Chasing Tails (Original)

10. Celebrating

She found a safe spot at the edge of the woods towards the back of the party where no one stood around to bug her. She wrapped her arms around herself, wanting desperately to go home and get some rest. Hopefully, her wolf would give her the night off of chasing nightmares and she could forget about her troubles. But she couldn't go without Dresden's approval and that was someone she didn't want to face right now.

She could still feel the sting of his teeth on her neck, sinking into her skin when he claimed her as one of his own. Her neck was sore and she unconsciously reached up to it, wincing as she pressed her fingers against the new wound. She knew it would take the rest of the night for that to heal normally - it always was when joining a new pack. She just hoped it was the same when the wolf part was missing.

"So you're Julie." She looked up to see a dirty blonde with freckles and bright green eyes staring at her. She wore a skirt and a low cut shirt with flip flops, holding a red plastic cup in her hand. Behind her stood the dark haired girl from earlier and another girl with broad hips and a Barbie doll-like waist with eyes that were outlined with eyeliner. "You don't look like much."

The dirty blonde took a sip of her drink, eyeing Julie with a seductive glance. Julie gulped. She forgot that some of the she-wolves didn't mind spending time with other she-wolves during mating season when they grew tired of the availabe wolves. Now, her guard was higher than ever and she didn't feel safe anywhere. Her fear had created a pit in her stomach and her hands were shaking in her jacket pockets. She felt sick.

"Be careful, Leila. She's Dresden's." The dark haired girl spoke with a giggle, her voice sounding almost slurry.

"Oh, shut up Sheila. Go fuck Jack, why don't you?" The dark haired look up in though, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Actually, I think I just might. Keep an on her, Kennedy." She stated, grinning with a wink before walking away to find Jack. Julie stood still, waiting for the girls to state their points and hopefully move on.

"Relax Juls," Leila laughed. "I'm only teasing." She took a bigger sip of her drink, looking at the Barbie doll girl, Kennedy.

"You seem fine for a Were during mating season." Kennedy commented, leaning against Leila. Julie shrugged, watching as Kennedy's gaze crossed over her.

"I guess when you lose your wolf you lose everything that comes with it." She stumbled over her words, speaking softly. She hoped that somehow she can get out of this situation before it turns ugly.

"Yeah, how did you lose your wolf? It's not like she just ran off and left you." Leila joked, leaning back against Kennedy. Julie flinched. The thought of her wolf running away and leaving her sounded a lot better than the truth. It would've been fine if that's all that happened. But reality was much, much worse.

"Leave."

Julie turned to find Dresden appearing behind her. Leila and Kennedy straightened and nodded their heads, disappearing into the crowd. Julie bowed her head in submission and backed up until she hit a tree. Figuring that running away wasn't a clear option, she leaned against it. Her eyes watched as Dresden stood close to her but not too close. He didn't tell her to leave too nor did he make a move to do anything. She stood, staring at him in wonder and he only stared back at her.

Unmated Alphas were known to sex unmated Were in their pack until they foudn their mate during mating seaosn. The thought that Dresden wanted to do something like that crossed her mind but he hadn't made a move on her before. She didn't think he would do so now. But as he glanced over her chest and her stomach, she hesitated.

"Those bruises," He spoke, pulling her out of her thoughts.  "How did you get them?"

Julie was starlted by his question. Relief washed over her as she realized he wasn't looking at her lustfully. But the idea of answering his question made her uneasy. She shook her head, attempting to lie. Opening her mouth, she started to speak but then stopped mid-sentence, remembering the last two times she tried to lie to him. It didn't end well then and she knew it wouldn't now - especially since he was her Alpha. She couldn't get away with lying to him anymore.

"I was being punished," She muttered under her breathe, looking down at her feet. She could only hope that her answer would satisfy him enough to change topics or to walk away. But it didn't.

"For what?"

"For different things," She shrugged, thinking of all of the reasons her father had for beating her. "Disobediance, clumsiness, laziness, forgetfulness, failure." She listed as he stared at her hard, his eyes darkening with every word. Was he angry that he had someone so weak join his pack? If so, then why did he mark her? He could've easily let her walk off to find Ollie if he didn't want her. Why did he keep her instead?

"By who?" She looked up at him in fear, shaking her head. She didn't dare answer this question. The thought that James would somehow find out about her ratting him out petrified her. Dresden took a step towards her, crossing his arms over his muscled chest. "Julie, by who?"

"By," She hesitated again, biting her cheek as if saying it out loud would cause her death. And if James ever found out, it just might. If only Zach and Andy could save me, she thought. She quickly resented herself for that.

"How bad are they?" He asked instead, looking down at her darkly. She shivered from his gaze, his black eyes making her feel small and childlike. His power overwhelmed her. She immediately bowed her head to him, fearful of what she might see if she continued to stare at him.

"They're...not bad."

"Damn it, Julie!" He leered at her, ripping her shirt from her stomach down clean off. She flinched, feeling the cold air brush over her skin, making her shiver. When she opened her eyes, she found his gaze looking over her.

The purple and blue spots covering her stomach with a sick black color made his stomach turn. They continued over her hips and around her sides but they didn't seem like they covered her chest. That meant that there was a different bruise that went over her collarbone. The thought that she had been beaten more than once made him shake with rage.

He looked over her, seeing her shivering and whimpering, tears falling down her face in fear as she shook, attempting to cover her stomach with her arms. She couldn't look at him. She was absolutely shaken. He rested on hand on the tree beside her face and leaned in closely, placing his finger under her chin to force her to look at him. He knew if he didn't leave soon, things would get bad and she would never be able to look at him without fearing him.

"Who did this?" He asked as calmly as possible, trying to keep calm for her sake. Her lips shook as she tried to voice something, shaking her head. He could see she was having trouble talking. The most she could do was stare at him, fear grabbing her whole. He leaned closer, making sure she kept contact with him.

"You tell whoever did this that unless they want to die a very painful death, they won't touch you ever again. I am the only one who can inflict pain on you! I won't allow anyone to ever touch you. Do you understand? You belong to me!"

Julie nodded, eagerly begging him to leave so she could. His words came across as menacing and threatening, not to James who caused this, but to her who couldn't speak up. When he backed off and left coolly for the woods, she cried out, falling onto her legs.

Jack watched as his Alpha phased and ran off, sensing the anger that was built up in his mind. He was beyond rage and as Jack looked around, he noticed the Alpha mate running away from the party in a fit of tears.