Aurelia slowly regained feeling.
Her body was aching and she felt like she had just died.
But where was she?
Aurelia blinked as she tried to move her head so she could see where she was, but pain erupted in her neck and she gasped. She tried again to be met with the same results.
Then she remembered what had happened before.
It must be that part where someone sliced my neck... Aurelia realized.
She was stuck with staring at the familiar white ceiling of the room she had stayed in since she arrived at this place.
Aurelia blinked a few times as she adjusted to the light hitting her eyes.
Did she win the fight?
Why couldn't she move?
And how did she get here anyway?
"You're awake," Nyx's voice came to her ears.
"Hrmh?" Aurelia croaked as she tried to move only her eyeballs to see.
"You fell unconscious, so we carried you here," Nyx explained.
"We?" Aurelia repeated as she realized that Nyx stood looming over her.
"Xander. And me."
"Ohh..." Aurelia muttered. Then she coughed. Her throat was so dry. "Could you get me some water? Please," she remembered to say
"Yes, Princess." Nyx rushed off as Aurelia sat up slowly. A minute later, she was back. She handed Aurelia a cup full of water.
"Thanks."
There was silence for a few moments as Nyx watched her drink.
"Princess... I am probably going to activate the Alpha's A.T.S. for this, but..." Nyx took a deep breath and sighed, trailing off.
"But what?" Aurelia prompted.
"...Your father... He is not really a good person." Nyx winced as though someone had hit her.
"Nyx?!" Aurelia gaped at her, green eyes wide and fearful.
Nyx growled. "I am still going to say this. He is planning to manipulate you, Princess. He will not let you rule properly. Even after you..." Nyx's eyes widened in pain as her right arm shot out and grabbed the wall for balance. "Even after you become ruler, he will be the one ruling. He is planning to use you, even though you are his daughter. I would... I'd tell you more, but... even if this is not already a death wish for me, I will never be able to speak again if the Alpha had his way..."
Nyx choked as blood poured out of a wound that appeared on her face.
"Nyx?!" Aurelia cried in shock and horror. "What's happening to you?"
Nyx's eyes closed for a moment before they opened again, filled with determination. "Never trust."
As it turned out, those were the last words Nyx said before she fell, unconscious.
Aurelia's eyes widened. "No..." the word slipped out of her mouth. Her head snapped up. "Xander!" she screamed in desperation.
Footsteps pounded on the ground as Aurelia waited and waited in despair. Xander stood at the door as he kicked it open.
She heard the air leave his lungs as he saw his sister sprawled on the ground. He stared at Aurelia, frozen in place.
"W-what happened?" he gasped, his voice barely a whisper.
Aurelia was shocked that she could actually hear him, he was so quiet.
"I-I don't know..." Aurelia whimpered.
Xander was quiet for a moment as he thought. "Did she say something?" he asked finally, each word rushed.
Aurelia nodded a little. "She said that... my father isn't a good person."
Xander's lips pressed together. "Well, she's right. Ow - " he hissed as a small cut appeared on his left forearm. "Darn it!"
"W-why - ?" Aurelia stammered as she shakily stood, the cup falling out of her hands. "I-I don't understand."
Xander looked her. "I'm sorry... I can't tell you because of the stupid automatic torture system."
"What?"
"I wish I could tell you, but that'll also activate the darn thing." Xander ran towards Nyx after slamming the door shut.
He checked her pulse and breathed a small sigh of relief.
"I'll take her back to... no... I can't take her back to her room. They'll find her..." he groaned in disbelief. "Where am I supposed to take her?"
He couldn't think right now.
"Uh... You could take her to my old house?" Aurelia suggested timidly. "That is, if David isn't there anymore and the Alpha doesn't know about that place..."
Xander blinked as he stared at her. "Good idea. You're a genius. But then..." He stopped speaking as he paced the length of the room. "Aurelia, you got any idea on how we can hide her scent?"
"No..." Aurelia muttered. "Wait. Maybe - "
But before she could finished her sentence, the door burst open again to reveal Alpha Aurelios.
