Chapter 57

Dylan POV

The entire car journey was so quiet, except for the heavy rain now hitting the limo as it drove down the roads. The anticipation that was crashing through me at seeing everyone from my district was consuming my every nerve, and rendering me speechless, the closer we got the more dread I felt. I was going back a completely cracked and damaged version of myself that even I didn’t recognise.

The king once again had a permanent scowl on his face as he stared out of his window at the scenery we past, while the newly appointed royal beta Oliver read a small leather bound book, and Warren, now the gamma was reading through what I guess was the Ito art for the arrival. I just sat on the floor of the limo, my wrists and ankles still bound in chains making it impossible for me to move too much, I was pathetic, and I really didn’t want to be seen like this.

My prisoners uniform hung off my skeleton figure like a trash bag, and my huge burn scars were completely on show. My hair was knotted and messily kept down after the king decided to pull it for the majority of the journey to get me to comply with things. In other words I looked a mess.

“You are to remain silent upon our arrival!” The king addressed me with a clenched jaw. His eyes slowly lowered to my slightly cowering form and his hand, for the thousandth time during our journey, grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling my head up aggressively. “One word out of you and you’ll be screaming for days.” He’d grown even more bitter as the lengthy journey unraveled.

It was fairly evident that the longer I resisted him for, the more he resented me. Especially after the incident with Lewis and his banishment, I understood that though, I’m the reason he had to send his best friend away, I’d come between them by befriending the old beta myself.

“Please… just don’t let me be seen in chains, I can’t see everyone like this… Please your grace!” A large smack hit my cheek and my head swung to the side from the impact, I whimpered from the force and scurried away from him as much as I could while being seated and restrained on the limousine floor. Being in such close quarters was putting me on edge, even more so because his envoy were watching everything, and I know exactly the lengths he’d go to even with an audience.

“You’ll be seen in anyway I intend you to be. We are not mated yet, and therefore you are simply a traitorous rebel. You’ll be treated as such.” How did I end up like this, my face was bare of makeup but not of bruises, and my arms were littered with scratches, scars and finger prints. I was a right state and to make matters worse, the people I loved were about to see me and the sorry plight I’d become.

“It won’t bode well if you arrive and she’s shackled like that Josh. I understand the want to make an example of her, but those cuffs are tight, I’m sure they have bruised enough for the people to speculate without having actually seen her wearing them.” The new royal beta looked up from his book to address his friend who scowled at his words.

He was right though, the rebellion had grown ten fold since I was claimed and with every action the king ordered against me the more people realized this world isn’t all that great. As long as I stayed unmarked I’d always be viewed as a rebel against the crown.

“Looks like you’ve been saved some humiliation, Mate.” My eyes widened as they met the kings stare. Was he seriously going to release my limbs? “Show your gratitude to Oliver.” Show my gratitude? What was I supposed to do? I shakily turned my head to the gamma whose stare held absolutely nothing. I swallowed thickly again before stuttering out a quick response. I have no idea why I was so frightened to be in this vehicle, but panic was crashing over me like waves. Increasing slowly with every mile we journeyed.

“Thank you royal gamma Oliver…” My eyes grew quickly as I realized what I had done and my head lowered once more. “S-sorry… I meant Beta Oliver… R-royal beta Oliver.”

“I didn’t say it to spare you anything, I’m simply looking out for my friend and my king.” I nodded my head frantically and turned to the king whose look held nothing but disgust.

“Well then, let’s get you free!” He snapped his fingers to Gamma Warren who bent down and began to unlock my bound limbs. I sighed instantly as soon as they were all free and began to twist them painfully, getting my sensations back. “You know, if you’d just accept me you would be presented as my queen, this should be an exciting trip for you, instead I have to have you on constant watch!” On watch is one way to put it. Id simply say it how it is, I was a prisoner.

“We’re here, your grace!” The driver quickly stated before the limo came to a halt. I swallowed thickly, still nursing my bruised wrists and trying to massage some feeling into them.

