The Goddess and The King

Chapter Two

Beep… Beep… Beep…

I pried my eyes open, slowly. Bright white walls and blinding lights assaulted my sensitive eyes as I blinked rapidly to adjust. The sharp smell of bleach filled my nostrils. I was in a hospital.

Looking around, I found myself situated on a firm hospital bed covered in a dusty baby blue blanket. An IV was attached to me via a needle in my hand.

“What the hell happened,” I thought.

One moment, I was standing outside reminiscing about… Then I woke up in a hospital. Just what the hell happened to me to be in a hospital bed?

Did my i***t brothers drug me again? Did James knock me out and have his way with me and act as if I was knocked out by falling… again? What exactly did they do?

I was deep in thought when a woodsy scent hit my nostrils and made me whip my head in the direction of the mahogany room door. A man too large for the tiny frame filled it entirely and stared at me. His gaze seemingly uncomfortable.

It was not like he was not handsome. He was. He was just too large. His frame said Danger and mayhem. He definitely was an alpha.

The corners of his mouth lifted. Was that a smile?

His features filled with joy as his smile took over his face, stunning me.

Oh my, he, in fact, was very handsome.

“You’re awake,” he said, relief pouring from his pores. His amber eyes boring into mine lifted from daggers to light feathers. He was not an alpha at this moment. Instead he was just a concerned man.

“Hello,” I croaked as loud as I could.

Suddenly, the man turned his head outside of the door and bellowed something I could not make out. He squeezed the rest of the way into the room and in followed three more men.

Great.

I knew the drill. Tell them I do not know what happened and that I do not remember and the damn Alpha will let me see another day.

The second man who filed into the room was slightly smaller than the first. This had to be the Beta. His sandy hair made him a prime steak on the eye candy menu, with his mysterious gray eyes and an uncovered torso that held an eight pack, this man could make any girl swoon from just a look.

The third man was the oldest of the group. He did not exude the amount of power the other two did. He was salt and pepper gray with kind sapphire eyes. Sadness filled me as I looked up at him.

As I assessed the men, the Alpha pushed the button attached to the bed and lifted me into a sitting position. He grabbed a stool and sat down, gesturing as he did to the other men. The Beta listened but the older gentleman shook his head and remained where he was.

“My name is Alpha Sam,” The Alpha introduced himself. He then pointed to the Beta who was sitting on a couch that was on the opposite side of the room. “This is my Beta, Beta Lionel. And this,” he motioned to the older man, “This is retired Gamma Reynold.”

I nodded. Sam, Lionel, and Reynold. They were a sight to behold.

I stayed quiet. I did not know what they wanted from me, nor why I was there. I did not even know what pack they were in charge of. I knew if I stayed quiet and complied with them that this would be over a lot sooner than it would be if I fought back.

“What is your name sweetheart,” the retired Gamma asked me, care and worry protruding through his voice.

“Danica Saumtner,” I whispered, not sure if they really heard me. Who was I kidding? They were all wolves. Of course, they heard me.

“Saumtner,” Beta Lionel’s ears perked up. “As in Beta Saumtner?”

I nodded my head slowly. I did not want to get into trouble.

“You are Beta Saumtner’s daughter,” the Gamma said slowly. I nodded again.

There was a heaviness around the room.

“No,” the Alpha suddenly sprang up out of his chair. “You are an omega.” The finality of his voice said it all. I was doomed. They were kidnapping me. I was to be an omega in his pack and serve him. My father would not even care to come find me.

Beep. Beep. BeepBeepbeep…

My heart pounded faster. Full panic set in.

The Gamma looked at the alpha in disappointment. “Alpha,” he warned, “She doesn’t know what is happening.”

The alpha looked at me as my cheeks heated up in embarrassment as I heard the beeping quickening.

The alpha looked down at me helplessly. He knew he misstepped.

“Right,” he muttered and sat back down on the stool. “Danica,” he said, pronouncing each syllable carefully. “There is something we must tell you.”

He looked around nervously, unsure if he should be the one to break the news.

“The Twilight Dawn Pack is gone. The small faction of fear-mongering humans dropped a dozen very large detonators on the pack lands and decimated the entirety of the pack, except for you.”

I looked at him, doe-eyed, not taking in the words he was saying.

The Beta cleared his throat. “I had no idea that Beta Sumtner had a daughter. And for you to survive relatively unscathed from that tragedy, you must be blessed by the moon goddess.”

I blinked a few times.

This did not make sense. What did he mean tragedy? What was going on?

