Chapter 3

Hailey:

"Running won't save you,” the words echoed  in my head with every step I took.

I had to keep going. I could not wait for Alpha Donovan's people to come and drag me away to a fate that I did not know. And I would not wait until to be rejected again.

I would rather die alone in the woods than give them the satisfaction.

The forest was around me. Branches hit my face and arms. I was bleeding. My lungs hurt, my legs hurt but I kept running.

I was running away from Hallow Hades. I was running away from the people who had hurt me. I was running away from the memories.

I had nothing with me. No money, no food, no plan. I just had the clothes I was wearing and the hope that things would get better.

Then I heard a loud howl, it  was not a wolf sound. It was scary and too aggressive.

The sound made me stop.  They came out of the shadows. Three of them looked like they’d been thrown away and deserted. The crusty Eyes red like they’d been tormented for far too long.

One of them that I had seen had too many teeth.

"Well well what do we have here? A little wolf, alone in the dark. Are you stupid or suicidal?" Another one laughed, it  sounded like breaking glass.

"Look at her. She smells like a pack wolf. Is she running away?" I put my hands up.

"I do not want trouble. Just let me go.". The first rogue just grinned.

"Let you go? We have not eaten in weeks and you  look so tender." He jumped at me and I tried to shift but I  was too weak.

They had dragged me, one leaving a tear on my skin as they pulled me further into the woods.

“Let go please..” my voice was hoarse and pain shot through my entire body.

“Oh she would taste so good..” another yank and my face was scrubbing the damp soil.

“Let her go” a voice raised from behind me, when I turned I saw a man, tall, built and angry.

He took a step forward and the rogues dragged me even further.

In two soft steps, the man lounged at the rogues, shifting to his wolf form, he was a hefty black wolf with blue eyes.  

I had tried to fight to be awake but every breath felt like I was being dragged into a different realm.

Darkness covered my eyes and I slumped.

When I woke up I was warm. I was in bed, the  room was nice. The window let in sunlight, I sat up slowly and my body did not hurt much as it had before.

The door of the room opened and a woman walked in. She was older and had a tray in her hand.

"You are awake. I was worried you would sleep all day." Her voice was soft as she dropped the tray at the bed side table.

“Where am I ?" The words had left my mouth softly.

“ You are in Silverwood pack territory. You are safe here. Our Alpha found you in the woods at night. He brought you back himself." She explained softly.

The woman gave me some pills.

"Take these. They will help you heal." I took the pills in my mouth and washed it down with some water.

She showed me where the bathroom was and where I could find some clothes. I needed to get ready because the Alpha wanted to see me.

When she left the room, I took a shower and I put on some fresh clothes then headed out of the room going  downstairs. The kind woman was waiting for me and she showed me to the Alphas office.

Down the corridor to the Alpha’s office was serene and calm, some  minimalistic portraits sat on the wall and as I stepped into the office, a warmth welcomed me followed by the iciness of his gaze. Brown mahogany desk in front of him. The man leaned into his chair and he stared at me.

“Sit down" his words were a subtle command.

I sat down right opposite him. He was handsome and I barely could take my eyes off him. He had this

"Thank you for saving me. I do not know what would have happened if you had not..."

"You  would have died by  the hands of those rogues.” I swallowed hard because of the hard truth.

He leaned back in his chair, eyes not leaving me.

“Tell me your story. Why were you running alone in the woods at night?"  I did not want to tell him the truth. I was afraid of what he would do.

"My name is Hailey and I had escaped from the clutches of the Red Moon pack.” I lied about  the name of my pack.

“They had accused my father of treason and had locked him up and they wanted to sell me to some Alpha..” I paused

He looked at me, “and so you ran?”

“Yes, I ran..”  

“And they will come looking for me. They won’t stop until they find me. Can you help me?” The words were heavy as they left my mouth but this was the only solution I had.

“I will do anything. Anything as long as I don’t go back to being haunted after.”

“Anything?” His tone was sharp and I nodded.

“Yes, anything. I could clean, I could be a servant here. I could do whatever you want me to do as long as I’m protected here. Going would mean my death.”

“Marry me..”

“What?” I had thought I did not hear well but the words echoed again.

“A contract, between the both of us, Hailey.”

“But you don’t know me.” I whispered. My eyes danced around his office for a few seconds and then back at him. Cold eyes that made me loose my voice.

“I take your word for it, Hailey.” I swallowed hard, half of my story was a lie. I was not from the red moon pack, but I was in fact running from them.

“You need protection and I can offer you that. You stay here and I protect you and in return you marry me, Hailey.”