Running from Vampires

Chapter Nineteen

I sat in the back of a van, chained up and completely naked except for a black bandeau type of shirt that stuck to me, and black yoga shorts. The scars that decorated my body were on display and I knew that my poorly shaven head along with the dried blood around my mouth and clinging to my body, were a scary sight to behold.

Especially since I'm the Feared One.

Screams echoed in my ears, making me edgy. I shifted, feeling the burn of pyrite against my skin and my fangs elongated, desiring to bury themselves into someone's neck and drain them dry. Even now, now that I was a killing machine used by the hunters, I couldn't help but feel disgusted with myself for wanting to kill someone.

The doors were thrown open and I snapped my head up to see the head hunter dangling the key from the necklace. He smiled and caressed my ankle lovingly, dragging me towards the opening and holding me up by my arms before handing me off to two of his goons. The chains fell from around me and I screeched, squirming around.

"Listen here, pet. We need your help, so," I was set down on the ground in the middle of the fight. "Off you go."

I was released, but I immediately sank into a crouch and snarled, attacking the hunters around me, killing them ruthlessly. 

"Legna?"

My head snapped up at the voice. There were gasps all around as werewolves and vampires alike fought against the hunters. The beast inside me growled at them and I watched warily as Caleb inched forward. Serendipity held his arm to keep him from getting too close. I licked my lips, getting rid of the blood on them and slowly stood up.

A loud growl sounded behind me and I spun to see both Camdyn and Declan with their eyes taking in the damage done to my body. I saw their eyes grow dark and each stepped closer to me. On instinct, I snarled, baring my teeth and clenching my hands into fists. They stopped and gave me shocked looks.

I felt a blow to my hip and roared, turning and grabbing onto the guy's shirt and clamping my jaws down on him. When he fell from my hands, dead, I took in the fact that he was one of the hunters, but a mere boy, just barely a teenager. Tears fell down my face, but I couldn't stop myself from wishing there was more blood for me.

"Little wolf? What happened to you?"

"I was kidnapped!"

My voice was raspy and it hurt my throat to talk. I felt my eyes burn their bloodlust red, causing them to stumble back. A pounding started in my head and I fell into a crouch, gripping onto my head, my buzzed hair tickling my palms. 

"Sweetie?" Camdyn's voice was next to me and then I felt his hands on my shoulders. 

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, gripping onto his neck.

He grabbed my wrist, eyes wide as I choked him. I felt his heartbeat under my thumb and I groaned. Shaking my head back and forth, I gripped onto him tighter. My throat ached as I tried to push back the need to drink.

In a panic, he tried shoving me away and I reacted the way I had been tortured to. My teeth sank into his neck and I drained his lifeforce, then let him drop from my hands. A scream tore through me as I howled over the loss of my mate. Pain laced throughout my body and I heard someone start laughing, only to recognize it as the leader of the hunters.

A small body crashed into me and I tensed. Hunter wiggled into my arms and sat curled into my chest as I laid on the ground in pain. My fangs dropped, wanting to kill, but just as suddenly, they retracted and my arms held my adopted son carefully against my chest.

"No! Kill him! Why aren't you killing him? We taught you better than this! If you don't, I will. Don't test-"

Gurgling replaced the voice and I looked over to see Declan had slashed the hunter's throat, dropping his body to the ground. My Hunter clung to me and it took me a moment to realize that he was crying. All the anger escaped me and I felt the beasts come alive inside me, their maternal instincts cutting through the haze in my brain.

"Hey, what's wrong? Hunter, what are those tears for?"

"You were gone. I thought you left me."

I sighed and held him against me as he sobbed. Fingers lightly traced over the scars and I looked behind me to see Declan squatting down, a frown on his face. He gently cupped my face in his hands and I forced back the snarl that wanted to leave.

I was home, and I didn't want to hurt people anymore. Hurting people at my home will eventually break my heart. This meant that I had to try and let go of the months of torture and reintroduce myself to life at the castle.

"Alpha?"

One of the wolves asked and stared directly at me. I frowned and blinked at him in confusion. Why was he calling me Alpha? Camdyn is his- oh, right. I killed Camdyn and therefore I am the Alpha. This is just what I don't need right now; responsibility.

"Where's Caleb?"

"I'm here baby sis."

I turned to see him walking towards me, looking basically the same as when I left, he just has more scratches and blood on him due to the attack. He squatted down next to me and ran his hand over my short, fuzzy hair. Declan growled at my brother until I leaned back into him, calming him down.

"Caleb, I can't be Alpha. It's not the best thing for me at the moment. I'm handing the title of Alpha to you. Since your father was an Alpha, you have the Alpha blood and I know that you'd make a great leader to the pack."

"I accept the title of Alpha, and swear to protect and lead the pack with a fair but strong hand."

The wolves in the pack immediately shifted as the Alpha power in him radiated. They all bowed in submission, accepting him as their new Alpha. Caleb smiled and pulled Serendipity against his side and kissing her forehead.

I suddenly felt tired after all the screaming and the pain that lanced my body. Declan scooped me up, even with me still holding Hunter, and started shouting out commands. Hunter's weight left me and I rotated my head to see him in Ajax's arms, crying and reaching out for me. Air whipped past us as my beloved ran us back to the castle and up to our room.

He placed me on the bed and turned towards the door. A soft whimper escaped me and he froze, before turning back and sitting on the bed next to me.

"I need to get you a healer."

"Don't leave me. I don't want to be alone."

He sighed and then held his wrist up to my mouth. "Then drink."

My eyes widened and he gave me a gentle smile. His other hand rose to my neck and caressed the skin where his mark would go. The beast in me roared to life and I bit into his wrist, drinking his lifeblood. When the pain in my body dimmed, I managed to pull away from his skin, my tongue dancing over the wounds to seal them. Fatigue settled in my bones and my eyes drooped shut, hands clinging onto Declan's shirt to prevent him from leaving. He slid onto the bed next to me and enveloped me in his arms.

"Rest, little wolf. I won't leave you."