Chapter 8

  Koa and Alexandra

  Koa and Alexandra walked around the caves together, chatting and bonding over experiences. Kane and Celeste had stayed in the library to find additional information about these “Loners” while they were assigned to go ask around and ask the guards. Koa saw Alexandra’s nervous look slipping through her slightly confident face.

  “Hey,” He nudged her with his side softly and playfully. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Hm? Oh nothing…” She said quietly, though her eyes never met his. Koa’s smile faltered slightly, his eyes flickering with hesitation and hurt that she wasn’t sharing it with him but he shrugged it off.

  As they strolled through the winding tunnels of the caves, a comfortable silence enveloped Koa and Alexandra, the kind that spoke volumes about their growing friendship. The flickering torchlight cast playful shadows on the rough stone walls, illuminating the small patches of wildflowers that managed to bloom in the dimness.

  “Isn’t it amazing?” Alexandra said suddenly, breaking the silence. She knelt beside a cluster of soft, purple flowers that peeked through a crack in the stone. “These flowers find a way to thrive, even in the darkest places.” Koa crouched beside her, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just like us, I guess. We’re growing despite everything.” He glanced at her, the seriousness of their situation lingering in the air, yet the warmth of her presence made it easier to bear. Alexandra met his gaze, the connection between them deepening. “I just… I never thought I’d feel like this in a place that once felt so suffocating.” She brushed a petal with her paw, marveling at its resilience. “It’s strange how being free can change everything.” “We’ve both changed,” Koa said softly. “You’ve grown braver than I ever thought possible. Standing up to Evelyn, helping the rogues—it’s not something many would dare to do.”

  Her cheeks flushed at his praise, and she tucked a strand of fur behind her ear, feeling both shy and proud. “I had to. For my family, for you… for us.” Koa took a step closer, the distance between them shrinking. “Us. I like the sound of that.” He glanced around to make sure they were still alone before leaning in slightly. “I’ve wanted to say this for a while, Alexandra. You’re not just a princess to me; you’re my partner. Whatever comes next, I want to face it together.” Alexandra’s heart raced at the sincerity in his voice. “Together,” she echoed, her own determination surging. “I want that too. I’ve felt so lost for so long, but with you, I feel like I can really make a difference.” “Then let’s make sure we do,” Koa said, his eyes sparkling. “Let’s find out what these ‘Loners’ are up to. If they’re a threat, we have to be ready.” She nodded, her resolve solidifying even further. “We’ll figure this out as a team. But first, let’s gather more information from the guards.” As they turned back toward the main chamber, Koa smiled, feeling a mix of pride and affection for the princess beside him. “You know, I think we make a pretty good team.” “Yeah,” she agreed, a small smile playing on her lips. “The rogue and the royal.”

  Guards, Alexandra thought. They had talked to at least ten of them! and none, none! of them had given them hints about the “Loners.” Though some of them made glances at other guards, which was fairly suspicious. Eventually, one guard gave up the information.

  “Evelyn sent guards out to make sure she kept the Loners from showing their faces.” The guard explained. “She believed that they were out for her crown….” He said quietly and awkwardly. “She started acting shifty and, like always, nervous and self-conscious that someone was going to murder her.” The guard said, barking an unbelievable laugh. Koa shifted uncomfortably.

  “Well, in a way, she’s not wrong…” He said awkwardly.

  “What?” Alexandra’s head snapped towards him.

  “Uhhh, have you ever wondered why Celeste trained so much?” Koa said, as if stating the obvious. Alexandra’s eyes furrowed. “Celeste?” she asked, curious. They looked at each other, Koa squinting at Alexandra as if she had turned into a frog.

  “You don’t know?” He asked, his head tilting in confusion.

  “No?? What is it?” She pressed.

  Evelyn didn’t tell her, It dawned on him, his stomach lurching in his chest. “Nothing,” he said, turning away to the guard again. “What were you saying?”

  “Well-”

  “No, Koa, what is it?” Alexandra cut off the guard.

