Chapter 16
Waking up the next morning, the sun’s gentle rays were once again beaming through the glass doors, the iridescent colours reflecting off the tree line, lighting the morning sky.
Slowly turning my head and trying to sit up, Cody stirred in is sleep as I wondered if I could get away without waking him, seeing the clock read 6:21am.
My hand reaching for Cody’s fingers as I lifted his arm by the tip of finger ever so gently, sitting it next to me, I figured maybe this wouldn’t be too hard as I tried to unwrap the other one to no avail.
‘You can’t sneak away from me, Vera’.
Snorting through my nose, Cody’s eyes now fluttered open as they settled on my face momentarily.
‘Would you like to get up Vera’?
Nodding my head, Cody let me go as I tottered over to the corner where I always threw the dresses I took off, the pile actually starting to grow despite Cody taking some of my clothes out to the laundry.
Grabbing the first dress I saw that didn’t seem to reek of sweat and such, I ducked into the bathroom; locking the door as I turned on the shower, the steam instantly greeting me as I undressed.
Stepping under the water, my long hair sunk into my back, falling loosely from my head, the amount of shampoo I had to sue these days was ridiculous; I’d have to get some of this length cut off one day.
Making my shower quick as I generally did, I was dressed and prettied up; leaving the bathroom to see Cody already gone and probably too impatient, having gone to use another of the bathrooms.
Dumping my pyjamas back on the bed, I walked out into the hallway, sniffing out Cody’s scent as I soon tracked it heading further up the hall into the main bathroom.
Well since that problem was solved, I now walked towards the staircase; barefoot as usual, I did make a little less noise than I would if I was in shoes as the wooden floor boards creaked with each step I took.
Reaching the bottom of the staircase, I noticed the front door was ajar, making me slightly bewildered as to who would leave the door open like that, letting in spiders and who knows what other creepy crawlies.
My fingers curling around the doorframe, I peeked my head out, seeing no sign of Charlie like I usually did; maybe he slept in this morning?
No one in sight, a small pile of clothes sat at the foot of the door, answering my question as to where Charlie was as the scent of his wolf filled my nostrils; his clothes reeking of his stench.
Something must have been wrong; Charlie only ever did early morning patrols from what I understood; although I had seen him take off in a bad mood.
My body sliding through the gap in the door, I stepped out onto the veranda; my eyes scanning the immediate tree lien for a wolf watching me; laughing in hysterics at my pathetic excuse for being suspicious.
Walking to the edge of the veranda as I rounded the side of the house, the one and only creeper was sitting on a small cane chair; his coffee cradled by the small cane table that I only ever seemed to associate with Gerald now.
‘Morning Vera, care for a stroll’?
Gerald’s eyes blinked confidently if that was even possible, his mindset knowing I’d rather a run any day than being stuck here at the house.
But why was Gerald inviting me along, after all he surely knew I was ‘grounded’ and that he’d be going against Cody’s orders.
‘Won’t Cody err, be upset’?
Gerald shook his head, tapping his skull like I was the stupidest wolf out there.
‘I already checked with him and he thinks it’s a good idea before breakfast, the Alpha has some duties to attend to early this morning’.
This really didn’t seem right; my wolf was telling me to take the offer, enjoy the run before Cody changed his mind; Gerald would most likely be more lenient where I could go, whilst my gut was telling me something was up.
‘We’ll be back by late morning, there is no need to worry; I hear you’ll always up for a race, how about we do that’?
Nodding, my wolf begging if that was possible like we didn’t even run last night. Taking a few steps closer to Gerald; he sipped the last of his coffee, getting to his feet as his hand gestured for me to lead the way.
‘Where would you like to go Vera’?
The first thing that came to my mind was that monument thingy I hadn’t even got the chance to see yet, only ever running around or near it.
‘Let’s go to that weird monument everyone talks about’.
Chuckling, I could hear Gerald following close behind me before walking off to another tree, with me being thankful he wasn’t taking this opportunity to have a perv.
Following the usual pattern, I was soon shifted with my wolf bouncing around excited; liking the idea of a challenge as well as being let out once again.
