Chapter 36: The Castle

**Alice’s Point of view**


"Oh, you. I swear I'm going to get up and throw you against the wall. I'll slice you in half with my daggers, slash you with my claws, finish you off with a baseball bat and put what's left of you in a blender!" I scream at this machine of evil.
The doctor enters at the same time. "Alpha Alice. Who are you talking to?"
"To your heart monitor of doom! The beep is driving me crazy!"
I see him panic. He hasn't forgotten what I did to the last one. "Please calm down. The angrier you get, the faster and louder it beeps and the more it annoys you. It's a vicious cycle that you can only break by calming down." He tells me softly as if he was talking to a child.
I urge myself to calm down and the machine resumes a slow beep. "Please tell me you're going to let me out."
"Unfortunately, yes. You've healed incredibly fast and the King doesn't want to reschedule anymore. You're all flying out this afternoon and you have an appointment with the King tomorrow." 
I look at him, surprised. How come I don't know about this?
He lets me go and as I walk back into the packhouse I see suitcases everywhere.
"What the hell is going on here?"
My parents and friends run over to hug me.
"What are you doing here?" My mom asks.
"The doctor let me out. He told me about the plane and the appointment." I say in a harsh tone. They all bow their heads. "Were you going to leave without me?" I say angrily.
"You are too weak to travel." Says my grandfather whom I had not seen. 
I straighten up. "No, since the doctor let me out. I'll go."
"No way." He spits out. "You let that car run you over and now the others will think we're weak." He says with a scornful look.
"It's if I don't go that people will think that. Showing up will be proof that we're strong and not afraid of anyone." 
My grandfather starts to protest but my father cuts him off. "She's right. Go pack your suitcase Alice."
"She must not come!" My grandfather yells.
My father turns to him. "Don't forget who the Alpha is. I said she's coming so she's coming." He says in a firm tone.
My grandfather grunts and goes back to his room. I do the same and take a few formal dresses, a battle outfit and some casual clothes then we all go to the airport where the jet of the pack is waiting for us. There are about thirty of us, including my parents, the Beta and the Gamma, Sam and Melanie, some warriors and two Omegas whose role is to do the housework, etc. And my grandparents too. Unfortunately.
I sleep during the trip and dream of Elliot and Leo, much to Cassie's delight. I don't know if I'm ready, I don't know how we're going to do it but be so close to death has opened my eyes.
I'm woken up by the pilot asking us to fasten our seatbelts for the landing and I take the opportunity to observe the Castle through the window. 
It looks like a big mansion, and when I say big I mean really big, a bit like the Versailles castle in France but with more floors and with towers.
"It looks like Sleeping Beauty's castle!" Says Melanie in a dreamy tone and I guess it's a fair comparison. "And look at this crazy garden! It's unbelievable. I wouldn't mind living here."
We land smoothly and cars take us to the Castle, more specifically to the guest wing. Our driver explains that we are on the 1st floor, the Silver's on the 2nd and the Reds on the 3rd and I mentally congratulate the one who decided to separate us as much as possible.
He also tells us that a ball will be held in our honor tonight and I am relieved to have taken evening gowns.
"Don't worry, I've got an outfit for you." Melanie whispers.
"Thanks but I have everything I need."
She looks at me with raised eyebrows. "What? You thought of something else than your comfortable and shapeless outfits? I know someone who wants to seduce with high heels. I hope you got some sexy lingerie too." She says, wiggling her eyebrows.
I almost choke and signal her to be quiet, someone might hear us.
As baggage handlers lead us to our rooms and let us settle in, I decide to go to the Royal library, hoping to find more answers to our questions. After all, this is the largest supernatural library in the world.
After dropping my things in this ultra-high-tech room, I take the elevator. To my surprise, I get on the second floor and the door opens on a familiar face.
"Rose! What a surprise!" I say happily.
She jumped violently caught off guard. On closer inspection, she looks terrible. Her blonde hair is dull and dry and her faded blue eyes are vacant. "Are you all right, Rose?"
She seems to pull herself together and picks up one of the baskets of laundry she has. 
"Alpha Alice! Yes, everything is fine. Sorry I haven't slept much lately."
" What are you doing?"
"These are clothes I need to take to be ironed for my pack members tonight."
"So many of them! Here, let me help you." I say as I grab one of the baskets.
"No no no, Alpha Alice. You don't have to do it." She says as she tries to take one of the baskets out of my hand.
"It's not yours either. There are servants here for that."
"Yes. Omegas like me."
"You're an Omega?" I say as I press the button on the Ground Floor.  
"Uh, yes. I thought you knew that." She says, surprised.
I shake my head. "No, but I don't care of your rank."
"For real?" She says, stunned.
"Of course. Just because you're an Omega doesn't mean you're inferior." I say, eyebrow furrowed.
We exit the elevator and I decide to follow her to the laundry room.
"By the way, how was your first shift?"  
She laughs nervously. "You told me it was painful but I had no idea how much. But thanks for your advice, it helped me a lot."
"You're welcome. What's your wolf's name?"
She smiled fondly. "Star." 
"That's pretty!"
We finally get to the laundry room and the employees are appalled to see me carrying a tub of laundry. It takes me a moment to assure them that it's no big deal and that no one should be punished for it.
"By the way, did you find your mate?" I ask as we head back to the elevator.
Her smile fades and she looks distressed. "No, I didn't find him."
I can see she's lying but I don't insist. She must have found him but maybe they're taking their time. Or maybe she ran away because she was afraid that he would reject her. After all, in many packs, omegas are very badly seen. It happens sometimes. 
*"Or maybe you're just luring yourself and she's just disappointed that she didn't find him right away."* Cassie tells me.
Learning that she has nothing to wear for the ball, I convince her to go to Melanie so she can borrow one of my dresses and head to the library, ready to unravel all the mysteries.