Chapter 2

LENA

DEPRIVED

Uncle Liam didn't look happy. He had probably thought the King was referring to his daughters when he made his intentions known about choosing a maiden in the pack.

"Thank you, my friend." The King announced and shook his hands, leading me out of the pack. I was left with mixed emotions; as much as I had been longing to leave the pack, I never expected it to end this way. I was being sold out to a ruthless Alpha King and I couldn't do anything to help myself out of the situation.

I stole a glance at Alex who was already weeping uncontrollably and cursing at his father, Uncle Liam. I was no longer scared at this point, I was more than prepared for anything that was about to happen. Without wasting time, I loosened myself from the King's grip and ran towards Alex, embracing him in a tight hug. We remained that way for a long time, not until the King ordered Uncle Liam in anger to get me back.

Before my own eyes, I was dragged out of the arms of the only one who made living worthwhile for me. I proved stubborn and refused to elope with the King but the more I refused, the harder I got hit by the King. After all was said and done, I was forcefully dragged towards the King's horse and when we got there, I was lifted on the horse by Uncle Liam. "Be a good girl," He muttered and waved his final goodbye to me but I ignored his greetings. 

He was the sole cause of my current predicament and he still had the nerves to wave me goodbye. It was better for me that I wasn't even greeted at all than receiving a backstabbing goodbye greeting from the same man who sold me to my enemy. Alex wouldn't stop cursing, he was angry and raging with fury. 

In the well-lit and decorated palace, we were both warmly welcomed by the King's servants and family. "King Logan, welcome!" One of the guards saluted. I had previously thought that in the palace of an Alpha King, there would always be commotion because all the Kings seemed to take on this common attitude of ill-treating their servants but the reverse was the case in that of King Logan. He seemed to be at peace with all the servants and the servants in return were happy to see him. 

They joined hands together and ushered us down from the horse. The palace oozed elegance and class starting from the uniforms of the servants to the dressing of the King's family members and the beautiful decorations of the palace. "Welcome son." A beautiful woman whose neck and shoulders were adorned with classical beads uttered and took King Logan by his hands.

I perceived her to be his mother and instantly, I bowed my head about her. I wasn't sure of the reason why I did that; I was brought to serve as a slave and notwithstanding the threats which the family posed on my life, I still respected them enough to the extent of greeting them with all the respect left in me. The Queen peered at me and nodded her head in an unconvincing manner, "Meet me in my room!" She ordered the King and walked back into the palace.

I noticed a change in her voice when she noticed me standing beside the King but I care less, I was only concerned about my safety. Alex had told me before I left that I shouldn't take whatever happens in the palace to heart and I was working towards achieving that which he urged me to. "Wherever you find yourself, it is for a good reason so do all you can to achieve that which is taking you to the palace." He had told me when I was about to be taken away by the King.

I watched the King communicate with the guards in a language that I was not familiar with, and before I knew what was happening, I was carried forcefully into a strange room which I assumed to be King Logan's room. I was locked like a prisoner in the room, all alone, with no one to talk to. Each step the guards took signaled me to the beginning of something terrible for me.

Not long after the door was locked, it was opened once again and this time around, a guard walked in alone and ordered me to get up. I did so without hesitating, for fear of being punished. "The King demands that we take you into the prison yard." He explained when I asked him where he was taking me. My fear increased, why was I being taken into the prison yard, out of the King's chambers? I didn't commit any crime to warrant that, so why the sudden change in decision? 

The guard seemed to be the accommodating type, he responded to all my questions with ease without getting upset. I braced up to ask him another question that had been bothering me, "Why the prison yard?" His response wasn't what I had expected; he squeezed his face, giving me a demeaning glare. "Enough of the questions, step out of the room this minute before I unleash my anger on you!" His mean voice jolted me to my feet and I dashed out of the room in haste. 

I was led into the prison yard, a dimly lit room, with little or no space for the breeze to get in. The guard was assigned to keep a close watch over me to prevent me from making a funny move. My stay in the prison was a very dreadful one. I was gradually getting tired of living this miserable life; it was either I got into one particular trouble or the other.

After a few minutes of being inside, I began to hear the footsteps of someone approaching the prison.