Chapter 17

The whole palace is silent tonight, not a sound heard throughout the massive halls. Whispers cease to exist unlike a few hours ago when voices could be heard everywhere. Alphas everywhere are shocked, and I am too, shocked that a fellow Alpha of theirs, all he did was reject someone and now he is on trial for death.

Getting up from the bed, I grab from my nightstand the clock, just staring at it as the seconds go bye to the small ‘click.’ I sit on the floor with my legs crossed in Indian position, the device right before me as I look to the right, the heavy drapes pulled shut, blocking out any of the crescent moon. Usually I would be turning to the Moon Goddess right now, asking for wisdom or a sign of what I should do, but those are the ancient practices that only the Seekers still do.

There’s a knocking at my door, a swift set of knocks, each one spaced out into a rhythm. Already knowing who it is, I head over, opening the door as I greet Elijah with a sour face. He smiles, lifting up a container of alcohol and two shot glasses. As he stands before my door, he raises them high, his smile widening as he offers drinks to ease my mind.

“Come on in.”

For the next five minutes we are silent by the fireplace as we take our first shot, the alcohol burning as it goes down.

“So, I heard about the dinner party and the drama that followed...quite the story,” Elijah begins as I nod, knowing with where this is going Im going to need another shot. I pour myself another and take it quickly, Elijah amused by all of this. He’s lucky he’s not a piece of the drama. “How the King put Alpha Sebbie in the dungeons and will be trailed tomorrow. So weird, how he cares so much for your rejection.”

“Believe me, I don’t understand it either,” I comment, getting to my feet as Elijah leans back in his seat. “He’s just so confusing. Besides, now the issue of my parent’s death is thrust into all of this and both of them say something else. Hell, Sebastian told me two different sides of how they died!”

Elijah takes my small outburst as the time to pour me another shot, only this time making the glass full. “Sounds miserable.”

“It is,” I mumble, crossing my arms as I take a seat next to him. “I have no clue what I’m doing what what to do.” Elijah nods, pursing his lips together as he thinks this all through. “Do you trust your best friend?”

His eyes meet mine, kind of shocked that I would ask a question like that. That I would question his trust with his King and best friend. “As my King, I do not trust all due to the fact that many things he cannot tell me. As my best friend, I believe every damn word he speaks.”

By the next shot I’m starting to feel the effects, rejecting another as I explain to Elijah I want to have a clear brain and non-pulsing brain tomorrow when I try and figure out what to do. “He wants to kill Sebastian and I think he’s just overreacting,” I add to the conversation. I don’t want Sebastian to die simply because our fight was over months ago, for we both rejected the other, end of the ordeal. We should not be facing new trials for that rejection now just because some alpha male says he wants justice. “I rejected Sebastian was well.”

“Really?” The way Elijah asks that question makes me know he does not believe it. “Because I think there’s more to the story that he rejected you and you, happily in return, rejected him. You’re not that foolish to throw away a mate.”

“And maybe I am,” I snap, getting to my feet, stumbling a tad bit as I hold onto the wall. “Maybe I didn’t want him as a mate and was glad that he felt the same.”

Elijah shakes his head, setting down his glass as he stands up. “I think we both know that is not true.” A scowl passes my face. “Do you have to get more drunk for the story?” He offers, already knowing my answer as he hands me another glass.

Taking it swiftly, I scrunch up my face, shaking my head as it burns my throat and leaves behind an aftertaste. Once the reaction is over, I take a seat on the foot of the bed, sighing before I hope my mouth to speak.

“I had gone into school, I’ll make this short for the moment. Basically I saw him with an arm around one of my best friends, he rejected me, and I didn’t know what to do. I wanted him...” I trail off, my eyes beginning to water. “I so damn badly wanted him as my mate, not because he was going to be an Alpha and I a Luna, but because all my life I’ve always gotten a guy that treats you like shit.” I laugh as I pause, wiping away the tears. “Well, he was no different. My friend basically called me stupid and said to accept the rejection, and he also wanted me to. The hallway was full, the pressure on, and I let them have their way. The second I said that he made me rogue,” I elaborate, finishing up as Elijah’s eyes hold one emotion: sadness.

“I don’t want pity,” I mumble, taking in a deep breath to help calm me down as I remember the day my life spiraled out of control, at least for the first time. At least in New York City as a rogue I could control what was going on, unlike here.

“I won’t give you any,” he replies, walking over to me, taking a seat inches away from me. “But I will say that tomorrow, I do not know what Zion will do.”

“The least is strip Sebastian of the Alpha title.” He nods in agreement to that, laying down on my bed. “Do you have a mate?” I ask, gaining a raised eyebrow from him.

“Yup, she’s a hybrid, half wolf and half witch.”

“A Seeker?” Seekers are the women who basically are given visions and gifts from the Moon Goddess, loyal to her as they help maintain peace within the wolf world. “What’s her name?”

“Zelda, she’s quite the catch,” he replies. “Beautiful blue eyes, dark back hair, a smile that’s worth more than the rarest gem.”

My heart warms up as he speaks about Zelda. “You love her, no doubt,” I add, watching as a smile crosses his face, making me feel a sting of jealously, wanting the kind of relationship of mates that Elijah has.

“She’s off in New Zealand right now visiting her mother for a month.”

“Elijah?”

He looks up at me, sitting up as he knows we are about to go back to the topic of what is about to happen and all. “What do you recommend that I do tomorrow?”

