Bite or Howl

Chapter 20

Chase POV

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Catherine's voice echoes through the castle walls. Her loud, irritating voice that can travel yards with one shout. I snicker under my grin. 'She'll never find me.' I think to myself. My fingers grasp the floor while I crouch down on the ground, behind the large painting curtains in the King's Hall. My fingers examine the curtain material, rubbing them together with my thumb. 

My eyes widen as I hear small footsteps from the end of the hall. Sheepishly, my fingers pull the end of the long red curtain back, holding it to hide my presence. Thinking back, I probably should have left it alone. From outside, it would be obvious there was someone behind it. A small grasping hand at the back of a curtain, so stupid.

I hold back a small chuckle and step back into the curtain, my foot making contact with something on the ground. I shiver a little before turning back and meeting the strange object I'd just made physical contact with. When my head had turned, I came face to face with a small boy crouched down on the floor behind me. He had his legs curled up near his body with a small sandwich laying against the mini table he'd created with his knees. His hair was platinum blonde, almost dirty and he had small eyes that looked up and into mine. I'd never seen him before.

"Hello." I whisper, not letting this small conversation blow my cover. Catherine could still be in the King's Hall. He looks down to his sandwich then back up to mine. With his hand, he tears a piece of his sandwich, splitting it in half. With small hands, he took the bigger piece and held it out for me to reach for. His eyes stay on me, mixed with inviting emotions and strictness. Instructing and full of defence. The sides of my mouth tug upwards into a small smile before my right hand leaves my side and reaches for the sandwich he holds out for me.

"Thank you." I mumble, crawling forward and taking a seat next to him while leaning my head against the brick wall behind the curtain. "Found ya!" Catherine squeals as her hand pulls open the curtain. Her eyes sparkle and her mouth pulls up into a smile when her eyes lay on me. Her glee excites at the thought that she'd won over me. I open my mouth to complain but before any words escape, the curtain railing on the ceiling that holds onto the curtain breaks. It snaps from the very corner then travels its way down the curtain, breaking any nails and pins that hold it up. It comes falling down on top of us, the heavy material stacking on our small bodies. We break out, scavenging for the breakaway for air and when we do, we all look at each other for a few seconds before bursting into a hysterical laughter.

That was the day I met Nick. And ever since then, he'd never left my side. He was like the brother I never had. And now he was gone. In prison once again.

Because of me.

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My eyes still linger outside. Watching. The sound of glass shattering calms me. It sends this odd electricity in my body, hitting every nerve and alerting all my senses. It's like I'm meditating to calm music, settling down any tensions in my body. But it can't sooth everything.

I look around Mount Verona. All these people, doing ordinary things, bringing their children around while shopping for groceries, being normal people. Sometimes I wish I was re-born into that. Someone who didn't have to worry about things I do right now. Someone that settles once they've found their mate. Have a family. Be normal. Not a King. That's what I've wanted. Not the palace.

My view then moves on to the sky. The mountains hide the horizon, leaving the sunset hidden. The only place where you can see it is up in the mountains behind the castle where the cabin lays. That's why I love it there. So peaceful. Somewhere the sun hits. Blue paints over the sky with hints of white that fly to the right where the wind blows it. Clouds.

Mount Verona is perfect, I think to myself. But then my eyes travel to the very back of the forests where the borders end. The forest is thick and takes a long time for you to get through to the village area. After the border, miles and miles of tall and dense trees go on and on.

But something is wrong. I can feel it.

The hair on my arm stands up straight and I get this uneasy feeling wash over me. As if I were being washed over in dread. Something is coming. In the very distance, the trees in the forest after the border slowly come down, one by one. And it was coming closer. To us.

Guards come rushing into the King's Hall where I am and quickly alert me of a suspected attack. "There has been a report of a suspected attacker nearing the borders in the east of Mount Verona." One of them tells me. "Yeah, I can see it right now. What is it?" I ask, looking back to the window. "We can't tell. The trees are too tall for the guards in the mountains to see." The other replies. My gaze stays on the hurricane that brings trees down to the ground as it slowly comes closer. "How much time do we have till they reach the borders?" I ask then.

The guards turn to each other before replying, "An hour at the least."An hour. That'll give me enough time. "Alright. Get everyone in lockdown. No villagers are to stay in the east side of Mount Verona. I need everyone out and up in the mountains." I instruct sharply.

They nod harshly before stepping back. I hear them yelling down to guards on different shifts to evacuate the palace and for everyone to seek refuge on the mountains. I look back out the window one last time. The attackers are slow yet they're pacing faster. They could be the black witches but they don't seem like them. If they were, they would have already been here. They'd use some sort of spell to get them here faster. They wouldn't have to go through the forests. I shake my head and leave the King's Hall. There's no time for conspiracy theories.

I pass by the dungeons and quickly think of Nick. I need him. And I need him now. But I can't.

And I know I can't. But I do now what I need to do now. I need to find Phoebe.

My head tilts back in pleasure. I draw out a long and harsh laugh. I snicker as my eyes go shut.
Oh is my plan slowly coming together. I stand up straight and tense my fingers, indulging the senses and entering my mind. I scavenge through the small opening before seeping through and feeling the small bliss as if I were being reborn into a younger version of myself. When I open my eyes, I feel the control.

"Good afternoon, my puppet." I hiss. The small voice at the end of my mind comes through in a grunting pain. "Master." It growls. The pain of your mind being taken over must hurt badly. Even a strong candidate like my puppet can't handle it. "My plan is coming together, puppet." I mutter.

It chuckles in a deep voice. "Oh yes, master. It is."

"You know what to do." I say, taking a deep breath. My voice slowly shifts into a dark and disturbed one. As if I were being possessed. It's harsh and deep like a robot but more demon like.

And in that voice, I whisper, "Kill them."