<h4>Chapter 518: 518-I Am In The North</h4>


    <strong>Mariana:</strong>


    "I thought you were wiser than your sister, but I was wrong," he hissed, staring into my face.


    "You would not even marry Messi. You could not secure Troy. You have done nothing." he continued.


    "So how about I let your sister’s husband take the crown and keep the luxuries? You are useless now. You are a threat."


    Tears spilled from my eyes as he forced me to look at him.


    "Your Highness, what should we do with your wife?" one of the warriors asked, refusing to use her title.


    "Throw her in the dungeon for now and call the council leaders. We need a n," my father ordered without hesitation.


    "And find out where Clementine is. Make sure she is in no condition to be seen or heard by anyone."


    His words settled over me like ice. He looked down at me and smirked.


    "You must be wondering why I am saying this in front of you," he murmured.


    "That is because you will never open your mouth again."


    Heughed harshly. My vision darkened at the edges.


    He leaned closer and whispered against my ear.


    "You are of no use to me. So go ahead, little princess, and see if you can survive in the North."


    Everything went ck.


    I do not remember what happened afterward. I was not even awake to see my life change.


    All I remember is my father’s face and the anger carved into it as he choked me until I passed out.


    Hisst words did not register before everything went dark. I could not react.


    I could not even beg him to forgive me.


    But deep down, I did not believe my father would be so cruel that he would actually throw me into the North.


    When I regained consciousness, it felt like I was inside a vehicle. At first, I thought maybe they were sending me to another house, or perhaps locking me in some hotel. My father used to give punishments like that.


    It also felt like I had been given another dose of something after I passed out. Maybe a tranquilizer or some kind of sedative.


    Waking up was difficult. My body felt heavy and distant.


    But as I slowly became more aware, I realized at least one thing. Wherever I was, I had never been there before.


    A faint groan slipped from my lips as I forced myself to wake up. My eyes still felt unbearably heavy.


    It felt like I was lying somewhere freezing cold. There was no soft mattress beneath me and no fluffy nket wrapped around me.


    I was on the ground. It was soft, but wet, and it smelled of soil and damp earth.


    The moment I realized that, I shot upright.


    Horror settled in as I looked around and understood where I was. I was in the woods.


    My heart began to pound. This had never happened before.


    My father had never left me in the woods as punishment.


    "Can you hear me?" I called out to my wolf inside my mind.


    She was silent.


    "It looks like he left us in the pack woods," I told her quietly. "But this is the deep side."


    I spoke to her again. Not because I thought she was awake, but because I needed someone to talk to. Otherwise, I would lose my mind.


    I was already terrified. This had never happened before.


    I pushed myself to my feet and scanned my surroundings.


    It was almost evening.


    I was certain now. My father had left me in the woods on purpose.


    He wanted the princess to find her own way home for the first time.


    So I decided that if my father wanted to test me, if he wanted to see how I would survive in the wild, then I would show him that I could.


    With that thought in mind, I began following the faint light I could see ahead. I knew that if these were my pack’s woods, sooner orter something would look familiar.


    But if this belonged to another pack, things could be difficult.


    All I needed to do was find someone. Any person. I just had to ask for help.


    The air in the woods that evening felt toxic. I coughed several times, trying to clear my throat, but each time the irritation returned.


    I did not understand what kind of test this was, but I kept moving. I kept trying to find something, some path, some way out.


    After walking for a while, I finally saw a brighter light ahead. I was certain then that I had reached the right ce.


    I stepped out quickly and stopped near the road.


    I looked both ways.


    "Is anyone there? Can someone help me?" I shouted as loudly as I could.


    Suddenly, it felt as if the trees themselves responded. Strange sounds echoed back at me, as though my voice had awakened something.


    A fit of coughing seized me again. My throat had gonepletely dry.


    "Please help me! I am the Alpha’s daughter!" I yelled again.


    In the distance, I noticed a shadow.


    I began waving my hands wildly.


    "Hey! I’m here! Can you help me?" I called out, wrapping one arm around my stomach as pain began to spread through it.


    I started running toward the shadow.


    But as it grewrger and I drew closer, something felt wrong.


    No human neck could be that long. No animal either, unless it was an ostrich. But what would an ostrich be doing on a road?


    I slowed down.


    Then I saw it lift its neck.


    I froze.


    It was shaped like an ostrich, but something about it was wrong.


    The moment it heard me shouting, it charged at me and attacked.


    The moment that thing reached me, I moved to the side. Its long neck shot upward and then mmed down as it tried to grab me with its beak.


    I had nothing to defend myself with. The only thing I had were the high heels I was wearing.


    I grabbed its neck with both hands and wrapped my arm tightly around it. It thrashed violently, and fear surged through me.


    With one hand, I kicked off my shoe and started stabbing its neck with the heel. Once. Twice. A third time.


    My anger grew with every strike.


    When it lowered its head for a second, I adjusted my grip. This time, when I drove the heel down, it pierced into its forehead.


    I did not stop. I kept screaming and striking it again and again until its massive body copsed to the ground.


    When it finally stopped moving, I pulled my heel free and stood in front of it, breathing hard.


    Then I lifted my head.


    More of them wereing.


    That was when I understood.


    I was in the North.


    My father had truly left me in the North.