Chapter 2

SECRETS

***Warning: contains triggers.

I sputter to come up with an excuse now being the one caught in my lie. I'm wet from having swum in my overturned bucket of water and the awful Alpha was standing exactly next to it.

"What's going on here? Why aren't you at the celebration?" Alpha Blaze asks Grayson completely ignoring the rest of us- or me.

"Hmph, look who was looking to get out of her chores. And dousing the entire house in that dreadful smell" The she-wolf tsks at me, a smug grin on her face. "We should punish her. Make her clean everywhere until her nails fall off"

Wrench!

"It was an accident" I chip in quickly disturbed that this ridiculous situation was about to escalate.

"What would cause you to do that?" Grayson asks, jumping on the bandwagon, also ignoring the question that the Alpha had geared towards him.

Besides the fact that I walked in on your friend and girlfriend cheating their way through your life.

"I thought I heard something. Maybe a rat" I answer not wanting to prolong the conversation if I didn't have to.

I can feel the Alpha's intense glare in my direction and do my best not to cower between both men.

"A rat?" Grayson asks as if tasting my words on his tongue.

"She's lying" the tramp says adding her say as if anyone asked for her opinion.

"Diana it's fine" Grayson then responds after awhile, as if he's decided to let the matter go.

"Don't tell me your believe her ridiculous rat story?!"

"It doesn't matter," he says walking off down the corridor and I'm left with my worst enemies just like that.

The heated gaze of the tramp bores into me, intent on devouring all that I am. They both want to know what I know, but I don't stick around for them to say it. I grab my empty bucket and mop, using the residue of water that's cascading across the floor to finish my chore. 

The drums beat wildly echoing in the night, the bonfire like a beacon for weary travelers. I can only imagine how all the wolves were just fussing themselves to join the celebration. Yet here the celebrants were, holed up in this house giving me grief. 

I busy myself with my musing thoughts wondering why the Gamma was avoiding his celebration. Wondering why he hadn't picked up on the cheating bastards with that awesome nose of theirs. But then I remind myself, his problems weren't mine, and the sooner I finished wiping, the quicker I'm able to go and hide away.

No human wanted to be around while the wolves were partying. Their induced heat and celebration seem to blind them to any rationality. And since they already saw humans as trash, there was no need to worsen your circumstances.

There's hushed chatter outside the door, the Alpha and the cheater still yapping together. I roll my eyes. The sooner one left the better. There was no way I'd survive being bamboozled by both. 

The atmosphere grows quiet after a while. Too quiet, and from what I learned from being around these wolves, whenever there's too still a setting, a larger predator laid in wait. A shadow shifts in the glass window showing me his previous position but not with enough time to react to his immediate. I'm thrown backward suddenly into the Alpha's desk, the large furniture screeching into the night moving backward, either from my weight or sudden momentum. My mop and bucket tumble from my hand creating a racket, that only the moon knows why it hasn't drawn any attention. I cough, clutching my chest as I grapple to stand to my feet, the bulky frame of Alpha Blaze making it's way towards me.

He towers over my cowering figure, tall and imposing, eyes as dark as midnight, cruelty edged within each. A hand reached down, meshing into my tousled hair, pulling me up towards him. I hiss beneath my breath, knowing better than to voice my discomfort aloud. 

This was the reason why I avoided all wolves as much as possible. Cruelty was like second nature to them.

"If you ever mention what you've seen or heard to anyone, especially Grayson"

I want to ask him what the hell he'd do. Or even ask him why he was doing it in the first place if he didn't want to be found out, but the rational part of me that wants to survive screams to be submissive.

Pliant.

Naive.

To shut up and not say a word.

"You'll regret walking through those camp gates" A pregnant pause to ensure his words sink into my skull as much as his blunt fingers scrape against my scalp.

But guess what, already regretted mister!

"Do you understand me?" He grunts into my ear and I nod, which isn't enough for him either. "Use words I know you can f**king talk"

"I understand" I manage to croak out.

"Good. Now finish cleaning this place and air the room. The perfume stinks" He drops me into the hard concrete floor walking away and slamming the door like a petulant child.

Didn't think it stank when you were trying to cover your tracks, now did you?

Uh, Gamma Greyson was such an idiot if he didn't see how backstabbing those two were.

***

It's close to dawn when I hurry to complete my first and only chore for the day. My other two roommates are busy snoring the morning away, having a later shift. I have to ensure that there's liquor ready for when the second half of the celebration starts. As it is right now, the music has also taken slumber, leaving everyone else to do whatever they will.

There's a commotion to my far right that I avoid circumspectly like a plague. There are horrifying screams and wails. Laughter and jeers. My heart goes out to whatever poor fellow they had managed to trap. Man or beast.

I make a gagging face having stumbled upon naked bodies lying together, women and men. Probably an orgy having completed it's ritual.

I really hated werewolves.

I quietly step over the tangled lot of them, doing my best not to wake the horde, avoiding branches and leaves, fingers and hair. At this point I can safely say, there's no safe path to the brewery. 

I use to day dream about some time in the future, preferably near future when things would get better.

That wasn't ever going to happen.

I've long since given up on that dream. The world wasn't like it was ten years ago. There were no loyalties, no love. No hope.

You were either commodity or a master. And if you were a master, you had a place at the devil's table. 

"Uh freaking door just open already!" I kicked and pounded at the door with my fist, until it caved swinging in and stormed inside. 

The more time I spent wasting time, the less time I had to secure a safe journey back to the barracks. I might've wanted to leave, but not exit the world permanently.

I check the barrels, fill the small tanks that they'll remove later in the day, to continue the celebration and ensured all the flasks were clean and ready. 