This time the Gamma stepped forward and gently grabbed my hand. The sorrow in his eyes made me shiver.

“I know this is a lot for you to take in, Danica,” he said, softly. “But your family is dead. Your pack is dead. You are the only one who survived. And from where we found you, there was no way you could have survived, but you did.”

The wheels started to turn in my head. My father was dead? My brothers? James? All my tormentors and abusers were gone from my life in a blink of an eye.

Why could I not say something?

I was empty. There was nothing left in me. Not even my wolf. She must have retreated to protect herself, thinking we were goners.

I looked the old Gamma in the eyes. “Thank you for letting me know,” I said plainly. “What do I do now?”

The Gamma looked taken aback as he looked at the Beta and Alpha. They expected tears, they expected grief. But all they were given was… nothing. There was nothing in me to give to them. There was more relief of not being in the pack, not having the cruelty follow me as I knew it would when my father married me off to an ally or an enemy to protect his beloved pack. But grief for the cruel man, there was less than a tear of it.

“Your family is dead,” Beta Lionel said a little louder, unsure if I heard him. “Your father, the Beta, is dead.”

“I know,” I replied. “I heard what you said. My father, my brothers, the Alpha, his son, my mother, the warriors… They are all dead. And…” I paused, unsure about what information I needed to give them.

“I am weak,” I said. “I have a weak wolf and she is probably long gone now.” I gently retreated my hand from the gamma's grip. “She cannot protect me well. So she probably just left me to fend for myself as I cannot reach her.”

“What is her name,” the gamma asked, softly. He gently climbed onto the foot of the bed and sat there.

“Amethyst,” I whispered, suddenly feeling the grief they were waiting for. It was not for my family, but instead it was for my poor wolf. She did not deserve the torment she was put through. She did not deserve the pain of the silver she was slashed with. She did not deserve the abuse.

A tear trickled down my face.

“I bet she was a beaut,” the gamma said. “And I bet she is just resting up, like you should be doing now.”

He looked at the alpha and smiled.

“I will stay with her Alpha. And when she is able to be discharged, I am sure Susan will be more than happy to take her in.”

He looked back over at me, still smiling.

“My mate and I are going to take you in, Danica. Is that okay with you,” He asked so politely, as if he was concerned with my feelings.

I was so shocked, I could not say anything. I just nodded.

“Then it is settled,” Alpha Sam cleared his throat and casted Beta Lionel a look. “Danica Saumtner will now be Danica Marsh. An Omega of the Blue Moon Mountain pack.”

Alpha Sam suddenly looked sharply at me, almost menacingly. “Under no circumstances should you let anyone know you were Beta Saumtner’s Daughter. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Alpha,” I croaked, fear running through me. Why did he want me to deny my beta genes?

Alpha Sam and Beta Lionel said their goodbyes to Gamma Reynold and I, then walked out. I looked at the old man at the foot of my bed. He was staring at the door. I could only assume he was waiting for the men to get out of ear shot.

Finally he turned to me.

“Danica, Alpha Sam is just looking out for you,” he said. “Our pack borders the Were-Kingdom and if they know that you are the former beta’s daughter you will be treated as a political object instead of a person. He just wants you to live.”

I nodded. I could understand, but why an omega?!

“My daughter was used as one. She is married to one of the new King’s advisors as his chosen mate.” he looked down, sadness filling his eyes. “Hopefully this time, Susan will be able to see a daughter find their chosen.”

“Is she sad,” I asked him suddenly.

His head popped up. His face filled with confusion.

“Susan?” he asked.

“Your daughter,” I replied. “Is she sad that she is with the advisor?”

He smiled slowly. “She was at first. And I am very grateful that the man is a loving one. Honestly, the new King is completely different from his father. His court is kind and concerned with the packs more than the former King was. So the advisor is kind to her. I could almost say that he loves her very much.

“So no. She is not sad. She calls us often to tell us about the children and the things she is experiencing. I would like to think she is enjoying her life there.”

He looked so serene. And for a moment I felt grief about the life I could have had if my parents and my pack were any of the least bit as loving as this man was to his family.

“Get some rest,” He must have seen the tears that rimmed my eyes. “I know when the shock wears off, you are going to need us all to help you.”

With that, he walked to the door and dimmed the lights. “Sweet Dreams,” he whispered as he walked out of the room.

I reached up to my neck and felt nothing. The necklace was gone. Sadness consumed me. It was the only thing that had brought me joy all year. And it was gone, just like my family. Just like my past life.

Tears of relief and sadness streamed down my face as I drifted off into a dream land where only black eyes filled my vision and my heart.