The Heart of The North

Meeting the Brute

Later that night, I make sure everyone is asleep and throw on a casual dress that would blend in. I sneak out to the kennels.

"Hey, you, stop," one of the two guards says, "Why are you out here?"

I pray they don't recognize me under my fur cloak and hood, and make my voice as husky as possible, "I was sent by the King, to reward one of the winners."

The guard smirks, a sick, disgusting smirk, and hands me a key, "Don't worry about them stealing it, it's pure silver. Burn them something new if they touch it."

I take it and head inside. Growls sound from around me, and I find the cell with the boy and the larger brute from earlier. The boy lays in the far corner, sweating and rocking his body in pain as he holds his arm. I unlock the cage, looking at the brute leaning on the wall opposite the boy.

I lock the door behind me and rush to the boy in pain, pulling herbs and cleaning supplies from my satchel, "Let me see your arm."

He looks at me for a moment before letting go of it, and I get to work.

"You shouldn't be down here, Princess." The brute says. I wonder if he recognized me or if that's what he calls every woman.

"You don't tell me where I should and shouldn't be." I say as I finish cleaning the boy's wound.

"Aye," the brute says, "bring him here so I can re-break his arm."

"What?! Why would you do such a thing, leave the boy be." I demand.

"Princess, your King makes us fight in a ring for entertainment and you still know nothing of our kind?" the corner of his mouth lifts in a smirk.

"What?" I ask.

"We heal fast. If I break his arm again, he'll be healed in no time," he watches me, "He's one of mine. In my pack. I'm his Alpha, now bring him here." The Alpha explains.

"Fine... wait, you were going to kill one of your own?!" I stare at him in shock.

"I didn't really have a choice. Survival." He says somberly. I look into his eyes for a moment, before looking away before he can see inside my own soul. Something locked in stone, in which no one will ever see.

I sympathize with him. I help the boy up, bringing him to his Alpha.

"What did you tell the guards you were here for?" He asks as he positions the boy.

"I hinted... I hinted at the brothel." I say, ashamed.

"That'll work." That's all he says before he snaps the boy's arm back.

"FUCK!" The boy screams, rushing to sit back against the wall after the Alpha's done.

"Now you can make the sling." The Alpha nods to me. I return to the boy's side, pulling fabric from my satchel.

"Hello." I hear a woman's voice a few cells down.

"Well, hello there." A gruff man's voice answers. I look through the bars subtly as I prepare the fabric to a sling.

The woman strips down, and she's naked. I furrow my brow in shock. I'd never seen anyone but myself unclothed. The man follows and I look away for a quick moment to tie the sling. When I tune back in, I hear the woman screaming. And... slapping sounds? She must be in pain.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" The woman screams, and I glance back to her and the man mounting her from behind.

"That's a good little slut!" The man grunts, pulling her hair and slapping her. I had finished tying the sling and had stood up by this point.

"Princess, you should leave." The Alpha moves in front of me so I can't see.

"I..." I almost say yes, before the realization hits me. That's going to be me. Tomorrow night after the wedding. I shut my eyes and back up as I remember Fallion's words.

"If you wish to be taken like one of these dogs would take you, that could easily be arranged tomorrow night. Perhaps I throw you in the kennels and let them have their way."

My breath quickens, and I can't seem to block the noise from the cell out. She screams, and I catch a glimpse of her body, now covered in bleeding scratches, red marks from the slapping...

That's what he'll do to me. I think, frantically. I start to get dizzy, and I feel hands on each of my shoulders, "Princess. Breathe. Look at me."

I look up to this man, who should be terrifying to me, but for some reason I focus and I calm down.

"That's right, breathe. You're going to be okay." The Alpha says.

"...no," I say, calmly, "no, I won't. Not after tomorrow night." I'm more speaking to myself rather than him, but he still answers.

"He won't touch you. That, I promise." He removed his hands from my shoulders, seeing that I'm calm.

"I should be going." I silently walk out, locking the door. I question what he meant, but really, deep down, I don't believe him. There's nothing that will save me now.

I lay in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I sigh. Tomorrow I will be a prisoner. A slave. His slave.

Suddenly, my door creaking open interrupts my thoughts.

I sit up, using my blanket to cover myself, "Who are you? What is the meaning of-"

"Princess." He shuts the door behind him.

"How did you-" I start.

"Get dressed." He says, eyeing my wardrobe as I light a candle.

"Why?" I question, standing defensively and grabbing my letter opener.

"I'm going back to my pack. I made you a promise." He says with his thick Northern accent.

"You-" I almost say no, but instead, I look out my stained glass window.

I could be free. It was wrong of me to even consider this. I would be hunted by my father and Fallion's men.

But I would be free. The one thing I'd always wanted. The thing I would have to give up tomorrow.

I wouldn't be dressed up as if I were a doll, only to be paraded around the castle like a trophy.

It was dangerous, but what my mother had always said... "You will always have a choice, even if they tell you that you do not."

I turn towards this Alpha, this wolf in a man's body, before I turn from his gaze once more and open my wardrobe. I take a simple black dress, one I wore at my mother's funeral.

With that, I take a black fur cloak and knee high black boots that I had originally made for riding horses... before my father said it was improper for a woman.

I take my satchel, putting my letter opener and a few leftover herbs inside, before turning back to the man, "Turn around. If you don't I'll have your head."

"Aye." He smiles a warm smile, turning towards the door. I disappear behind my changing wall, blushing. I'd never unclothed with anyone but my maids in the room.

I straighten myself out, and I step out, "Okay."

"Let's go." He says.

"Wait," I grab my mother's heart locket necklace, the gold glinting in the candlelight before I blow it out.