Once I started writing, this I couldn't stop. It didn't quite go where I wanted because...well...it's the mall scene. It wouldn't be a FF without the mall scene. So enjoy and let me know what you think!
***
**| Sang's POV |**
I sat in a cage on four wheels. All the metal felt like it was pressing against me and I couldn't even do anything because Gabriel was driving about sixty miles an hour, humming to himself, and I was strapped in by a seatbelt.
I didn't like it.
Neither did my wolf.
"Sang, you're fine," Silas said, sitting next to me. He shifted and his thigh brushed up against mine. I drew comfort from that little bit of touch. I'd prefer to be back in the library, reading, like I did for most of yesterday.
But Gabriel was determined to bring me shopping. Kota sat in the front, watching the road carefully. I'd think he would be the one driving but Gabriel was determined and took the keys and got in the driver seat before Kota could claim his spot.
The three of them decided to take me to a mall about two hours drive since we were located outside of Charleston. I think they just needed the extra juice in case I flipped out and that was why Kota came too. As beta, and with the help of the other two, he'd be able to stop me if I decided humans tasted yummy.
I already tasted humans before. They were gross.
I took in a slow breath, trying to calm my agitated wolf. We didn't want to be in the car. It was too small and cramped.
"We're almost there," Silas said.
I nodded and glanced at the passing scenery, the buildings growing taller the further we moved into the city.
When we pulled up to the mall, I practically jumped out, fumbling with the lock for a moment. I drew in deep breaths. The air wasn't as refreshing as on pack land, but it felt good to be out in the open. I turned around to see everything. We were in a small parking lot outside, but we were next to a parking garage that went up five stories, the glint of cars on the edge suggesting they were filled.
Gabriel came to my side and shuffled side to side as he waited for me. I gave him a smile, glad he wasn't dragging me into the mall.
I followed with Kota next to me and Silas at my back. He always had my back. I briefly flashed to a brutal memory.
Silas's hot back pressed against mine.
Four wolves, growling and snapping.
The cheering and jeering.
Pain along my side as I panted.
Was this it? Was my life finally over?
All four wolves charged. Two for me, two for Silas.
Neither of us could move because then we'd leave the other person open.
A wolf locked onto my leg, its teeth digging into my thigh. I grunted, refusing to scream. I never screamed.
An arm wrapped around my waist and then I was spinning until I landed on my stomach, looking up to see a bloodied Silas crouched before me, his wolf fighting to get out through the sedative they decided to give us this round for a little extra challenge. He stood between me and four wolves.
He was protecting me.
Me.
A nobody.
"Sang." Hands shook my shoulders and I batted them away, putting distance between whoever touched me. I blinked a few times, trying to come out of the pain and misery of that match.
We both had almost died, but we managed to shift, barely just surviving.
"Sang, what the hell was that?" Gabriel asked, standing in front of me, his crystal blue eyes widen with worry.
"Sorry," I said, forcing myself to dislodge that one word as it tried to get stuck in my throat. "I'm okay."
"Bull-fucking-shit," Gabriel said.
"Gabriel," Kota warned, standing off to the side slightly, watching the two of us carefully.
"No," Gabriel snapped. "That wasn't right."
I looked down at the cement ground. We were just outside the doors now and others were slowing down to stare at us. I hated the extra attention. My wolf did too because she surged forward. My entire body stiffened, ready to lash out. My lip curled up into a snarl and my chest rumbled in warning. They needed to back off.
"She had a flashback," Silas said and while I couldn't see him, I felt him as he moved closer. His body heat reached out and calmed me. His scent reminded me that we were okay. We were alive and healthy.
"Is that what it was?" Kota asked.
I stared at his cheekbone on the right side, noting the way they gave him a sharper look.
"Sang?"
I nodded.
"Shit, if that's what a flashback does to her, I don't want her having them," Gabriel said, turning to Kota. "How do we stop them?" He looked so hopeful as he asked Kota.