“What I would do includes a lie, and believe me, when you lie to Zion, it’s not good.”

“What would you do?” I ask, wondering what I would tell him.

“Say you rejected Sebastian first. That you wanted nothing to do with him, make up a story, maybe that he did something bad and you wanted nothing more to do with him.”

“He takes pride in rejecting me first,” I mumble. “Besides, I’m like an open book, Zion could tell that Sebastian rejected me first.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because he’s been looking for the ‘man who rejected me and made my life a living hell.’ I think that title alone shows he won’t be fooled.”

“Worth a shot,” Elijah comments as he stands to his feet. “Well, I’d better be off. I’ll leave the alcohol here for you to enjoy, especially before tomorrow. Bye.”

Elijah is gone, and once again I’m left to my thoughts as I head towards the fireplace. Leaning against the wall, I look at the closed curtains, a thought coming to mind as I think of the last thing I’ve done anything like it.

Walking over to the curtain, I pull them open, the moonlight flooding the room as I check for any signs of the window to open. Finding the lock, I pull open a small section of the window, yet big enough for me to stand in. A smile crosses my face as I let my arms work, pulling my clothes off except for my undergarments. I tie my hair back, taking in a deep breath as I look below.

Bending my knees, I close my eyes, letting out the deep breath, and then, I do it, breaking free as I push off of the window seal. The wind flies past my body as I break the surface of the water with a dive, the cold water allowing my muscles to relax.

I don’t one up right away, swimming down further as I feel free within the water. Who guessed I would ever dive stories down into the lake.

I guess when you’re drunk you do so.

Once I break back up to the surface, I take a gulp of air, looking up and back to the palace as a pair of golden eyes stare out the window, watching me. In the state I’m in, I do something foolish, something I’ll regret possible.

I flip him off, giving the Werewolf King the birdie, and as I do it, I watch his eyes turn black just as I go back down into the water.

I giggle while under the water, swimming further from te palace as I already know Zion will not let me leave. I had my chance to leave, and I simply decided too quickly.

By the time I’m swimming to the shore, I can already see the group of palace guards awaiting me, a fluffy robe in one man’s hand, and their faces stern. “Evening,” I greet, about to step out of the water as I remember the clothing I’m in. “Could I have that robe?”

One of the men step forward, taking the robe as he approaches the water of the lake further. Holding out the robe, I quickly grab it and put it on, somehow able to keep it dry. The fluffy material almost makes me smile and forget what is going on as I hold it closer around my wet body.

The walk to the palace takes about forty minutes to walk back to, the bridge lowering. My stomach gets tied up as the bridge lowers the rest of the way, Zion standing there, waiting for me, his stance completely dominate. Pulling the robe closer around my body, I look away, already knowing he will not be happy with me.

“King Zion,” one of the men greet, bowing his head as the gate raises, allowing us back into the walls, the front doors of the palace ahead. I remember the first time I came it, I was overcome with the beauty, and now, I dread it.

“Leave us,” Zion orders, the men bowing in respect and leaving, going back to their job as I’m left with the King. “Don’t try that again.”

“Why? Because I could drown? Because I could flee?” I snap, only for a surprised look to cross his face.

“You are so dumb!” The King’s body tenses as I raise an eyebrow. “That little lake you just dove into it, Sybil, is filled with mermaids.”

My skin pales. Mermaids are not known to be that nice to anyone unless looking for a deal. To swim in their water is sometimes considered a death wish, unless you offer them something. It’s wise to have mermaids in the lake, how if someone tries to attack from the water, they would be ambushed.

“Don’t do that ever again.” Zion turns away, walking back into the palace, and as he reaches the top of the stairs, he doesn’t look behind, only disappearing to the left.

Looking around, I take the time to loo at the stars, the beautiful lights making me feel at peace. “Goddess I want out.”

Heading back into the palace walls, I don’t look back as well as I take a sharp turn to the right. My wolf wants so badly to shift, to be left loose, to head into the woods. “Sybil.”

My head snaps around, looking for whoever called my name.

“Sybil.”

My name is called once more, causing me to look back around, only to see nothing but the empty hall.

“Hello?” I call out, looking around. “Anyone there?”

“Sybil.”

I turn again once more, snapping my head back to meet those lavender eyes. “Hello, Sybil,” she greets, a smile crossing her face, walking around me in a circle. “Long day I presume?”

“Who are you?” I ask, holding my chin up as she towers over me by a foot. Leave it to the elves to be tall.

She walks into a painting room, massive windows that give a clear view of the mountains in the distance for pairing. “I think you deserve a little explanation for my appearance here tonight.”

“Yes, I do,” I snap. “I’ve had one hell of a long day and am tired of people right now. Do we have to do this now?”

She cocks her head a bit to the side, taking a step towards me as her pale and slender fingers raise my chin up higher. “Such a young girl. When I was your age I was still unable to reach the lowest shelf of my father’s alcohol cabinet.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask, crossing my arms as she offers me a smile.

“So unwise to talk with an elf like this....anyway, Sybil, I would advise you to stay here only for a few more weeks.”

“A few more weeks and I’ll loose my mind,” I comment, watching as she takes a step back.

“Just know I’m warning you, Sybil, that if you stay here any longer than the time I have given you, nothing will end well.”

“Very vague,” I mumble, watching as she disappears into her familiar golden dust, gone in seconds as I let out a deep sigh. “I need another drink.”