Chapter 4: Dragged

Salem

I was unconscious from the first hit. I found out after awakening from a sharp pain in my side. There, I discovered my body was tied to two back feet while I was dragged along a rocky path.

I wanted to cry, already knowing my fate. It was difficult not to, knowing that your life was about to come to an end and that there was nothing you could do about it.

They hauled my body along the ground like I was nothing.

"The filthy scoundrel has finally decided to wake up," said one of the wolves behind me, who seemed to be on alert if I should try to escape somehow.

The leader and the dark brown-haired male who was pulling my body along the path turned to look at me.

"She awakens for her beating," he said with a laugh, turning back around.

They all joined in.

I felt a lump form in my throat, and tears slowly formed in my eyes, causing the place to become blurry. As much as I was in a terrible situation, I could never reveal my identity. I blinked back the tears in my eyes.

"Wolves like you disgust me," I heard another wolf say. "You all hate rules and wish to live a life without a leader by doing whatever you please, even if it means stealing from another pack."

I whined out loud as I felt his teeth pierce into the side of my neck.

"Damian, stop!" yelled the leader.

I was bleeding when his sharp teeth left my neck.

He stopped dragging me, and they all looked down at me, bleeding. I quivered in pain while I kept whimpering.

"I know you're angry at these rogues, who hunt on our land whenever they please, but remember, punishing a rogue is not our job but our alpha's."

I soon realized that the male I thought was the alpha wasn't.

"We will severely punish her for hunting on our land."

Once again, they pulled me along as they continued their journey.

"I hope the alpha kills her," I heard the wolf who had bitten me on the neck mutter. "All rogues should be eliminated due to their worthlessness." It's sad enough when a wolf from a decent pack finds out that their mate is a rogue. It's better for them to be dead than to find out who they mated to."

Though I was in a great deal of pain, I wanted to tell them I wasn't a part of the pack they assumed I was, but I was scared they would want to know which other pack I was from then. I can never tell anyone I was a member of the River Pack. It will be too dangerous for me.

I wanted to plead with them to let me go, but there was no point in doing so. They would only ignore me.

The two before me made a turn, and my body hit a tree, allowing the bite against my neck to bleed even more. I growled in pain.

"By the time we bring her to the Alpha, she'll be dead."

They all laughed.

"I'm sure the alpha would have understood her death," I heard the wolf I once assumed was the leader say.

I wish I had stayed in the forest and died of hunger. I would prefer starving to death than enduring this torture. They left traces of my blood as they took me from the forest and brought me to a strange land with scarce trees.

"We've finally arrived, scoundrel, for your beating," said one of the wolves.

I whimpered.

They pulled me further into the strange land. I was surprised to see how they lived, though I was still in a lot of pain. They didn't dwell in a tree, but in a strange brown building. My heart raced as I saw wolves, males and females in their second forms, gathering to have a look at me. They were all strange to my eyes since I've rarely shifted or seen a wolf in its second form, human form.

They then made another turn up a hill to a home that was larger than all the other homes.

They brought me to the back of the house. My heart fluttered when I saw a section of the forest. I smelled it. If only I could manage to free myself from the chain. I could escape and return to the depths of the forest.

They stopped pulling me outside of the building before a door

"Alpha Deucalion," one called.

The door opened, and my eyes widen, struck by the dangerous appearance of the alpha. He was very large. He had long, dark hair hanging from his shoulder that was darker than the night, bushy, thick eyebrows, lowly cut facial hair, and a stare with blood-red eyes that made you want to get away from him as far as possible.

"We have a rogue that was hunting on our land," the wolf told him.

The alpha took his time away from his home, saying nothing. He then stood before me, observing me tied up on the ground with my neck smeared in blood.

I felt my blood run cold from his stare. His grave face and blood-red eyes were frightening to look at.

I whimpered.

"The scoundrel had killed seven rabbits. I thought I had managed to save the baby rabbit, but she scared it to death."

"Well, I will surely scare her to death when I'm through with her," said the alpha cold-heartedly. His voice was strong.

His eyes never left mine as he stood before me. He then growled angrily at me. I was appalled at how powerful his growl was. I felt my body slowly move with the strong wind that came from his mouth. I knew at that moment that there would be no tomorrow.