Willow could barely get any sleep. She had to stare at her father's corpse all night while she was bound in silver chains that burned her so badly, she could even feel it in her bones.
By the time it was morning, she was tethering on the edge of sanity and on the verge of losing her life.
Her entire body hurt, she was too weak to move and she could barely even breathe. All she could do was stare at her father's corpse till the picture was burned in her brain.
Her entire body stiffened as she heard footsteps approaching.
"Oh, look who we have here," Savannah said with a loud yawn, her lips curling into an evil smile once her eyes met Willow's.
"Did you have a nice night? Because I sure did." She taunted chirpily, stretching her muscles for good measure.
"W–water." Willow managed to croak out, in too much pain to even care about Savannah's taunts.
"What was that?"
"W–water, p–please." Willow repeated. Her throat was as dry as a desert and it hurt so much to speak.
"Of course. I'm pretty sure you'll get some water at the palace." Savannah answered, a chirpy smile making its way onto her face as she turned around, about to leave.
Willow's heart sank in despair. If she didn't get some water now, she wasn't sure she would even be able to make it to the palace.
"P–please, Savannah," Willow croaked out her eyes filling with tears as she began coughing and spluttering. "J–just a sip of water. I'm begging you."
Savannah let out a loud sigh before placing her finger on her chin thoughtfully.
"No." She answered nonchalantly and just as more tears began streaming down Willow cheeks, she heard a loud noise coming from outside the house.
Savannah's eyes instantly lit up and she jumped up and down, cackling with glee. "That must be the palace guards," She squealed before rushing inside and coming back outside, wearing a pair of gloves.
"We shouldn't keep them waiting now, should we?" A maniacal grin spread across her face as she rushed towards Willow and began unbinding her chains.
"Please, don't do this, Savannah. Please. I won't survive at the palace." Willow pleaded, extreme anguish and distress present on her face as a sob escaped her lips.
"That's exactly what I want. I hope you die at the palace." Savannah answered through gritted teeth before undoing the last of her chains.
"No! Please No!" Willow yelled as Savannah grabbed her by the hair and began pulling her roughly towards the door. "Let me go!"
"Would you just shut up?! You're making this more difficult than it already is." Annoyance danced in the pools of Savannah's eyes as she yanked on Willow's hair even louder.
A piercing scream escaped Willow's lips as she was finally dragged by the hair outside the house.
She groaned as Savannah flung her to the ground in front of a large wagon and when she raised her head, her eyes landed on two unsmiling men. She instantly recognized them as palace guards.
They were clad in black leather armor and on their chests was the official crest of the pack. A wolf head under a crescent moon.
A gasp of horror instantly escaped Willow's lips as she managed to scramble to her feet, her entire body trembling in fear.
"Is this the slave?" One of the guard's baritone voice rang clear, his eyes intense on Willow's and his expression was so terrifying that it was a miracle she did not piss her pants right there.
"Yes. Take her away." Savannah answered with glee and the guards wasted no time grabbing Willow and binding her with another set of chains, ordinary chains this time.
"No! Please! Let me go! This has to be some kind of mistake! I don't want to be a slave! Let me go!" Willow yelled, struggling to get free, but it was futile as the guards were much stronger than she was.
The guards bundled her roughly, hurling her into a cage in the wagon and locking it up while Savannah's gleeful cackles rang clear.
"Please help me, Savannah. Please. I'm your sister." Willow pleaded, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"You are no sister of mine." Savannah growled before turning around and making her way into the house.
Willow gasped and she could only watch her sister leave in disbelief. She couldn't believe the lengths her step family had gone to stab her in the back.
First, they had her father killed and now, they sold her off to the palace. What the hell did she do to deserve this? How would she even survive this?
Willow shook her head as more tears streamed down her cheeks. No way. She couldn't go to the palace.
She began screaming, banging her fists on the cage till they drew blood, but the wagon did not stop moving and no one came to save her.
Willow screamed till her voice went hoarse and when she couldn't go on anymore, her vision slowly went dark and she ended up passing out.
By the time she opened her eyes, she had no idea how much time had passed. Minutes? Hours? She couldn't tell, but by the time she woke up, she was given an invitation to hell.
"Welcome to the Shadowfang Palace, slave." One of the guards spat as he opened the cage and grabbed her by the arm, roughly pulling her by the arm.
Willow's heart sank in her chest as she stared at the massive structure in front of her. She had never been to the palace before, but there was no doubt that the building was fit for a king. An Alpha King.
"Wait, please. This is a mistake. I'm begging you. I shouldn't be here. I cannot be a slave. Please have mercy." Willow pleaded with desperation as perspiration trickled down her face.
The guards glanced at each other before each one of them ruthlessly grabbed her arms.
As the guards began dragging her into the palace, she had no doubt in her mind that she was heading towards her doom.