Kidnapped from her pack and abused since childhood, when Arden finally wanders free into the arms of her mate, how long until her demons come looking for her?
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"We shouldn't be out this far." The guard, Eric, mumbled, trudging along behind me.
"Just a little bit further." I promised, savouring the taste of freedom.
-The cool breeze kissing against my skin, the sharp bite of the cold air. Even the way my feet thudded against the dead leaves that coated the forest floor.
Autumn was coming back to an abrupt end, and the first signs of winter were beginning to blossom in the wood.
"We've gone to far, we need to turn back." Eric said, worry obvious in his voice, "The Alpha would have my head if he found out I brought you so close to the border."
"No he wouldn't, I wouldn't allow him." I said rolling my eyes, which seemed to silence him.
Soon the only sounds in the forest were our heavy footfalls, and the distant sound of a bird crying somewhere far off.
A twig snapped, and Eric jumped to attention, growling at the tree line. "Stay back." He rumbled, shoving me roughly behind him.
A figure immurged from behind a tree, but Eric wouldn't let me see who, he just kept me hidden behind him.
"The Alpha's on his way, leave now or face the consequences." Eric boomed.
A cold laugh resonated though the wood, sharp and hard. Sending birds flying from their nests. "The Alpha? Just who I wanted to see."
My heart stopped. -That voice. I knew that voice.
Fear gripped me, wrapping its vile body around me until I was rendered useless. Unable to run. Unable to fight. Unable to even speak, and it felt as though a weight had dropped into the pit of my stomach.
I just stayed there, cowering behind Eric, praying that he wouldn't notice me.
The wind picked up, and the man paused, sniffing the air.
"Arden." I could hear the smile behind his sickening voice, "You can come out now."
I could feel the beast deep within me, awakening to claw and my eyes and throat. I choked back tears as I stepped out from behind Eric.
It was really him. He had found me again after all these years.
"Hello Arden." He grinned, a sickening smile that made my stomach churn and I had to fight off the urge to vomit.
He looked the same as he always did, yet different somehow.
-More...feral.
I didn't trust myself to speak, worried that if I did, it would make this real. He would really be here. He would really have found me.
My legs threatened to buckle beneath me, my body feeling to heavy to stand.
"Well, aren't you going to say hello?" He smirked, "I missed you."
"What are you doing here?" My voice quivered like a frightened bird. Small and broken.
His smile grew, and his eyes raked their way down my body, but stopped at my swollen stomach.
-Then suddenly his smile dropped, his eyes grew angry and his lips pulled back in a vicious snarl.
"You whore!" He roared, charging towards me. I couldn't move, I just stood there like a deer in the headlights. Fear paralysing me and rooting me to the spot.
They collided in a flurry of teeth and fur as Eric shifted and jumped to shield me.
"How could you!" He bellowed, his hands pulling at his hair in frustration, "I gave you everything! Everything I had, I gave to you, and this is how you repay me!"
Eric growled beside me, his tan wolf bristling with anger.
"Who's the father?" He snarled, "Or do you not even know who the father of your pup is?"
"Kaden... Kaden is the father." I whimpered, hanging my head in fear of his reaction.
"My own brother!" He screamed, lunging, hands out stretched for my throat but Eric's sharp jaws clamped down upon his wrist before they could make contact wth me. Blood, thick and dark crawled down his arm and he screamed, retreating back and clutching at his injured wrist.
"You filthy mutt!"
Skin shifted to fur and bones cracked loudly as he shifted to his beast. His grey fur stained with patches of sickening scarlet.
The two wolves collided, throwing their bodies together in a horrific dance. One of blood, -one of death.
Eric was thrown to the floor, and in a instant the beast was on top of him. Eric's strength didn't compare to that of the monster. -It all happened so fast. The beast's jaws clamped down upon Eric's throat. Silencing him, as his body went limp and his head lolled to the side.
"No!" I screamed, "Get away from him!"
The creature's head snapped towards me, his eyes burning into my skin, blazing with hatred. He crawled off Eric's lifeless body, dragging itself towards me instead, lips pulled back in a vicious snarl to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
"Please, I-" But no words could be found, instead I found myself backing up until my back collided with the harsh bark of a tree.
To me, he had always been 'the monster' not only because I had not know his name, but also because it seemed the word best to describe him. -A monster, which he was.
But if I were to die, I would not die in fear, In fear of the monster that plagued my nightmares, I would face him. -And I would not go down without a fight.
This was it... -This was how it would end.
Because Evanora had been correct in her prediction, in the end... Everything would end in death.
-Mortem.
*** A lot of you have been asking for updates on my books, I am on holiday atm so I haven't been updating however updates will get back to normal once I get of holiday next week. Anyways... Don't forget to vote and comment! -🍟
