Chapter 9
HAILEY STEWARTS
Terror gnaws at my gut as memories flood my mind, holding the door frame as support. My legs felt wobbly as tears brim my eyes, memories that I didn't let invade my mind came rushing crashing in waves... My facial features were of my mom's; her lips, her high cheekbones, her smile and my red hair but I had my father's eyes and his blood of a fighter.
My mom was Luna of our pack and my father Alpha, they ruled side by side an undisputed pair with the strong brave no nonsense character from my dad and caring, forgiving and tigress heart of my mom they built the pack to the empire it was, one of the greatest and courageous pack that no one dared attack our warriors skilled to the teeth always prepared and won every battle they face.
She'd gone missing before that fateful night, a search party had been organized instructed by my father and led by his beta. They never returned, the night my world came crashing down when my father was deemed a traitor alongside a few other Alphas. He had accepted his judgement bravely, with his head held high claiming the truth will reveal itself as a swear upon the moon goddess.
I was angry the lycanthrope council found him guilty, how easily their loyalty could switch negelating all the sacrifices he had made and committed and effort he had put in to maintain peace and sovereignty being Alpha.
A man who I admired, who I looked up to, my role model, my father, I loved wholeheartedly and the moon goddess watched how this cruel judgement made a powerful Alpha begged to his knees for my life to be spared. Ten years young, only ten years young!
I witnessed my father punished for a crime he did not commit though all the evidence said otherwise I didn't believe in it the whole system was corrupt and biased.
My heart breaks into pieces each time I hear his cries. They didn't give him the liberty of saying goodbye as he was dragged, stripped to only shorts and wiped like an animal in front of everyone and no one stopped it, no goddamned person showed up when we needed them the most.To avoid an incomplete reading experience, visit Jobn'i'b.com. Our great pack that had been built for years crumbled to dust as they burned everything to the ground and I was given a life worse than death.
Who was that man and why had he called my mother's name my hand grips the bucket hard as my knuckles whitened, if he knows something about her sudden disappearance or my father's case I was going to find out no matter how many f*****g rules I'll need to break.
Heavy footsteps were heading this way reminding me I shouldn't be in here, recklessly I wiped away my tears exiting the room to wash the utensils and drop them back in their respective places.
The pack house was empty and dead silent. I suddenly grew a certain phobia for being cooped up in the house and made a quick impulsive decision.
Instead of heading to my room I sneaked through the back avoiding the few guards who still roamed the dark walls to the kitchen which as expected was empty. The pack had already eaten dinner while I was cleaning the armory and I'm sure my petty food had bee dumped in my room if what I consume deserves the title to be called food.
The piles of dishes mock me fully aware I was going to clean them up in the morning is the more reason why I needed a break from this hell hole.
Making sure I unlocked the door without making a sound, I tiptoed through the door leaving the prison.
It was dead cold, the breeze hit my face sending my hair wild in various directions. I breathe the night air greedily loving the chill. It momentarily distracts me from my pathetic life.
The woods call to me in the distance and Helana growls in approval shutting my mind off the million reasons that screamed it was a bad idea. I climbed down the steep hill, the pack house was built on looking over my shoulder, the coast was clear, not a wolf in sight, making me bolder as I walked closer and closer into the forest.
The temporary taste of freedom is addictive and I'm tempted to relish in it, let Helena take control, go for a wild run not too far off but since I had no clothes I dead the idea and enjoyed the fine scenery, relaxing my tense limbs.
I seek refuge in the woods, the noisy creepy creatures, the ever cracking crickets, the small line of water that runs to the river, everything I could temporarily gain joy from something to keep my sanity in check. The first time I tried running away through the woods, which looked different now, only to disclose the fact that escape was impossible.
They had guards protecting the borders and smelled my sent from a mile away I had been stupid and reckless back then I remember how badly I had been tortured, when Jaden found me, the first day we meet. I had just clocked eighteen, not that birthdays meant a thing, I remember it because that day I was gifted with my best friend Helana.
The man stood tall in front of me, his long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail but a lock had come loose framing his forehead, his green eyes in a stone cold gaze, his lips in a frown he looked at me pathetically.