  “Nothing Alexandra, just….it’s nothing alright?” He struggled for words, not meeting her eyes.

  “KOA!” She yelled, causing both Koa and the guard to snap their heads towards her. “Tell me what you were going to say.” she said lowly, causing Koa to shift.

  “About what?” He tried to act, smiling sheepishly. Alexandra had a straight face and raised her eyebrow. He sighed. “Oh fine….”

  “She was training to kill Evelyn.” He confessed.

  An awkward moment of silence passed through the three of them, the guard looking back and forth between the two wolves, feeling the growing tension. For moments no one dared to speak, Koa was breathing quicker now, nervous now that he had said that. “Why was she training to kill my mother?” She asked, annoyed.

  Koa’s face shifted, one of pity and annoyance reflecting back onto him.

  “Because your mother killed our father.” He spat the words as if they were poison. Alexandra’s eyes fell to the floor, the truth dawning on her. “Should I go??? Or-”

  “She would never do that!” She yelled at him defensively. The guard's ears went down, falling silent. “WHAT?!” He snapped, huffing angrily. Alexandra looked taken aback, “I SAID, she would never do that!” She yelled, anger rising in her. “Why are you defending her!?” his eyebrows furrowed with….disgust as he saw her defending the wolf that had killed their father. His ears went down. “What is wrong with you?” He asked, his tone so casual it stabbed her in the chest. Her face fell from angry and defensive to hurt and shocked. “She might have fought with you during the war but she’s still my mother and-” “DON’T-” He said, cutting her off and turning away from her. He paused and scoffed while turned away from her. Something hit Alexandra as her face changed. “She wouldn’t lie.” She said firmly, though her voice cracked with emotion as she saw the wolf she once loved not even looking her in the eyes.

  Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

  “She did. Poison.” Koa’s voice rumbled with annoyance and remorse.

  “She wouldn’t-”

  “WHY ARE YOU STILL DEFENDING HER?” He whipped around, his snout twitching into a growl.

  Alexandra fell silent, eyes falling to the floor.

  “If you don’t even believe me then I don’t know who you are.” He said coldly, “Because the wolf I know would trust me blindly and this isn’t her.” he added, turning and walking away. Alexandra stood there, trembling slightly, her ears were down and her tail tucked between her legs. Her mouth opened as she watched him walk away, no sound coming out. As he rounded the corner the tension could almost be cut with a knife.

  “Princess are you alright?” the guard asked cautiously, eyeing and noting her vulnerable state. Alexandra felt as if the world was crumbling around her. “I-I’m fine..” she said, her voice barely a whisper. The guard reached out, stopping himself before touching her. “I can’t believe he would lie to you like that.” the guard said bitterly, scoffing and rolling his eyes. “Yeah! It wasn’t true right? She would never do that!” Alexandra said, turning to him. “You were a part of her war planning, you would know,” she tried to point out but her eyes flickered with desperation for the truth. I can’t not take advantage of her, shes so pathetic and vulnerable now, like how she used to be before those rouges. He thought to himself. “So? Did she really kill him…?” Her voice cracked with emotion as she looked at the guard. The guard remembered figuring out a quick poison in short doses, packing it in a vial for her and being her back up. “I will need someone to accompany me in case they have guards.” she had said, glancing around the room at the amount of guards in the room. “Onyx, will you accompany me?” She had turned to him, looking at him. “Me? Of course your majesty! It would be an honor!” Little did she know Onyx was in fact not her back up. *I need to see how powerful these rouges are and if we need to decimate them. The guard scoffed, “I still can’t believe we’re trusting these rouges….” He spat out, moving closer to Alexandra. Alexandra’s eyes flickered with so many emotions she couldn’t even explain. “Your mother might have been right about them,” The guard said toxicly. “They should be removed from the caves for that!” He added, peering over at her desperate face.

