Author's Note:
After reading a few comments, I feel the need to clarify some things. This isn't a lovey-dovey book. I am trying to steer clear of the stereotypes. You're supposed to question Roarke and Chloe's relationship - if they should be together at all, if she is having Stockholm Syndrome.
This a dark, questionable relationship. I'm sorry if you thought differently, but if you're still interested in this book, drop a comment! I love reading them!
Got any favorite characters?
~ Lissa
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CHAPTER EIGHT - BLOODBATH
The celebration smelled like earth and sweat.
From bagpipes to drums, music filled the clearing and partially-naked bodies moved together, frantic and wild. Voices echoed in the trees, making it seem like hundreds of people were there, but the celebration was actually smaller than before. Two pigs were being slowly turned over separate fires, apples in their mouths.
I kept flashing back to the day when I met Roarke, being tied to the tree and all. However, this time, I was comfortably relaxed on animal furs strewn across the ground. I was curled into Roarke's side, his chest rising and falling beneath my cheek. He was dragging his fingers through my hair, his eyes slightly closed.
My eyes skimmed the clearing, meeting multiple pairs of eyes. Several pack members were still curious about me, especially the women.
I spotted Josephine and Blake dancing together, looking in love, like always. It was nice having Josephine over earlier at the house - I didn't realize how much I missed talking to a woman my age. I liked her. I felt comfortable asking her questions or going to her for advice about Roarke.
Then, I saw a flash of red from the corner of my eye, taking my attention away from the happy couple.
Scarlett.
She was swaying her hips and twirling her hands in the air. Her head fell back as her eyes slipped shut and she moved to the music. Her red hair brushed her lower back and her skin glistened with sweat. She was wearing a bra and a matching skirt - she knew how to look effortlessly sexy.
As soon as her eyes caught mine, the corners of her red lips quirked upwards. Then, she flipped her hair and beckoned me towards her with a crook of her finger.
"I'm going to go dance," I said, sitting upright. "I'll be right back."
Roarke instantly grabbed me. "Dance with who?"
"Scarlett."
His eyes flickered over to the devious redhead. "I don't want you around her. Not until she loses that self-righteous attitude."
"Maybe I can help," I lied, having no intention of persuading Scarlett into changing. I respected her attitude. Roarke pinched his lips together, an unsure expression on his face. I flattened my hand against his chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat. "I will be fast. I just want to say hey."
Silence drifted between us.
"Please?"
I finally received a nod - an unhappy nod - but it was a nod. I rose to my feet and walked over to Scarlett, feeling his eyes burning into my back, or to be rather blunt, my ass.
When I reached Scarlett, she wasted no time grabbing my arm and bringing me close to dance. I matched her pace, following her lead. Her brown eyes glinted, before she grabbed my waist, dropped down to a crouch, then straightened very sensually.
I nervously looked over at Roarke.
Scarlett flashed me a grin. "You would think that the men would find pleasure in two women dancing together, but it only angers them." She grabbed my wrists and spun me in a slow circle. "They're much too territorial."
"How have you been?"
She eyed me. "Never better."
Scarlett intertwined our fingers and I followed her lead as she stepped backwards, then stepped forward, bumping our chests together. Every so often, we spun in circles and connected again by our hands. All of our movements were languid, almost memorizing, or at least, she was.
"How about you?" she asked, rather flatly. "You're the one who has mated with an Alpha."
"Mated?" I repeated, frowning. "Um, we haven't - we've just kissed."
Her eyebrows raised in surprise. "Wow, I just assumed. Any Alpha is quick to impregnate their female. They need an heir." Her gaze dropped to my stomach and an uneasiness washed over me. I hated the topic of pregnancy. "You're not a virgin, are you?"
I sputtered for a moment. "No, are you?"
"Babe, is that a serious question?" Scarlett replied, laughing. "I was just having my way with Rudy in the trees. Didn't you notice the sex sweat?"
