“Hey there alpha. I’ve never done anything against you, so how about we just let this go.”
I kept backing up, my back hitting a massive trunk and making me stop. I tried to peer over my shoulder without losing sight of the wolf in front of me. I could do this. I could survive a weak asshole and maybe I could do it not on the ground.
The bark under my hands was rough as I followed it up behind me trying to find a branch without calling attention to what I might do. He snarled again, and I realized I had nothing to lose. Nothing to be scared about. I could have a life with a new pack or I could lose my life and have peace with the goddess. Truthfully death seemed less scary.
“Come and get me asshole,” I said and dropped the stick in my hand. A branch protruded above my head and I jumped just in time to grab it. My arms burned with a strength somewhere between human and wolf. I could do this. Momentum and fear and pure stubborn determination had my feet wrapping around the branch just as the asshole charged me. His snout hit the tree.
“You suck at being a wolf,” I said. No time like the present to air every grievance I’d ever felt in my life. I pulled myself up along the trunk of the tree, reaching for the next branch. I took a risk at looking down and saw his teeth bared as if he were sneering or his wolf were. Was his wolf really just as bad as he was? There went the last thought I had for thinking he had even one redeeming quality.
The wolf lunged up and snapped at my feet.
“You’re going to have to try harder, prick.”
Two branches above the ground and I swore his growls were louder. Quickly securing myself the best I could, I looked down and saw two wolves circling. One was for sure the alpha and the other? I didn’t recognize him. Then a third showed up.
Well, this wasn’t good. I tried to connect with my wolf. She was so much closer. I could almost feel the tingle of her trying to surface to protect us but it disappeared as quickly as it had come on. Years of being cooped up didn’t help any of this. I couldn’t be sure it was just the drugs anymore or my lack of training. The Cripple Creek pack had known ways to break a shifter and ways to control them.
Right now it was working. They’d taken everything and my father had just allowed it. No one was here for me. No one. They’d once tried to drain me of hope, and yet my dream stayed alive and here he was. Except maybe this was when I broke. Maybe today with them snarling and threatening to come for me and kill me is when that last spark of hope died. And why wouldn’t it.
I clung to the tree branch and closed my eyes. The sounds of the anger in those wolves drowned out the hope and excitement I’d had. The idea that I could have something suddenly coming clear into focus. No. I couldn’t keep something for myself. Girls like me? We didn’t get the happy ending.
If I just let go, everything could stop. The running, the loneliness, the anger. It would all stop.
I caught his scent as I clung for my life and my sanity. Did I let go or just keep praying that they tired? I pulled in the air and let the calm of him wash over me. He was somewhere in the forest, and maybe somewhere closer than I knew. It didn’t matter. His existence calmed me.
There was already chaos below me, but the sound of a ferocious growl, unlike the rest, deeper and scarier than the few below me, had me opening up my eyes curious how much worse this could be. Goddess, did I really need worse?
A massive wolf darted out of the trees and into my little party. What was one more uninvited guest, really?
Except as I followed him, I saw him spare me a glance for a second before he tore into the neck of one of the smaller wolves. There was blood everywhere, and the wolf was limp as my new rescuer thrashed the body and tossed it behind him like it weighed nothing.
Then he crouched lower as he approached the wolf I did recognize. The one that had my heart pumping like I was running for my life and yet I was clinging to a tree instead.
They circled around, dancing with the promise that someone wasn’t leaving there alive.
The alpha of the Cripple Creek pack backed up into the tree and shifted, his hands high in the air.
“Now, now. Come, Devon. We were just playing with her. After all she isn’t really Black Creek now is she?”
I must have gasped because Devon turned his eyes up to me while he still flashed his teeth at my old alpha. I swallowed. This was Devon? He was the largest wolf I’d ever seen.
“Come now son, shift so we can handle this like alphas.”
A smaller wolf came around the side of Devon. No, she was the female I’d already seen. She tried to nuzzle him and he snapped at her, making her yelp and move away. She shifted a few seconds later.
“Daddy, what did you do?” she whined. I cringed. That voice needed to just not. If I never had to hear her again, it would be too damn soon. I couldn’t fathom or rationalize staying in this pack if she were going to be the luna. Except.
My wolf pushed against my body, and the tingle started all over again, but it still disappeared. I got off the branch and worked to drop down to the next and then the ground.
“Go jump off a cliff Nessa,” I said. I didn’t even realize where I was standing, but it was between her and Devon. My Devon. My hand flew to my stomach as a strange quiver deep inside me. Not fear and not directly related to whatever I was thinking. Nessa snarled and lunged, but I was more agile than she expected.
“Come here you stupid slave,” Nessa yelled at me.
I snorted. “How many years did you force me to wait on you hand and foot and you have no idea what my name is?”
She scowled, but instead lunged for me again, she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Why would it matter? One servant is as good as another and you all get sold off at some point, anyway.”