Chapter 26: Lemon, Full English Breakfast, and Milk Tea

Vanya's eyes slowly opened, her vision blurry at first as she tried to adjust to the dimly lit room around her. As she struggled to focus, she realized that she was lying on a four-poster bed in a cabin that resembled a room on a ship. The room was slightly tilted, and she could feel the subtle sway of the waves outside. Her heart began to race as she frantically looked around the room for any means of escape. She needed to find a way out of this place and back to her pack.
Suddenly, she heard the lock outside the door turn, and she froze. She listened intently as the door creaked open and a young woman walked in. The door closed again.
"Oh, you're awake!" The woman let out a relieved sigh. Her hand reached for something on the wall and with a click, the room flooded with light. Vanya blinked a few times, adjusting her eyes to the sudden brightness. A small smile played on Lemon's lips as she gestured towards the switch, "There's a switch here, you can turn on the light if you want."
Vanya tensed, feeling wary of the woman. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
The woman's smile faltered slightly at Vanya's guarded tone. "I'm Lemon," she said, holding out the tray of food. "I brought you some breakfast."
Vanya raised an eyebrow at the name. "Lemon? Seriously?"
Lemon chuckled. "Yeah, I know. It's a weird name. But it's the one Aurelius gave me."
Vanya couldn't help but smile at Lemon's easy-going demeanor. "Well, I suppose it's better than being named after a fruit you hate."
Lemon grinned. "You have a point there. But let's be real, if it had been grapefruit juice instead, I still would have drunk it all. I was really thirsty at that time."
As Vanya's eyes fixated on the tray of food, her stomach rumbled in anticipation. She hesitantly reached out and took the tray from Lemon's hands, carefully placing it on the small table in front of her. "Thank you."
Lemon's smile widened at Vanya's words. "Of course. I prepared it myself," Lemon said with a sense of pride. "And that bubble milk tea. I hope you like it," she added, gesturing towards the glass of creamy, sweet tea sitting next to the plate.
Vanya's eyes widened in surprise as she examined the contents of the tray. It was a full English breakfast. She looked back up at Lemon, who was watching her with a kind expression.
"You look surprised," Lemon observed.
Vanya nodded, feeling embarrassed. "I am. This is...very generous of you."
Lemon shrugged. "It's just a meal. You're a guest here, after all."
"I'm not a guest. I'm a prisoner." Vanya frowned.
Lemon's expression softened. "I know. But that doesn't mean you have to go hungry. We're not monsters, Vanya."
Vanya lowered her eyes. "I didn't mean to offend you, personally. Thank you for the food."
Lemon patted her arm. "Don't worry about it. Is there anything else you need?"
Vanya hesitated, then blurted out, "Do you know how I can have my wolf back so I can escape?"
Lemon's eyes widened. “Your wolf is still with you. No one can actually separate your wolf from you. Aurelius said your is just in a very deep sleep.”
“And how do I wake her up?”
Lemon’s lips spread into an innocent smile. “The antidote, of course.”
“And can you get me that antidote?”
"I'm sorry, Vanya, but I can't help you with that."
"Why not?" Vanya demanded, her frustration mounting.
Lemon shook her head. "It's not my place to question Killian's orders."
Vanya slumped back onto the bed, feeling defeated. "I see. Thank you, Lemon."
Lemon sighed. "I'm sorry, Vanya. I wish I could do more. You seem like a nice person."
Vanya looked up at her, studying her features. "Are you Killian's slave?"
Lemon laughed. "Killian's slave?” She shook her head. "No, I'm not Killian's slave. I do tasks for the pack, but I am actually free to do other stuff on my own."
Vanya nodded, not quite satisfied with the answer. "And how does Killian treat you?"
Lemon hesitated. "He's...kind, in his own way. But he can be hot-tempered. I try to stay out of his way when he's in a bad mood."
Vanya narrowed her eyes. "And what about Aurelius? How does he treat you?"
"Aurelius is like a father to me." Lemon's expression softened. "He took me in when I had nothing and was wandering on the streets, and he's always been there for me. I owe him everything."
Vanya nodded, sensing that there was more to Lemon's story than she was letting on. "What can you tell me about this pack? The Rogue Legion?"
"I don't know anything about The Rogue Legion. Our pack is called The Knight of The Moon."
Recognition dawned on Vanya's face. "The Knight of The Moon?"
"Have you heard about us?" Lemon cocked an eyebrow.
