Chapter 3: Taken.

Xefia's pov:

“Please,” I scrambled to my knees, looking at each of their faces. One with a jagged scar across his face made me the most scared. His sneer was like he was seconds away from ripping me apart. “Please…just allow me to leave…please.. I swear on my life that I will not cause any trouble.”

As I begged, I rubbed my hand pleadingly against one another, hoping my pleas would somehow cut through their hard rocked hearts. The one with a tattoo peeking through his neck smirked to my horror.

However, it seemed as though they revelled in the fear that rolled off of me. Crawling on my knees, I took one by the foot as I begged, “please just let me go. I’m no one and I will remain that. Please, I’m begging you——“

My words hitched in my throat when the one with a jagged scar across his face yanked me by the head and pulled me up. It was as though my scalp was about to explode from the pain.

He held me to meet his eye level with only my hair before he struck me hard over my face. My face fell to the side and I felt the sharp taste of blood in my mouth.

When he slapped me once again he sent me crashing into the ground. Blood dribbled down my nose into my mouth and the shrinking thought that they would drag me back to Ryker made the nerve in my stomach jostle.

I quickly turned around and got up from the ground as I knelt down yet again before them, fighting back the scorching tears from falling, “Please, don’t take me back. Please….” Even as I pleaded, I felt another pull of my hair from behind, causing me to jerk my head back and stare up at the evil and grinning snarl on their faces.

Pain as well as anger coiled in my stomach, but I swallowed down every resistance as I knew that any mishap could take me back to Ryker and then I would not be able to have my revenge on him.

I swallowed my scream as another one of them landed a kick in my stomach, multiple times, I groaned in pain, not able to double over as the grip on my hair was still as strong. When another kick and slap was launched on my stomach and face, it was only then the one holding me let go and I dropped to the ground whizzing. My lungs drew tight, my brain exploded with pain and a single tear trickled down my eyes.

“Ple…asee,” I coughed out blood and they burst into a fit of laughter. In an attempt to grab one of their boots and beg, they kicked my hand away and dropped down to my level.

“Why was Alpha Ryker interested in someone like her?” As he asked, he jabbed a hand on my tempo, shoving me back.

“It beats me.” Another chuckled.

“What a loser.”

“Maybe she tasted good?” One suggested and an arduous vile snaked down my throat. Oh heavens, no!

“She, taste good?” The one with the scar on his face asked like the mere thought of associating something sweet with the omega was absurd.

“That’s the only reason. She must have tasted different, she was his mate after all.” As he spoke, his eyes flashed with unshed sin and unspoken evil…. “I’m curious,” he baited his fellow soldiers, “aren’t you curious to know what the mate of the alpha tastes like?”

I scampered back on my butt, pushing back with my hands on the ground. Strength eluded me as I tried to escape them. I felt tears pool in my eyes, my heart rose to a rapid speed.

“Now, that you say it,” their eyes mirrored one another’s intentions and I dared another attempt of a plea, forgiveness even as I scooted back, my hand met with water.

I was trapped.

No, please no.

“Grab her!” Their leader instructed and three hefty men gaited towards me.

When I tried to resist, their legs as well as their fists landed on every pound of flesh they could find. They assailed me, my face and my body till I was nothing but a sputtering mess of blood.

I went numb as fists landed mercilessly on me. Then from the haze of my vision I saw one align himself in my entrance, just before the final blow a very loud growl reverberated through the forest and the ground and I shook alike.

The men paused what they were doing and retracted, looking around for the threat.

A movement in the tree caught both our attention before another menacing growl followed. This time louder and animalistic than the first. Too scared to shift back, I felt goosebumps spread over my skin from sheer terror.

The men rearranged themselves, posing in a defensive manner at the threat. They looked around frantically, not minding to cover their fear.

Then out of the woods emerged black-cloaked warriors with an unfamiliar scent. They burst in like shadows into the clearing. Seeing that they were outnumbered they looked haphazardly around.

“Pull back!” Their leaders commanded.

“What of her?” Argued one.

The leader jerked his head at me and then back at the intruders. “She won’t survive anyways. Pull back.”

With that they scattered and ran away like rabbits.

When my eyes returned to my semi-saviors, I collapsed once again. I heard the approaching sound of footsteps, before gentle hands lifted me from the ground. “The king would want to see this one,” I heard one of the cloaked figures mutter.

As I passed out in his arms, the scent of something powerful and unknown lingers in the air. It was faint, but I supposed it could be stronger.

My wolf stirred, not from pain, but in curiosity. As I plunged deep into the darkness, I let out a silent prayer to the moon goddess to protect me.

Moments later I felt something cold splash on my face, almost getting into my nose before I jerked up, awake. I blinked away the groggy feeling and dizziness, still weak.

As my eyes adjusted to my environment, I noticed that I was in a dimly lit cell…. Cell! That cleared that last bit of exhaustion I must have been feeling as the reality of where I was took root.

An unfamiliar older man loomed over me, eyes in deep scrutiny as he peered down on me.

Panic rose in my chest and spread throughout the entirety of my body, which was still in pain from all the assault.

As the man assessed me, I knew he wanted to send me back to Ryker so I immediately got on my knees, hands together as I pleaded with him. “Please let me go. I will not cause any trouble to you. I don’t intend to cause any, please let me go.” My words were not more than a ramble to my own ears, but I was antsy and terrified of what would happen if I was taken back to Ryker.

To my horror the man shook his head. “The Lycan king demands your presence.”

My words stumbled over my throat, before I craned my neck around and swallowed down the sharp taste of blood in my mouth. Confused, I asked, “If I may ask, where am I please?”

With a mocking smile and a sneer the man leaned in and said, “you are in DAGHA, the kingdom of Lycans and our king.”