Kota frowned and shook his head. "Only time will help," he said, keeping the answer simple.
Gabriel did not like that answer as he glowered at the ground. He mumbled something underneath his breath and I didn't bother trying to hear it. I could guess what he was saying.
"Come on," Gabriel finally said, his shoulders slumping. He opened the door and let me go through. Silas opened the next set of doors for me and then we were inside.
I felt like I slammed into a wall as all my senses were nearly overwhelmed. There was so much chatter coming from people, plus the mall music, people walking, doors opening and closing, and toys going off from the store next to us. Then there were the smells. Perfume, cologne, body odor all blended into a potent cocktail that had my nose twitching with irritation. Not a single scent was pleasant.
The lights were also bright and flashy, so much going on that I couldn't focus on anything as I tried to take everything in. There was too much. Too many people, too much noise, too many things that could go wrong.
"Don't worry," Kota said, standing at my side, his hand out for me to grab if I chose to. "We won't let anything happen to you and you'll get used to it."
"Why do they need to wear perfume and cologne?" I asked. "Why don't they just enjoy their natural scent instead of trying to kill our noses."
Kota's lips turned up into a smile. "Because they're human. They don't have a heightened senses like we do."
I huffed because I knew he was right. Still. My eyes wanted to water. I didn't like this. I grew irritated the longer we were here. I stared at Kota's hand before reaching out and grabbing it. Kota's smile widened as he stayed at my side, pulling on me gently as he took the lead while I just gawked at everything. Silas stayed at the back and I appreciated it. I knew no one was sneaking up on us if he was there. His massive size alone would make others think twice before trying to stir up trouble.
Shopping was simple. By the way Gabriel kept freezing as he reached for something or thought about going into a store, I had to figure he was going easy on me. We kept it to three stores and with only two hours of shopping. After all the hype, I expected more but I appreciated him holding back.
The three of them also managed to create a bubble around me, keeping others away. I never had to worry about bumping into someone. This wasn't as bad of a trip as I thought it would be.
After we got several pairs of jeans, some skirts, underwear, bras, and a whole bag full of shirts from button ups to t-shirts to tank tops, we finally slowed down enough to realize how hungry we were.
"We'll eat and then head out," Kota said and led the way to the food court, carrying a couple of bags while Silas held the rest of them. They didn't let me carry anything and since Gabriel was the one picking out the clothes for me try on, his hands were empty too.
Silas stayed with me while Kota and Gabriel went to get food.
"How are you doing?" he asked, sitting across from me.
I smiled at him. "A lot better than I thought."
He grinned, showing off his white teeth. "Good. The last thing I want to be a part of is a brawl in the middle of the mall."
I laughed. "Why a brawl?"
"Because I'm always on your side," he said and my cheeks warmed at his answer.
Something I was learning about Silas since escaping was how flirty he could be. He knew how to be smooth when he wanted to. I never got the chance to see this side of him while fighting for our lives and I was glad I could see it now.
Silas really knew how to lay it on thick.
"Sang, you get this tray," Gabriel said as he plopped a tray in front of me, making me jump a little. I didn't even sense him. Was I that distracted? Or was I finally getting used to feeling safe.
I looked down at the tray as Kota put down two more trays piled high with sandwiches and french fries. I cocked an eyebrow, but I knew they could devour all the food. They were shifters. Their stomachs were practically endless. Especially Silas. I watched as he claimed a whole tray to himself.
He just chuckled at me before unwrapping a chicken sandwich and taking a bite out of it. I followed along, unwrapping one of the three sandwiches before me. I considered it a win when I ate two of them. My appetite was slowly growing.
The others were devouring their food, so I waited patiently, watching the people around us. Kids were happy, parents were patient, the excitement filled the air. This was normal.
This was what I never got to witness growing up, not even as a little girl before my stepmother decided I was beneath her. I had never been treated like a human and I didn't really understand why until my first shift when I was eight.