My back ached like a bitch, limbs limp and burning by the time I was finished, having to do all the work on my own. The other girl skipped out on work today, that witch. Hauling the last two bottles from the damp cellar and leaving them atop the wooden table, I glanced up finding the sun brimming in all her glory.

What the f**k! 

When the hell did the sun come up?!

Oh no, oh no. I scrambles from where I stood abandoning the rest of my work when I heard the cheers begin. Songs started and I could hear morackas and hooting. 

I needed to get out of here and I need to disappear fast.

The door slammed upon my exit as I stumbled, running as fast as my little feet could carry me through the woods and towards the barracks. 

"Hey"

The shouts raise my panic meter and glancing behind me, I trip, stumbling through trash before sliding down a muddy slope. My eyes slip shut as I dropped my head against the damp dirt.

Great way to start the day Leila.

There's no way I'm going to make it back to the barracks without provocation or worst being caught to do anyone's evil bidding. I glance around me hearing the ever approaching commotion of wolves as they stirred to life. The pack house was only about five meters away. If I made a break for it... 

I gather every fibre of strength and then some, pushing from the dirt starting off once more. I had to make it, just have to.

There's no hell of a way I was gonna get caught in this haze storm. My fingers grip the lock to the large house pushing the door open and I sigh with relief not having bumped into anyone on my way over. They must have walked the short cut.

Thank the moon.

"Hello little slave"

Shit, don't tell me I'm too late.

I didn't escape? There's no way I couldn't have escaped! Why the hell was he here?! My blood ran cold. Was there others? Were more of these assholes laying in wait?!

My spine stiffens when those thick fingers of his thread through my hair and his poisonous breath heat along my neck. There were only so many options out of this. 

"Come play with daddy for a while"

What?! I covered my mouth to hold back my barf. Daddy?

Oh for the love of pete.

"I'm sorry I'm not interested," I say turning around to meet him.

He's naked as I've come to see. That stupid eager manhood of his erect and ready to pierce it's victim. And I say victim because anyone caught out in this haze would likely be on the wrong end of this stick.

When my words register, his face contorts into something akin to a bent-up tin can, canines drawn. The brawny man stomps towards me forcing me backward by intimidation and without sheer choice.

"Did you just reject my offer to f**k you, you little nobody?"

"Yes," his eyes narrow to slits and I hold up my hand, pleading my case. "I did however, apologize. I have the right to turn you down"

And I was not gonna let him be the first man I had sex with within a long time to water my dry spell.

"You're a slave, a nobody. If I say get on your f*" ing knees and suck my c*ck then you f**ing do it"

My fists folded tightly at my side as I glared back at him.

"No"

"You bitch!" He snarls at me, swinging his hand and hitting me smack across the face.

My eyes watered, and I held my face, startled as the pain registered before it turned into burning angst. Ten years, ten years I've been in this f**king camp, after being captured and sold like cattle, and in that time no man or beast has ever placed their hands against me.

My cup having reached it's capacity, I marched my frail little ass into his face gazing into his eye before fisting my fingers, hitting him in the eye. 

I know I probably won't make it through the next few hours or maybe by some miracle if this ogre didn't kill me, that thorny harness they've got reserved, will. But I didn't care. I might not have been a werewolf but by their God, I was still I woman. I still had my dignity about me even under these ridiculous conditions. 

An anguished roar and I'm thrown down against the floor, my head hitting the board and I lose time for a few minutes. I groan in painful pants, lolling my head around and blinking my eyes. At first, I'm disoriented, confused by the dark shadow that lays above me, tearing at my garments. My haze lifts in time for me to prevent him from reaching my undergarments, elbowing him in the cheek and neck. 

The lumberjack groans, my blows maybe like little pricks, more annoying than anything. He pins my hands above my head with one meaty arm intending to have his way with me.

"Stop, no. Stop!" I scream at him. Kicking my feet beneath him and squirming to keep his efforts futile. 

There was no way I would live this down if he did this, no way.

"Stop, please stop"

"I'm doing you a favor. Next time when someone says to do something, you shut your mouth and f**king do it" he hisses above angling himself against my thighs while I struggle against his restraint.

The lower he got, the more frantic I became until I thought I couldn't breathe. Maybe my brain gave out or maybe I had stopped taking in oxygen. I couldn't tell. 

"Get the f**k out now"

Someone somewhere was barking orders and by the harshness to his tone, he wasn't in a good mood.

"Get off" I kicked at his abdomen when the wolf pushes against me once more.

"Shut the f**k up" he hisses against me.

"Help!" I scream which earns me a slap against my thighs.

Heavy steps pad our the way and yet he's still determined to pierce me through and through with that disgusting little arrow of his.

"Who's out there?" The voice calls loud and strong.

"F**king Grayson" the man mumbles above me. "Always ruins the fun"

At this point I know this wolf isn't really in need, he's just a drunk creep that takes advantage of women.

"Sorry, but when I say I'm not interested in a man, I expect he'll be a man and handle the rejection" I snap at him, angling my feet and toasting him one in his scrotum.

The bulky wolf freezes up before rolling off my body, curled in a ball as he nursed his injury and I waste no time picking up myself and scampering away. Only in my haste did I run into the one man I didn't want to see.

Grayson grips my arm, eyeing me with those silver eyes of his that chill me. I'm bruised and maybe bleeding, my clothes are tattered and I'm blowing as if I had ran around the world.

"What are you doing in here?" He asks seemingly surprised to see me, yet annoyed.

But by this, I had already had enough of the lot of them.

"Will you just let me go ?!" I shout at him pulling my arm roughly from his grasp going through the back door without a glance backward.