ntly planted each stem. She moved in a calm, rhythmic way. She hummed an old song to herself, and the tune came out of her mouth. The morning

t," as she brushed a stray hair from her face. The flower shop, which was on a quiet street, had always been

o say hello to the person who had come in, but she stopped. Two guys stood in the entryway, and their dark suits stood out

ached into his coat and drew out an envelope. He held it out to her with a stiff, professional

as she thought about it. "Yes?" she answere

ope with his eyes. "Alpha D

e paper. It was like something she couldn't get away from. She gasped and moved back without thinking, her heart racing. The seal on the en

s shook just a little bit. She hurriedly scanned the words, but

ilt. She took a deep breath and looked up at the men. They st

enquired, her voice shaking a little ev

face like stone. "It's not up to us to explain," he ad

uldn't place it. There was something about it that made her skin crawl and

head. "I don't get it. What do yo

a second. She knew they weren't going to tell her the truth. Her

get away, but one of the men was already there, blocking her way befo

ed and pulled her arm a

in a monotone voice. "Don't make t

se speed. She tried to get by him, but the other man gra

n know who you are." "You're

pulled her towards the door. She was so desperate that she

strong for her. She yelled, "You can't do this!" in a panicked vo

, his expression frigid. "Yo

stand the thought of being taken away from everything she knew. She tried to

she begged, her

ans

sun's intense glare. She thought a lot, but nothing made sense. She battled against the men holding her, but t

look at the flower store and the cute street that made her feel at home. It everythin

nly watch as the automobile drove away, le

s if the weight of her thoughts could crush her. She needed answers, but th

e gotten he

orway of the flower shop. She couldn't see the face well, but she felt like she knew it. There

ped against her ribs. She had a tight grasp on her hands in her lap, and her knuckles were white, but the men in the front seats didn't say anything. The air in the automobile s

Where are we going?" She hated how her voic

heel. The other man, who had given her the letter earlier, looked back over his shoulder. His lips turned up in a s

s. Her mind raced: Who were these men? Why were they taking her away from everything she

ack, and his dark eyes were icy, as if nothing in the world could bother him. El

t wasn't simply cold; it was also dangerous. He knew some

"What's going on?" But they didn't respond.

with a black outline that looked like a promise against the cloudy sky. Her heart raced. This w

high above her, throwing long, dark shadows. Elara's breath caught in her throat as they got closer to the entrance gates. They were made of heavy iron and had a lot of intricate desi

going on. The world outside had already changed, and she was now stuck in something she couldn't get out of. Elara tried to calm down as

decision. Elara stayed still. She felt like her feet were stuck to the floor, and the words "You've been cl

ng in charge. The second person followed, his face unreadable and his

through her thoughts, telling her wha

ope was pulling her along. She paused and looked at the darkening door in front of her. The weight of the situation fell on her sho

uiet that it made her stomach turn. The men stood behind her without saying anything, as if they were w

, dominating figure in the doorway. Darius