The days passed by at an agonisingly slow pace, one of pure torture, I wanted nothing more than to be free of the silver chains that bound me to the wall of the windowless cell. I wanted to scream and cry, beg my master to let me loose, I wanted to escape his grasp and be free. I wanted to be like the humans who worked in this place, they were paid for their work, they had a home they could go to, they could leave. Whilst I could not.
I was forever trapped here because of a bargain I had no part in, my fate chosen for me long before I took my first breath. I jumped when the distant crackle of magic, blasted around me. He was on his way, my master was coming to see if I would obey.
Balthazar appeared to my left before I could take another breath, his towering frame closing in on me, blocking out anything else in the room.
“Annalise, you look terrible.” He scorned, he had always hated when he disciplined us for a long time.
He hated the stench of rotten wolf, of those who soil themselves when their is no other choice. That is what I was right now, covered in my own sweat and urine. I was afraid and trembling from constant pain, so unfortunately for me, I had forgotten the smell, it had become one with my mind.
“I’m sorry master.” I whisper in response, not knowing what else I could possibly say in my defence?
He would simply say ‘it is your fault for disobeying’ then I would spend another day perhaps longer chained with silver like an animal. I wanted to be free, but the only time I could ever be close to that feeling was on a full moon.
“I will let you out if you swear to me that your behaviour will change, little wolf.” My master uttered, a small smile cornering his lips. “I want to hear no more of your wolf being free, or your mind. Do you understand!?”
“Yes master.” I chimed, my voice low as a slaves should be. “I understand.”
“It is the full moon tonight, if you can assure me you will stay within the permitted territories I will allow this night.” Balthazar smiled softly, something that is rare from my warlock master.
He has never been a emotional type, unless he was expressing his anger against a wrong doing, but I knew he had to have something on the line, he needed me to go on this run for some reason. Perhaps it is because I am more docile after my night of freedom, or perhaps he believes that this mercy will force me to submit to his earlier command. The notion wasn’t entirely lost on me, and I would more than likely be willing to agree after tonight.
“I can assure you that I will not bend any rule tonight, master.” I whisper my response, my voice soft and careful.
Don’t stir the dragons riches if you want to make if out alive, or at least that’s what my mother always said. If you want something from a master you have to be careful and show them that they have a hold over you. No matter if you are lying.
But, that was not the case now, if I left the perimeter I was certain I would end up back in this room, chained to the wall and subdued by silver; and that was something I wished to avoid more than anything. So tonight, when the moon rises, I will be on my best behaviour. I will obey my masters commands.
“Very good.” He sang, his voice a pitch higher than usual. “Let me release you then.”
Balthazar waved his hand and a blue electric shot from it, causing me to jump slightly, though it wasn’t meant to harm me; instead it snapped the cuffs around my wrists, and for the first time in god only knows how many days, the pain subsided. I let out a quiet sigh of relief, refusing to look at the damage I knew was there. The skin had melted away from my wrists and left red bloody welts, ones that would take months to heal. Silver and wolfsbane severely damaged my kind, making it harder for us to heal at our normal pace.
I stood slowly and on shaking legs, unsure how long I would be able to hold myself up as I waited for my master to give his next command and take me from this dreaded room. I wanted nothing more than to never see this place again, though I knew that was unlikely, he loves to hold this place over us, over all the slaves. It was his own brand of torture. One meant to keep us tightly in line.
Most of the time it worked, we would all do anything to avoid time here, but it wasn’t always possible for me, not with my big mouth and stubborn nature. Nyx didn’t help as she growled within me, wishing to be leg loose so she could destroy to demon in front of us. But even if she somehow managed such a thing, we’d never make it out of here alive. She was brute and I was brain.
Though sometimes she wins and I lose, I try my best to keep her inside unless it’s a full moon; this is her night as well as mine. A caged wolf is never a happy one, and no matter how many times I tell her, she won’t submit to a master. She’s insistent that she could make everyone bow to her. She doesn’t need a master when she could be one herself.
Balthazar reached out his hand seconds before everything went black and instantly I knew he was transporting us out of the room, my relief clear in the way my shoulders dropped. And perhaps, if he’s feeling generous he’d take us to the kitchen so I could eat.
I opened my eyes when the familiar zap of magic dissipated, my mind a little disoriented from the strange way of travelling. I looked around noticing that we were in Balthazar’s private dining hall, the table lined with all kinds of food.
“You’ll eat here with me.” Was all he said as he took a seat and began filling his plate.
"You'll eat here with me."I watched in shock, unsure what I was meant to do, I had never eaten in his presence before, I don’t think that any slave had. I looked around one last time, waiting for a guard to come and whip me. But when none came I took a seat, timidly filling my plate and picking at the food.“Thank you master, this is very generous of you.” I murmured, though he gave no indication that he had heard me.“I’ve been thinking about what I asked you to do Annalise.” He said after several minutes of silence, causing me to jump. “I think I realise now why you are reluctant to obey.”Wait what? He understands me? How can that even be possible? He had never taken a moment to be considerate before, never listened to the worries of slaves before. Does he really know why I don’t want a mate? Why I refused to bare children with anyone. Was he offended? Why was he so calm?
