Caleb, caught in a dilemma, hesitates about what would be the right choice of words, "You..... you'll have to wait and see. It's not the right time for you to know," he says, his words shrouded in mystery, earning a sharp inhale from Marisol.
"I demand to know what this prophecy is about!" Marisol exclaims, her eyes flashing with frustration and confusion.
Caleb avoids her eyes, his expression troubled. "It's not time for you to know yet," he repeats evasively.
Marisol was beyond flabbergasted, "Not time for me to know?" she tasted the words on her own tongue, disbelief coloring her words. "So, I'm just supposed to sit around like your puppet, stuck here against my will, for a reason you won't even tell me?!"
"I'm asking you to be patient! Wait, and I'll-"
Marisol cradles her head as she feels a headache at his puzzling words. "Wait? Have you not been listening to a single word I've said!? I'm sick and tired of everything you're putting me through! I want answers, and I want them now!"
The gravity of her situation only seemed to sink further with every passing day spent in Redwood, disbelieving the fact that she'd had this exact conversation with three different people, and none of it had been fruitful. They were hellbent on keeping her here for as long as it took for whatever they needed to be through. Not knowing what it was only pushed her further and further towards complete delirium.
"I really am sorry, Marisol. I promise I'll explain everything when the time is right," Caleb assures with a pained expression, a hint of regret in his eyes.
At those words, he began to retreat. Realizing she was about to be left alone again, feeling trapped, alone and powerless, Marisol rushes to follow after him, low whispers of pained 'No's leaving her chapped lips. However, the door slams shut right in her face, and she hears the door click multiple times, sealing her fate. The heightened sense of panic and frustration forces her to cry and scream as she pounds against the door. Begging and demanding to be let out by whoever would listen.
The feeling of being trapped was suffocating. After her outbursts, Marisol now paces back and forth, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and longing for home. Each passing second felt like an eternity, the weight of her helplessness bearing down on her shoulders.
Minutes could not be told apart from seconds or hours, Marisol felt herself edging closer to hysteria with the slow drag of time. The room, once an apparent refuge, now felt like a cage, amplifying her feelings of entrapment and despair.
After what felt like a few hours later, the door unlocks and creaks open, revealing Lily, who cautiously enters, carrying a tray of food. Her hesitant gaze spoke volumes as if she'd anticipated a negative reaction from Marisol.
However, Marisol was exhausted. She was tired of the constant confrontations. Besides, Lily had been the nicest person since she arrived at Redwood.
As Lily set the food down, she croaks out, resigned. "Are you going to lock me in again?"
Lily ignored both her question and her gaze, pointedly focusing on what she was doing.
Marisol's brows creased as she wondered where the sudden disinterest came from. Lily had never failed to entertain her questions, even when they were more confrontational.
"Lily," she tries again. "Are you locking the door on your way out?"
Lily's frown deepens as she finally turns to regard Marisol with what was almost a glare. "You will not make me cower," she snaps, "I am not your servant."
Marisol chuckles wryly. She felt as if she was going insane. "You too?" She noted.
Lily says nothing else after that and turns to leave.
"Let me guess," Marisol smiled, her tone lacking any hint of amusement. "Word finally got to you that I was a bully and a spoiled brat, and you believed it without questioning."
Lily freezes, turning around but keeping her expression schooled.
"Has anyone of you tried to put yourselves in my shoes? I've been deceived, kept against my will, and fed lies, all while being painted as the villain in this messed-up timeline. What would you have done if you were in my place? Maybe you could give me some advice on how differently you would've reacted."
Lily's guarded expression immediately falls, and her gaze drops to her feet like she is ashamed.
Marisol sighs, her body sinking further into the bed. "What a nightmare. I can't believe it. Now I'm the most hated, who's also supposedly after your precious Alpha. What nonsense."
"I- I'm sorry," Lily stammers out.
Marisol could not think of a worthy response. There was too much pain in her heart to do so.
Lily finally leaves this time, but just as she is about to shut the door, she says, "I'm sorry again, Marisol. I should have thought better. To answer your first question, No. Alpha Caleb instructed her not to lock you in again."
Marisol didn't budge until she heard the door finally shut. She exhaled loudly, closing her eyes for a few minutes before sitting up and finding her way to the food Lily had brought, her mind now focused on a strategic shift.
Once finished, she decides to return the tray herself. She had no intention of being the victim any longer. Instead, she sought to navigate this unfamiliar territory with a level-headed strategy. She'd observed enough during her time there to know that she needed a different approach if she wanted to survive and find a way out. Understanding their motives and alliances seemed to be the key.
Her thoughts were clear. There was no more futile rage, no more futile pleas. Instead, she would become as cunning as those who had managed to ensnare her. To achieve this, she needed allies, and she needed to unravel the mysteries of Redwood. As she navigated the hallways, she realized that gaining insights into the workings of this pack was crucial for her survival and eventual escape.