Captured by the Alpha

Tall trees. The sound of the waterfall.

I closed my eyes and traced my small fingers at the long blades of grass as I skipped happily towards Grandmother's cottage. I remember vividly as I jumped from rocks to rocks just to cross the stream, with my newly sewn basket.

Mother made it for Grammy, if I remember correctly. Inside were goodies that had just come from my uncle's farm. My father was busy cutting trees and my mother should be at home- mending our garments with threads and needles.

When I arrived at the path, I remember the smell of smoke and rotten eggs- or at least, that's what I thought it would be. I remember correctly that Father told me to wrap myself with my red cloak to intimidate the predators lurking in the woods. I thought it was foolish, until I saw one myself.

From behind the huts stood a creature so beastly and ugly. It seemed like a hyena standing on its hind legs. Because of how devilish it looked, I never thought that it would be a wolf.

I've always seen the wolves in the mountains, coming to feed the cattle. They were beautiful with their grey and white coat. But this particular one- brought shivers down my spine because of how hideous it was.

I ran. My Grandmother's hut was just that way on the corner. I have to run. I have to save her. I have a knife with me. Father purposedly attached it to my boots and I won't hesitate to use it.

I could feel my breathing becoming uneven. I was suffocating. It felt like someone was pushing my head against a drum of water to drown. I stumbled.

And that's when I saw it.

My Grandmother being torn into pieces by the beast.

___

I woke up, gasping for air. I held my chest as it started to squeeze in more. I felt my adrenaline rush more as I stared on the floor before me. Cold sweat formed in my forehead as the recollections of my dream flashed through my eyes.

"Haah... haah..."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

I quickly shot my gaze up and looked at my surroundings. It was only then, that I realized, that I was trapped inside a huge cage in the middle of a vast golden floor. I looked around, frantically placing my palms against the cold, steel bars. I ratted the cage but it won't bust open.

I am trapped.

"You seem to be doing fine now, that's a relief."

I quickly turned my head only to see a man sitting on his throne, legs crossed, like a king. I stared at him for a couple of seconds before memories from the snowy forests crossed my head. My brows furrowed in anger and I grabbed the bars with my bare strength.

"Who the hell are you and why am I here?" I demanded.

He simply looked at me with a neutral and aloof expression and leaned against his throne as if I was a bother.

"Answer me!" I yelled. There is no way that I am letting these bastards take me as their hostage.

"You're too noisy." he then probed his eyes on me. "Do you know that we are a hundred times sensitive at hearing than you, humans?"

"I know that, darn it!" I kicked the cage with my foot. "Let me out of here!"

"Are you sure that you caught the right woman, Gallard?"

A beastly creature stood before him and nodded. I remember him. He was the one that captured me.

"Yes, I am certain that it is her, Sir Riftan." the creature looked at me and crossed his arms. "The infamous Little Red Riding Hood of the Kingdom of Hezel."

I scoffed and smirked.

So these guys knew me huh. That's good. At least they know how murderous my reputation is.

"The Little Red Riding Hood? Ah, yes. Truly." the complacent man on the throne, who they have addressed as 'Sir Riftan' nodded, while inspecting me. "That explains the resplendent crimson fabric of camouflage, earlier."

"It's called a hood, psycho." I informed him and then at my clothes. I noticed that I have been changed clothes, and that made me even more irritated. "Who told you to change my clothes?" I faced the Were named Galland, and gritted my teeth.

"With all due respect, we didn't change your clothes, Sir Riftan did."

Ugh. His name makes me even more frustrated.

Riftan.

Ugh. I can't even remember who he is.

I rub my scalp multiple times trying to ease the pain from it. The male named Riftan turned to Galland and looked at him narrowly. "What did you do to her? Did you hit her in the head?"

Galland nodded. "I'm afraid we have, Sir."

Riftan's eyes became sharp and his tone became lifeless. "I told you to handle her with care, didn't I?"

"My apologies if we resorted to the less desired solution, Sir. She was like a mad woman. So skittish and she looked so dangerous. She is known to have wiped out an entire pack back in the West. We cannot be complacent around her. From the looks of the weapons that we confiscated from her, she looks like a veteran."

I felt complimented. And I wouldn't deny that having my enemies acknowledge my strength made my head go big.

I was proud. What's so wrong with it?

"A veteran, yes I am." I leaned against the bars. "So, letting me out of this cage feels like suicide to you, huh?"

Galland cleared his throat and ignored me. Pfft. Cowards.

"Sissies." I grumbled under my breath and shrugged my shoulders. "Why did you even capture me in the first place? You've gotten yourself in a trap."

"A trap?" Galland chuckled at me.

"Uh-huh." I nodded. "Well... honestly, I can't remember much, all thanks to you because you hit me in the head unconscious, but I know that I was tasked to kill your Alpha. So tell me, who's the Alpha here?"

"You must be a crackhead, then!" another Were insulted me.

I realized that I was surrounded by a crowd of them. Well, it's not like I'm shy to be in front of an audience, anyway.

"The only crackheads here, are your skulls- when I open them with my bare heads, kitty-cat."

"Enough." Riftan commanded and the cackling of the Weres became silent.

His eyes pierced my soul and I immediately felt discomfort about it. I rolled my eyes, pretending to cut off our contact, just to shake away this feeling of dread that kept rushing in my body.

"You're captured. Do you not have anything else to say?"

"All I can say is, you're pretty much boned, now that I am here."

"Your name is Ruby Vermillion, isn't it?"

I crossed my arms and smirked. "Are you a stalker or something?"

"My name is Zen Riftan." He stood up from his throne and descended the short stairs to approach me. I gulped. "I am the Alpha of this pack."

I gazed at him with a hostile look.