I walked towards the kitchen, the mansion oddly quiet as all the wolves prepared for the one night of the month they get off, the only one where they can shift freely and run from the acres of wood that surrounded the masters house. I open the back door, feeling the breeze wrap around me as I close my eyes, this way the only day I was allowed outside and I would always cherish it, the best day of the month was when I could sink my toes into mud and smell the scent of the forest. I pull off my tattered shoes and smiled as the cold earth greeted me. It was wrong to keep a wolf locked up indoors, but that is what Balthazar chose for me, said I would appreciate his kindness of the full moon run more if I didn’t go out any other time.I suppose I do understand what he means because I do appreciate it more, but I also wish that I was locked away most of the month too. I hate being indoors, I have since I was a little girl, the earth always seemed to call to me, it helped me t
Their was no going back now, I had come too far, the boundaries of my master’s territory was miles behind me and still their was no sign he knew of my absence.I knew I wasn’t out of danger yet as I pushed myself harder, the landscape rushing by, I had crossed three rivers and four roads without being spotted by anyone. I had no clue where I was as I slowed down in a small clearing, turning in a circle and sniffing the air. It was strange, I thought I had smelt something sweet a few seconds ago, but now it was gone.I turned my nose to the ground and sniffed the earth, wondering if it was some kind of plant I could smell, perhaps fruit. It was something I had never smelt before, something alluring and strange. I plopped down onto my stomach to rest, I had come hundreds of miles and it was almost dawn, Nyx and I were exhausted, we had never travelled so far before. We had never left Balthazar’s estate in north America before, but now it was different,
“I’m just passing through. I didn’t mean to get in anyone’s way.”Alpha scowled menacingly, his eyes skimming over my body in anger, stopping at my neck and wrists. “Who did that to you?!” He growled deeply, causing me to jump and step back.Why was he so angry?I looked down at my body, at the old scars and new bruises that lined my petite form, the welts still present on my wrists from the silver chains. This is what happens when Balthazar takes a liking to you, he hurts you, torments you. That was the life I was running from, trying to get as much distance as possible between me and my master.“I’m a slave.” I whisper, hoping that they would help me, if he’s angry about the scars then maybe he can protect me. Save me from the warlock.“A slave?” Blue eyes gasped in horror, some of the wolves around us whining. “Only warlocks and vampires have slaves.”
I didn't know if everything that alpha Dean had said was correct or not, I wasn't even sure that I believed their legend that I was to become some sort of great alpha that brought some other packs together or something like that. I wasn't even entirely sure what a pack was apart from what he had told me and what I knew from the stories my mother had read to me when I was a young pup. I was uncertain what my future would hold, or why I might have to do to belong, but I was determined to try, I had to do something with my life.I just hoped that it wasn't what he thought, I didn't know the first thing about leading anyone! I had spent my whole life as a slave, used and beaten whenever Balthazar saw fit. The only things I had ever known was loneliness and fear, and I didn't think those would help me in this. How did a pack work, were the wolves there really free to do as they wished, to come and go whenever they wanted to?Did that mean I would be able to sh
I remained as still as possible as Zane carried me through the town and onto the outskirts, a large building coming into view, something that could even rival the home of my master. Other smaller houses and something that blue eyes called flats were littered everywhere and I soon realised that this was a community, not a slave trade as I was used to. The people were so happy, the children laughing and playing, it was strange, seeing people so happy, but I guess it would be considering where I came from.In Balthazar’s care you rarely smiled, I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be happy, to be a child who didn’t know the cruelty of the world. But he ripped all that away from me when I was seven, forcing me to watch in that room as my parents died slowly from torture. I wished and pleased to the moon goddess to help them, to save my family. But she never did, instead they died whilst begging for their lives, while pleading for a mercy that never came. Their
Sarah scoffed, her hands curling into fists. “You’re acting like she’s your mate! She’s a dirty rogue.”“That’s enough Sarah, you can see she’s been through a lot.” Another wolf in the room spoke up, coming to my defence, her eyes reminding me of the spring red roses that Balthazar used to litter around.She was smaller than Sarah , with dark brown hair that was pulled back into a high ponytail, she was still in her pink pjs but I wouldn’t have messed with her by the scowl she was giving Zane’s sister. She looked fierce.“No one asked you Eve.” Snarled Sarah.I was almost certain that Eve was turning red from anger, “No one needs to when you decide to be a bitch!”“Enough both of you!” Zane growled, his voice carrying throughout the pack house. “Sarah for your information, yes I can feel the bond and so can your alpha!”Gasps of
Zane finishes helping me wash and dry myself, giving me a pair of green sweatpants and a grey jumper, he is the most kindest person that I knew. He allowed me to take my time, never once rushing me, never once complaining that I am too slow. I appreciated everything he was doing, And I knew he would do more, he said that he would always take care of me, thought he would love me more than anyone else and the alpha felt the same way, I belong to them both.I sat on the bed whilst Zane collected a tray of food from the other door, a piping hot bowl of soup and some bread, along with a cup of coffee. I devoured the soup in no time, Not really realising how hungry I was until I smelt it. I couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty that I couldn't give them anything back, I have no money, no food, and no clothing. I have left everything behind when I ran. I had nothing to my name.Zane watched me eat with a small smile, his eyes always kind and gentle. “When was