I figured she was just hot from the fire. "Rudy? As in the man you care about? Who had you crying - "
"Yes, him," she interrupted, keeping a perfect posture as she danced. She noticed the confusion on my face and she grinned at me. "I haven't accepted him as my male. We just have fun. That's enough for both of us right now."
I bit my bottom lip. "So, why don't you accept him?"
I was startled when she leaned in close to me, her lips an inch from mine. "Because, I don't want to be owned."
Then, as quick as she was there, she was gone. I watched as Scarlett strutted away from me, flipping her hair. All of my encounters with her were short. She didn't like spending a lot time with someone. I think she was afraid of caring. Scarlett didn't do feelings. She had her walls and she didn't want anybody challenging them.
I headed back to Roarke, replaying her words in my head.
With a sigh, I curled back into his side, feeling his arm tighten around my waist. In a matter of seconds, he was rolling over and situating himself on top of me, his arms straddling my head to keep his weight off me. I hoped not too many people were staring.
I felt every inch of his body pushing against mine, his large figure hiding me from eyes.
"I wish you were dancing like that with me, not her," Roarke rumbled, his hand traveling up my thigh. "I was close to showing everybody here that you are mine."
I gulped. "Do you ever think that, maybe, you are a little too possessive?"
"No."
"Well, you are," I told him, peering up at him. "Just a little bit."
"I think you like it," he purred, dropping his face into the crook of my neck. His hands roamed my upper thighs, before he forcefully made my legs wrap around his waist. It didn't feel wrong. At all. His breathing was ragged and uneven against my neck. He was trying to control himself. "I want you."
He rolled his hips into mine.
When I felt his sharp inhale by my neck, I grabbed his shoulder in surprise. My heart was hammering in my chest. We were in the clearing. People could see us. His stubbled jaw scratched my skin as he asked, "Do you want me?"
I managed to produce an honest response. "No."
He pulled his head back and peered at me with his lustful eyes. I expected him to be upset, to express his impatience, but instead, he lightly ran his fingers down my cheek. "You will."
Roarke rolled his hips into mine once again, causing me to gasp, before he moved off me. Then, acting as if the heated moment never happened, he pulled me into his side. We remained relaxing in that position, my heart still racing in my chest, until a young male approached Roarke with one of the cooked pigs.
Like at the last celebration, the Alpha was offered food first. Roarke snapped off the front legs, then waved the young male away. Seconds later, everybody else was moving forward for their shares.
Roarke extended one of the pig legs to me.
I remembered my conversation with Josephine earlier at the house. I needed to put my foot down. I wrapped my arms around myself and shook my head. "I don't want it."
He scowled. "You need to eat."
"I'll eat something else at the house," I replied, carefully. "I'm not eating the pig. I'm not eating meat."
"This isn't negotiable - "
"I said no."
One of his eyebrows raised in surprise while his lips formed a straight line. We stared at each other, but I wasn't backing down. My diet wasn't something that I wanted him to control. What I put into my body was solely my decision. It was my body. I became more and more nervous as silence stretched between us.
I tried to hide my relief when he nodded once, then chomped into his pig leg. That was the end of that conflict.
Shortly after the feast, alcohol was being shared around. Everybody was having a good time. I spotted the male and female we were celebrating - Roarke had congratulated them earlier.
The alcohol caused a lot of craziness from there, or perhaps it was the joy for the happy couple. Men were leaping through the flames of the center fire; it was apparently fun to see who got burned. Women stripped and cheered on the men. I guess nudity wasn't something to be shy about with these wolves.
There were plenty displays of affection among the crowd. I was curled up beside Roarke, skimming everybody, with heated cheeks. All of this was normal to werewolves. This was how they behaved. This was their ways.
Now, you're probably wondering, 'Chloe, when does shit go wrong?'
Well, my life was a shit show, but I know what you want.
I was laying on the ground, one leg strewn over Roarke, with my cheek resting on his chest. Both of us had decided not to participate in the drinking. I had a sober mind - I think that's why I was the one who noticed them first.
