Betrayed By The Vampire Prince

Sneaking out

Lala's POV

I'm certain he was the one I saw leaning on that tree. Yet, I doubt he's the one. Not only is it impossible for him to pass through the guards undetected, but he doesn't know my house.

It has been two weeks since I last saw him, and I have gotten to the end of my patience. For the last week, I have been on my best behaviour; going on errands for my father, and ignoring my brothers when they tried to get a rise from me.

I have done practically everything to win my father's trust, and today is the day I test it. I need to know if all the things I have done so far are enough to score a run in the forest around the pack.

I knocked on the door of my father's room and stood back. I'm dressed in a red gown that stopped immediately after my knees. There is nothing I won't give, so I can dress in one of my brothers' clothes, but I know doing that will make the little trust I earned dramatically go down.

I have my hair up in a double ponytail, with a few strands cascading down my face in a curly wave.

It took me close to an hour to dress this neat, all to win my father's approval. I knocked once more when I didn't hear his voice.

My mother has gone out to discuss the terms of Hilda's mating ceremony with her mother. I know when she returns, she will tug my ear off with talks about Hilda and Emma.

Just like my father, she is also eager to give me out to any Alpha that will look past my stubborn, arrogant rebellious self, to see the beauty in me.

I scoffed as I knocked on the door once more.

“Father, are you there? It's Lala.”

“As if I don't know your scent.” Father's gruff voice replied from the other side of the door.

This man! So, he knew it was me. That was why he decided not to answer.

“Father?” I tried to keep the anger off my voice because I'm here to ask for his permission. I can't afford to mess my plans off because I can't keep something, as simple as my anger, in check.

“What do you want, Lala? I'm busy with work.” He called out in a tired voice.

Since Lux was spotted by the members of the pack, father has been working tirelessly.

He has been planning on building a wall around the pack, which is a difficult feat. We are well over three hundred wolves with houses scattered around the pack.

Building a wall around the pack will take more than three full moons. However, that's if we can do that.

“Lala? Are you still there?” He asked when he didn't get a reply from me.

“Yes, father.” I bit my bottom lips and nervously folded my arms as I tried to think of the right way to approach him, so he won't flip.

“What do you need?”

“Father, I have been a good daughter this past week, haven't I?”

I had to endure different meetings with the young Alphas in the pack, all because I needed to be a good daughter.

“... Yes, you have. Surprised the wolf out of your mother," he chuckled. "You were indeed on your best behaviour.”

Good. I smiled, pleased to know his thoughts about the fake life I have been living for weeks.

“... So, father, I have been… I have been…" I tugged on my right ponytail. “I have never been confined to a place for a very long time. Please, father, can I be permitted to stretch my limbs?”

“Outside the perimeters of the pack? No!” He said in a resolute tone, one that left no room for negotiation.

His refusal made me do something I never had thoughts of doing.

That was why I'm out here when I was supposed to be asleep. I climbed down from my window and glanced around to be certain no one saw me.

I'm putting on the only tight slacks I have, which I pared off with the new black shirt I knitted with Hilda. It took me close to four days to complete the work, and I'm loving it already.

There's one I'm making for Lux. It's not yet ready, but it will be after a week. I glanced around once more before I took off for the forest.

I locked my door so no one will be able to enter my room. Though my parents are strict with me, none of them dares enter my room when it's locked.

The half-moon in the sky looked as lonely as I did. I crouched down low as I hurried towards the tree I saw Lux on a week ago.

My heart is beating fast, not from fear, but from the thrill of what I'm doing. I know father will undoubtedly have my head should he discover that I ran out of the house despite his orders for me to stay indoors.

I bit the inside of my lips as my eyes scanned the area. I don't need the dull light of the moon, to see in the dark. My eyes are sharp enough for that.

I squatted on the ground and crawled on all fours. I would have changed into my wolf, but I didn't do that because I knew I will be caught easily. The Betas at the border will be able to catch a whiff of my scent should I change.

I glanced around the place before I made a mad dash for the larger part of the forest. For three days, I have studied the Betas and Deltas that are on patrol duties every day. I'm betting the ones guarding at night take the same measures as the ones guarding during the day.

Still in my crouched form, I slowly climbed over the small lines they made as my eyes darted around. I chose the part of the forest that has only two werewolves guarding it because of how small and scanty the trees around this place are.

I hid behind a tree when I heard footsteps. I plastered myself to the tree as I tried to regulate my breathing, so I won't be caught by the guards.

Just a skip of my breath is enough to alert them of the presence of another. I picked up a stone next to me as I bit my bottom lip. I have always been a rebellious daughter, but not to this extent. I have never gone this far, but here I am, defying my father's orders.

Thankfully, I took one of my brothers' scent-masking powders. Else, they would have perceived my scent from the distance.

The two werewolves stood two feet from where I am. It would have just taken them a turn of the head to locate me.

“Did you hear a sound?”

“I did. It could be one of those stray rabbits who occasionally comes for the nuts.”

“Squirrels, idiot.”

“What?”

“They are called squirrels. Those little animals that come for nuts are squirrels.”

“Nut? You talking about your nut?”

"The hell you talking about?"

"Your nuts."

“Shut up, idiot.”

The men bickered back and forth with each other while I counted the time until I threw the big stone I got towards the opposite part where I was.

Immediately, their heads snapped towards the place the noise came from. They ran towards the tree, giving me ample opportunity to race through the trees until I got to the entrance of the forbidden forest.

I glanced around to be certain none of them saw me before I turned and headed into a forest I haven't stepped my feet in, for two weeks.

I stopped at a tree not too far from the hut, to check my appearance. My hair, which was neatly done earlier today, isn't neat any more because of the number of times I ran my hand through it, infuriated because my father didn't allow me to leave like I wanted.

I ran my hand through my hair before I checked my clothes. My heart, which didn't beat fast when I was next to the Betas, picked up speed. My palms felt sweaty, and my throat was dry.

I rubbed my palms on my clothes as I slowly walked towards the hut. Aside from the chirps of the crickets, there were no other sounds.

Could it be that he's asleep?

Of course, he is. Why will he be awake by this time of the night? It's not as if he's expecting my presence.

“Hello?” I called out as I tried not to think of the possibility that he might have left the hut. Perhaps, he has recovered his memories and left.

“Hello?” I stood in front of the door and peeped into the hut. My heart sank when I noticed how deserted the hut was.

My vampire isn't here any more. I sniffed back tears as I tried not to act emotional.

“Who are you?” A deep, hoarse voice asked from behind me as I felt his hands wrap around my neck in a chokehold.