Adriana - 06

Boom, Boom, Boom.. I'd fallen asleep, you can't blame me. The bed is very comfortable. It sounded like an explosion, I turn to look for Joey, but she isn't there. fear grips me, and my heart starts with its usual frantic melody. This is not good, she said she'd stay and keep watch. if she's not here, does it mean she's been taken? And if so.... why am I still here?

I guess there's only one way to find out. I creep closer to face the illusion, but I don't know what to do to get out. I'm looking around for a clue, something that will help me leave this place, when I hear another loud boom like an explosion.

Whispered shouts reach me, "I thought you said you could open it! what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Idiot One hisses, sounding angry and frustrated.

"The witch told me this would work, but whoever cast this spell must be very powerful. I can't break it". Idiot two replies just as frustrated as his friend.

"Look, I don't care what you do or how you do it. This bitch is not going to be out for long. Just break the fucking illusion so we can get her and leave before anyone notices".

I'm guessing the "bitch" in reference is Joey. and I can't help but feel immense gratitude that she put herself in danger and protected me from these people.

But I can't let her hard work be for nothing. these guys obviously know I'm here. Joey said no one but she and the Alpha knew about this place, so how did these people know how to find me?

I'll think about that later. but for now, I have to find something I can protect myself with, to stall for time until Joey wakes up, or until my mate and the Alpha, Devon, finds us.

There's a bed, a TV, a mini bathroom, and kitchen. That's it. I can look for sharp things in the kitchen and hide myself in the bathroom so I'll have the element of surprise. I pat myself on the back for having such a great idea.

I get to the mini kitchen and start searching. I find a kitchen knife, a butchers knife, and two butter knives. These will have to do . I head to the bathroom, lock the door, and sit on the floor with my back pressed against it.

The only problem, I don't have the strength to fight two wolves. Or the skills. I was never allowed on training grounds. Honestly, I was always too busy staying away from Leila to even think of training.

The only day I went to the training grounds to see if there was anything I could learn and practice on my own was the day after Leila did what I thought was the worst. That was three years before I met my mate, just after I turned 18.

It was a normal morning for me. I'd been woken by Leila's nasty voice, a whip to remind me of my place. the whip is fully made from wolfsbane and has prickly thorns on it. I used to call it the rose whip.

"Wake up, you foul bitch. you smell like death".

Great , this is my 18th birthday, and this is the best I'll ever get.

Mistake number one: I didn't get up fast enough. and the rose whip didn't even give me a warning before it landed on my bare back, slicing my skin open. The smell of fresh blood filled the air, my blood . I say fresh because the wounds from the whole week had dried into my skin. I couldn't wash them off, thanks to Madame Leila.

I scrambled up quickly, before another lash could grace my back with it's prickly presence. I stood slowly, carefully, trying hard not to lean on my right side .

Two days ago, Madame Leila thought it would be fun to see if I could survive a fall from the roof of our house. I wished that would be the end of it , but I survived. And I think I know why, because I'm more human than wolf.

She looked at me with those annoying blue eyes of hers and started talking with her even worse voice.

"Since today is your birthday , I'm going to let you wash yourself. but only if you do it at the lake".

She said it with a smirk, daring me to argue.

This bitch was cruel. the lake was practically ice water. Since I was probably more human than wolf I couldn't bathe in it, I'd freeze to death. She wanted me dead, that's it.

But I don't give her the satisfaction of arguing. I grit my teeth, bowed my head, and said , "Yes, madame Leila".

Yes, she made me call her that, she's that crazy. I swear she gets off on it.

I walked to the lake, if you could call shuffling my body like a sac of potatoes that, I couldn't walk far distances because of my broken leg so I dragged it along with me .

When I reached the lake, I stripped off. This was probably my only chance to clean myself up . I sucked in a deep breath, sat down slowly near the water, and started scooping it up with my hands to wash.

I wasn't stupid. I wasn't going to jump in. I'd freeze in two seconds. Just as I finished, I heard rustling and growls.

I tensed, hurriedly trying to put on my bloody clothes. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, I didn't even have fresh clothes to change into.

Before I could slip my shirt on , a low whistle pierced the air. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, goosebumps washing over me .

Rouges.

How did they get here? The lake was still inside pack territory, they couldn't have gotten in without help from the inside. And somehow, I knew who helped them.

The first guy licked his lips, rubbing his palms together.

"We're going to have so much fun with you baby". He said .

The second guy just stood there, sniffing the air. The tent in his pants grew bigger.

I looked down at myself, legs broken, body exposed, and I didn't care. I pushed myself into the freezing water, desperate to put as much distance as I could between me and the threat.