When my dad realized I was just like him, we had a family talk, and then nothing was ever the same again. I became a beast, an animal, someone my stepmother wanted to put down. According to her, I didn't deserve to live and my coat of fur was more useful than I ever was.
"Get out of your head," Gabriel said, bumping his shoulder with mine. "Nothing in there matters right now. Not when you have the three of us here to keep you entertained."
I smiled. "Sorry. I guess I was just thinking too hard."
Gabriel bopped me on the head, light enough to barely feel. Any harder and I would have snarled at him as a warning. "If it's about the past, then don't. Focus on the now, otherwise you'll bury yourself with shitty memories and you don't need to deal with that shit. At least not right now. Just focus on getting better."
"Thanks, Gabriel," I said, standing up. "I'm just going to go to the bathroom."
Silas went to stand with me but I waved him away. "I'll be fine by myself." I pointed to the hallway leading to the bathroom. "You can see where I'm going and you can't go into the women's bathroom anyways."
Silas looked conflicted. I looked down at the tray of food.
"Finish eating," I said. "I'll be fine."
"Famous fucking last words," Gabriel muttered. "Nate made me watch those horror movies. Don't ever say that."
I rolled my eyes. "Literally. The door to the woman's bathroom is right there." I pointed at the woman's sign sticking out of the wall about halfway down the wall. The men's bathroom was a few more feet past that.
"Go," Kota said. "We'll be right here, keeping an eye out for you."
Silas went to say something but then he got that distant look in his eyes. He sighed and nodded.
"Thank you," I said and hurried off to the bathroom. Only a couple others were in the bathroom and I quickly relieved myself.
When I stepped out, I bumped into someone.
"Watch it," the man said, his voice grating against my eardrums. My nostrils filled with the scent of pungent cologne and menthol cigarette smoke. My lip curled in distaste and his expression darkened. "Have a problem, bitch?" he asked, his voice pitching slightly at the end of the question.
"None," I mumbled trying to keep my wolf from rising. She didn't like the human looking at us like he was. The man had bland eyes from too much drug usage, his frame thin, all his clothes hanging off him, ready to fall down at any moment. He had a sunken face with pale skin, dark hair, and a goatee he needed to get trimmed. He stood only a couple of inches taller than me but from the cocky way he stood, he probably thought he towered over me.
I glanced down the hallway, thinking the others would see me but a group of boys blocked the way as they chatted, sending glances our way. I noticed the exchange of glances between the boy before me and the others. They were together and by the way they stood, they planned this.
Why?
I took in a deep breath. They were all humans. I could easily handle them.
"Now that I look at ya, you're a pretty little thing, aren't ya?" The boy reached over to touch my cheek and without thinking about it, I smacked his hand away from me.
His eyes darkened with anger and he slammed into me, pressing me hard against the wall. My head slammed against the wall and the hall briefly blurred from the impact.
"You are not better than me," the boy sneered. "I don't fucking deserve having prissy bitches like you looking down on me."
I coughed out as he lessened the pressure against my throat. "If you took a bath more often, then you wouldn't be treated as such."
His eyes widened as his expression morphed into fury, darkening as he leaned closer, his breath brushing against my skin.
"I'm going to teach you a better way to use your mouth," he said.
His other hand went to my waist squeezing hard.
I released my wolf.
She snarled, the noise echoing off the narrow hallway. I pushed all my weight forward and shoved the boy down onto his back, sitting on his chest as I grabbed his head and lifted it.
"Do not ever touch me again," I snarled, my voice deepening with my anger. I slammed his head down.
"Fuck!" someone yelled.
"Greg!" someone else yelled.
His friends. My head whipped up and they halted their advancement toward us. My lip curled up, a growling growing, starting in my chest and working its way out of my throat. I had to face a lot of shit in The Gallows but I never let anyone touch me. Ever. I risked death, preferred it, than letting them do whatever they hell they wanted to my body just because I was a female. Nothing changed since.
