Sofina was a wise leader. Older than her youthful looks blessed her with, she was said to be the most powerful of fae. But that made her not only an influential leader, but a deadly one at that. I dreaded to think how easy it would be for her to get into my mind. I was an unmagical human, after all.

Her hair was long, white, and wavy, cascading down her back and pooling around the ice-blue dress she wore. With elbow-length white gloves, she crossed them delicately on her lap. Her purple eyes scrutinised me before switching her ethereal attention to Wolfman.

"Beta Giometti." Sofina spoke, her voice a delicate caress. "How may I assist you?"

"I wish to take this human with me."

"Oh?" She quirked an eyebrow. "Is she your-

"No, your Highness." He was quick to shut her down.

My eyes widened as her lavender ones met mine. They were curious, running over my face with interest. Was something wrong with me?

"Why this human is covered in blood, Beta?" She hummed, glancing at him.

"That's because he punched the crap out of me." I stated.

Wolfman growled quietly, his grip tightening on my arm. I noticed the way Sofina's eyes widened when I spoke, and I wondered if I spoke out of term.

"You do not speak to her Highness without being addressed." Another fae spat.

One glance at the old man had me quirking an eyebrow. He must've been an elder, because the fae only showed their age when they were closer to death. They lived for hundreds of years, the oldest being around seven hundred, so I assumed this man here was close to that.

"Apologies, the human is a rat," Wolfman grunted. "I would like to take him with me to punish him."

Oh, so he still thinks I'm a man. I'm not even wearing my hat anymore. Am I that hideous? My hair was in a bun, held together with blood, yet... he sees me as a male?

That was an offence on my womanhood.

Perhaps I should drop my trousers to prove it? That would soon liven the room up.

"Punish them for what?" Sofina wondered. "Seems you have done enough of that already."

Wolfman's fingers became bruising, and I swivelled my head to glare at him. I would not react to his pain out loud, but I sure could burn a hole in the side of his fucking head.

"Theft. This human stole from me and my men, and I believe many other fae by how experienced he is." Wolfman explained. "With your permission, I would like to take him home so our alpha can deal with his punishment."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Sofina tilt her head. I noticed her gaze penetrating my skin when a strange dull throbbing started in my temple. It was either the un-godly amount of pain I was in, or perhaps a blood clot come to ruin my life. Either way, I turned and met her eyes. I would die either way.

"Bring him forward." She demanded.

Wolfman bowed once and, with mild resistance, dragged me closer. There were two steps that lead up to the platform the huge-ass chairs were on. When we approached, Sofina rose to her feet. She still clasped her hands in front of her, even as she moved to stand before me. She was taller than I, standing the same height as Wolfman.

"I can smell the amount of blood and pain you have inflicted on them." She tutted at him. "Surely that is enough, Beta?"

I wish.

He shook his head. "What he stole is irreplaceable, your Highness."

"I dislike seeing pain brought on such small individuals." She hummed sadly. "Tell me, human, your name?"

I winced as she directed her soft voice toward me. "I do not wish to speak my name."

"Oh? And why not?" She cocked her head.

"He is a street rat, your Highness, no doubt illegal." Wolfman butted in.

My head snapped toward him, and I glared. "Do you mind?"

His eyes narrowed with the challenge, squeezing my arm so tightly that I hissed with pain.

"And stop gripping me like a damn ape opening a fucking coconut!" I snapped.

Sofina's light laughter distracted me from my annoyance, and I looked at her with wide eyes.

"Oh, if you do not kill this one, I would love them to be an entertainer in my palace." She breathed. "I would love someone to tell me how it is."

"Your Highness, with all due respect, the human deserves punishment."

"Try harder, Beta. You are a wolf, no?" She smiled. "Wolves protect humans."

"I understand, your Highness." He bowed his head.

She sighed. "You may take them. It saves me the hassle of dealing with an illegal human."

"Thank you, your Highness." He bowed again before securing his grip on my arm.

"Hey, don't I get a say in this?" I pouted.

"No." He grunted.

I huffed as we turned to leave. There was a strange breeze across my shoulders that had the fallen tendrils of hair caress my cheek. It wouldn't have meant anything if the voice in my head that followed didn't freak me the fuck out.

'Be careful out there, Ziana.' A voice eerily like Sofina's murmured.

Looks like she knew my name, after all.

I only glimpsed the high fae staring at me as we left the room, because a taller male fae entered and distracted me completely. The picture of his mother, his hair was white and tied neatly back, his eyes a duller lavender. He stared back at me with curiosity, and my stomach tightening uncomfortably. A strange look passed over his face just before Sofina placed a hand on his shoulder, and the doors slammed shut behind me.

Huh, he was pretty.

"You're just property now, human." Wolfman chuckled, taking a signed letter from a guard. "It's going to be a long ride home."

Oh great, just kill me.

He threw me into the back of a one of those strange, wheeled vehicles without another word. I hit the ground of it with a thud, my cuffed arms trapped beneath me. I groaned as the door slammed shut behind me. Once alone, I shimmied myself up, so I was sitting. Looking around, I realised I was in the back of the vehicle, with a large metal divider holding a tiny window separating me from the seats in front.

