Several female creatures took off my clothes and splashed water on me.
It feels good to bathe after a long time but they were rough with it that my skin feels like it's been peeled.
They dressed me up with clothes that barely covered my body and hardly combed my hair properly.
The bind on my arms wasn't removed that the skin around the area started to look raw.
Since they realized that they can't remove the cuff around my neck, they placed another larger cuff on top of it and connected it to a chain in which a guard held it with his claw.
My feet hurts as they didn't give me shoes to wear. I walked barefoot, following where the guard leads me as we strolled around in what seems to be a city.
I felt no humiliation despite the fact that my clothes barely covered my body that you can see glimpses of my privates.
The reason why, is because I'm conflicted with my feelings about what I recently realized.
I know that Lion is trying to protect me but it's my right to know. I felt that he is afraid of me knowing despite the fact that he didn't do it on purpose. He was not the one who took me from my previous world.
It's just that... discovering the fact that he hid something from me..
I'm just tired.
Even though that it seems like I've been stuck in the dungeon for a long time, it turns out that I've only been there for more than a day.
I definitely wasn't on my right mind as I forgot a simple fact that humans can only manage to live up to 3 days without drinking any water. That's just the average though. Some lived up to more than that but they aren't in good condition.
I managed to have small sips of water while they were bathing me so it's good enough for me at the moment.
I'm used to skipping meals from time to time so there's no problem with that.
I wonder where the guard is taking me?
Am I being advertised in case somebody might buy me?
Several creatures and beings stared at me while I was being paraded around and I noticed they looked interested, whispering among themselves though nobody approached the guard that is holding my chain.
After a long time of being paraded around the city, my feet is dirty and has cuts all over.
Thankfully, the guard stopped walking, which is good as I'm beginning to think that the ordeal I had is finally over.
To my horror, it turns out that he was just waiting for several of his companions. Their eyes stared at me with lust while I tried my best not to tremble with fear.
If I show them fear, then I am good as dead.
My heart began to beat fast when they took me to a secluded place in which they began touching me all over.
Someone touched me on one of my breasts that I instantly snapped and headbutted him.
In that moment, it seems that the spirits of my martial arts instructors possessed me that I attacked all of them, despite the fact I'm way too short and they are way too tall.
I don't care if I die fighting as long as my dignity is still intact!
I was nearly successful with my attacks but I forgot that my neck is still connected to a chain that one of them yanked it hard, making me fall in front of them.
Now they all looked furious at me in which one of them pulled my chain without mercy and dragged me all throughout the streets for a long time until we arrived at what seems to be an arena.
They brought me to a dark dungeon cell in which they pushed me inside it and locked the door.
It's dark.
Too dark.
But this is better than getting unwanted intercourse.
This time, I feel cold.
My body feels bruised and painful. I'm also hungry and thirsty.
And tired.
I hope there's no pests here.
I'm tired...
So tired.....
....
I don't know how long was I asleep but I have no way of knowing how.
It's too dark here.
I'm hoping that there's a window or something.
I stood up and tried to touch the walls, praying that I don't touch any sort of pest or any unknown objects.
To my relief, I felt something on the wall that seems to be a window or something. After several tries, I managed to open it.
Light flooded inside my cell in which I can see that there's nothing at all inside, which is good as I can finally sleep with ease.
Of course, I can't escape through the window as there are several grills on it.
I can barely see what's outside as my window is too low on the ground.
Ah.. the inside of the arena is visible here...
I can't see the sky but I can feel that it's an open air type of arena, like what the ancient Romans had though their style is different from them.
It seems that there's no fight for now as the arena is silent, except maybe for sounds of creatures practicing with their weapons or something.
I can see a bit of their bodies except for their heads though it is a bit fascinating to look at.
Looking at them, it reminded me of those times we had training back at the territory.
It seems too long ago.
I wonder how are the others?
I'm sorry, Sly that I wasn't careful.
Orm, I'm sorry that I'm separated from you.
Alpha, I didn't mean to leave you!
I'm sorry, everyone! I'm sorry, Lion and Ghost! I promised myself to find you but it turns out that I failed on my promise.
I'm sorry. I'm so.. so.. sorry.
I sobbed for a long time after that.
....
I'm starving.