Both Xander and Aurelia gasped.
"No..." Xander whispered. "It's too late."
"Too late it is," Alpha Aurelios growled. "Hand her over and I'll forget about you trying to help her."
Xander's mouth was slightly open as panicked thoughts made his head pound. "No."
"No?" Alpha Aurelios repeated with a raised eyebrow.
"No. Never. I will not hand her over!" Xander nearly shouted.
"W-wait. What is going on?" Aurelia stammered.
Alpha Aurelios smiled at her. "It isn't any of your concern, dear."
Aurelia's eyes filled with fury. "I am not your dear. You have no right to call me that, Alpha."
"You shouldn't be calling me that. You're my daughter."
"Oh? And you feel like reclaiming me after thirteen years?" Aurelia challenged, glaring into his eyes. Suddenly she'd lost all her fear.
Alpha Aurelios sighed. "I'm sorry. Xander, give her to me."
"No!" Xander shouted.
"Then I'll take her from you."
Aurelia's mouth fell open as Alpha Aurelios stalked towards Xander. Her eyes widened in horror as Xander growled and Alpha Aurelios chuckled as if it didn't bother him at all.
Xander pushed Nyx's still form behind him as he glared at Alpha Aurelios, brown eyes blazing.
Aurelia's lips pressed together.
Am I supposed to stop them? she asked herself. I don't think I can.
Still, she had to try.
"P-please... stop!" Aurelia gasped.
Both wolf-shifters ignored her.
"STOP!" Aurelia screamed, almost shattering her own eardrums.
They looked at her, shocked.
"Please stop..."
"I'm sorry, dear. You can leave the room if you feel uncomfortable watching," Alpha Aurelios said quickly.
"I'm not your dear, and this isn't about me!" Aurelia cried desperately.
Xander's eyes begged her to stop and stay out of it, but she didn't. The look on her supposed father's face scared her so much, but for them, she had to.
"What have you been doing to these wolves?!" Aurelia shouted. "Could you just tell me everything that is happening? Nyx said that you plan to use me. Is that true? I should have known that you never were claiming me back just because I was your daughter and - "
"I wasn't planning to."
"W-what?" Aurelia stammered.
Alpha Aurelios rolled his eyes. "Did you think I was going to claim you back? I only did so because Xander found you on my territory."
In horror, Aurelia stared at the cruel Alpha she called her father. "How can you - ?"
"Ah, I've grown to become merciless. It comes with being Alpha."
Xander growled. "You bastard...!"
"What did you call me?" Alpha Aurelios hissed.
"You're a bastard!" Xander shouted uncontrollablu. "Making us obey all these unreasonable rules, forcing us to agree to your automatic torture system, cheating on the queen... Believe me, I can name them all. And I swear, I will tell Queen Vayna of your unfaithfulness if you even walk one more step."
"You... you imbecile! You know nothing. I am not going to submit to you and I never will. You have no power over me!" Alpha Aurelios snapped.
"But I have leverage over you," Xander said softly. The stark difference between this and his shouting before shocked Aurelia.
Alpha Aurelios growled, knowing Xander was right.
Xander had to suppress his smirk as he knew that Alpha Aurelios knew that Xander was the victor and not him.
"I'll do what you want... but if you tell her, I swear, you'll find your sister's body as nothing but ashes," Alpha Aurelios snarled.
"Good," Xander pronounced. "You will undo the automatic torture system on Nyx and I, and you will let Aurelia be free to go where she likes. You will leave this room and come back only to tell us it is done. After that, you will never come back, and we will be free to leave whenever we want."
Alpha Aurelios gritted his teeth. "Fine. But after you leave, you will not come back."
"You are not in the position to make changes to our deal, Alpha," Xander taunted.
"FINE!" Alpha Aurelios nearly shouted. "I agree. I will do all of that, and you promise never to tell Vayna."
Xander nodded, a fake look of approval on his face. "I will not tell the queen."
Alpha Aurelios gave him one last glare and left.