Prince Kurat and Nari. Book 1, The Lycan Prince series

Chapter 2

Nari

I have been cleaning for the best part of three days; the Alpha’s annual visit is due tomorrow. The Ma’am has been bossing all us unfortunates around to get the place clean.

Psalm is still in with me at night but had started to come out her shell a bit through the day. She carries around a small stuffed bear, it was all she came with, and she never puts it down. Most of the other kids were pleasant enough and look after each other.

I had been scrubbing the stairs for the past four hours. Scumbag two aka Conrad had kicked the bucket over and when I had punched him in the stomach the Ma’am had taken the brush and replaced it with a toothbrush. I didn't care, really hitting that jerk was worth it. The only problem was that she had poured more chemicals into the bucket of fresh water and my hands are now suffering. They will heal, being a wolf has its good points. Being as stubborn as I am I would never let it show so just continue cleaning. There was no way I would allow her to see my pain, so I just plotted my revenge while scrubbing.

I was actually confused as to why so much effort was getting put into the mass clean, we never really did before. I guess I will find out tomorrow, if I have finished the stairs, I thought to myself.

The next morning was chaos as always but today there was no school as the Alpha visit was happening. I had just finished helping the younger kids get ready and was heading to the kitchen when I heard whispers coming from the office. Now, I know I shouldn't be eavesdropping, but something was weird about this so-called ‘Alpha’s visit’. We always would tidy the orphanage, this four-day scrubbing slave labour was just way over the top for our usual visit. Never before had she kept the children off school and never in my seventeen years have I seen her buy us new clothes.

So being me, I decided to listen to the three people that I hated the most in the world. Have you ever heard something and wished you never overheard it or eavesdropped in the first place? Well, that is exactly how I feel now listening to them, my blood is running cold. The anger and fear are coming in equal measures as I listen to them laughing about their plan. My heart is beating out of my chest to the point I am almost on the verge of a panic attack. Come on Nari, get your s**t together they will be able to hear your heart, it's that loud.

Moving from the office door I head to the kitchen, I just let my feet carry me. My head is a mess as I try to process what I overheard . According to the scumbag trio they are offering me to the Lycan king as a coming-of-age gift from the pack for his youngest son!

Seemingly each pack is offering a girl up as a gift, and I am the chosen girl from this poor excuse of a pack, and our equally scummy Alpha is happy to get rid of me. Well f**k that! Do they think I will just go without having anything to say about it. Let's see how they like me after this, I think to myself as I snatch a pair of scissors off the worktop in the kitchen. Poor Jennie, she just looked at my back as I storm from the kitchen with her scissors.

Getting to my room I slam my door shut and push the drawers across it. You think you can offer me up; well try this I think as I grab my waist length white hair and cut it off. After forty minutes of pure temper and some regret I am standing staring at myself. Looking in my broken mirror as the adrenaline leaves my body, the severity of what I have done sets in.

I look like I should have wings and be friends with Tinkerbell, I really didn't think this through, my temper always gets the better of me. f**k it! It’s just hair, it will grow back I think as I start picking up the piles of pure white hair that almost glows, standing out from the old worn-out carpet. Putting it in the small waste basket under the mirror I turn to my bed and look at the red and white sundress that Mrs Lightly has hand picked out for me. Not a colour I wear as my two different coloured green eyes normally clash with red.

I had just finished getting dressed when a soft knock came from my door. I already know its Psalm; I can smell her strawberry scent from here. Sliding the drawers along, I open the door to her, her eyes go wide at the sight of my new hairdo. Putting my finger to my lips I stop her from saying anything before scooping her up and shutting my door.

“Nari, what happened to your hair?” she asks in her small soft voice. Smiling, I look at her , she has big blue eyes, she is small for her age. For a shifter anyway, her mother was a human, that's where the biblical name came from. Hugging her to me I realise this could be the last time I see her, if what I heard earlier really happens. I have come quite attached to her in the small time she has been here, my heart feels heavy at the thought. I am lost in my own thoughts when her small hand reaches up and touches my cheek.

“Why are you sad Nari? Is it because of your hair?” I can't help but laugh.

“No little wolf. I wanted to look like Tinkerbell.” I say as I start to tickle her, she explodes in a fit of giggles. We are interrupted by the bell signalling it’s time to go down stairs for the arrival of the Alpha.

“Come on its time, now let's be brave like the goddess.” I say to her as I put her down and take her hand as we leave my room. I think I was talking to myself more when I referred to being brave.