There was a low growl, unheard by everyone, but I saw the unwelcomed eyes in the trees. I saw multiple pairs of glowing eyes and I sat upright with a frown, nudging Roarke in alarm.
But, before he could do anything, before anybody could react, the wolves were leaping into the clearing with snarls. Blood sprayed, screams echoed, limbs flew. I was roughly pulled to my feet in amidst the madness, frozen in fear. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I wanted to run, but I couldn't.
"Monclaw pack!"
Members of Roarke's pack shifted into their wolf forms, too fast for me to process. I watched as wolves collided in a chaos of snapping teeth and scraping claws. Women darted into the trees for safety, however they weren't safe - they were chased. I heard high-pitched screams from within the dark trees, only seconds after they disappeared from my sight.
There was so much carnage.
Roarke grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. His lips were moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying - I managed to read his lips. "Go with Rudy! Stay with him!"
There was more, but I couldn't focus on him. I watched as Roarke turned away from me and with a snarl of outrage, he shifted. His wolf was massive, a fast black dot as he lunged from attacker-to-attacker. I could hear my heart thumping in my chest as a warm hand grabbed my upper arm. I opened my mouth to scream in fright, but the man holding me showed no harm.
This was Rudy.
The man Scarlett cared for. One of Roarke's deadliest warriors.
Without a word, he began running with me through the trees, away from the clearing. He was much faster than me - the fact that I wasn't wearing any shoes didn't help. I stepped on a twig and I shrieked in pain, instinctively hopping to my other foot. Rudy refused to slow down; with his hold still on my arm, he just continued pulling me along, ignoring my cries of pain.
The forest was filled with screams, with leaves crackling, with branches breaking, with wind whirling.
I glanced over my shoulder, meeting several pairs of glowing eyes. We were being chased. The pads of their paws were noiseless in the damp underbrush, but their eager growls and communicating howls were not.
"Rudy," I choked out, stumbling over my feet.
His head whipped around, his features hidden by the darkness. I knew his eyes settled on the chasing wolves and with an irritated growl, he slowed us down.
I almost screamed when he abruptly shoved me down into the tall, treacherous roots growing out of the ground. I curled into a shaky ball, hidden by the roots, as Rudy shifted into his wolf.
In a matter of seconds, Rudy was lunging at the wolves.
I was trying my hardest not to panic. This was worse than the streets.
Claws suddenly sliced between the roots and I screamed, scooting backwards into the trunk of the tree. There was a burning sensation on my arm - I looked down, seeing blood streaming from a fresh wound. The same wolf shoved his head between the roots, but his body was too large. He couldn't reach me; his snapping teeth were an inch from my face.
Trembling, I crawled fast through the roots, just trying to distance myself long enough for Rudy to come.
Claws scraped my shoulder and I collapsed to my stomach with a shout. I heard the wolf's eager growls, so close. Ignoring the pain, I forced myself back to my hands and knees, unable to muffle my whimpers. I crawled and crawled, leaving a trail of blood behind.
The sounds of bones cracking and popping filled my ears.
The wolf had shifted into a tall, burly man who could now reach me. He squeezed between the roots and grabbed me, unfazed by my scratching and kicking. I screamed at the top of my lungs, but mostly in pain, not fright. His grip was on my injured arm and every jerky movement shot pain up to my slashed shoulder.
"S-Stop!" I hollered, as he yanked me from the roots. "Let me go!"
My eyes darted to Rudy who was fighting against two wolves. I couldn't tell if he was winning. The man whipped me around to look at him, then he raised a hand, his claws extracted. "Compliments of Julius Monclaw."
Who?
Just as he swiped his claws for my throat, I somehow managed to lean back and swing my foot forward into his crotch. His hold on me loosened as his eyes bulged in surprise. I didn't waste any time. I followed my instincts - I took off sprinting, my feet spraying up dirt. Gosh, it seemed like I was always running.