‘I suggest you block your Alpha out before he barks a million and one orders at you what not to do, I can feel him considering it’.
Blocking Cody from my mind didn’t seem right but I definitely didn’t need his do this and that lecture, since I would only be gone two or so hours.
Blocking his voice from my mind, my wolf seemed a little down that I had just cut off our own mate from contact; she wanted to hear his voice, even if it was only in our head.
‘Ready, Vera’?
Bouncing around and taking off into the trees in the direction I knew would lead us there, Gerald followed quickly behind as his big sandy wolf.
Running through the trees, Gerald wasn’t even trying; he was happily just following behind me, making me think that this whole Luna thing was going to his head also.
“It’s a race old man, which means you try to beat me, remember’?
Seeing Gerald shake his fury head, the stupid man didn’t want to play and it was beginning to tick me off as I turned and now trailed Gerald; his wolf constantly looking back at me.
‘If you won’t run, I’ll make you run old man’!
Snapping at his heels, Gerald di pick up his pace considerably; my wolf feeling satisfied she just pushed around a wolf lower than us.
‘Play nice Vera, I’m just saving my stamina for the hills’.
‘Yeah, yeah, whatever you say; you wouldn’t mind if I got a head start on you then since you’re going so slow’.
Gerald gestured me forward, his head pointing in the direction along the trail;
‘Knock yourself out Vera’.
Sprinting ahead, we ran like that for the net hour as the hills began to come fourth; my wolf, yet again struggling to figure out where to put her feet as Gerald swiftly darted past us.
‘Use the foot holes Vera; you’re taking the long way’.
Growling, I tried searching for this miraculous foot holes everyone was telling me about as my foot soon landed in a hole type formation, making my mind click that this was what everyone was talking about.
Springing up over the hills, using these ‘foot holes’, I was told; the climb soon became easier as I had less to climb and more time to sprint past Gerald on the flat sections; he was nowhere near as fast as Burt when I raced him.
Now hitting the stretch I remembered Burt describing to me as the last before the monument, the building type structure soon loomed up over us.
My wolf finally getting to see what this was all about as I halted just at the edge of the small clearing; my wolf sniffing the air before entering as an eerie feeling settled over the area.
‘Welcome to our monument’.
Looking up at the tall marble statue, it was built like a house, with foundations all around it as the structure soon grabbed my attention and I realised it was a wolf.
‘This is our great leader Saboran; he died a very long time ago now; he was responsible for starting the Woodstock Pack here’.
Seeing Gerald now standing next to me, my wolf looking tiny next to his; my eyes scanned the structure further as I came upon a small plague broken in pieces at the foot of the wolf.
The writing no longer able to be read, this was probably why Gerald had just told me who the wolf depicted, knowing I would never figure it out on my own.
The wolf was so beautiful, its muscles flexing even in wolf form; a force to be reckoned with, I was glad I hadn’t crossed into this territory when this guy was in charge.
Now that we were here, this eerie feel was unsettled both to me and my wolf; looking over at the graves of past Alphas; they were all ancestors of Cody’s family, making me wonder how the pack had managed to stay in his family so long; they must have been strong wolves to keep their claim.
Maybe we should head back now’.
Looking at Gerald, he wasn’t even paying attention to me as his wolf stared out into the trees.
‘Yo Creeper! Are you even listening to me’?
His yes now turning to stare into mine, there was a look of defiance in them; my wolf was making me cringe as I looked into them, my wolf telling me to go now.
‘I am listening Vera, I am simply choosing not to answer; we will wait here until my friends arrive, do you really think I wanted to take you for a petty run she-wolf’!
Oh crap, my wolf was right, this guy was evil.
Springing towards the tree line, Gerald guessed my move, towering over me as he jumped in front of my path; his teeth snapping for me to back up, this freak didn’t scare me as I ducked around him trying to pass.
‘Too late Vera…………….’
Hearing a nearby howl, my whole wolf locked up, turning to the source of the noise; the howl definitely coming from a rouge as my eyes soon caught the same ginger wolf with the white sock I had seen only days ago.
Bringing along, only three other wolves with him, I jumped at Gerald; my wolf feeling betrayed by his weak mind.
