Married to the Villain

 I trudged along the hills, my every breath getting labored after the next. I pulled out my cell phone and tried powering it on, but the screen stayed blank. I sighed. No battery life left; my backpack felt heavy on my back, and for a moment I considered dropping it, but I breathed deep and tried gathering strength.

‘Come on, Reyna, you can do this,'I s said to myself, taking a step forward and grinned when I saw civilization. I put more spring to my steps and hurried down the hills, shouldering my backpack carefully not to let it slip off my tired shoulder. The sky rumbled, and lightning flashed in the sky.

‘Please don’t rain’ I begged the universe, but it seemed the universe was in no mood for prayers because, as soon as I said that in my head, the rain poured heavily without warning, and in seconds I was as drenched as a sewage pipe rat. I managed to reach the restaurant, and I rushed in, soaking wet. The restaurant was devoid of customers, and I thanked the universe again. A waiter placed a menu, and I ordered and sat waiting. He served me hot, scalding tea, and without hesitation, I downed it in one gulp. The rain continued pouring harder, and I sighed as I drank the last of my tea. I couldn’t stop now; this was my third day roaming after my own father sent me away for being "useless,” as he put it. I dropped the empty ceramic cup, got to my feet, and headed out of the restaurant. The rain poured harder, and I stepped inside it, pulling my sweater around me. From the corner of my eye, I could make out five huge men stalking me as I turned. One swung a club, my reflexes kicked in, and I dodged. Another backhanded me and I went flying, but as he came again, I tripped him and slammed my fist into another face. I didn’t turn in time to see one raising a club, and he whacked me in the back with it. I collapsed to the floor.

“We are going to take you things and do as we like with you, pretty.” His voice was cut short as a blur went past and his head flew from his body. The other dudes stared in shock, and then, from the shadows, a tall, very handsome, roguish-looking man emerged from the dark and scowled.

“You shouldn’t be attacking a lone lady,” he said. His voice was dangerously deep and ice cold, and it gave me chills. These guys obviously knew him because they literally trembled.

“We didn’t think off that,” one said and stepped back. “Please forgive us,” he begged, but the stranger only smiled, a dangerous smile. He stepped closer, and in the blink of an eye, he extended his claws and stabbed them in the heart, and they slumped to the floor, unconscious. The rest tried to run, but he whipped out a gun and shot them both in the head. He turned back to me, and I cringed.

“You are okay?” He asked nonchalantly, as if he didn’t really care that I was. He pulled out a small bottle of brandy, opened the lid, and drank. He offered me a drink, but I shook my head.

“Am I free to go?” I asked, and he stared at me for a while, then burst into laughter and shook his head.

“Free to go? So this fellas can catch you again,” he grinned, then scowled immediately. “Nope, you are coming with me,” he said, and I backed away.

“No” I said, and he turned sharply. His green eyes looked like marble.

“No?” He said it dangerously, and I backed away until my back was to the wall.

“How can I trust you?” I said, and he tilted his head and threw away the now-empty brandy bottle.

“You can’t trust me,” he replied honestly. “So it’s better you come with me or I knock you out and carry you myself; you don’t want that, do you?” he said, staring at the sky that threatened to pour out more rain.

“Why?” I asked, and he pushed back his long, dark hair.

“You are a fucking lone werewolf; you can’t survive,” he said, and I narrowed my eyes.

“How do you know that I am a werewolf?” I asked, and he scoffed.

“I can literally smell it in you, stupid. Now if you don’t mind, let’s go before I knock you out.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me, forcing me to follow. He stopped in front of a car and roughly pushed me to the other car door.

“Get in,” he said, and I slipped in the back.

“Where are we going?” I asked, and he started the engine.

"Home,” he said, and the car lurched forward.

_______________________________________

The stranger pulled up beside a large gray house, and he came down. He didn’t even make any move to open the door for me. The door opened, and from the house emerged another dark-haired guy who looked somewhat like him. I guess they must be brothers.

“Jake, where are your manners? You should have opened the door for her,” he said, helping me open the door. He smiled at me.

“Pardon my brother; he is a bit rash sometimes,” he said, and Jake turned and smiled slowly.

“A bit rash? No John. I am rash,” he said, smiled, and walked off. I stared at John and offered a smile.

“Thank you,” I said, and he nodded. He took the backpack from me and slipped it on his shoulders.

“Come in; Selena was just whipping up something when you came,” he said and walked in. I stopped in front of the house, looked around for a second, and sighed. Here I was entering another pack again. I hope I feel at home here and that the pack members were as nice as John.

Let’s do this Reyna

          I took in a deep breath and walked in