5

Eliana

“I don't want any trouble, please.” I breathed out the fear already. I looked around; I was close to the forest, but that didn't mean I would be heard if I screamed and someone wanted to come help me.

What was I supposed to do? Yes, I'd learnt something from the pack, but had I ever practised it? No. This was the moment of truth, and I was scared out of my wits.

What should I do? I couldn't turn back; there were three of them, and that meant I could not escape. Maybe I should just beg them to let me go; that would be better.

I looked at one of them, trying to plead my point, but my voice was shaking. “Please, just let me go. I wouldn't tell anyone about this. Please, I beg you.”

But my words only seem to get in one of their ears and go out through the other. They even got angrier.

“Isn't she Eliana? The one Alpha Ace brought from hell to live with us?” One of them asked.

“She thinks she can just walk in here and expect us to accept her.” Another replied and faced me, “Alpha Ace might accept you and encourage us to, but the truth still remains the same.” One of them whose fangs were already out sneered at me. The sight of his fangs made me scared. What were their plans for me?

“You are werewolf,” another one said, looking rough and unkempt. “You're weak! A weak werewolf, and you don't belong here.”

Their eyes gleamed with hostility and hatred. I didn't want to look at them; their faces were like fire, flashing at me with malice. I was scared, and I couldn't think of any way out of my predicament. "I am not here to intrude; I just found out I am a wolf and I needed help. Please, I'm not here to hurt anyone."

They laughed, their mocking jeers cutting deep into my soul. I felt humiliated. They just reminded me of those triplets.

"You're a wolf?" one of them repeats. "You're not even a real wolf. You're just a werewolf who got bitten. You don't know the first thing about being a wolf."

“It's sad Alpha Ace thinks you're worth it; you're worthless, and we want to show you just how worthless you are.”

The tears were pricking at the corners of my eyes as they continued to taunt me. I didn't want to cry; I just didn't. “Please, just let me go.”

But they just keep pushing me, their anger and aggression growing with each passing moment. Why did they even hate me? Why! "The pack wants someone strong," one of them snarls. "Not some weak little werewolf who can't even defend herself."

“And that is why you should be eliminated.”

And that was when they began to close in; I couldn't go forward and I couldn't go backward; I was in their middle, just like a prey ready to be finished by a hungry predator.

One of them moved closer, his hand raised. I expected the blow, and I flinched, but it didn't come; the blow didn't land on me. I opened my eyes, and I saw the man flying away from me. Someone was in my front, dressed in a black cloak and hood; he had sent the man flying.

"Oh damn!" I cursed, standing there, unable to do anything.

The stranger stepped forward and turned to me. I saw his eyes; it was sort of green, but I couldn't be sure. He could have blue eyes when he is not about to change. The men snarled, their fangs now visible. They launched towards the stranger, their anger and screams perforating my eardrums.

The stranger took the first man down with a swift blow to the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. The second man tried to jump on him, but the stranger was fast. He lifted the man like a deflated sack and slammed him into the wall. The impact completely destroyed the wall. I screamed again as the third man tried to sneak up behind the stranger, but he was caught in time and slammed onto the cold floor.

“You should be tired by now.” The stranger said. His voice was familiar, but also something I don't seem to recognise.

“Not until we kill you!” One snarled, his mouth bleeding already.

They scrambled to their feet, enraged and humiliated. They charged at the stranger again, but he was ready for them. He fought with a refined skill I had never seen before, taking the men down one after the other. I knew he was skilled; the way he attacked them, he knew exactly where to hit and where not to. He didn't want to kill them; that I was sure of.

I watched in amazement and shock as he dodged the men's blow and landed precise, powerful strikes on parts of their bodies that would hurt for days.

I screamed and screamed, my voice hoarse from fear. The stranger doesn't seem to notice, his focus solely on taking down the men. He threw one of them into a broken part of the wall, shattering it into splinters. Another crashed into the gutter, and when I saw blood, I knew the man wouldn't stand up again; he wasn't dead, but he was badly hurt.

“You should give up now; the fight is over!” The stranger screamed at the already weak men.

As the man looked at me, inches away from me, I smelt him. My wolf senses caught his cologne, deep and thick, the smell wafted into my nostrils and choked me.

“You should go now before they regain consciousness, take the forest area, make sure you don't take that lone path.” He instructed.

The triplets? Ace, Cade, or Rhett? Was it one of those triplets? I wouldn't even appreciate them if it was any of them. They did me dirty and if any of them showed up before me, I was going to tear them apart.

“Who… are you?” I managed to ask, though scared of knowing.

“Do not ask questions. L.E.A.V.E!”

I nodded and ran into the dark. And I took the path he told me to take, the one he said would be safe. I didn't stop until I got to my front door and I fumbled with the keys.

When I got inside, I went to the kitchen and drank a cup of water. My heart was racing. I can't believe I just escaped being wolf meat. Those men wouldn't show me mercy, I was sure of that.

“I should call Alpha Ace tomorrow, I don't think I am safe here again.

But then where would I go? I couldn't go back to staying with werewolfs, and I couldn't go back to the triplet's pack. But then, I knew I had to make a choice soon.

I couldn't sleep until after midnight, and it was not a peaceful sleep. When I eventually slept, I dreamt of the stranger with the cloak.

***

“Eliana? Eliana?”

The call of my name penetrated my sleep and I woke up. I didn't understand what was happening at first until the call came again.

“What? Who's it?”

“Eliana, it's Ace.”

Alpha Ace? What was he doing here so early?

I got up and found him inside. I didn't lock the door I suppose. He greeted me, his usual calm demeanour taking control over my sanity immediately.

“Eliana, I heard about what happened last night. Your neighbour saw you run in yesterday and we saw the destruction at the alley.”

Wow, news sure travels fast. “I'm fine, thank you. I'm just grateful to the man who saved me last night.”

Ace nodded. “I will make sure those men are caught and they are punished, they won't go scott free, I promise you.”

“I didn't get to see what he looks like, but I know he's a member of the pack.” Or it could be one of those triplets.

“I'm just glad you're fine. If you want to know who that person is, I'll make my findings and get back to you, just take care of yourself. I wouldn't allow members of this pack to hurt you, you came here for help, they wouldn't hurt you.”

“Thank you, Alpha Ace.”

He smiled as he turned to leave, “Ace, call me that.”

I blushed and looked away. He went to the door and I looked at him. I saw him wince. At first, I thought it was a minor discomfort, he couldn't twist the door knob well and I saw a faint bruise on his face, just above his left eyelid.

“Alpha… sorry, Ace.” I called him, “wait.”

He stopped and I moved closer to him. “What happened to your face?”

He just looked at me, unable to say anything. And that was when I knew the truth.

It wasn't those damned triplets that saved me, what was I even thinking? Those three didn't care about anyone else except themselves.

Ace saved me.