18

I explained everything to him, the paper in my room, the man and the child.

"Esme, did you get some sleep last night?" He asked in a worried tone.

"Don't you believe me?" My voice came out dejected by his lack of trust in my words.

He looked sceptical at my appearance, before releasing a deep sigh. "I do believe you it's just-" I cut him off.

"I know I look awful but I'm telling you someone sneaked into my room and left a piece of paper. Somebody's watching me. I was awake all night. I was too terrified to sleep and when I wanted to come to tell you first thing In the morning I saw a man sneaking around with a child in his hands. I followed them but it came to a dead end. Then I was…-" I said in one breath.

"Calm down and breathe. This is the first time I have heard you say this much" His finger shushed my mouth. I took a deep breath as he said

"Sorry"

"It's ok, however, about the man and the kid. What if they were related?" he pointed out.

"Something felt off about it, I just know it. he didn't look like he could be related to the child."

"Okay, first thing first, I think you should go back to the pack house, you need to rest. You have a deep eye bag," He said. He doesn't believe me. I thought.

"I will make sure to check around the perimeter whether there has been a breach into our territory. I know you want to help with finding those kids too but you need to calm down and rest." he gave a small smile. "Thank you for worrying," he added.

The adrenaline left me exhausted, it came back weighing on my shoulder all at once. I sighed.

"I guess maybe I overreacted a bit. I apologise. I can walk myself back to the pack house, thank you" I strolled back to the house.

After she left, The alpha called to one of his enforcers, "search the perimeters at once. Check for any place someone must have broken in." He said in a commanding tone.

"Yes alpha," the enforcer said,

I went back to my room collapsing onto my bed. The ache in my shoulders was evident. I thought about my rushed haste today. Slapping my forehead.

"I'm so stupid how could you lose the paper? And that child… I hope she is okay" I said to myself. I rolled to my side hugging the pillow. My eyelids feel heavy from exhaustion. and I drifted into a slumber.

Hours later,

I woke up lazily, the cover had been draped over me. My whole body felt weak. A candle was lit next to my table. I looked outside to see it was dark already. How long had I been sleeping for?.

I stood up from the bed, feeling a dull ache in my head and my knees felt wobbly.

I haven't felt this weak before. I went to the door thinking of heading to the kitchen. Abuelita would be there, maybe she could get something for this headache.

I held the wall to keep me in place. Some of the lights were off but few were lit. I grabbed the lit light using it as a guide to the kitchen.

The crescent moon lit up the sky in the night. The wind of the night felt cold and eerie. My breath formed a small fog of smoke in the air and shivers ran up my spine. I wrapped one arm around me, not being able to cover much since I only wore my nightgown. I should have worn more cover. Determined to get to the warm kitchen and be greeted by abuelita's warm smile. I marched forward.

The sound of metal falling to the ground behind me left me startled out of my skin.

"Who is that?" I said, frightened as I turned around with the light in my hands. I pointed it into the dark shadows behind me, seeing nothing but a metal plate on the ground.

How did it get there? A sudden breeze passed beside me. And I ran accidentally dropping the lamp on the ground, it shattered making a loud noise. I ran without looking back. Scared out of my wits. It was too dark to see and I didn't notice the stairs ahead of me. I tripped on my dress falling down the stairs to the bottom floor.

Tumbling around until I reached the ground. My body ached painfully from the fall. And my head dripped with blood. It shouldn't hurt this much since I fell from a cliff. However, my whole body has been weak since yesterday.

The sound of someone approaching my body at the foot of the steps. I wanted to see them but my unfocused eyes covered the blood said otherwise.

I dragged myself on the ground with my arm scraping over the floorboard. it hurts everywhere I twisted my ankle in the process of the fall.

"Hello, we finally meet again" I froze when I recognised that voice.

"You are still as resilient as ever." He grabbed me by my hair. Pulling my face back to see him. It was the rogue from that night.

I gritted my teeth about to let out a piercing scream but he covered my mouth instantly.

"It looks like the candle wasn't enough to put you out. You really are something." He grunted out a low laugh. Another footstep approached us.

"How did she turn out like this?" he looked at my twisted ankle.

"It wasn't easy trying to sneak up on her. She's alert even in her sleep. Also, those candles didn't work on her" he explained, bringing me up to my feet.

"It made everyone else pass out" he stated.

"I tell ya she's something else. Now we have her let's go" he forced something into my mouth making me swallow it down.

"This should knock her out," he said. And soon enough I felt dizzy.

He tied my hands and mouth and the big guy carried me like a sack of potatoes on his back. I fell into a slumber on his back. As they left the pack house.