Chapter 7: The Excuse

Olivia’s POV

​My heart slammed against my ribs, racing so fast I thought it might burst through my chest. For one terrible second, I forgot how to breathe.

​Does he know Annabel? Have I already been exposed?

​Despite the panic rising inside me, I forced myself to remain calm. I lifted my chin and held his gaze the way Annabel would have.

​"And what, exactly, makes you say that?" I demanded, keeping my composure.

​The man slowly stood and walked around his desk, stopping a few feet away from me.

​"Because Princess Annabel and I attended the same summer camp years ago," he said, studying my face. "I remember her. And I can tell you right now, you are not her."

​Shit. Shit. Shit.

​My stomach dropped. Every part of me wanted to turn around and run, but I couldn’t. If I showed even a second of fear, I was finished.

​I gave him a small scoff and tilted my head. "A summer camp? How old was I?"

​He hesitated. "Around eleven."

​"And you honestly expect an eleven-year-old girl to look exactly the same at twenty-four?" I folded my arms and looked at him as though he were the one being ridiculous. "That was thirteen years ago. I was a child. People’s faces change."

​Of course, I wasn’t twenty-four. I was twenty-five. But Princess Annabel was twenty-four, so twenty-four was what I had to be.

​The Grand Healer frowned, still studying me. "Yes, it has been a long time, but your face..."

​"What about my face?" I challenged, taking a step closer. "People change as they grow. Or did you expect me to look eleven forever?"

​He frowned. For a moment, I thought he might push harder, but then he let out a quiet sigh. Turning on his heel, he walked back behind his desk, sat down, and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. I could still see the heavy doubt lingering in his eyes, but just like everyone else, he had no proof.

​"Regardless," he said, picking up his quill. "Alpha Lucian has assigned you to me. You’ll be working as my assistant."

​I blinked. "Your assistant? I have no experience in medicine."

​"You don’t need experience to carry supplies, organize herbs, clean wounds, or follow instructions," he said without looking up from his papers. "You will learn."

​"That’s all?"

​"For today." He glanced up at me. "You start tomorrow morning."

​"Fine," I nodded.

​"You may leave."

​I turned before he could change his mind and headed for the door. The moment it closed behind me, I pressed my back against the wall and took a shaky breath.

​That was close. Far too close.

If the Grand Healer had known Annabel more recently, everything could have ended right there.

​I forced myself down the stairs and looked around for the guard who had brought me, but he was gone.

​Of course. Apparently, no one cared whether the enemy princess knew her way back.

​I headed toward the exit alone. The moment I stepped outside, whispers followed me.

​"That’s her."

"The Blood Moon princess."

"Why is she here?"

​I ignored them. More people stared as I crossed the courtyard, but I held my head high like a princess and kept my shoulders straight. Princess Annabel would not shrink because people hated her. So neither would I.

​By the time I reached the main mansion, I was beginning to remember the way back to my room. I had barely stepped through the grand entrance when two maids approached me.

​"Princess Annabel," one of them said coldly.

​I stopped.

​"Alpha Lucian has sent for you," she continued.

​My stomach tightened immediately. Again? "What does he want?"

​The two women exchanged a quick glance. "He didn’t say. Please follow us."

​I nodded and followed them up the staircase. We continued down a long hallway, but after a few minutes, something began to feel wrong. I slowed my steps. This wasn’t the same part of the mansion they had taken me to last night. I looked around at the unfamiliar doors.

​"Where are we going?"

​"To the Alpha’s study," one maid answered quickly.

​I frowned. His study? I didn’t remember it being this far away, but I couldn’t exactly admit that I didn’t know my own husband’s mansion.

​They finally stopped in front of a wooden door. One of the maids knocked twice.

​There was no answer.

​Before I could question them, the other maid turned the handle and pushed the door open. "Go in, Princess."

​I looked at her suspiciously. "Is Alpha Lucian inside?"

​"Yes."

​Something about her answer made my skin crawl. I cautiously stepped forward and looked into the dark room.

​"Alpha Lucian?"

​No answer.

​I immediately turned around. "What are you..."

​Two hands suddenly shoved me hard from behind.

​I screamed as I stumbled into the room. The door slammed shut behind me, followed by the click of the lock.

​My blood went cold.

​"Open the door!" I shouted, pounding my fists against the wood.

​No one answered.

​I grabbed the handle and twisted it repeatedly, but it wouldn’t budge. Panic rose inside me as I pulled harder. "Please! Open the door!"

​My voice echoed through the room, but no one answered. I finally turned around, and that was when I realized just how dark the space was. There were no windows, no lamps, not even a single candle. I couldn’t see anything.

​My entire body went cold.

​No. Not this.

​I had always been terrified of being trapped in dark places. Ever since that night four years ago, darkness brought back memories I had spent years trying to forget. My mother’s screams. The poison. Watching helplessly as they dragged her away.

​Run, Olivia! My mother’s voice suddenly filled my head.

​"No..." I whispered, shaking my head. "No, no, no."

​My chest tightened. I tried to take a deep breath, but I couldn’t pull enough air into my lungs. I turned back to the door and began pounding again. "Open it!" I screamed. "Please, open the door!"

​Low giggles came from outside. I froze. They were still there.

​"Please," I begged, no longer caring about acting like a princess. "Please let me out."

​Another laugh came through the door. Then I heard footsteps moving away.

​"No! Come back!"

​I threw myself against the door and pounded harder, but their footsteps continued to fade.

​"Please!"

​No one came back. My heart was beating so hard it hurt. I pressed a hand against my chest and tried to breathe, but every breath became shorter.

​The room suddenly felt smaller, as though the walls were closing in around me.

​I stumbled backward and hit something behind me. An object crashed to the floor, and I screamed before dropping to my knees.

​"Help me!"

​My hands shook as I crawled back toward the door. I pressed myself against it, desperately searching for the handle.

​"Somebody... please help me."

​My mother’s scream flashed through my mind again, and hot tears spilled down my cheeks. "Mother..."

​I couldn’t breathe. My chest burned, my head spun, and my whole body shook.

​"Please..." I whispered, clawing weakly at the door. "I can’t breathe..."

​My strength began to disappear. I slid down the door until I was lying on the cold floor, desperately trying to breathe.

​But I couldn’t.

​Everything was fading to black. I was dying.