Chapter 9

I wake up to gentle moonlight streaming in from my windows. My entire room is illuminated by its gentle glow, including my sleeping best friend. I want to carry her to an actual bed, but when I try to get up my whole body feels like lead. Instead of getting up, I fall back into my bed with a huff.

"Oh good, you're up." Rosemary says, "How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a train." I complain. "Did I have another panic attack?"

She gives me a sympathetic look, before turning her attention to the camera monitoring app on her phone. After assuring everything was clear, she begins to answer.

"I don't think your panic attacks are panic attacks. I think your mom has been poisoning you with your tea."

I stare at her, shocked. "My mom wouldn't, I start. "But that doesn't make sense. Why would she?"

"After you passed out, my wolf smelt something strange and immediately went on alert, so I shifted to give her access to all of her senses. One thing's for certain, she smelled the lingering scent of wolfsbane. "

I struggle to wrap my head around what that meant for me. Wolfsbane is the only natural substance that can kill a wolf. It has heavy side effects on the body. It's so bad its use is reserved for pack members who have committed the ultimate betrayal against the pack. Murder. Why would my mother use it on me? To do so would be to kill my wolf, permanently.

Suddenly, it clicked. The reason I couldn't shift all those nights ago wasn't because of me. It was because my parents wanted me to be without a wolf. My father had to be behind it because my mother does nothing without my father's permission.

My dad saw me as a threat, so he assured I could never become one.

Fury blazed within me, destroying all feelings I had for the people who had given me life. They allowed me to embarrass myself, to become a public spectacle and failure all so I would submit to the plan to marry that disgusting man.

Rosemary was watching me silently, allowing me to process all that her words meant.

Behind her eyes I could see that her rage matched my own.

Finally, she spoke, "Don't eat or drink anything else that your parents give you."

"That much was obvious" I thought to myself. But it would be easy for them to figure out that I know if I started refusing things, I love to eat.

"We gotta get out of here" She mutters to herself.

"Let's leave tomorrow." We say at the same time. Then nod at each other. We're on the same page and tomorrow our plan goes into action.

– – –

In the morning, both of us had not gotten much sleep. We decided to go down to the kitchen early, hoping to run into Melody as she made the daily family breakfast.

The kitchen was filled with people bustling about.

"Hot pan, behind" a baker shouted. I turned to see a short clean-shaven man, carrying a tray of fresh muffins that smelled like heaven.

Rosemary and I continued deeper in the kitchen in search of Melody. We finally spot her in the kitchen's office over a stack of papers. Her face lights up when she finally notices us.

"Girls" She smiles, standing up to wrap us both in individual giant hugs, "How nice of you to visit."

Rosemary closes the door to the small office and turns to her mother with a serious expression.

"The alpha and the Luna have been poisoning Astra with wolfsbane. '' she says cutting straight to the reason we came. Melody's soft happy face hardens in disgust.

"Of course, that makes sense." she mutters to herself.

Rosemary continues, "We've decided, we have to leave tonight."

"That's definitely best, in the meantime let me give you girls, some fresh food and some water bottles to take to your room."

We leave the tiny office and follow Melody around the kitchen as she grabs things here and there. I can't help but smile when she puts some of those delicious looking muffins into the basket, along with croissants, and a wrapped-up slice of carrot cake.

When she's done, she hands me a basket of all my favorite snacks. Without warning, tears come to my eyes as I thank her for it. As Rosemary and I start to make the trek back to my room, those tears start to fall.

— — —- —

A couple hours later, I am not surprised when my mother comes through the door, with another one of her tea sets.

"You missed breakfast, so I thought I would bring you two a snack."

She explains, handing me a delicate cup filled with a light green tea.

I fix my face into a thankful smile as I take it from her. "Thank you" I say in my sweetest voice. I then launch into my explanation. "Rosemary and I had so much fun talking all night that we overslept for breakfast."

My mother nods in understanding. "I know it's exciting, but you have to make sure to stay hydrated and take care of yourself."

Anger boiled up in me, how dare she talk about taking care of myself when she is the one that has been poisoning me.

"Today I have a treat for you." My mother continues smiling. "We are going to go shopping for a new wardrobe for your new roles as Luna and the Luna's attendant!"

Her smile this time is absolutely genuine. She loves anything that has to do with clothes and shopping.

I groan inwardly. My mother waits for an answer

"Sounds fun" Rosemary says, "We'll get ready immediately" Rosemary says, placing her tea down and standing up. Expertly dismissing my mom, without having to drink a single sip of tea.

My mom stands up too then begins to walk towards the door, "Please do, I will have the drive pull up in an hour."

As soon as she shuts the door behind her, I start voicing my complaints, "She's really going to try to put me in so many dresses today I can already see it, let's just go now."

"We gotta go along for just a few more hours. Then we are free" Rosemary assures me.