Elle's life had been the very definition of hell on Earth. Abandoned at the age of six, she had been left alone in a strange territory, far from everything she had known, by her own parents. Their words still echoed in her ears: "You will be safe here, in this new pack. We will come back for you when we can." But that moment never came. Each day passed in the hope of a promise unkept, in the shadow of a life marked by silence. Fourteen years had passed since that fateful day, and despite her parents' promise, no sign of them had ever broken the weight of abandonment. She lived in a world where pain had become her constant companion, where loneliness was her only friend. She clung to life by a thread, trying to find a spark of hope in an existence dull with fear and survival. She had learned to defend herself, to hide, to exist in this cruel world where love seemed a foreign concept. Until the day everything changed. The alpha king, relentless and imposing, found her, just when she believed her fate was sealed. The one who would turn her life upside down, the one whose shadow seemed to engulf hers, had crossed her path. A meeting that would change everything.
Chapter 1 01
Chapter 1
Faster, run faster! I screamed in my head, my breath coming out in jagged gasps, the cold air biting at my lungs. Every step sent jolts of pain through my body, but I ignored them. My legs burned, my muscles ached, and I was so tired. But I couldn't stop-not yet. I pushed myself harder, ignoring the agony, the exhaustion, and the doubt creeping into my mind. I had to keep going. I was so close.
Just a few more miles, I told myself. You're almost there-just a little further and you'll be out of their reach. Just a few more steps and you'll be free.
My body was starting to feel like lead. The cold snow beneath my paws didn't make it any easier. My wolf, a small grey creature compared to most, was just as exhausted as I was. Still, I kept going, each stride faster, my heart pounding in my chest. The border was within sight now. I could see the trees thinning out ahead of me, and beyond them was the freedom I had been craving for so long-the one thing that had kept me going when everything seemed too much.
I couldn't help the excited jolt of hope that surged through me as the thought of escape entered my mind. Almost there. I could almost taste it. But then, something in the air changed. The scent hit me first-earthy, musky, and familiar. A low growl vibrated in the back of my mind, and I didn't need to think twice to recognize it.
Beta Brent.
No. No, not him. I wasn't ready. I had to be.
The next thing I knew, I was slammed into the rough bark of a tree, the impact sending a shockwave through my body. My head spun as I hit the ground, the world tilting. Pain shot through my chest, and I whimpered, trying to scramble away, but my body refused to obey.
I barely had time to breathe before I heard a voice, rough and commanding.
'Shift!'
The force of the command slammed into me like a physical blow, and I was powerless to resist. With a whimper, I shifted back into my human form, curling in on myself, desperate to shield what little I could of my body from the snow. The cold seeped into my skin, but it was nothing compared to the agony radiating from my ribs. I could feel them protesting with every breath I took. He'd hurt me bad-too bad for me to fight back.
Then, through the pain, I heard the unmistakable sound of Beta Brent's paws crunching on the snow as he stalked closer.
"Get the fuck up!" he barked.
I winced at the sound of his voice, harsh and mocking. My limbs trembled, but I couldn't move. I was too weak, my body too battered to respond. I tried to say something, anything, but the words wouldn't come. They were lodged in my throat, thick and choking.
And then, without warning, I was hauled up by my arm. I let out a startled yelp as he yanked me to my feet, his grip tight and unrelenting. The pain from my ribs flared up again, and I gasped. He didn't even flinch, didn't spare me so much as a glance.
"Walk, bitch!" he growled.
"I can't!" I gasped, my voice cracking from the effort. "You broke my ribs."
"I don't give a fuck, you lazy bitch. Tony's pissed, and I can't wait to see what he's got in store for you this time."
I flinched at the mention of Tony, the Alpha-the one I feared the most. He was a monster, and every time I thought I might escape, he dragged me back with terrifying ease. I had thought I could outrun him. I had been wrong.
His words, like a cruel reminder, struck at the heart of my fear, and I felt my chest tighten. Beta Brent, clearly fueled by some twisted excitement at my fate, threw me over his shoulder like I was nothing. The shift in position made my ribs scream in protest, but it was pointless to cry out. He didn't care.
He was faster than me, too fast for my battered body to keep up. We were through the woods and back to the pack house in what felt like seconds. My pulse hammered in my ears as the fear settled in. I couldn't escape this time. There was no running from Tony, no place to hide.
As we approached the pack house, the familiar, imposing building loomed ahead. I could feel the weight of its walls pressing in on me, closing me in. Beta Brent didn't stop for a moment. He dragged me inside, and I winced at the sudden warmth compared to the bitter cold outside. But the warmth wasn't comforting. It was suffocating.
I was taken up the stairs to the Alpha's office, the place where nightmares were made. My heart pounded harder with every step. My body trembled, not just from the pain but from the dread that seemed to drip from the walls. This was where Tony made his decisions. This was where I would pay for trying to escape.
Beta Brent knocked on the door, his rough hand gripping me even tighter. The door creaked open, and we entered the darkened office.
Tony was sitting behind his desk, his cold brown eyes gleaming as they locked onto me. He didn't speak immediately, his gaze a slow, calculating burn. My breath hitched, and I lowered my head, knowing what was expected of me.
I wasn't allowed to meet his eyes. Not now. Not ever. To look an Alpha in the eye was an unspoken challenge-a death sentence, depending on the Alpha.
But I could feel the weight of his stare as if it was a physical thing, crawling over my skin. Slowly, he stood from his chair, every movement deliberate and predatory. My breath caught in my throat.
He didn't speak. He didn't need to. His very presence was enough to command attention. He moved towards me, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent room. Every step made my heart beat faster, the fear building inside me until I could hardly breathe.
I stayed on the floor, my arms wrapped around my knees, my body as small as I could make it. But it didn't matter. He was already close enough to see me tremble.
And still, he didn't speak. He just reached down and grabbed me by my arm, lifting me easily, as if I weighed nothing. My stomach twisted with dread.
What did he have planned for me this time?
All I knew for sure was that it would hurt.
Other books by Josue
More