not poison, and even if it was, then it did not have any effect on me because of the antidote. But there was something else as well though I had no idea what it was.
"Your Highness, are you feeling alright?" one of the maids asked.
"No, I'm not feeling alright. And now that I think about it, you are not even going to call the king even if I ask you to. I don't think you're maids either. And I couldn't care less now. But trust me, if my husband finds out, he will kill you all," I said.
There was no point in threatening them. Because they were not the real ones behind it. There were more people who perhaps did not want me around.
"Ah, my beautiful sister-in-law is here."
The voice... that shameless prick! It was his and his mother's plan all along. They surely mixed something in the tea that had got me feeling all dizzy.
"What the..."
I could not even talk properly. My voice, my thoughts- everything seemed to be messed up. It was all because of the tea. Dem and I thought she wanted to get rid of me since I was an eyesore for her, but we did not think of the slightest possibility to do something else.
"Are you feeling okay? You look really flushed, don't you, sister-in-law?"
He grabbed me by my waist. I tried to shake him off, but he held me pretty tightly. My body felt weaker. It did not take long before my mind was shutting down along with me body. And soon, I fell into darkness.
"You see, it's a cruel world. And we are crueler. Tell me. What's the most important thing in this world? It's power, you see. The throne- for it, I can do anything. That bastard Demetrius took it from me. And everyone says it was his to begin with. Just because he is the son of the previous king cannot alone give him the right to be the successor of the throne. It's too unfair. Don't you think? Oh, you can't talk right now, right? You are probably far away now and when you'll wake up, I wonder what condition your husband will be in. He cares about you a lot, doesn't he? He took the throne away from me. But so what? I will take his wife away little by little. Perhaps he won't die tonight if he can't mate with you. But I will just let him only suffer this time. Because the next time, it won't just end with this."
I only could hear that bastard's voice. I could do nothing. Where was Demetrius? And where was I? What if we could not mate tonight? It would be too hurtful for Dem since it was full moon. So it was their plan all alone to separate me from him on the full moon. That was why Dem's aunt rescheduled. She was not sick, rather she just wanted to play with me.
I did not know what was happening. But when I could open my eyes again, I could not see anything. My eyes were not blindfolded, rather the place was dark.
It was a room, not too big. There was a glass of water at the bedside table. That was when I noticed, I was on a bed. Realizing the worst possible thing that could happen, I looked down at me hurriedly.
Thankfully, my dress was not torn or anything. That meant, no one hurt me or anything. But then where was I?
The room was as dark as it could get. My body felt weak and my head was still a bit heavy, but it was not as serious as before. At least, at this moment, I could think straight.
There was no sound anywhere except my breathing. At least, the bed was comfortable and there was a blanket as well. I could not even track the door of the room.
It kind of felt like a forest cabin. But how did I end up here? Did that bastard Isaac brought me here? I could not believe I once thought that I should try to get along with him. It was when I first came here and for a moment, I considered making up with him and not to be his enemy. I thought it was just a little family quarrel. But I had no idea it was this serious until I married.
Dem was right. This guy deserved no mercy at all. But now what was I even going to do? I had no idea what time it was. There was no window and the room was as dark as hell. I could not even find out if Dem knew about it or not.
He must have heard that I could not be found. He must be looking for me. He said he could find me by my scent, but what if he did not? What if I had to stay here until tomorrow?
"Ugh, that shithead!" I yelled. "Stupid bastard!"
It had been long since I yelled. At my house, yelling was a common thing. Perhaps I could not just accept things as they were and ended up making a fuss. Father called me rebel and said that people like me deserved to know their place. But I already knew my place. I already knew that my leg was too far into the mud that I could not pull myself up anymore. Realizing my position was the thing that led me to give up all my dreams or perhaps it refrained me from learning the ability to dream. I just wanted to survive a day.
But then, he came into my life and pulled me out of the mud. He taught me to be spoiled. It felt good. Though I still did not approve of the way he kept spoiling me, I did not hate it. I felt happy that someone was caring for me and wanted to spoil me for no other reason than to self-satisfaction.
I tried to stand up even though my legs were weak. I could not just give up and sit still. The room was unnaturally dark. How could a room be this dark? There was not even a hint of light anywhere.
I wondered how I was even breathing in a room like this. The fact that I still did not have any difficulty in breathing was a surprise.
The floor was cold and made of wood. Perhaps I was right that it was a forest cabin. I could hear the howling of wolves. It was the first time I heard this. Even though I lived among werewolves, I never for once saw them in their wolf forms. Demetrius told me that they barely shape shifted and it was because they were accustomed to live like humans. They even fought with human weapons rather than claws and fangs. It was strange. It was not like living among werewolves at all. It was more like living in the era of kings and queens when technology was not improved and there was nothing that was in the modern age.
I heard wolves howled at night. Then that meant, it was night already. But it was not the only thing that crossed my mind. If they were howling, then they must be in their wolf forms. But did that mean werewolves mate in their wolf form on the full moon?
"What kind of situation is this now?" I muttered.
I was sure that Demetrius would find me since he could smell me. But others did not know about this. Perhaps they thought that because they could not smell me, Demetrius would not be able to smell me as well. It was a secret between Dem and I that even though others could not smell neither him nor I, he still could smell me.
"But please, don't be in your werewolf form.. Not now."