  Alexandra nodded self consciously, still not present in the situation and what was happening. The guard's face lit up, his face immediately forming a cruel smile. “Good choice princess…” He said lowly, walking out of the cave. His voice is heard giving orders to other guards, his tone sharp and commanding. Alexandra sat there, her eyes glued to the floor. Mother killed their father? There’s no way… she thought, her eyes watering as tears fell down her face, landing on the cold stone floor. Kane's voice is heard approaching. He spotted her in the cave and his face fell, he immediately rushed to her side, his arm falling around her in a protective way. “Alex? Are you alright?” he asked, his voice laced with worry. Everything I thought about Celeste was wrong….she was going to use me….she was using me……why am I so stupid and naive…. Rang in Alexandra’s mind. “Alex?” he asked, his voice gradually panicking. “That’s not my name,” she said coldly, she looked up and faced forward, not meeting eyes with her brother.

  No… this….can’t be….but…this is how she was with… Kane thought, his face dawning with horror. “What are you talking about? You said I could call you Alex even though no one else did.” He tried to keep the fear and tremble out of his voice as he reached out to touch her to comfort her. Alexandra finally faced towards him, her face monotone with barely contained rage along her face. “Alex…” He said, meeting eyes with her now dead and cold eyes, her whole self radiating power and something else he didn’t want to admit he saw. “Alex, this isn’t you!” He shook her, attempting to snap her out of whatever this was. “Don’t touch me,” She said coldly and threateningly. Suddenly she looked a lot bigger than Kane. She looked down on him, a face of disgust. “And my name isn’t ‘Alex’ “ She growled slowly at him. Kane flinched. What is happening!? He thought, trying to think of what might have happened. While he was thinking she had broke free from his grasp, walking away. “Alex- Alexandra!” She looked over her shoulder with the same look. The cold and even worse, familiar expression that he hated. “This isn’t you!” He said, standing up, about to take a step towards her but he stops himself. “I spent all my life being told what I was, what to say, what to do, and I’m done.” She snapped at him, “Guards!”

  About five guards filed in almost immediately as if they were waiting for her to summon them. “Escort him back to his room, he isn’t feeling well…” She said, her voice carrying a menacing tone that left no room for argument, whether it was another heir or not. The guards slowly took Kane, forming a circle around him, leaving no gaps. “Lets go prince Kane,” A guard from the back of the circle said roughly, shoving him forward in the middle of the huddle. “Alright, alright I’m going!” He snapped at the guard who shoved him, the guard flinched, causing Kane to feel a pang of guilt. He tried to look over the huddle for Alexandra but saw nothing, his whole view was being blocked. Where was she going? What was happening? Why had she suddenly turned like this??

  Alexandra

  Never again, never again will I trust, when I do it always ends up bad so what’s the point?! She thought, walking through the hall.

  People are just used to taking advantage of me, I need it to stop. This is the only way.

  She continued walking down the hall, and suddenly she heard Koa in his room.

  “How did she not believe me?!” He said to himself, hitting the pillow with his sword, causing feathers to fly everywhere.

  Maybe he was telling the truth…. Alexandra thought, her eyes fell on the scene.    ”I can’t believe he would lie to you like that” the guards voice rang into her head over and over again. Her jaw tensed, No, the guard was right. She pulled herself away from the scene and walked away. She walked down the hall to the battle room, storming in with a cold stare. The guards sat up straighter, feeling the tension of Alexandra the moment she entered the room. She sat down in the chair, her aura scarily matching Evelyn's. The guards exchanged glances, no one daring to say anything.

  “I’ll be maintaining the defence and offence council with my mother now gone.” She said, sitting down and facing forward. The guards exchanged glances one last time before nodding and turning their full attention to Alexandra.

  I don’t know what’s happening but I’m sure it’s going to work out lovely for me… one guard thought, his mouth forming a cruel and wide smirk as he saw Alexandra’s change in mood. Yes…I think this will work out just swell… Onyx thought bitterly, his mouth forming a broken and cruel smile.

  End of Chapter 8