I have no problems with water as it rained for a bit. I was so thirsty that I drank the dirty rainwater that came inside my cell.
It's so cold but I don't want to close the window.
It's better if I die from the cold than to stay in the dark.
Staying in the dark reminded me of all my traumas that I've suffered since I came into this world.
It's such a wonder on how I managed to survive everything.
If I die here, then what happens to the pack?
Of course, my mating marks with them will be gone but they might lose their minds in trying to search for me.
They are still alive, much to my relief with the exception of Ghost.
I have no way of knowing whether Ghost is still alive or not.
But before I was transported here, Khamsin assured me that Ghost can take care of himself.
I do hope that he's safe.
I want to believe it.
.....
I don't condone violence except when they deserve it that when I heard that creatures are killing each other for the sake of glory and honor, I hurriedly closed the window despite the fact that I hated being in the dark.
Even though I closed the window, I can still hear all sorts of voices that are screaming and shouting though I can't understand what they are saying about.
I can hear all sorts of terrible sounds from the arena too in which I tried my best not to listen to it.
Softly, I tried singing all sorts of songs while tears kept flowing down my face.
But I kept getting distracted when I heard intense sounds of roars, bellows, snarls and growls from the arena.
Hearing those kinds of sounds made me realized that they are fighting against all sorts of monsters too.
Several heavy thuds and crushing sounds made me flinch as I tried my best not to imagine what I've heard.
Despite the fact that I already have several horrible experiences on facing all sorts of monsters, it still scares me and I do still get nightmares from time to time, even until now.
Usually, the nightmares are tolerable since the pack or at least one of them made sure that they are beside me when I sleep.
My nightmares were getting worse except that it stopped for a bit when we came to the desert. But since I arrived here, it started again.
Ah, wait. I remembered that the nightmares started again when I nearly died from being poisoned.
I think I might lose my sanity soon if this keeps up.
....
I'm getting weaker because of hunger.
Maybe they forgot about me.
Soon, I was numbed to the sounds coming from the arena and I'm starting to get used to staying in the dark.
Maybe this is really the end.
I'm so exhausted.
I didn't tell any of the pack about this but there are times that I felt weary. I felt weary of all the sanity breaking experiences that I have.
If it weren't for the fact that the pack is precious to me, I would have ended my life in an instant.
I'm so exhausted.
I just want a peaceful life for a bit.
Relaxing life with no worries, thoughts or responsibilities.
Saying like this made me remember of a time when Lion told me that he wants to travel with me to another place and maybe live there without any responsibilities or worries.
Now I understand his frustration and weariness at times.
It's hard.
Especially for him as he is living for a long, long time without a breather.
He is always worried about something. I can't blame him though.
But even though he is always worried about something, he looks happier and more relaxed according to the creatures and beings that are familiar with him.
Even Leon once told me that Lion changed for the better ever since I came into his life.
Hearing all the positive comments about him made me curious on how he was before we met each other.
But Ghost was very helpful about that as he described Lion before as being cold.
No emotions and detached from others.
And being in his own world.
Lion's contract is a double edge sword for him. It's like it is giving him everything he needs and wants but at the same time, caused him intense pain.
A deafening roar sounded in which I cried out of fear as I positioned myself in a fetal position.
I'm scared!
The spectators doesn't seemed scared as they began to chant, cheer, scream and yell about something.
Soon, I can hear some sort of an intense battle that ended up with a deafening roar again.
After several cycles of that, the spectators began to chant something in which I can hear loud footsteps outside my door.
Suddenly, it opened and several guards stood outside in which one of them pulled my chain towards him.
I can see them grinning at each other as they made some sort of bets about something that made the hair at the back of my neck stood up.
Even though I don't understand what they are saying but I have a feeling that it is nothing good.
And I was right when they pulled me hard towards the center of the arena.
As soon as the spectators saw me, they began to cheer wildly that I have a feeling that they are feeding me to a monster.
There's no other explanation at all since I can't fight in my current condition with my arms binded.
Is this how the prisoners feel like during the ancient Roman times when they were fed to the wild animals?
It is scary.
I'm scared.
But I tried my best not to show that I'm scared, which is hard as my body is shaking out of fear, hunger or exhaustion, I do not know.