“You’d better not show me up, we’re visiting the high school first because we are behind schedule, now, you will be joining in with the rest of the lessons for today! As I have business to attend to.” That was news to me. If I was joining in with lesson that means I’d see Nick again, I’m not sure how I felt about that notion but my heart began to thump a little quicker in anticipation. “You will be escorted by Oliver. Then beta Monroe will escort you from class to class.” Beta Monroe? Erika’s mate? I nodded in acceptance, not that I had any other choices though, and waited for the king to move.

I watched as he quickly fixed his royal attire and perched his obnoxiously large crown on his head before the driver left to open the door, he hastily opened a large black umbrella for king Josh to use and held it up for his grace to stay under. Instantly the king stepped out and was greeted by the alpha and the rest of the adults in the pack.

“Your grace, it is truly a pleasure to have you back in our district.” I heard the alpha state as the driver held his hand out for me to take. God I was shitting myself.

I shakily let my hand take hold of the driver and stood on my weak legs, they wobbled under my weight after being sat for practically an entire day and naturally still getting used to walking again, i slowly climbed out of the limo and was instantly engulfed in the overhead down pour. It didn’t take long for my body to be absolutely soaked. I guess an umbrella for me was out of the question.

“Your grace.” The alpha addressed me and bowed his head slightly while underneath his own umbrella, in fact they all had one sheltering them. My own head darted round trying to take in my old district. I did have to swallow down my humiliation at some of the looks I was met with though.

I felt a hard punch on my arm at my lack of response to the alpha and so I quickly bowed my head to him, water dripped off my hair and joined the rain dancing on the floor.

“You needn’t be so formal with her Alpha, she doesn’t yet bear the royal mark.” The king really was such a brute. My teeth began to chatter slightly and cold swept through me, I was definitely going to get sick if I was going to be stuck like this all day. “Shall we head to the high school?”

“Are you not going to at least give the girl a coat… she’s human she could get really ill.” The king glared at the lunas words but turned his attention to me all the same.

“Would you like my jacket, my queen?” No I would not, why would I wear anything to do with him, besides I suppose I’m already soaked wet through.

“What’s the point? I’m already soaked!” Instantly a back hand to the face shut me right up as my head shot to the side and the familiar stinging sensation set in. My skin so used to being hit that it doesn’t even bruise any more unless excessive force is used. I’m sure a large red mark was forming though from the initial impact.

“And you will remain that way.” With that he walked away with the alpha and Luna in tow, I sighed and tilted my head up slightly giving myself a very fleeting moment of peace as the rain poured down onto my features. In some way it made me feel alive to stand in the rain again.

“Come on…” Oliver was quick to take hold of my upper arm and begin to pull me in the direction the king went. Although I was shocked when I felt the rain no longer hit my head, the gamma, I mean beta, had tilted his umbrella ever so slightly as to keep the rain off me. He was also a lot gentler than I ever thought he’d be.

Sadness swept over me as the main gates opened to reveal the principal. He first met my eyes while disbelief clouded his, before darting them to the kings and instantly bowed his head.

“Welcome back your grace, we are thrilled to have you back in our district to continue the celebrations. It truly is an honour for our students to meet you.” I scoffed slightly then recoiled quickly as I knew a slap was about to hit me. I was shocked when it didn’t. The principal held his hand out in a handshake to me and then addressed only me. “Queen Dylan, welcome back.” I eyed his hand warily before taking it in a firm grip, we shook once while our eyes met, his orbs swam with nothing but guilt before he turned back to his grace.

“Thank you, I apologise for cutting the celebrations short last time, however they will most definitely go as planned. We will be staying for the duration of the fortnight.” The principal nodded along with the alpha of the district, and then gestured us inside.

Beta Oliver gently pulled me to follow them as we walked down the hallway I was dragged down many months ago. Flashbacks of meeting the king shot through my head and my heart rate quickened, my breathing became laboured slightly and my legs froze. My sight was blurring slightly and with it my body swayed. Panic was sweeping through me and I could feel an attack beginning, I was going to crash and burn in front of my old peers. I just knew it!