21
Kaya’s POV.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.
The next morning, I wake up to someone tapping me on my wounded shoulder, shooting pain within me, and I snap my eyes open.
I distance myself from him when I see that it’s Kieran, staring back at me with curiosity lingering in his eyes.
I wanted to talk but didn’t know what to say until he pinches his jaw, “for someone who’s sleeping with three predators, you sleep too deep that you could be easily attacked.”
It seems he doesn’t expect a response from me, so he proceeds to change the conversation. “I brought you some sandwiches; does that sound familiar?”
An evil smirk stains his lips as he asks, knowing fully well what he’s doing to me with that question.
I stay still on the mat, waiting for how this will end. He drops the plate, huffing as I hear him mutter something about not being fun this morning.
“We are about to go hunting.” Paying attention to his voice, my eyes land on all three of them with their eyes back on me, like they could pounce and finish me in one instance.
“Okay, Master. That’s very good.” I mention this as I pick myself up, hurrying to my feet to smile at them.
“You will stay in this room no matter what till we arrive back. Is that simply understood or not? Would you like me to repeat?” When he asks a question, I quickly shake my head. I swear, my soul sprinted out of me at the tightness of his voice.
“No, masters. I understand clearly.”
“You’ll be satisfied with this food until we decide otherwise. That’s all.” Kieran finishes before they all walk away, leaving me alone in the room.
After they are gone, I groan when I bend to pick up the plate, recalling that one shoulder of mine should be considered useless as of now.
I have no idea what to spend my time with, and while my brain reels about that, I make my way to the balcony with the plate of sandwiches.
I have spent the past few minutes taking in an intricate detail of the woods ahead of us. I’m wondering in my mind if that’s where we’ll run into when we are trying to escape. I’m fantasizing about how amazing it would be when I enter those woods, knowing that I have practically escaped this hell.
A lot of thoughts keep wandering through my mind, like it’s a playground, accepting every type of personality.
The door jams close, and I shoot up from the couch where I’m sitting. I run back inside the room, hoping that it’s not the brothers.
Does the balcony count as outside the room?
Jeez, I might be punished again… until my sight lies on Melissa and I calm down.
“Melissa, it’s you.” My lips are about to curl into a smile when she draws me by the same shirt from last night and makes me sit with her across from me on the bed.
Clearing off the beads of sweat on her face, her actions swift, and her senses on the verge, her voice shakes, “We will do it tonight. The triplets are going on a hunt.”
“Yes, I heard about it.”
“And you didn’t think you should tell me? Are you sure you’re ready for whatever it takes to run away?”
I wave my hand at her, apologizing, “I swear, I got to know a few minutes ago. Just before they…”
Melissa places her index finger on my lips to hush me, seemingly paying attention to something. Then I hear the sound of horses whining, and that’s when I realize it too.
“They’ve finally left.” She claims it assuredly.
Then she adds in. “We’ll escape tonight. The triplets always, with emphasis on always, come back from their hunt at midnight for reasons best known to them. I’ve observed that much, so once it’s once the sun rests at the end of the west, come to the kitchen.” She speaks and drifts her head to the back, as though she feels like someone could be behind us, having walked in on us without our knowledge.
She pats me on the cheeks sharply and wants to leave, but then she stops and gives a warning facial expression, “Do not wait until the sun sets.”Hurry, girl.”
That’s the last thing I hear from her before she leaves the room.
I go back to the balcony and begin to cry. I don’t know why, but it’s just running free, and I cannot stop it. I haven’t felt this happy in a very long time.
I haven’t felt this sense of excitement and astonishment in a long time. And I absolutely haven’t felt this nearness to freedom in a very long time, either.
Out of nowhere, I feel like Melissa is a blessing.
And at the same time, another thought thumps like a brick in my chest, suffocating me.
The thought of what if this doesn’t work? What if we get caught by the triplets? Or maybe the guards? Or someone has eavesdropped? What if it was all a trick?
I mean, Melissa has been here for a long time now, but she doesn’t seem like she has ever been close to anyone except me, and I am still a newcomer. Plus, the closeness began shortly after that night when the triplets fought with the Alpha of Crestwood pack and left me in the dungeon for two nights.
Her decision to help me and her escape is confusing, but, well, I do not care. I just want out. Maybe she’s pitiful about my situation, or I may just ask when we see tonight.
***
It’s getting dark outside. I haven’t been able to sit down or relax my limbs at the event that’s about to unfold tonight.
My spirit is on the brink; every sound I hear on the other side of the door is a fear that we’ve been caught. I run outside to see that it’s time, and I clutch my chest. It’s hammering like it has never before.
“I can do this. Please, nature, don’t let us be caught. Please let this work out fine, so I can live the rest of my life in some sort of peace, hopefully forgetting this trauma.” I pray to the entity up in the heavens.
My fingers fidget on the door handle when an idea strikes in my head, and I run to the closet. I see a black scarf there and wrap it over my head before I lock it with my shoulder.
Back at the door, I exhale heavily and peek outside. There’s no one outside, so I tiptoe to the wall, latching my back to it like there’s glue holding me to it before I start running off.
In a few minutes, I reach the room before the kitchen, and as I step forward, “Who’s there?” the following voice forces me to shut my eyes and seize my breath, hastily slapping my hands on my mouth and carefully walking backwards.
No, please; I don’t want to be caught.
I hear the man’s boot clicking close. “Is there someone there?” He speaks again, but I only grip myself harder, pressing into the wall like it could make me invisible.
Go away… no. His footsteps are coming closer. No… please, no, go away!
“What’re you doing there?” Another person calls his attention, and he turns away.
“It’s nothing.”
Hearing their footsteps recede, I breathe in, my chest moving up and down, then I run into the kitchen, letting the door close without a sound.
“Me…” I yell lightly when someone pulls me to the other side of the worktop nearby. “Melissa,” I hush as she has her finger on her lips, ushering me to keep quiet.
“Did anyone see you coming here?”
“No.” I am quick to respond. “no one.”
“Are you very sure?”
“Yes, I am. No one saw me. I was…”
“Don’t talk too much. It’s okay.” She whispers and grabs my hand. “Let’s go.”
I nod my head, allowing her to drag me along, but then, recalling a bit of my thoughts earlier this morning, I draw us back. “Sorry, but I have a question. Why me?”
“What?” She frowns hard.
“Why are you saving just me alone? Why me? Why not someone else?”
“Really, you want to have this discussion now?” Melissa sounds disappointed as she slams her hand against her face.
She responds, “who else here has a similar story to mine? Who else here has faced such suffering as you have? Now, do you want to continue asking questions or should we hurry?”
She sounds like she’s about to break out of frustration, so I shake my head and gesture for us to go.
For the next few minutes, we walk through some rooms until we arrive in a dark underground.
I find myself hanging in my steps and turn to my back. A feeling of being watched burns my back, then Melissa’s voice calls me back.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m sorry…” I summon my courage and approach her.
“Just ahead of this dark alley, we’d be out of this place for good.” Seeing her smile grow wide and genuine, mine grows as well.
We are actually going to be out of here! I can feel my escape. This is real.