I didn't know how long I ran. I didn't know how far I ran.
But, I slowed down when I heard voices. A sense of hope, of safety, washed over me and I stepped forward to approach them, but I froze when I heard the words, "Where is the bitch?"
My eyes widened and I quickly ducked behind a tree. I slapped a hand over my mouth, muffling my heavy breathing and shaky whimpers. The snapping of twigs and the crunching of leaves echoed as the men spread out, nearing me.
"I can smell her," one of them growled.
My panic was building up. I looked down at my bleeding arm, wondering if my adrenaline was blocking most of the pain. Same with my shoulder. I continued to listen to their harsh, impatient voices, trying to figure out what to do. I couldn't outrun them. I couldn't hide from them forever.
Nervously, I peeked around the trunk of the tree. I counted at least four of them, all in their human forms, cautiously walking through the trees in search of me.
I couldn't win this.
I collapsed back into the tree, only to find a terrifying man now standing in front of me, his eyes glowing. His hand shot forward, encircling my neck and cutting off my oxygen supply. He pulled me towards his body, trapping me against him. "I got her, boys!"
I squirmed in his hold, helplessly scratching at his hand. There were excited hollers and whistles from the other men as they approached. My eyes burned, my limbs trembled, my thoughts were scrambled.
"We caught the Alpha's female, boys," one of the men said, rubbing my blood between two of his fingers. "Let's have some fun."
Another one stepped forward. "Would you look at this? She's human - Roarke Farkas chose a human as his female. Un-fucking-believeable."
The one with his hand around my throat peered into my eyes, curiously. "What's so damn special about you?"
"Let's have a taste. . ."
I squeezed my eyes shut when I felt more hands on me. Their laughter was dark, sending chills down my body - however, all of it abruptly stopped when a familiar black wolf attacked the one gripping my throat.
The men shouted in panic. I dropped to my knees, gasping for air. Roarke was too fast for them to shift into their wolf forms. He was a black dot, zipping from man-to-man. All I saw were a flash of his canines, tearing into flesh. As if witnessing Roarke massacre people in front of me wasn't worse enough, their blood sprayed my face.
I could taste it on my tongue.
On the last man, the one who had been choking me, Roarke shifted back to his human form. My eyes didn't wander his naked body - I stared in fear at his face. His brown eyes were glowing and his canines were still extracted. He definitely looked like a beast.
He held my gaze as he angrily sunk his canines into the man's neck. His cries of agony filled my ears, right before Roarke swiftly snapped his neck, never breaking eye-contact with me.
My eyes skimmed the ripped bodies around me. So much blood. So much pain. This was when the panic really set in. I sputtered for words, feeling the blood drying on my face. Roarke approached me, ignoring my attempts to scoot out of his reach.
"Look at me," Roarke said, crouching down and grabbing my chin. He looked me straight in my eyes, unfazed. "You're going to be fine. I have you now."
I was panicking inside. "I-I just want to leave."
"We can leave," he replied, softly. "Let's go home."
"No, I want to leave," I told him, shaking my head. The adrenaline was wearing off, so the pain in my arm and shoulder was making itself known. "I-I can't handle this. I want my old life back."
He narrowed his eyes. "I assure you, you will only become stronger from here." He eyed my injuries, his jaw clenching. "You will not leave me."
"I don't want this!"
"Well, I want you!" he shouted back, angrily dragging his hand through his bloody hair. Dark, dried blood coated his chin and splattered his bare chest. He blew out a harsh breath, meeting my gaze. "I've never wanted anyone more."
I blinked once. "I don't even understand that! You don't know anything about me!"
"Get up," he demanded, pulling me to my feet. "We're going home."
"No!" I blurted, ripping away from him. My panic had stirred up a sense of bravery in me.
He snarled in my face. "It's best if you don't challenge me, little one."
I opened my mouth to dare to argue, but a scream came out instead when Roarke was suddenly tackled from the side.