3. The black wolf

Maddox had attacked me several times in wolf form, the claw marks down my back was evidence of his cruelty but Daryl stands his ground “You really want a fight Alpha Maddox”

Maddox’s wolf growls and some of Daryl’s men step forward to protect their Alpha. Daryl raises a hand to them and they halt, some had already removed their jackets ready for a fight and then there was me, afraid to move and nowhere to run, I hated confrontation.

“I am not going to fight you Maddox. I just want to collect my mate’s belongings” but Maddox doesn’t move and stands in front of his door. I was completely mesmerised by what was going on. Daryl was not in the slightest afraid of the large brown wolf, which was making my insides do cartwheels.I had dreams of being mated to an Alpha but at the end of the day I knew it would never happen because i was just a slave, yet here we were, standing with my supposed mate who was having a stand-off with another Alpha.

Maddox takes a step towards Daryl and continues to growl, yet Daryl turns his back and moves to me, he kisses me on the forehead and takes off his jacket “I’m sorry you will have to witness this”. Handing me his jacket, I wasn’t fully aware what he was going to do and I watch him shift into a big black wolf in front of me, his eyes continued to stay dark as he turns and moves back towards Maddox.

Daryl’s wolf was huge, letting out a gasp as he circles the ground, one of Daryl’s men stands by me “He always wins” was all he said and he gives me a wink as the wolves lunge at each other, tearing fur from each other. Wolves fighting was never a pretty sight, there was always so much blood shed.

I must have let out a squeal because the man that was now standing by me put an arm around my shoulder “He has never lost a fight”. I nod but I still close my eyes, peaking out every so often when I hear a cheer.

Opening my eyes Maddox was on the ground, and his body was shifting back to his human form, something that only happened when a wolf died. Maddox was dead, he was really dead, the years of abuse was finally over and I drop to my knees sobbing, it was over, it was really over.

The man standing next to me tries to pull me up but I was sobbing uncontrollably. Daryl’s large black wolf pads towards me and he nuzzles his head against mine, reaching my arms around his neck, I hug him tightly, his black fur tickling my face. After a few moments he pulls out of my hug as I stay knelt on the ground, he shifts back and one of the men throw a pair of joggers at him. I barely got a chance to see him as the tears were still clouding my vision.

“Ashley, it is over”, He pulls me into his arms, pressing me against his bare chest and talks to someone else, “Round the pack up, if they are willing to accept me as their new Alpha I will absorb them into Crescent, if they do not want to join my pack, they have twenty-four hours to leave this land”

“Yes Alpha” and I hear footsteps moving away from us

“Ashley, show me where you slept” I nod and lead the way to the storage cupboard that had been allocated to me and open the door for him to see.

It was tiny, a few blankets littered the floor where I was allowed to sleep and I had a small lamp, in the corner was a couple of books that I had sneaked out of the packhouse library. He said nothing but he did grab the books and he closed the door again

“Come on, lets go to our home” he grabbed my hand and as we moved towards the staircase, Hayden stepped out the room behind us and grabs hold of me

“You are not going anywhere you whore” and he started pulling me towards his room against my protesting. Daryl slams his fist into the wall, centimetres from Hayden’s face

“Do NOT touch my mate if you want to live”

Hayden laughs “Well she belongs to this pack and now my father is dead, I’m the Alpha and I will do what I want with her”

Daryl starts to laugh, “Are you forgetting pup that I am the one who killed your father making me your Alpha, you only become Alpha if your father dies of old age”

Hayden visibly gulps and drops my hand “Take the bitch then, she is worthless after all, but just know she belongs to this pack and I will get her back”

“She will never come back here and if you try, I will kill you” we start moving down the staircase, leaving a flummoxed looking Hayden, but I could think of nothing more than the words Daryl had spoken, someone actually wanted me.

We head back outside into the glorious sunshine, the warmth of the sun felt amazing on my skin and I wanted to bask in it, I had never been allowed too as a slave. Daryl had dropped my hand at some point and was talking to his pack members, sitting down on the grass I picked up one of the books that I had been reading in my cupboard.

I loved to read, every single book was a story to escape into, and hide away from the real world and what was happening to me. I had read stories over the years of women escaping and finding true love but I never thought it was possible, these stories were the reason why I plotted my escape, they gave me the tiniest glimmer of hope and of a better life.

The man who had stood by me during the fight squats by me, “You like to read huh” he picked up the other book and turned it over, reading the back. “Has Daryl showed you our library yet?”

I shake my head at his words yet he has piqued my interest and I put my book down “Lots of books?”

The guy nods, his blonde curls bouncing as they fall around his face, “Thousands” and he smiles “I am Beta Jax”

“Beta Jax” I repeat the words, I always had trouble remembering names of new people

He smiles “I will probably be guarding you for a few days whilst Daryl sorts out this place” I glance up to Daryl, I wonder if that would mean he will be locking me in my room again.

“Can I stay?” but Beta Jax shakes his head,

“It is not safe for you here, especially not with Hayden lurking about”

“Hey” Daryl had finished talking with the others “I see Jax has introduced himself, I want you to go back to the packhouse with him”

“My room?” it was obvious it was coming

“No, but you must stay with Jax at all times” I nod, at least I wasn’t being locked away again. Jax gets up to sort his bike out and he takes my books with him, putting them in one of the bags on the side of his motorbike “Promise me you will stay with him until I return”

I nod but he looks at me suspiciously “I need to hear you say it Ashley”

“Promise” and he kisses me on the forehead before helping me get on Beta Jax’s bike.