Chapter 2: Betrayed

[Astasia’s POV]

When I reach the forest’s line, I burst forward through the brush and thorns that are meant to slow down those who wish to attack, but they also slow down those who wish to escape.

Ignoring the pain that rushes through me, I fight against the bushes that are meant to stop me until I crash onto the forest floor.

Panting, I stand and attempt to run forward only to crash to the ground, and when I look behind me, I find that my leg is trapped between two branches of thorns.

Immediately, I start to fight against it, trying with all my might to break free while ignoring the ripping of my skin.

When I finally manage to escape, I scurry to my feet and begin to run, but I’m too late.

The gray wolf bursts through the very bushes that made it so difficult for me to get through and as he does, he sends me crashing to the ground.

“No!” I scream, my arms coming up to protect my face, but I soon find that there is no reason to do so because the eyes that stare back at me aren’t hostile, instead, they are gentle and I recognize them.

“Uncle,” I whisper as the wolf slowly backs away and as I begin to sit up, it disappears into the forest, and after a few minutes, my uncle is the one that returns.

“Astasia,” he sighs, moving forward and kneeling in front of me. “You’re okay.”

“Uncle,” I whimper, suddenly feeling relief for the first time since being sent away by my mother. “Uncle, what’s going on?”

“Not here,” my uncle murmurs, gathering me into his arms and then standing. “We need to leave before we are noticed.”

“But mommy and daddy!” I gasp as he starts to move. “I promised mommy I would go to our special place and wait!”

“That place has been forfeited.” Uncle tells me. “If you go there now you will certainly be captured by the enemy.”

“But mommy and daddy!” I wail, starting to fight against him. “We can’t go! What about mommy and daddy!”

“Astasia,” Uncle hisses. “Behave now! If you make too much noise, we will be found.”

As Uncle speaks, he continues to move, making more and more distance between us and New Moon’s packhouse. While we move, I watch, waiting for my parents to appear, because they have to, right? They’re both strong, stronger than most, and there was no way that they would allow anyone to beat them.

This single understanding seems to calm me, as does the steady beating of Uncle’s heart and the slight rocking of his arms as he runs forward while holding on tightly to me.

“Uncle,” I whisper, once we are far enough away to not be heard. “Where are we going?”

With each passing minute, the scent of salt and brine fills my nostrils, making it clear that we are growing closer to Moonlight Harbor, but why would we be going there?

“I’ve been instructed to take you far away and keep you safe until your parents come.” Uncle explains. “And the safest place for you is somewhere that isn’t here.”

“But uncle,” I gasp. “What about mommy and daddy? Won’t they miss us if we leave now?”

“Leaving now is the only option.” Uncle assures me, slowing his pace as the sound of waves echo around us. “Be a good girl and just do as Uncle says, alright?”

“Yes, Uncle.” I nod.

“Good girl,” Uncle chuckles as we continue to move forward until the forest around us grows thinner and thinner and is soon replaced by cobblestone and wood. “We’ve arrived.” He announces, heading toward the dock where a large ship waits.

Standing on the dock in front of the boat are men that look a little rough, but when they raise their hands and motion for uncle to come, I realize that they must be helping us.

“Alpha,” one announces as Uncle stops in front of him. “Have you completed your task?”

“I have,” Uncle responds and then turns me just enough for them to get a look.

“Oh, she’s a tiny one.” The first to speak murmurs.

“For the child of an alpha, she is pretty scrawny.” Another says.

“Are you sure that she will fetch a fair price?” The final adds.

“What?” I hiss, taking the men and their words in. “Uncle, what do they mean?”

For a moment, Uncle doesn’t respond as a slow smile begins to spread across his face and when it does, I start to get a bad feeling.

“Let me go!” I growl, beginning to fight. “Put me down!”

“Men,” Uncle announces, pulling me off of him. “Make sure that she is treated with the utmost respect, after all, she is my dear niece.”

“Of course,” the first man says, his hands reaching out and wrapping around my arms. “We will make sure that nothing bad happens and when the time comes, we will return her to you.”

Return.

Treat her nicely.

When the time comes.

What was happening? What was going on?

“Uncle!” I gasp as the man I was passed to works to stop my flailing. “LET GO! UNCLE!”

My screams echo around us, mixing with the sound of a horn blaring, indicating that the ship behind us was going to set sail soon.

“UNCLE! LET ME GO! UNCLE!”

What’s happening? What is going on? Why is Uncle giving me to these men?

All these thoughts rush through my mind as the man that I trusted to care for me until I met my parents again just stands there smiling.

“Uncle…” I repeat. “Uncle please help me!”

“I’m sorry,” he finally responds, though his voice says otherwise. “If only you weren’t taught to be so trusting. Men,” he continues, turning his gaze to the three men surrounding me. “You should get going before the ship leaves you.”

“Yes, sir.” All three say in unison and then they start moving and I come to understand exactly what is happening.

He’s betraying me, and if he betrayed me, he betrayed our pack and my parents.

He tricked us. The small voice in the back of my head whispers as anger starts to slowly trickle through me, growing stronger and stronger until it feels like my insides are starting to burn.

A howl of rage escapes me as I feel the limited abilities that I have bubbling up in me, but before I can even extend my claws, one of the other men sneaks up beside me and presses something against my throat.

Pain rips through me, causing my body to arch, and an anguished howl to escape me, and before I can even process what is happening, the world starts to fade in and out as the man holding me starts to move.

I don’t know where we are going, but my head screams that if I don’t snap out of it, I’m never going to see my family or my pack again.

Wake up, Astasia. My mind hisses as I work to stop the spinning in my head and ringing in my ears. Wake up!