There's no monster yet as it seems that they are busy trying to open another massive entrance.
While they were busy, I took my time on observing my surroundings.
Yes, they have a ruler too, sitting like how an ancient Roman emperor sits but is surrounded by several females, which he doesn't seem to mind as one is currently sitting on his lap.
I don't know what kind of creatures are those females but the ruler looked like a deserter.
In fact, there are lots of deserters among the spectators and to my surprise, there are some female deserters too.
Ah, so that's how they looked like. They don't really look different from the male deserters except that their bodies have feminine softness to it.
Suddenly, one of the guards took a dagger and slashed my shoulder with it, making it bleed profusely that the spectators began to scream with excitement.
The massive entrance that they are trying to open, started to shake violently in which I heard a deafening roar behind it that hurt my ears but I can't cover it since my arms are binded with a magic rope.
This is my end.
Finally.
Accepting my fate, I just knelt on the ground while bowing my head down, praying all sorts of prayers for the safety of the pack, Bubu, Khamsin and Deus as they will resume the mission without me after my death.
I prayed to the heavens that they might find comfort after my death and that the pack will not kill themselves.
With a sigh, I glanced up calmly as I waited for the monster to come out.
Then with a crash, the entrance got destroyed by the...
That's not a monster!
That's my Lion!
My Lion in his ultimate form!
Oh, Lion!
What have they done to you?!
Of course, I didn't run towards him. I'm not that stupid. He looked like he is not on his right mind.
He looks hungry as he kept salivating at the smell of my blood.
Soon, there's only the both of us in the center of the arena.
The spectators screamed with excitement as they looked towards us with anticipation.
Oh, Lion...
You're hungry? You can eat me! I'm just glad to see you again...
I slowly got up and walked towards him while he kept roaring and licking his lips as he looked at me.
I smiled at him tearfully as I told him in a quivering voice that how happy I am in seeing him and that if he's hungry, he's welcome to eat me.
He threatened me with all sorts of snarls and roars while I continued to approach him.
As soon as I reached him, I looked at his eyes and told him how much I loved him and thanked him for everything he has done for me.
Tears kept flowing down my face as I hugged one of his legs for a while until he ferociously swatted me away.
My head hurts.
When I opened my eyes, I can see blood started to flow down my head. The spectators roared with laughter at my actions which they thought was a stupid move on my part as they must have expected me to run or beg for my life.
You know what? I don't care anymore what happens to me. I'm just happy that I get to see Lion for the last time.
As I lay on the ground while watching Lion move closer to me with intense hunger in his eyes, I decided to sing him a song before he eats me.
It is a song that I heard about when I was in my previous world.
The song is a love song about loving someone wholeheartedly with no regrets, that you would be content staying with them even if the world ends and what matters most is your connection with each other.
While I was singing, the spectators hushed as they listened to me with fascination.
Not only them but Lion as well. He calmed down as he timidly moved closer to me despite my wounds.
I know his mind is not yet back but I'm just glad to see him at near.
If he does eat me eventually then I don't have any hard feelings about that. I'm just glad that it's him.
To the amazement of the spectators, Lion lay on the floor beside me and nuzzled me gently on the face.
Despite the dizziness I felt, I just caressed his face gently as I told him all sorts of comforting words that seemed to calm him down.
After a long time, the spectators began crying and begging their ruler about something.
I wonder what they are begging him for?
Ah, I don't care.
Hmmm.. this might be a good time for me to sit on Lion's back.
Even though my body is shaking, I slowly walked towards Lion's back and sat on it like he is some sort of a horse.
I do hope he won't drop me as he is quite humongous and I'm tiny, definitely tiny compared to him.
He seemed to understand me as he gently stood up and stretched his legs with such care to avoid dropping me on the ground.
Oh, this will be a good memory for me before I die!
I held on to him as he gave a roar, not too loud that will make me startled but loud enough to let everyone know that he doesn't care about them as we are going to make our exit.
With a nod from the ruler who seemed fascinated at us, Lion immediately exited the arena with me on his back.
Wait a minute.
I just realized something.
What just happened reminded me of a certain children's story about a runaway slave and a lion.
Um.. no.. I don't look like a man and definitely I'm not a runaway slave.
Ah, whatever.
Let's go, Lion.