Was I in the luggage compartment?

How rude.

The space in here was cramped, with no seats available, and only a glimmer of light shined through the barred space on the metal window. Plus, there was a terrible, terrible breeze coming from the door that they so graciously slammed in my face.

Dogs.

I huffed, straining my neck to see through the small hand sized gap at the top of the divider. There was another door slamming, and I saw the entire wolfman entourage sat on nice comfy, red seats. The beta was sitting in the front, his brown hair all I could see, with one male beside him and one behind. The one behind was so close to me, I could smell the cleanliness pouring from him. He had shaggy brown hair, tan skin, and brown eyes. He was broader than before, no longer wearing his cloak, and I remember him being tall because he was hard to punch in the face.

The one in the front was the one I stabbed in the shoulder, his hair dark, whereas this one was the one I stabbed in the arm because of his freakish height. I couldn't reach so high up, he must've eaten his broccoli growing up.

I smirked, remembering how well I had fought three fully grown men. Neo could not complain at my badass-ness, because I did so darn well.

The vehicle sudden roared, shaking the floor beneath me. I collapsed, spreading across the walls of the small space with sharp fear. I heard the beta snort, muttering about my only weakness being cars.

Cars.

Is this what this was?

Sounds like a cart.

Was it the same thing?

No, this one had some kind of electrical thing. Because the moment it roared at me, it started to shake and splutter as it moved.

Only the rich and noble had vehicles like this, so whatever a beta was, must pay good money.

Over ten minutes, I gradually got used to the loud shaking vehicle and found they missed the large bumps in the road. They must like this car.

Growing bored with only myself, I rose onto my knees and peered through the bars.

"Psst." I hissed.

Wolfman two's jaw clenched, actively avoiding me.

I sighed. "Psst!"

"What?" He grunted.

I grinned, successful. "Where are we going?"

"Our land."

"Cool," I nodded. "Where's that?"

"Drolmuun."

"So, you are wolves, then?"

A glimmer of blue eyes at the front of the car caught my attention, and I found the beta staring at me through a mirror. His eyes narrowed on me, flickering to the road and back.

"You seriously do not know the difference?" He snorted.

I shrugged. "I am an uneducated, illegal human street rat. You tell me what I know."

He growled at my mocking, looking back to the bumpy road ahead.

The one closest to me sighed. "Drolmuun is the land of wolves. We are going to the capital pack."

I shall call him two, and the one in front one. Simple.

"Ooh, how exciting!" I smirked.

"You could get hurt," the beta rose an eyebrow.

I rose mine back, aware he could see through the small gap they provided me with. "Okay."

"Maybe die."

"Cool."

"Death is cool?"

I rolled my eyes, giving him the only visible response he could get. "It's an adventure. Like this strange car is."

"You have never been in a car?" One snickered.

I glared at him. "Where would I have the resources to buy a vehicle?"

"She got you there," Number two mumbled.

I grinned, clicking my tongue. "What's your pack called?"

"Primal," Two answered.

"Primal?"

"That's what he said, didn't he?" One grumbled.

"Pretty lame name," I shrugged. "You should change it to Wolf-breath, or Flappy-tail, maybe Death-to-humans?"

The three of them growled, but number two held a glimmer of a smirk. I knew then that he was the weak link. He, I could make a friend in, possibly. If he would not kill me, perhaps. Goon one was evil, goon two may be kinder.

"What's your names?"

"You do not get that information." Beta grunted.

I huffed. "Fine, then you do not get mine!"

"Fine!"

"I bet I can guess anyway," I muttered. "Giometti, right?"

The beta glared at me before casting his eyes back to the road. "You are our prisoner; you do not get names or games."

"You are no fun."

"Prisoners don't get fun."

"I thought wolves were meant to be kind to humans," I pouted.

"Only if humans are kind to us, and even then, it's rather grey." He snorted. "The last I checked, you stole from us, stabbed us, and ran away."

"Yeah, well, you chased me, shot me with arrows, then beat me till I bled. Oh, and you threw me against a damn tree!" I hissed.

"Sounds like we are even." Two murmured.

"We are not!" One snapped. "She deserves capital punishment for theft. Fifty years ago, she would've lost her hands."

I gasped. "Not my magic fingers!"

Giometti groaned. "This is going to be a long drive."

That was my plan.

I grinned, plonking myself back down onto my ass and leaning against the wall. Time passed slowly, and eventually, nature called.

"Can we stop?" I wondered.

"No." Giometti growled.

"Please?"

"No."

"But I got to pee!"

"Tough."

"Please! I can't hold it!"

"Okay." He shrugged.

"I will pee in the car!"

"Then you can clean it up with your tongue."

"I'm already getting blood on it..." I huffed, thinking of a reason. "If I can guess your name within the next three miles, I win a pee break."

He hesitated, and I stared at the back of the car with impatience.

"Fine. If you can guess my name in ten minutes, you can fucking piss outside."

"Deal is on Rumpelstiltskin!"