I gripped the boy's neck and squeezed hard. "Come closer and he'll die," I warned, not caring that I was so easily willing to take his life away. No one would miss him anyway.
"Sang!" Silas bellowed and he shoved through the group of boys before coming to halt. His eyes widened as he took in the sight. Me straddling some human, ready to tear out his throat. For now, I squeezed because I didn't want to share breathing space with the guy.
"Sang." Kota pushed through. He kept calm, but he wasn't wearing his glasses. It was surprising how much glasses could change the way someone's eyes looked. Without the barrier, Kota truly looked like an alpha. His confidence pressed against me, his eyes sharp as he took in the scene. "Let him go," he said.
I didn't say anything and squeezed the idiot's throat tighter until he made a choking noise.
"Why?" I asked.
"He can't do anything to you. He's not strong enough."
I growled when Kota took a step forward. I saw a head of rich brown hair and a flash of blue eyes. Gabriel was behind Silas and Kota.
"He can't do anything to me, but he can to a female human. He just proved he'd have no trouble."
"Let him breathe," Kota commanded.
I looked down at the boy, the way his eyes had turned red with strain, the discoloration in his face. I eased up on my grip. I could just tear out his throat anyways. Movement out of the corner of my eye had my head whipping up to glare at the three approaching me slowly. They stopped when I focused on them.
"Sang, this isn't you. You aren't a rogue. You aren't a cold blooded killer. He's only a human," Kota went on. "If you hurt him, when you think back on it, you'll regret it. You would never kill those weaker than you, would you?" he asked.
"You would never do that," Silas said. "You've always protected them. Don't stop now."
"He doesn't deserve my protection," I said.
"No, he doesn't," Kota said, grabbing my attention. "But he doesn't deserve death. He deserves to rot in jail, to waste away. Let him go, Sang. Let the humans deal with him. And besides, after this, I don't think he'll want to do much of anything now."
"He touched me," I said weakly.
"And you punished him for it," Kota said. "Look at him, listen to him, take in his scent. He's scared of you now. You can hear it in the thumping of his heart, you can smell it wafting off of him. You can see it in the way he's sweating. He's terrified. You made him scared. He won't try doing this again because he'll remember you. You turned him into a coward."
I dropped my hand away from the boy's throat. Everything Kota said was true. This guy would remember what happened to him here for years to come. He'll think twice before he tries to corner a girl again.
Familiar arms wrapped around my upper arms and pulled me off of the man. As soon as my weight was off of him, he made a mewling noise as he backed away, his back hitting the wall. I just stared at him as Silas carried me out of the exit door at the end of the hallway. His eyes never turned away from mine and I made sure my wolf was at the surface, showing him he barely escaped death.
If need be, I could come back and find him. I had his scent now and wolves were excellent hunters.
"Fucking hell, Trouble," Gabriel said, catching up to Silas and me with all the bags in his hands. "That was awesome. That douche deserved it."
I didn't say anything as Silas put me in the car. Gabriel sat on one side, Silas the other as the two crowded me, leaving Kota to drive us back to their packland.
I felt numb right now. All I could think about was the one female shifter I had met in The Gallows. Our cage had been next to each other for a couple of weeks. And I saw what the males did to her because she was weak. She didn't last long. My theory was that she didn't bother to fight when her match came up. They had broken her before she even had her first match. Seeing what they did to her, I refused to let them do it to me too and after a few lost fingers, they stopped trying.
I was so distracted with my thoughts that I didn't even care that we were in a deathtrap with four wheels. My fingers were too busy twitching as I imagined tearing out that guy's throat. My heart rate stayed slightly elevated as I imagined what his blood would feel like as his life bled out of him.
He was almost as bad as rogues. And to make it worse, he wasn't even a shifter. He was a human.
A human disguised as a monster.
Those monsters were the worst, because you never saw them coming until it was too late.