I heard about the Alpha Jaden but the rumors were not enough to justify the man I saw. His aura of power so strong girls worshipped his name but no one dared go close to him. He was an intimidating, scary man and it was stupid but I had no choice but to find him irresistible that was the curse of the mate bond.
While I stared at him in awe he looked at me irritated I remembered how he laughed at me with no humor in his tone stating the moon goddess had played a sick joke an Alpha as skilled and powerful as him gifted a mate, a goddamn slave. He slapped me across the face making me fall to my knees it hurt but the mate bond was still sending sparks erupting from where his hand touched.
I had been slapped a few times but the mate bond made the pain torturous as I questioned my very existence I was nothing but a miserable slave not worthy to be his Luna it was a fact but it still hurt the excruciating pain of rejection I had only heard of but now m fate.
He had dragged me back to the pack house where they tied me up in the dungeon and whipped me for two days for daring to escape. They also starved me for days and still made me carry out my duties in my fatigued state.
Time and time again I could feel the deep penetration in my chest and soon understood it was because Jaden was with another woman, a woman who wasn't me, his mate, a punishment I felt was unfair why should I be tortured for him being with another.
He somehow blamed me for what wasn't in my control, irritated by the mere look at me he straight up despised me being alive and knew he was hurting me but didn't stop as he jumped from one lady to another who happily fell at his feet.
As time went by I had discovered a way to think about the man without it ripping my heart out but the pain in my chest kept hitting differently, the only pain I couldn't get used to.
A tide deeper than blood, a tide I hate just as much as I detest Jaden, I had come to hate the man that was the only way to make the pain bearable.
I take deep breaths clearing my thoughts realizing I had gone too deep into the forest letting my legs go to any direction it pleased where the moon light hardly seeped through the tall trees.
When I picked a sweet scent that intoxicated my senses of honey and caramel and I didn't hesitate to follow without caring it led me deeper and deeper into the woods.
Following the scent, avoiding scrubs, dirt and boulders to get to my aim, a wolf,a beautiful one.
I'm awestruck by the gorgeous man standing a few feet away as I tiptoed to stand as close as possible, not wanting to be caught or interrupt his meditation. I had seen him before from a distance I realized but never up close like this or shirtless.
His forbidden beauty made me gawk at him, he was as big as Jaden but not quite as bulky. He was wearing only shorts that hung low on slim his hips,his gorgeous body absorbing the moonlight, chest heaving up and down in ragged breaths like he had run a marathon but I found drawn to, his sweat devilishly dripping from his neck down his broad chest, his abs then down his torso.
His jawline sharp eyes closed shut framed by dark lashes beneath his full brows, his lips curved a little in a small smile as he ran his hand through his messy chocolate brown hair that made him look rugged.
"You know I can sense you?" His deep voice asks in amusement.
Startled, I stepped back, hiding behind the trees wishing it could open up and I could hide inside as my cheeks turn pink like a teenager who was caught spying on her crush.
"Who are you?" his melodic voice asks, stepping closer, I sink deeper into the tree as my heart hammers hard in my chest so loud I was sure he could hear it.
"Hailey." I whisper, forcing saliva down my throat. He stepped right in front of me, his dark eyes that I could drown in their depths rake down my body and goes darker if that was even possible, a reaction I knew too well disapproval.
I dart my eyes away from his cold stare playing with a bark of the tree nervously waiting for him to dismiss me like all of them do.
"Well Hailey I'm Dimitri" he said as his huge arms reach out to touch mine he slowly glides one finger up my arm leaving goosebumps where he touched bringing me to a state of frenzy I knew my cheeks will have turned bright red and I'm grateful for the darkness that hides this.
Gently placing his finger under my chin he raised my face up to look him in the eye, leaning closer my heart raced as I judder in anticipation daring to dream what that lips will taste like as I watch him closely his eyes trailed from my eyes down my lips the seductive moment bringing heat to my sex and my body melt into complaince I had never been sensitive in those areas before and this gorgeous man was making me feel thing in spots I never knew existed. "Let her go!"