Ignite | ✔

09

09 - An Instant Burn

ZARA

     I was beyond the point of no return. The Moon Goddess must have made a mistake pairing me with the likes of him. I stewed in silence with my arms folded across my chest, glaring harshly at the doors standing between me and my freedom. How dare he lock me in his bedroom? How dare he degrade me to nothing more than a bedroom whore?

The thought of him just made my blood boil.

I shouted in frustration and rose, marching across the room to the window, looking at the open field below and not missing the two men who stood just below the window. He thought of everything, didn't he? I thought dryly.

The moonlight began to shine through the open windows, my ears perking up at the rustle of the trees from down below, my skin feeling the sudden chill from the winds.

With no escape, and with weariness taking over, I settled into defeat and accepted that this was a battle for another day. Mr. Big Bad Alpha would feel my wrath when he returned.

Until then... until then, I would enjoy the peace his presence didn't bring. After shutting the window, I took a good look around his room, not surprised at the fancy gadgets and accessories I found to support his black, modern decor. Off-white walls colored the room, with a black accent wall just above the bed. Well, this room was depressing, I thought to myself as I inspected the black comforter with a frown on my lips. The light streaming through the windows and the small pin lights in the ceiling were the only sources of light, a small green plant in the corner of the room being the only touch of color in sight.

Huffing, I dragged the comforter off the bed and settled on the floor. God forbid he come back and find me in his bed. Curling up tightly, I let my eyes flutter close and allowed sleep to find me amidst the darkness.

-

What the hell was that?

Scrunching my face, I tried to take myself away from my slumber and narrowed my eyes at the sudden intrusion of light from the windows. With each passing moment, the rays from the sunlight grew more intense, and a groan left my lips. I chose the worst place to lie down, I thought as I flipped sides and shut my eyes. Then I remembered where I was.

And who I had to face.

Jumping up, I glared towards the bed, expecting to find him there, but it was as empty as it was last night. So the Big Bad Wolf still isn't back yet. He should fear for his life when he gets back.

My wolf whimpered at the thought and I ignored her, reminding her that he was the one to lock us in a room like a child. I had been on my own for years and I had never faced this much disrespect from anyone, and yet this man thinks he can waltz into my life and tell me what I can and cannot do; where I can and cannot go.

He must be delusional.

And yet, all Alphas were.

I ran my fingers through my blonde hair as I walked towards the wall-mounted mirror, grimacing slightly at my reflection. Yep, I definitely needed a shower. Poking around in his closet, I grabbed the first pair of shorts I set my eyes on, along with a T-shirt then walked across the room to what I suspected was the bathroom.

It should have come as a surprise to me that his bathroom also shared the same dark, black tones as the bedroom but it didn't. It was massive. Long black tiles ran across the walls, complemented by dark mosaic tiles. A huge shower head was mounted in the center of the shower, and a small wooden bench sat in the right-hand corner.

What was one man doing with all this space? Jesus.

After setting the clothes on the sink counter, I hopped in the shower and closed the glass doors behind me. It took me a while to figure out all the fancy dials and temperature buttons for the shower head, but once I got it going it felt amazing. I got lost in the soothing sensation, grabbing the shampoo and body wash from the ledge and massaging my scalp and skin.

Twenty minutes later, it was like I was a whole new woman. Hand-drying my hair with a towel nearby, I looked at my refined reflection, pleased that the dirt and disaster of yesterday was behind me.

Letting my damp hair caress my shoulders, I exited the bathroom and fell on the bed with a groan. What the hell was I supposed to do? I couldn't stay locked in this room forever, just waiting for him to return. I needed to claw my way out of here – out of this God-forsaken pack.

Muffled sounds came from the other side of the bedroom door, making me push myself up slightly and expectantly look at the door. When no one entered and the sounds went away, I rose fully from the bed and approached the door.

I needed out of here and I needed it now.

Surprisingly, the knob twisted easily and the door came undone. So he left it open? What was he expecting me to do? Curiosity had me poking my head out and look left and right before I sneaked out the room. With how early it was, it wasn't a mystery that the house was empty. I sneaked down the corridor and down the stairs with ease.

A wide grin found my lips when I walked through the front door and down the foyer, heading straight towards the trees. The more hidden I was, the less likely I would be found. I glanced left and right constantly, not wanting to be caught; not wanting to be put back in a cell – or worse, the Alpha's bed chambers.

The morning glow from the sun gently brushed the horizon, casting its warm, golden hues across the canvas of the sky. As the first rays of light emerged, they played a magical symphony with the remaining vestiges of dawn, gradually transforming the inky darkness into a breathtaking tapestry of colors.

At that moment, as the morning glow from the sun brightened the sky and the tall trees swayed peacefully in the wind, it symbolized not just the start of a new day but also the possibility of escape. My pace quickened as my heart did, the possibility now being a reality, and before I could make those last ten steps to disappear in the greenery, five men came into view.

"Well, well, well," one of them purred, "what do we have here?"

Another sniffed the air and then smirked cruelly.

"Smells like a rogue, Bobby," the other snarled.

"These worthless rogues," the first, Bobby, spat out as he looked me up and down with disdain, "they never learn. Maybe we need to teach you a lesson."

"You? Teach me something? I think I already know how to count bricks, but thanks for the heads up," I retorted.

Meathead didn't like that very much. He growled then charged at me, followed by the men that flanked him. I tried to fight back as much as I could, managing a few face punches and knee-jerk kicks to the balls but once they tag-teamed me, it was over. Two of them held my arms and pushed me to my knees while Bobby kicked me in the face.

"You should've stayed off our lands, rogue," Bobby said as he continued to attack me.

The rains of their fists didn't stop no matter how much I thrashed and fought back. I coughed as one punched me in my stomach, spitting out the blood that came to my mouth, causing them to drop me in a heap on the floor. My vision started to blur but it didn't stop them.

"Call the Gamma!" one of them shouted, "this rogue needs to be in a cell."

"Already did," another replied, "he's already on his way with some backup. We need to scout the area – make sure that she's the only one that managed to slip through the borders."

Within minutes, I heard new voices approach us. A groan escaped my lips and I grabbed my stomach, involuntarily curling into a ball as the pain intensified. I could feel my broken ribs trying to repair themselves, but my vision was still blurred. I managed to glance up, realizing through a fuzzy vision that the Gamma, Conner, was rushing towards us with a serious look on his face.

As he got closer, he said, "Hey, where's the..." he was about to ask then he trailed off as he saw me. His eyes widened at the sight and I breathed out, turning flat on my back and fluttering my eyes.

"Oh shit, what have you guys done..." was all I heard before I passed out.