Chapter 4 A LITTLE BIRDIE

The sky was plain dark, illuminated by what used to be a golden globe but now a large ball of red fire. It was blazing red and obvious that the Moon Goddess was out to bless the new heir. It bothered her so much that the supposed chosen Alpha was in the room with her. The Reeds and Woodscrewers are not meant to mix, but there he was. The Alpha of the Reeds associating and needing the help of a tiny Woodscrewer.

"I don't know if I can do it." Lyla moved towards the door, but he was faster. His hand covered the knob, making it hard for her to get through. "Let me through. This is crazy and I don't think I want to be involved."

"You were in on it, weren't you?"

Lyla shook her head, shutting her eyes against the thought of helping the Prince escape and getting caught.

"You won't get caught. If you're swift with it," Dranco assured, his authoritative voice softening with low intensity. "I just need to escape death until I can come back to claim what's mine."

He would be killed if he didn't leave and his blood would be on her hands. But Lyla was not only bombarded with such thoughts. She wondered if his heart was racing the same way as hers and if he noticed her nose redden every time he eyed her. Thankfully, the room was not well-lit s, he couldn't have seen the hot red button nose on her face. That would have been extremely embarrassing.

"Fine." Lyla managed to say. "If we are going to do this, you have to follow my lead."

By the twinkle in his eyes and the tight-knit drawing of his brows together, she figured he was not used to following people's leads. She was not fazed by his intimidating eyes that followed her around even when she went to her closet and brought out a soft pink hand-knitted sweater and a black hat for him to wear.

"No one will ever imagine the Prince in a pink color she explained after seeing the confusion on his face. "And the hat is to conceal that horrendous hair. The poor thing has been through a lot."

He grunted and came closer, grabbing the sweater from her hand. She felt their hands brush and the electrifying feeling resurfaced. Dranco was now towering over her with only the fabric separating them by only an inch distance between them. "I'm not wearing this."

His words went straight through her heart that she forgot she had a huge crush on the man before her. She snatched the sweater from him with the aggression of a wounded Lion. "Then, leave if you won't do what I asked you. You came to me for help."

"I saved you." He growled behind her as she moved around a lot, returning the pink sweater to her closet.

"I don't know why I keep forgetting how entitled you Reeds are. Always taking and taking from us but never grateful for the fact that we are in charge of how you are fed!"

"You can't say that," Dranco warned.

"Or what?" Lyla turned abruptly but almost fell as she bumped into him. The man is built like a goddamn wall. She closed her eyes, expecting him to wear on his authority and kill her. She would not expect less from a Reeds, not to mention the Alpha. After a moment of silence, their heavy breath the only sound interrupting the quietness, she decided to open her eyes. His hands have been clenched into two huge fists and his fierce expression is written all over his taut jaws and cheekbones. His smoky fog eyes glared hard at her as he took in her features. His gaze raking over her made his brows tighten even more. When his icy glare returned to her face, he gripped her chin so that their eyes could be locked.

"You will do as I say or you're going to regret every second of your life if you don't." Dranco snarled.

"Fine," she said softly. She couldn't think of anything they could do at that time but she paced the room to avoid his piercing gaze. He was terrifying when he got angry and she was shaking like a leaf.

A rapid knock on the door jolted her back to her senses. Dranco also turned to face the door, his confident stance challenging her attempt to ruin everything. She knew she had no choice but to keep quiet so she slowly called from where she stood, eyes on the floor as she felt his stony gaze on her.

"Who's there?"

"Lyla sweetheart?" It was her mom. Her face lit up but Dranco gave her a warning look.

"It's my mom. She's not going to rat us out." She whispered but he shook his head.

"Are you okay in there? There are certain people here claiming you are involved in a treachery of some sort but I had to tell them it's impossible." From the Indistinct mutterings outside the door, they both knew the guards were probably outside waiting to break in and search the whole room. "See? I told you she would never do such a thing."

"Then, let us in!" Sanjo's voice rang through the walls.

Her heart skipped a beat and she just knew that the idiot had gone to rat them out. She looked at Dranco and for the first time saw both anger and fear in the same eyes. He looked at her with longing and plea until tears pricked her own eyes. If she says no, he will be killed instantly. But if she does say yes, there is no guarantee what will happen so she could as well take chances.

"Open the goddamn door."

"Or we kick it in!"

"I...I'm naked. I'm coming."

The banging on the door was now too violent that she was forced to react. Dranco moved to the window. "It's too far to the ground but if I'm able to get to that tree, I can run through the fields and get the hell out of here."

"And forget we ever crossed paths?"

Dranco paused for a while, arching a brow before walking towards Lyla. She thought he was going to kill her despite her kind heart or harm her. He was two times bigger than her and would have no problem doing either. Instead, he placed a hand under her chin, pressing a thumb on her lower lips before wearing the black hat on his head in a fashionable way.

"How can I ever forget your kind act?" With that, he left, leaving her dazed and confused.

The door was kicked open and a battalion of armed men rushed in, led by Sanjo and the head of the army himself. "There she is," Sanjo who still held his bleeding head said, with a swollen mouth, pointing his finger towards Lyla. "She helped the Prince escape."

Diane rushed to Lyla's side in a bid to protect her daughter. "My daughter did no such thing. She has been in this room since morning getting ready for the initiation party. You're just looking for ways to bring her down, Sanjo."

"Well, explain how I got a gash on my freaking face! Your freak daughter could never raise a hand, not to mention hit me. But the Prince did." Sanjo continued to yell, making Lyla flinch.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, if you don't mind us searching through your room." The head of the army started. Lyla had started praying to the Moon Goddess hoping they don't see the blood stain on the windowsill. "And sniffing out the Royal scent on your bed, door, and even the Window."

Her heart dropped to her stomach as she had forgotten. They followed his scent to Woodscrew and Sanjo had helped them identify his track.