The Imprisoned Princess

“You OK?” I jump when Trey appears next to me; I hadn’t heard him approach. I wipe my cheek roughly, he wasn’t meant to see that. I feel my canines extend and turn quickly, pretending to wipe my eyes.

‘No,’ I tell my wolf.

‘Sorry, he scared me, have you noticed he’s good looking?’

‘Shut up, that is something we are NOT thinking about.’

‘But I’m bored, can I see his wolf?’

‘You’ve barely been awake 24 hours! Calm down.’

I feel my canines go back to normal and run my tongue along to be sure before turning around to face Trey. “Sorry, I’m fine, could... could you get me a brush? If I need to look respectable...” He nods to me and goes out the door. I dress in the clothes I took off – no others had been provided and hear Trey talking to someone at the door. “-brush, yes and some more clothes, she can’t stay in the same set. And I’m hungry, I’m sure she is too.” He shuts the door again as I exit the bathroom.

I sit back on the bed, “Are you Samual’s Beta?” The way he demands those around him suggests he holds some weight in the pack. “No, my father.” I nod, beta-blood, makes sense.

“Are you and Wade friends?” I want to find out about the man who will become my ‘mate’.

“Yes, I’ll be his Beta. We’re like brothers.” I nod, OK so Wade knows how he’s receiving me. That doesn’t really bode well, he’s probably as sadistic as his father. I bite my lip absent-mindedly.

What Trey asked for arrives. He hands me a glass jar, “Rub that on your wrists and neck, it will speed up healing.” I nod. Opening the jar the smell is familiar. I rub it on all the areas the shackles cut into. When I’ve finished I pick up the brush and start brushing through my still wet hair. It took a while before I got all the tangles out.

While I did this Trey had reached for some of the clothes; he picked up a grey t-shirt that looks his size. “I’m just going to change,” I nod, while he’s changing I part my hair how I like it and look through the clothes, I settled on the jeans putting them against me to see if they will fit.

Trey comes back out in the clean t-shirt, he grabs a bowl and sits in his chair eating pasta. He was watching me so I glared back at him as if to say ‘what are you staring at?’ He gives a little cough and looks back down to his bowl.

I took the clothes into the bathroom and change. I could feel Trey’s eyes on me again, “What?” I hate feeling watched.

“Sorry, I just... you’re not what I expected.” He leans forward as I sit back on the bed.

“And... what were you expecting?” I fold my arms defensively expecting him to say the usuals, I’m not as pretty, I’m shorter or taller, or my personal favourite I’m not feminine enough.

“I was expecting you to break, you’ve been locked up for over 4 months. I’d have thought you’d be a wreck, but you’re not.” I look at him, an ‘O’ forming on my lips. I stay silent, thinking of his words. “Your strength when you arrived was incredible,” he continues. “I’ve never seen someone crumble shackles like you did, and when you snapped my father’s neck I-”

“One of them was your father?” I cut him off, shocked. “I’m sorry.” I look away ashamed. I kill for survival, I didn’t like it but I thought I could escape. Obviously, I failed.

Trey shakes his head, “It’s OK, you were scared, I could see that. You don’t show it, but you’re scared now.” I start feeling uncomfortable, he’s reading me.

I swallow, “No I’m not.”

“And I know the wolfsbane is long out of your system.” His eyes narrow towards me. I open my mouth shocked, how did he know? Suddenly he approaches me, a foreboding aura around him. I stand on the bed faster than him and leap off. He changes direction, so I run into the bathroom. Trey follows, turns on the shower and he catches me as I try to run past, “Trey, don’t.” I wriggle as he pushes me against the cool tile wall. I can smell his sweat; he smells musky as he’s been cooped up with me.

His chest’s heaving as he stands there. I’m pinned against the wall, his hip digging into my stomach. “I don’t want to give you to Wade,” he whispers his face inches from mine.

“Well, don’t. Let my brother go, I can do the rest,” I implore as I try to twist my wrist out of his grip but it just hurts my still raw flesh.

“I can’t,” he mutters and suddenly his strong arms are around me; he’s hugging me. I’m bewildered, what’s he doing?

“You don’t remember me do you?” He’s hugging me tighter.

“Trey get off.” I’m wriggling against him. I don’t actually want to hurt him but I will if he doesn’t let me go. He releases me, “Look at me,” he demands. I try to back away from him until my back hits the cool tile again. He hooks his finger under my chin and pulls my face up to his, forcing me to look. “Dely, please remember,” he pleads.

I look up properly this time, taking him in for the first time... those eyes. My face falls, only two people have ever called me Dely; Jesse and... “My Trey?” He nods and lifts his shirt. There lays the bite mark I’d given him when I was fifteen. Of course not a true mate mark, we were too young – and in the wrong place. “Why are you here!?”

“Shh!” He steps towards me and I let him, he laces his fingers in mine, as a finger is placed gently over my lips before he slides the finger to graze my cheek. “The shower will only hide so much of our voices.” He looks deep into my eyes as if he’s drinking in my golden orbs. “My dad brought me. That’s why I disappeared. I didn’t want to, I wanted you, but...” He looks deep into my eyes and I recognised him completely, he’s five years older; he’s filled out a lot since the last time I saw him. He’s been beaten several times, and right now he’s exhausted.

But he’s my Trey.