Lenora's Pov
"Stay away from me." She growled, her body quivered, and fear deepened in her eyes as she scrambled towards the edge of the wall in her cell. The rotten cage bars were the only thing between us, but something in me knows that the moment that barrier is taken away, one of us won't breathe anymore, and that won't be me.
A step closer to the bars, and her screech filled the air. Her cries and tears were all over the dungeon, echoing through the haunted and stained walls, but it was too late. Every ounce of empathy I had suddenly levitated off my body, and I turned cold. I knew something different was in me—something different was residing in me—but I love it. I love this burning feeling in me. I love the way I want nothing more than to hurt those who have hurt me and those who would dare to hurt me. I love the thrill, the desire, and the thirst for nothing more than the cries and blood of my enemies.
I should have been worried and scared, but it gave me no reason to be weak; instead, it gave me every reason to embrace it. I have every reason to welcome it. Why should I sympathize with the people who harmed me and almost killed me? Why should I give myself a reason to not kill her? Her being pregnant shouldn't stop me. It won't be unfortunate; it'll be best that a child doesn't come into this world knowing that its mother was a monster.
My eyes never left her body as she scrambled all over the tiny cell in search of a place to hide from me, but wherever she went, my eyes followed her and blinked away.
She could sense the different aura within me; that's the reason she's as scared as she is. She knows the next thing coming for her; she knows she isn't going to live to see another dawn; she knows this is the end for her.
"Get away from me. Please don't come any closer." She yelled, tears flowing down her dirt-stained cheeks with open scars due to the heavy amount of wolfsbane Jasmine used on her.
I once admired her; I once looked up to her and thought she could be a good friend since she was close to Alaric, but the jealousy and obsession she possessed led her right to her doom. Her once beautiful and spotless face was now filled with bruises and sores.
I shouldn't be going any closer to the cage; something about wolfsbane has definitely left a permanent scar on me, but my feet seemed to be thinking otherwise as I walked even closer to the cage, forgetting that the wolfsbane might also harm me.
Both my hands acted faster than my brain as I slowly held onto the laced bars of the cage. I knew it would hurt and that it would burn. If it left a Lycan this scarred, then it would do worse to me. I want to overcome my fear; I don't want to possess any fear, even though I knew it would hurt badly and awaken hurtful memories that I've tried to bury, but the moment my skin made contact with the bars, I felt nothing.
There was not a single sting or pain. I was in disbelief. It was hard to believe or understand what was happening—what was going on with my whole body. Not only has my mind changed, but my body has also gone through a drastic change.
My lips tucked into a smile as the terror in Jenny's eyes only became more clear. Her fear increased, and her aura was irritating.
I need to step back; the longer I stay this close to her, the more I would want nothing but to end her, but I can't do that right now. I need to wait for Josh to come down here.
I need him to say his last goodbye to both his past lover and his future child, which will now be non-existent. That's the most I can do for him.
Alaric said he'd get Josh. I've been waiting patiently for them to return, but once he returns and says his goodbye, nothing will stop me from completing this task.
At first, I was going to let her put to bed before getting rid of her, but after hearing what Alaric said about those who make a deal with Anselm, I can't risk having her laying around here. Anselm has started to strike, and I might as well start from here before I come face to face with him.
One thing I know is that no matter who he claims to be, no matter how many armies he has, and no matter how much power he possesses, I won't let him take my happiness away from me. I won't have to fight until my last breath either, because neither Alaric nor I will die. He's my happiness; he must be alive, and so must I. I need to experience peace, and nothing is going to take that away from me.
"Nora," Alaric called out. My thoughts faded away as I quickly removed my hands from the bars to avoid being scolded by him as he approached me, wrapping his arms around my waist and caressing my pregnant tummy.
He didn't notice.
"Are you sure you don't want me to do this?" He asked. This would be the hundredth time he would be asking me if I should rest while he takes care of Jenny, but what would be the fun in that? I have always dreamt of this moment, and I wasn't going to give it away.
"Yes, Alaric, I've never been surer," I said. My voice was far from being quiet. I was mad that he kept asking as my eyes sent deathly glares at him.
"But…"
"But what? I'm pregnant?" I snapped at him.
"No, I'm sorry," he hastily replied. There was a moment of silence between us before some words left his lips.
"Okay, you should take care of it then," he said, coughing as he avoided making eye contact with me.
In no time, Josh walked down the stairs. His eyes drifted between Alaric and me then, Jenny.
"Josh, you're here," I said, a smile forming on my lips.
"Your highness," he said with a bow. Her cries suddenly increased as I was about to give him space to say what he wanted to Jenny.
