Distinctly Different

Chapter 29 ~ Defiant

“I wasn’t sure how you’d take it. It’s not something you just one day start a conversation about,” she sighed. “My kind never tells normal people their secret. It’s too dangerous, what’s happening to me is proof of that.”

“You don’t know that I would have reacted badly to finding out what you are,” Alexander protested.

“I didn’t know that you wouldn’t,” Arabella pointed out. Alexander rolled his eyes drawing attention to his pale skin and the bags underneath his eyes. His blond hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled, he hadn’t been spending much of his time on his personal needs. “Why are you here?”

“I’m one of the guards outside the dungeon,” he answered and her eyes sought out the key ring with many keys on it hanging on his belt. He caught her look and shook his head sadly. “I can’t let you out. The castle security has been increased and you would be caught. Then both of us would be sentenced to death. You would be executed for being a werewolf, me for committing treason.”

“I know, I just couldn’t help but consider the option,” she admitted.

“No one is supposed to see you but I don’t care.” He stepped up to the metal bars of the cell and wrapped his fingers on the bars. “I don’t care that you’re a werewolf, I’m just hurt that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me yourself.” Arabella opened her mouth to reply but he shook his head telling her not to talk. “I’ve forgiven you; all I can think about is that soon you’re going to die.”

“Why does everyone keep bringing that up,” Arabella exclaimed. “All I want to do is forget about it but that is proving impossible.” Alexander gave her a small smile. “If I’m not allowed visitors then you shouldn’t be here. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“I don’t want you to die,” Alexander said. “I’m trying to figure out what I can do but I come up with nothing.”

“That’s alright. There’s nothing anyone can do.”

“Well there are people who think they can. Eleanor keeps bringing up how she doesn’t think you should be sentenced to death and Rowan is gone,” Alexander replied piquing her interest.

“Rowan’s gone?” she repeated.

Alexander laughed bitterly. “Yeah, he is quite determined to be your hero. His family caught on to his plan to try and save you and locked him in his room.” Arabella looked down avoiding his eyes so that he didn’t see her disappointment. “That didn’t stop him; he just escaped his confinements somehow.”

“He did?”

Alexander nodded. “I’m just hoping he succeeds and finds a way to get you out of here. I hate that you are in this position.”

“With any luck I’ll be saved,” Arabella said even though she wasn’t completely convinced. She was just trying to make him feel better. “You should just get back to your post. I wouldn’t want you getting caught.”

Alexander sighed and stepped back from the cell. “Hang in there,” he encouraged. She forced herself to smile but as soon as he left the dungeon it slipped off her face. She sat back on the mattress but her sleepiness was gone since she had found out that Rowan was actually trying to save her. She rested her head on the wall and just waited as time ticked on.

A long time later a guard with short black hair and blue eyes that definitely wasn’t Alexander came in, and put down a bowl with food in it on the ground just outside the cell. She crawled over to it and stuck her hand through the bars wincing as her hand just barely squeezed through. She brought the bowl closer and inspected the food. There was some hard, stale bread with small spots of mold on it and a part of a bruised apple, most of which had turned brown from being exposed to the air. She glanced at the guard who was still standing there watching her.