Her teeth reaching for his neck, Gerald ducked out of the way quickly, his teeth now reaching for me as they connected with my front leg.
Teeth not digging in, my wolf felt unsteadied now regaining composure as Gerald just held me; my leg stuck in the air, preventing me from pouncing at anyone but him.
Growling in his face, my other paw reached out to throw a long scratch along his face as his teeth chose now to dig in; my wolf crying out in pain, wondering why he was trying to break my leg, of all things.
Releasing me, Gerald’s eyes stared at me; his teeth snapping as I snapped back, waiting for him to make a move that I could counterattack.
About to lunge for Gerald’s throat again, hoping this time I would reach him; someone clapped their hands from where the ginger wolf was standing as his human form now stood there dressed and present.
‘Vera, please stop attacking my wolves; you’re coming with me and this isn’t something you get a say in’.
Seth’s eyes locked onto mine, his wolves seeming more concerned about other wolves coming here than me escaping as I tried to duck away again, only to feel Gerald grabbing at my back leg; making me want to rip his teeth out as he now dragged me over to Seth.
‘I’m assuming now you’ve worked out Gerald was merely an agent for me and not some petty lap dog for your Alpha’!
Seth’s irritating voice had me wanting to lunge at him now, my front leg now going numb; bones shattered as I heard the crunch when Gerald dug in; I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon or fast.
‘You say one word to your Alpha and I’ll be sure to break all your legs so you can’t move lady, so please if you wouldn’t mind, follow me’.
‘Cody, please I need help’!
Gerald lunged at me again; his wolf knocking me over as his teeth reached for my other front leg; teeth gnawing as his eyes looked at me, waiting for me to say more to Cody; how did he even know anyways!
‘Vera, where are you; why did you run off’!
About to reply to Cody; Gerald, snapped my other front leg; my body now slumping on the ground as I yelped from the blow; I had become weak and now I was in trouble, considering I couldn’t even run with only two legs.
‘We need to move now; her Alpha will find us soon’!
Looking down at the blood seeping out of my front legs; my ears were ringing as the pain made warm blood ooze down my legs into the grass.
Looking up at Seth, I knew he couldn’t hear me but I pleased with my eyes; why was he doing this? I didn’t even remember this guy, so why was I so important anyways?
His face seemed solemn, his hand tapping my head before he took a quick step back; my teeth only centimetres from taking off his hand.
‘You will soon find out what all this is about Vera, don’t you worry; have you ever been in a truck before? You’re about to find out what it feels like’.
Feeling two sets of teeth grab onto my back legs; I couldn’t even kick out of their grasp, my front legs now dragging along the ground as I sunk my head to follow.
The wolves dragged me at a fair pace with Seth jogging behind us in his human form. Gerald was now out of sight; letting go of my front leg instantly as the two wolves grabbed at my back legs.
My wolf was in so much shock; I had never been in this circumstance before; this was kidnap no matter what the definition, I could only pray Cody would follow my scent and find me back.
Feeling the ground become rocky, I tried to look where I was been dragged; my skin being peeled away from the friction against the ground.
The sun now reaching its peak in the sky, I was going to miss the best part of the day and my favourite breakfast with Cody and Charlie.
Sighing, I simply gave in to being dragged, my wolf not even uttering a noise as we soon stopped the wolves letting go as a pair of sharp teeth dug into my back, before my wolf flew into the back of a metal cage like wall.
Trying to get up, I was now inside what looked like a van, a strong but not wolf proof metal cage wall separating me from the guys who now piled into the front in their human forms.
Seth stood at the back of the van, his lips twitching as he watched my helpless wolf; ‘don’t worry sweetie, it will all be over soon enough, just sleep the whole way there or something’.
The two back doors slammed as a metal bar locked them shut from the outside; I wouldn’t be able to act until my front legs had healed so for now I was just a prisoner; a defenceless she-wolf who had got herself into this mess.
Now trying to swivel around to see out the front, I couldn’t even sit up to look over the back of the chairs as Gerald’s head soon appeared, his smirk wide on his face.
‘You’re just too trusting Vera and now you’re going to die, pardon the pun of course but that is what will happen’.