*~Gabrielle's POV~*
I was returned home in an instant, and my escape plan was ruined—a plan I had crafted over three long years. The bitter sting of defeat burned in my throat like acid.
The gates of the Forbes house swung open. Aside from the High House of the pack hierarchy, the Forbes house was the second largest and most powerful, as it was from this bloodline that the White Wolf always descended.
My mother and two sisters stood outside, anxiously awaiting my return. My mother wore a deep frown and was tapping her foot aggressively against the ground.
Oh no. I'm in so much trouble.
As soon as Levy dropped me and unchained my hands, my mother rushed over and slapped me hard across the face. My cheek instantly stung.
"Gabrielle! How dare you? How dare you run away? Tell me!" she screamed, tears welling in her eyes.
I couldn't find my voice. I just stood there, holding my left cheek, stunned by the force of the slap.
"You know how hard it was for me to find you after all these years, and yet you still dared to run away from me?" she yelled again.
"Tell me! Why did you run? Gabrielle, tell me!"
She raised her hand to strike me again, but Isabelle, my immediate younger sister, sprang forward and caught our mother's hand.
"Mother, please," she begged on my behalf.
Finally, tears began to fall from my eyes. She was right. My mother was right; I was selfish and self-centered. I knew how difficult it had been for her to find me after I had gone blind and missing at five years old. It took her years to find me, and she had only succeeded three years ago.
"I'm sorry, Mother," I said as tears streamed down my cheeks. I collapsed onto the floor, my vision blurring. "I'm so sorry, Mother. I won't do it again."
"Oh, my dear, come here," she said, kneeling beside me and pulling me into a hug, unable to bear seeing me in so much pain.
"Promise me you'll never do that again," she whispered.
I nodded. "I promise. I will never do that again," I repeated as we both cried in each other's arms, kneeling there.
"Take her back to her room. Lock it tight. Make sure she doesn't escape again, or else you will all pay dearly for it," she added, her voice laced with threat.
They nodded quickly, pulled me up, and began walking me back to my 'room.' But I called it a prison.
A place where no omega maids were allowed. A place where even my own sisters could barely spend an hour with me.
They opened the door to my cell, and my heart dropped.
Every wall was etched with the art I had created using stones. Every iron plate I had fused into the wall to use as a ladder for escape. Every piece of cloth I had tied into a makeshift rope.
All of it now mocked me, as I had once vowed I would never see any of it again.
"Please step inside, ma'am," Levy said, and I complied, chills running through my bones as I crossed the threshold. I turned to them one last time. Isabelle and Annabelle had tears in their eyes. They understood the extent of my suffering.
Eventually, she stood and turned to Levy and my sisters.
The door closed behind me and then locked repeatedly.
"I guess I'm back here," I chuckled weakly, taking everything in.
The faces I had drawn on the walls when I first regained consciousness flooded my mind. When my mother found me three years ago, I couldn't remember anything. My mind was empty. She said I had lost my memories due to the heavy storm that night by the waterside.
It was true. I had woken up in this very room. My first instinct had been to draw the faces I remembered: my sisters, my mother, even Levy. Those were the only faces I had ever known.
But today… I had gained another face. A special one. A gorgeous one.
I picked up a stone, climbed my iron ladder, and began carving his face into the wall: his sharp, hunter's eyes, aquiline nose, a jawline sharper than any blade, high, defined cheekbones, heart-shaped lips, and symmetrical ears peeking through his hair. I remembered every detail of how our noses had touched, how our lips were just inches apart, how warm his hands had felt when they covered my mouth.
When I opened my eyes to look at what I had carved, I almost fell off the ladder.
It was more than accurate. It was nearly perfect. But the warmth in my heart vanished the moment I remembered what he had done.
I jumped down and immediately yanked the iron ladder from the wall.
"Nonsense!" I spat.
This was pointless. All of it was pointless. I lunged for the rope I had made from tied clothes, tearing it down and destroying everything I had used in my escape.
Hot tears spilled from my eyes as I crashed to the floor, staring at the handsome monster I had just carved, regretting every second of it.
Now, I would have to stare at his perfect face for the rest of my life in this prison.
My eyelids grew heavy, and soon I drifted off, lying on the cold, bare floor with tears in my eyes.
I didn't know how long I had been asleep when I heard the locks on my door clicking open, one after another. I jolted upright and blinked toward the door.
It was my mother. She entered with a wide smile, and behind her came Isabelle and Annabelle, the latter holding a bowl in her hands. Curious, I sat up.
"Greetings, my darling daughter," Mother said as she stepped closer, reaching out to straighten my blonde hair.
"Greetings, Mother," I replied, bowing my head. "I apologize for my actions earlier today. It was never my intention to hurt you. I just wanted to be free."
She scoffed. "Oh, silly Gabrielle. You are free. You have all this to yourself." She gestured around the room as if this prison were some luxury suite. "A lot of people don't have rooms like this. You should be grateful."
"Yes, Mother," I said, bowing again.
"I'm also sorry, Gabrielle. I shouldn't have hit you. I never meant to hurt you, my darling. You know Mother loves you, right?"
I nodded. "I know, Mother. And I will never try to escape again."
She smirked. "Oh, you won't."
She turned to Isabelle, who passed her the bowl. She placed it on the nearby table. Inside was water, a needle, and a glowing thread.
My intrigue vanished, and my blood ran cold.
She dipped her hand into the water, pulling out the needle and thread.
I stumbled back in fear, holding onto the table for support so I wouldn't crash.
"What… what is that? Who is that for?" My voice cracked. "Me?"
"Oh dear," she said sweetly. "It's a tracking thread. And it will be sewn into you."
My breath caught. Sewn into me?
"Why… what… into me?" I stammered, my eyes wide, already feeling the phantom pain.
"Please, Mother," Annabelle pleaded. "It will be painful."
Mother shot her a glare before turning back to me.
"Pain is an illusion, dear," she said, calmly threading the needle. "This is for your own good. So if you ever try to run again, we'll find you easily. And trust me, you don't want to run. I can make it beyond painful."
Her eyes flashed, and my stomach twisted.
"Please, Mother… I won't run again. Please. Use something else. Anything else. Please." My eyes locked onto the needle, horror rooting me to the spot.
She ignored me. "Isabelle, Annabelle, hold her tight." Even though they didn't want to, it was evident on their faces that they had no choice.
They grabbed my arms and held me down.
Mother walked toward me slowly. "Close your eyes, dear. It will hurt just a little. And remember—pain is only an illusion."
She pulled down the edge of my gown, revealing my bare back.
And the needle began its path, painfully piercing through skin and soul.