Royal Pains

The Plot Revealed

If the man you've seen in your nightmares suddenly turns up in real life, you should run, scream, or something that'd get you help. Me? I can't do any of that because I have everyone I care about locked in the dungeon so I'm forced to listen to the crazy man's demands. How's that for a Friday?

I sit down on the floor opposite the door and pull my knees to my chest. Burying my face in my knees, I attempt to hold back tears of frustration.

For once in my life, I don't know what to do.

My own flesh and blood has turned against me. Antonio and Maggie, my parent's siblings, are willingly going along with whatever Highland is planning. Aaron told me what I was like when I was being controlled and neither of them look like a zombie listening to its master's commands.

Highland wants me to willingly agree to whatever ridiculous things he has planned. No doubt, it'll be something that will give him the throne, but why me? Other than the fact that I "escaped" him once, and I use the term lightly, he could have chosen anyone else to go along with his plan, but he chose me.

Maybe it is because I got away from him before and he's doing this to spite me. It seems like the more logical answer since I haven't seen or heard from him in months. I think Hayden was trying to find him, but it was like Highland didn't exist. There were no leads, no scents, and no actual proof that the rogues he also been looking into were working with him. After the fight at the lake, it was like he vanished.

It's like a light bulb suddenly goes off in my head. A witch was helping him. There's no way anyone can just disappear. Even a dead body has a certain smell to it. Which means he has another witch helping him since Aaron killed Leyali. The only question is, who?

Hayden must have figured it out... or at least part of it. His phone call was a warning, and he didn't even get to tell me the whole thing. If I had to guess, he's probably in the dungeon with the rest of my friends and family. So why am I not with them? What makes me so special in his plan?

"Why me?" I whisper, breaking the silence in the room. This place, my home, feels cold. It's like a darkness has invaded and it's slowly sucking the life out of everything. If Highland becomes king, will the entire werewolf world feel this darkness? Will everyone slowly be consumed by his anger and greed?

I shake my head and look up at the door as I hear voices from the other side.

The one thing that I do know is that I will go along with his plan. As much as it kills me inside, if I can keep him from killing anyone I will. I've had enough of Highland hurting people I care about.

The door swings open and Highland strolls in, his eyes immediately finding me on the floor.

"I take it you've come to a decision."

"I have." I say, my jaw clenched in anger upon his return.

"So, are you going to be a good little princess or are we going to have to do things the hard way?" The smirk on his face makes me want to claw it off, but I can't.

"You-" He cuts me off.

"This isn't about me, dear. Will you comply or shall I convince you to behave?" He snaps his fingers and the door opens once more. A large man roughly pushes someone into the room and he falls heavily to the floor.

Joseph.

I remember him from Julian's library all that time ago. I haven't seen him since that day, but now he's in front of me looking like he's taken multiple beatings.

The panic at the thought of what Highland will do to him now must show on my face because he chuckles.

"I see you remember Joseph." Highland brings back his foot and sends it into Joseph's stomach. He cries out in pain and curls into a ball. "He has a total of five seconds before I kill him. Make your choice Atierra." My eyes dart from Joseph's quivering form to Higland's cruel smile. "Five." He'll be the first one to die. "Four. Three. Two."