Vanya was certain she had heard of The Knight of The Moon before, but couldn't quite place where. The name felt important, but she couldn't figure out why. “I guess. I’m not really sure from where though,” she said.
“Well, I guess because our pack is pretty famous,” Lemon chuckled. “Eat?”
Vanya sat at the table, and began to hungrily devour the full English breakfast that. As she ate, couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about Lemon. She wanted to ask her about her past, but she didn't want to come off as rude or intrusive. However, her curiosity got the best of her, and she finally gathered the courage to ask.
Setting down her fork, Vanya took a sip of the cold bubble milk tea and then asked Lemon, "How did Aurelius find you on the streets?"
Lemon paused for a moment, as if trying to decide how much to reveal. "I was an orphan wandering the streets when Aurelius found me," she finally said. "He took me in and gave me a home."
Vanya took another sip of the milk tea and savored the sweetness on her tongue. "This milk tea is delicious," she said with a smile before taking another sip. "And where are you from originally?" she asked, curious to learn more about her new acquaintance.
"I'm from the Outlands. Most of Killian's men are from the Outlands," Lemon replied, then smiled. "I heard that Before the invasion, it used to be South America."
"That makes sense." Vanya nodded. "We've been on the boat for a couple of days now. So, we're traveling from the west to the far south. And you're right, the Outlands used to be South America. That's what I read too. But did you know that it was once under the Royal Council's rule after the Great Dark Invasion?"
Lemon smiled, impressed by Vanya's knowledge. "Yes, Aurelius told me that. He said that now the Outlands is a land of trade of various kinds. You see, he makes me study stuff. Like past and present geography, technology and fighting skills.
Vanya grunted in response. "That's good for you. But as someone from the Outland, you should know that traders, lycans, vampires, humans, and rebels all live and visit there."
"Rebels? I don't know anything about them." Lemon frowned.
"The Outlands is a place where rebels can find refuge and allies in their fight against the Royal Council. The majority of people there are not loyal to the council."
Lemon shook her head, feeling a mix of confusion and disbelief. "I had no idea."
"Why? You're with them," Vanya accused, her voice laced with suspicion.
"We're not rebels, Vanya. We're free people," Lemon defended herself, her tone defensive as she felt the weight of Vanya's accusations.
Vanya smirked sarcastically, her words dripping with venom. "And yet you follow a leader named Killian, a rogue criminal who's been hiding from the Royal Council."
Lemon's lips thinned into a frown, her eyes flashing with anger. "Killian is not a criminal. He's a leader fighting for every lycan's freedom and equality."
"Are you being serious right now?" Vanya's expression hardened. "He's a fugitive who's evading the law. How can you defend him?"
"He's only fighting for what's right, unlike the Royal Council of those stupid vampires who only cares about their own power." Lemon stood up, her fists clenched at her sides. "And how can you say such awful things about your mate?"
Vanya matched her stance, the tension between them palpable. "Mate?"
“Yes, Killian!” Lemon let out a frustrated sigh. “Aurelius warned me not to engage with you.”
“What?!”
"Enough of this. I'm sorry, Vanya. I shouldn't have disagreed with you. It's not your fault. Aurelius told me you don't really know anything. " She turned towards the door and said, "I'll be back in a bit." She walked out and locked the door behind her, leaving Vanya alone with her thoughts.
What the fuck? Vanya thought, confused of what Lemon meant.
When Lemon walked back in, her face lit up with excitement as she presented a dress to Vanya. "You're going to look amazing in this!" she exclaimed. She held up a white sleek and chic dress, with a square neck and a satin sheen.
Vanya lookedd at the dress in confusion, not knowing what to make of it. "What's that for?"
Lemon noticed her hesitation and quickly explained, "It's for the ceremony tonight. Killian wants you to look your best."
"What ceremony?" Vanya questioned, her confusion only growing.
"The Mating Ceremony," Lemon replied, her voice soft and gentle.
Vanya's heart raced and her breath hitched as she asked, "Whose mating ceremony?" Though deep down, she already knew the answer.
Lemon's smile only confirmed her worst fear. "Yours and Killian's, of course," she said, her voice dripping with a sickly sweetness.
Vanya's mind raced as she tried to make sense of the situation. She barely knew Killian and the idea of being forced into a mating ceremony with him made her feel trapped and helpless. The room felt smaller as the fear and uncertainty settled like a heavy blanket, suffocating her.