"Josh, why don't you tell them?" She asked, yelling at the top of her lungs as her crocodile tears flowed freely down her cheeks.
"We know he's the father of your unborn child," I said. But her cries continued as streams of tears rushed down her cheeks while she repeated her words all over again.
"Josh, tell them," she said again.
I was baffled. She wasn't asking him to tell us that he was responsible for the pregnancy. She was talking about something else.
My eyes turned to face Josh; he looked uneasy. His brows were furrowed, and beads of sweat piled up on his forehead. His body was frozen, and his eyes were focused on the black pair of boots he wore. He wasn't saying anything. He isn't saying a word. Could he be keeping a secret from us? Could he have been part of Jenny's scheme?
No, it can't be.
I can't be too quick to judge him; he has been nothing but loyal to Alaric ever since I knew him, and he would never do anything to betray the trust Alaric has in him. He swore his life to Alaric, and that also meant to protect me. He would never scheme with Jenny to hurt me. I shouldn't be too quick to judge. No truth ever comes from that rotten mouth of Jenny.
Deep breaths, I inhaled and exhaled them. To regulate my body and to clear my mind of the numerous doubts in my mind. I need to hear what he has to say first.
"Josh," Alaric called out. The tone of his voice wasn't lenient. He also needed answers to Jenny's accusations.
"Your highness," he replied to Alaric. He always does; he's obedient and loyal. He can't betray us. He loves Alaric more than his own life, and I've seen the way he also cares for and protects me. He was more than delighted to see me back in the castle and disobeyed Alaric for the first time ever by running to hug me.
It suddenly dawned on me.
He wouldn't stop apologizing over and over again to me that day. I thought he was sorry for not having found me earlier, but could it be that he was also part of the scheme to get rid of me and ended up regretting it?
"Answer her," Alaric commanded, a low growl leaving his lips.
"Yes, answer me, Josh." "Tell them that I wasn't the only one at fault and you also helped me," she said. Her cries increased as they irritated me even more. My heart ached, and I was finding it hard to believe her words. I know better than to believe her lies, but the moment Josh fell to his knees, I knew she wasn't lying. I knew she was telling the truth this time, and I knew I had been betrayed.
"Your highness, I don't deserve your forgiveness," Josh said, his head touching the ground as he said nothing else.
"You betrayed me," Alaric roared. His voice might have come out as him being enraged, but I could also sense the pain in his voice. I could sense him being in pain and wished I could comfort him, but the burning sensation in my chest wouldn't stop. The burning fire in my chest would not go away but would only grow stronger. The more it increased, the more my anger increased.
I shifted my eyes away from his body. I turned my back against him. Seeing him was making it hard for me to believe that he was one of those who hurt me. He just confessed to it. He admitted it; he didn't deny the accusations.
"I trusted you with everything for so long, yet you betrayed me," Alaric said. His voice was soft and calm this time, rather than a roar or a growl. He was calm as the night ocean, but he was also about to explode like the terrifying waves in the ocean.
"I don't deserve your forgiveness," he said again, his voice cracking, tears soaking the dirty ground on which he laid his head.
I swore to inflict pain on everyone who ever dared to hurt me, but how do I bring myself to keep my promise to myself when it comes down to Josh? I never expected this.
"Let's go," Alaric said to me, holding my hands as he tried to take me away from the dungeon. He wasn't himself, he doesn't know what to do, and he has just been betrayed.
I don't know what to do. Do I let him go, or do I keep my promises to myself? I am confused. My mind is fogged and baffled. I am sad. I am hurt. I am angry. I am confused. I am…
"I didn't do it on my own; he helped me carry out most of my plans. He also betrayed you." My mind was lost. My senses were destroyed, and the only thing I could see was red.
The iron bars between us was immediately removed by my bare hands, thrown into the cell as it struck Jenny to the floor.
"Lenora, stop," I could hear Alaric saying, but my body couldn't understand his words. I was no longer in charge of myself; something else was in charge of me. It was Lora—a different kind of Lora.
Bones cracked, fur grew, and my claws sharpened, ready to dig into Jenny's body, ready to rip her apart, ready to shred her into pieces as I struck the first blow.
"Lenora, you can't do this now," I could hear Alaric saying as he tried to stop me, but Lora wouldn't stop. She wasn't satisfied; Jenny wasn't dead yet. She wanted more.
"Lenora don't!" A new voice roared; it was a familiar one. It was that of Simon. He was coming close to me, but my claws were close to striking Jenny and ending her once and for all. Before my claws could land on her body, he jumped in front of her. Taking the hit and crashing onto the wall.