I wouldn't deny it but this Zen guy is truly phenomenal. He was in his human form. His hair was of the color of snow and his eyes were arctic blue. He had long temples and very tantalizing lips. His voice was deep, serene, and alluring. He wore a long, dark coat and had a wolf-fang piercing that was dangling on his right ear. His skin was a little bit tanned and he had that sexy scar on his neck.

Wait, did I say sexy?

Scratch that. He looks ugly as hell. I bet his Were form is uglier too.

"Fantasizing about me, aren't we?" he reached out his hand inside the bar and cupped my cheek.

I try to keep myself calm and took a deep breath. I could ram his head against the bar and knock him unconscious. That jewelry on his suit? I can make do of it as a lock pick and get the hell out of this damn cage. I can kill him right now and I won't even care if they kill me too.

I want him dead. That's what the King told me, hadn't he?

Damn it. My mind is fuzzy.

"What the hell are you talking about? Besides, sticking your arm inside is suicide. Have you never thought of that?"

"I can read your thoughts, Vermillion." he whispered at me in a sensual manner.

I grit my teeth and clench my fists.

This moronic bastard. I swear to the heavens that I would kill him!

I swung my hand and attempted to grab his collar, just one pull and I can smash his head with these damn bars. But all of a sudden, his hand slips and his fingers were tightly wrapped against my neck. I didn't exactly know what happened but all I knew was that- it occurred before I could even blink my eye.

"You can't hurt me, woman." he smirked, but his eyes remained emotionless.

"Y-You damn prick. Wipe off that smug grin off your face!"

"Make me." he mumbled.

I had to be careful not to move a single inch. Because if I did, these claws of his would sink against my throat and I would likely die from blood loss.

Darn it. Why did he have to be so strong?!

"You're pretty cocky for an Alpha, huh?" I sneered and chuckled nervously. "Well, I suppose every alpha in this planet is an arrogant bastard like you."

"How ironic. Can you not tell the difference? You are much more overweening than I am. How presumptuous of you to think that it would be the opposites."

"Let go of me."

"No, you let go of me, Vermillion." he firmly commanded.

I grip harder against his collar and his claw started to twitch against my neck. "I am not one of your stupid mates. For your information, I am your assassin. And I don't take orders from my victims."

"I am not a victim of yours."

I felt his claws tease the edge of my neck. "But you are, to me." he spat back.

"Just you wait until I get out of here, bastard." I grimaced.

"Oh, I'll wait." he nodded in sarcasm. "But I suppose that you won't be able to, considering how weak your body has become."

Weak. Did he just say I'm weak?

I immediately grabbed his wrist, removing his hands from my neck, and immediately pulled his collar. His body crashed into the bars and I look at him with pity in my eyes.

"I hate that word."

Riftan stared at me with cold eyes and I returned the same look, but with a scornful scowl.

"Sir Riftan! Please stay away from her!"

Galland rushes to him and pulls him away. I let go of his collar and dusted off my hands by rubbing them on one another.

I won't let this bastard take control over and humiliate me. I'll write my own name in history as the first human who would never bow down to a stupid gang leader of kittens, like that moron.

I'm not weak.

I'm not pathetic.

The Kingdom of Hezel needs me.

"Tch."

Riftan fixed his suit and rolled his sleeves. "If you're still thinking that you made me feel intimidated and would somehow grant your release, forget it and just dream on to the stars above- because I won't. You are not getting out of this place, Ruby."

I looked at him and clenched my fists until they became pale. "Don't make me get out of here myself, kitty. Because I am sure that it won't be as pretty as you thought it would be."

"As I have said, you won't be getting out of there. My decision is final."

"Who says you can make decisions with my life, huh?!"

This moron really upsets me! Anytime soon, and I swear, I would become a raging fireball-enough to kill everyone in here.

"I know you have something inside your body." Riftan glowered at me with a serious tone. "And I know why you're so weak."

"You really wanna piss me off by repeating the same word again, huh?"

"Your joints. You can't do any strenuous activities without medicine, am I not right?"

"W-What?"

No way. I cannot let him know about my illness. Or else, he would make fun of me! Him and his goons!

"What are you talking about?!"

"The pack I have sent to capture you has told me that you suddenly became pale and your movements became slow."

"I was injured, okay?" I crossed my arms. "I have been on a mission before this, so that explains it."

"No, it doesn't." Riftan opposes. Of course, he would.

"You collapsed before they could even hit you. And to top it all off, they witnessed you moving at incredible speeds as you leaped in the streets- surely you have enough energy for those, do you not? So how come you slowed down so suddenly and crashed to the snow like a leaf?"

"I am not a leaf! And I was injured! I hit myself with a tree-"

"You didn't. I can smell that you reek of medicine and that repulsive Wolfsbane herb that I believe you must have gotten from that woman on the foot of the mountain.

"Don't tell me you're gonna hurt her too?!" I walked towards the bar and reached out to him to grab his collar, but he was too far from my reach.

"I plan to expand my territory. She will be perished if she doesn't evacuate to the inner cities in time."

"You damn prick!" I yelled at him.

There's no mercy to these guys! They're all... monsters!

"But I suppose I can spare her. That is if you behave."

I immediately shut my mouth. And even if I was itching to curse slanders at him, I endured not to do it.

"That's good." he nodded and gave me a pat on my head like his damn dog. "I like obedient people like you."

"Shut up. I'm gonna get out of here, kill you and save that woman. I promise."

"That's very brave of you, but I am sorry to crush your dreams, because none of that is happening. You cannot kill me."

I snickered. "Really now? And why do you think of that?"

"Why do you think that I had you captured in the first place?"

"I don't know? To silence me because you caught me sneaking inside your territory? Or maybe, just because you want to make fun of me."

"As expected of a lowborn like you." he rolled his eyes. "I had you captured because you are my mate."