Chapter 97
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 Bloor. 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.