Chapter 5 Waking to a Royal Lie

Ember Frost's POV

Pain slammed through my skull. I tried to open my eyes, but they wouldn't budge; they remained sealed shut like they'd been glued. Darkness pressed in, heavy and absolute. Had I hit my head on the cliff's edge? Or a rock in the river? Owen's sneering face flashed in my mind, his voice mocking: Useless human. I'd always been weak, hadn't I?

A rustle broke the silence, followed by voices, urgent, and overlapping. "Did she move?" "She's waking up! Fetch His Majesty!" The words swirled, unfamiliar and chaotic, spiking my headache. Confusion churned in my gut. Where was I? Who were they?

"Silence, please!" I croaked, my voice barely a rasp. The noise stopped instantly, a hush falling over the room. Exhausted, I sank back, the pain dragging me under. Sleep took me fast.

When I stirred again, voices hummed in my head, soft, almost musical, not a dream but real. They weren't grating, not like the pack's jeers back home. These were warm, alluring, like a lullaby I couldn't place. I wanted to see their faces, to match the voices to people, but my body screamed in protest. Every muscle ached, as if I'd been torn apart and stitched back together. My head throbbed like it'd been crushed under a boulder. If this kept up, I'd lose what little sense I had left.

"Why can't I see?" I mumbled, panic rising. My eyes still wouldn't open.

A gentle voice answered. "It's alright, Princess. You hit your head when you fell. Your vision will return soon."

Princess? The word jolted me. Was this a prank? A fever dream? Who were they calling Princess? My chest tightened, memories of that night flooding back, Owen's rejection, his cruel words slicing me open, the cold river swallowing me as I fell from the cliff. I'd wanted to die, to escape the shame, the pain of being a burden. Yet here I was, alive, surrounded by strangers. Why hadn't death taken me? Even the God of Death must've found me too pathetic to claim.

I tried my eyes again, willing them to open. A faint blue light seeped through, dim and hazy. I blinked, the effort searing, but the darkness held fast. My heart raced. Had the river blinded me? I'd fallen, the current dragging me, my body slamming against rocks. How was I still breathing? These people, whoever they were, had saved me. Kind, maybe, but they'd be disappointed. A weakling like me couldn't repay them, couldn't go to war with them, couldn't belong. They should've let me drown.

"They shouldn't have saved me," I whispered, tears pricking my sealed eyes. "I'm no use to anyone." Owen's voice echoed: You're pathetic. Stay in your hole. I'd brought humiliation to my family, to Elena, to the pack. I didn't deserve this second chance.

A gentle hand touched my forehead, soothing the ache. "Sleep, little one," a voice said. "Rest, and it will hasten your healing." Her tone was warm and kind, calming my fears. Weak as I was, I clung to it, too exhausted to fight. Sleep pulled me under again.

When I woke, my eyes fluttered open, just a crack. A soft blue glow filled the room. I blinked, wincing at the sting, and shapes began to form. My vision was blurry, like looking through fog. I felt relieved; at least I wasn't blind.

People surrounded me, their faces coming into focus. They wore sleek, yellow robes and moved gracefully. A tall woman stood in the centre, her long black curly hair piled high, her lips full, and her cheeks rosy. Her smile was beautiful, yet tears welled up in her eyes. The others fanned out around her, their eyes soft and welcoming.

"My Princess," she whispered, voice trembling with excitement. "Thank the Moon Goddess you're awake."

I stared, my head spinning. Princess? This had to be a joke. Maybe Elena, my best friend back home, had planned this; her wild pranks always caught me off guard. She would tease me, laugh, then hug me tight. But the room was too grand, its walls carved with intricate patterns, the air heavy with a scent I couldn't place, sweet, like vanilla. No one would waste this effort on a nobody like me.

"I'm sorry," I said, clearing my throat, my voice shaky. "You've got the wrong person." I braced for Elena to burst in, giggling, but the woman's smile didn't falter.

"No mistake, Your Highness," she said, stepping closer. "You're our royal princess. We nearly lost you, but the Moon Goddess guided us to you in time."

My heart raced, confusion crashing over me. Royal princess? I was Ember, the wolf-less human, rejected and humiliated. "You don't understand," I said, trying to explain. "I'm no one. I fell from a cliff, I-" I stopped, my headache flaring, making me wince.

A brown-haired woman in a simpler robe, maybe a maid, spoke up, her voice soft but tinged with awe. "The Moon Goddess spared you, Princess. You survived that fall by her grace."

My head spun, the room tilting. What was this place? Had I died and woken in some strange afterlife? Or had the river carried me somewhere new? The pain, the voices, the title, they overwhelmed me. I gripped the edge of the bed, nails digging in, trying to anchor myself. "I don't understand," I whispered. "What's happening?"

The tall woman knelt beside me, her hand gentle on mine. "You're safe now," she whispered, her voice soft as a mother's. "You're home. We'll explain everything, but you need to rest first." Her kindness disarmed me, but it only deepened my confusion. Home? I'd left my home, Klaus, my parents, and the pack behind. I'd jumped to free them from my shame.

"I'm not a princess," I said, shaking my head, the motion increasing the pain. "I'm useless to your pack." Owen's words echoed again, cutting deep. Useless. Pathetic. Tears burned my eyes, but I fought them back, refusing to break here.

"No, child, you are everything," the woman said, her voice fierce now, eyes blazing with conviction. "You're our hope, our future. The Moon Goddess brought you back to us." She squeezed my hand, her touch grounding me despite my doubts.

"Rest, Princess," the maid said, her voice soft as a lullaby. "We'll be here when you wake."

I wanted to argue, to tell them they were wrong, but exhaustion hit hard. My vision blurred again, the pain in my head intensified. I sank back, too weak to fight.