Trapped - Can I Escape The Cliché?

Reaching the Start

All I could see was a coniferous forest full of pines, spruces, firs. Through them ran a narrow path on which the carriage and fellow soldiers plodded. Strangely cold had approached, abating the sunshine, clouds hid the sun and white fog had mystified and enveloped the area.

Things had escalated pretty quickly and I was leaving even before Arthur. We all were dressed like commoners I had seen before while passing through the towns, my companions were Beatrice, her mate, Alex and some other soldiers. Despite Arthur's threats of death, I felt safe; my companions were the reason of this.

Besides me were sitting Beatrice and Alex surrounded by some wooden crates; there was enough space in this normal dusky merchant wagon. Thankfully her mate was further up leading the way else I wouldn't have been in this peace. I thought that he didn't really care about her but I can see his vain efforts to reconcile with her. He has been trying to approach her but she's treating him like air, me and Alex are again caught in this awkward situation.

"What are you thinking?"

I turned towards Beatrice and she questioned again,"Will you tell your parents about being the Queen?"

Arthur kept them in dark, it wasn't a suprise though, lesser the people lesser the suspicion. I never felt like a queen, Beatrice and Alex treated me like a friend, my days were spent in the enclosed castle where I only met a few people. The anonymity of my identity was surely kept but why did he risk it in the public declaration? I had fallen down so no one did really see me. He probably has something preplanned in case he finds his mate.

"No, I won't. What excuse did you give for my absence?"

"According to them you're assisting Beatrice while training with one of our famous mentors," replied Alex stretching his neck. We have been travelling for a while now and even my legs were starting to feel numb.

"Let it be so, Arthur wished to tell this in his presence. I don't want them to be more worried during a war, lest any mischance happens."

"When will we reach?" asked Beatrice yawning.

We had left early in the morning when the sky was clear, right now I couldn't even guess the time; I knew it was past afternoon as we stopped for lunch.

"We are about to reach," said Alex and that is when the carriage came to a staggering halt and someone knocked at its wooden frame.

Beatrice was the first to look out, her eyebrows furrowed in a scorn as she saw he mate's hand offered to her to get down. She refused, efficiently landing on her feet, followed by Alex who then helped me descend in the manner previously offered to her.

"Why are we here?" asked Beatrice looking towards Alex ignoring her suitor.

I hadn't realised when we got out of the forest. We stood in front of a familiar building made extravagantly but rather just normal when compared to the royal palace.

"We will be staying at a day here for rest and reloading, then we will head to your territory," he told in a hard cold voice.

"From what I know isn't this the longer way? We could have reached faster if we went to the Red cross pack," she stated with a little indignation.

It was like re-watching the past unfold. I and Alex stood in the background exchanging nervous glances; earlier it might have been amusing to me but things change like people do.

"We could have but we are staying in my pack to take some extra weapons and soldiers."

"Do you think I am buying that?"

The other soldiers who were standing there suddenly left the scene like they were ordered to do so, yet Alex stood with caution and concentration for he might have to be the one to calm his alpha.

"I asked for your parents consent, they told it solely depends on you. I brought you here to be my Luna." His tone was subdued, voice low and calm.

Unlike him she let out a frustrated and irritated breath and then inhaled in slowly to quieten her anger, at which she failed.

"Did you ask if I want to be your Luna or not?"

"I thought," he replied but she didn't let him speak; I guess I gave her my habit of speaking in between.

"What did you think? You thought that just because we are mates, you can talk rudely to me, decide for me, declare me as yours." She pushed him back with her  hand away like she was disgusted at the closeness; however, took a step forward to show her power.

"With my own eyes, I saw you kill people from my side; they are more precious to me than you." A tear slid down her cheek but it wasn't drop of sorrow but of anguish.

He stood silent and dumbfounded, out of wits to give an answer.

"Even if the sky under which I lived was ruled by the wrong king. I didn't deserve to be kidnapped, given threats and even if misunderstood each other before, what did you do? Gave orders, just like I was below you, like my choice didn't matter. Like my father was ordered to fight in a war we didn't even want."

War trauma, it was evident in her; she may be seemed to be weakened by it but it had made her strong, toughened her shell making her as her own master. What kind of war would that have been? A glorious one, fought by the daring king just to find his mate or the devistating one which took innocent lives. A cold ruthless Alpha who killed without thinking, why doesn't this idea seem appealing to me now?

There were tears in her eyes but her voice was strong and stable. "Alex," she commanded, "take us to the guest rooms."

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