Chapter 1: Ruthless
Eleven Years Later
I crouched on a low tree branch as I scanned the quiet town bellow. It seemed so peaceful and serene that I almost felt guilty for thinking of disturbing it.
Well… almost.
“Don’t you go zoning out on me, Doll Face…” I rolled my eyes as Reid waved his hand across my face. He was broad and tall, making it easy for him to stretch up to me.
Ugh, I hated how they called me doll face or mostly, doll. When first joining the pack, I’d been called worse and since it’s pretty much a pack rule to throw out your old name when you join, I’d been named Doll since I hit puberty. Gag me.
“Hello? Did you hear what I said?” Reid growled up at me and jerked his chin, silently commanding my presence at his side. I narrowed my eyes into slits as I slithered from my branch and stood back on solid ground.
If he weren’t the closest thing I had to a companion, I would’ve killed Reid long ago.
Reid had found me with his group of rebel wolves when I was a child, and had raised me to live and breathe in his rogue world. I knew I was nothing more than a valuable asset but without a pack, home, or some sort of family, I didn’t have the luxury of any opposing life-style options. We were bandits, plain and simple. We stole, robbed and tore through villages to survive. Though, not to necessarily murder; that is, unless someone was senseless enough to stand in our way.
It is the only life I have ever known, so why question it, if it keeps me alive?
Reid shoved me and pointed to the village, knocking me out of my head.
“You get in first, set off the smoke and lead the alpha and betas on a false trail, they’ll be near there.” He nodded in the direction of the town square.
I sighed, I always the decoy.
“Get in, get out and loop back here when you’re far enough…they won’t be able to follow your scent.” Reid continued, as he flashed one of his devilish smiles at me.
Since I had been born a rare half-breed, half-wolf and half-human, I had inherited heightened strength, speed and senses but I couldn’t transform into a full-fledge wolf. Therefore, the entire reason I was seen as useful, was because I looked like a vulnerable human and had an almost impossibly traceable scent between man and wolf.
Reid snaked his arm around my waist, digging his nails into my abdomen painfully. I snarled sharply and pushed him away; I hated when anyone touched me. “Don’t be like that, Doll,” Reid snarled and went to reach for me again, but I quickly slapped his hand away.
“Leave me alone - I’m going,” I snapped and yanked the tiny smoke bombs out of my jacket pocket. Without waiting for his response, I tore past the growling wolves around me and flung myself down the steep hill. My light leather jacket rustled behind me as I increased my speed upon entering the village. A shriek of menacing thrill escaped from my lips as I flew through the town square, whipping the hazardous smoke bombs in every direction. I laughed bitterly as I caught a few shocked expressions in the dispersing crowd of villagers.
As the smoke penetrated the village, I heard the familiar cries from my fellow rogues as they pounded down from the hilltop. I skittered to a halt, sensing two authoritative figures burst into the town square. Bingo.
In seconds, two furious alpha-ranked werewolves, flanked by their two betas, stood before me. In the back of my mind, I assumed that the two leaders must’ve had some sort of pack business to take care of. I couldn’t help but laugh at that; I could fool two alphas, in one trip? This would be too easy.
Hearing my short chuckle, the alpha of the village snapped his gaze towards me and snarled ferociously before transforming mid-step into a gigantic russet-coloured wolf. I crouched and smiled at him darkly; c’mon… take the bate old man. Deciding to throw him off further, I whipped one last smoke bomb at his paw before ramming into his shoulder in my escape. Four absolutely furious howls ripped through the air from behind me; a moment later, I heard the sound of heavy paws pound on the ground, in close proximity to my heals.
Keeping these has-beens at bay, would force me to go only half as fast as I potentially could. Though, as I complained about before, I knew the job of a decoy was never very glamorous.
* * *
I let out an eager howl as we finally reached our current settlement place, while hauling in our newfound supplies. Reeking havoc and throwing myself into constant life-threatening danger has always presented me with an outstanding buzz.
It’s been about a month since we’d inhabited an old, abandoned church on the outskirts of the city. I didn’t particularly know the name of the state we were currently in, nor did I care. Nothing mattered to me.
However, I couldn’t help but begin to treat the hallowed church like a semi-home; our group has never stayed in one place for this long.
Throwing open the large wooden door, the straggling rogues filed into the church with their hands full of our stolen treasures. From food to weapons and anything else under the sun, it seemed we had hit the jackpot of supplies this round.
There were about twelve rogues following Reid at the moment, and most of which I’ve hardly spoken more than a few words to. I know it sounds odd, not having any sort of relationship with those who are supposed to be in your ‘pack’. Yet, for me, this was normal. To be truthful, most rogues die before I even get to introduce myself. I apologize for sounding blunt but by either attacking and killing each other, or getting ripped to bits in a village, I’ve noted that the average life expectancy of a rouge wolf in this group is pretty brief.
Shrugging, I plucked a fresh roll out of one of the unfamiliar rogue’s armfuls of food and winked at him, faking seduction. Idiot. He sneered hungrily and reached out to grab my arm, but I jumped back in a fit of laughter before chomping down on the bread. Other than one burly she-rogue we’d picked up a few weeks ago, I was the only female in the lot. I suppose that fact proves both benefits and drawbacks. I was well aware that I was not a piece of meat, but at the same time, why wouldn’t I use gender to my advantage – especially in this sausage fest?
Sometime later, I found myself lying on a cot silently and tracing my fingertips along the designs in the old mattress. Occasionally, if I allow myself to think of the horrible things I’ve done to innocent people, I cannot help but hate myself. I wish I wasn’t raised to be a killer, I wish things were different, I wish I didn’t have to follow Reid, I wish I had someplace to escape to and I wish I wasn’t inevitably on my own. Then again, those were only wishes…pointless and pathetic wishes that’ll never see the light of day.
A shadow fell over my turned back and I couldn’t help but groan instinctively.
Why?
“Doll, c’mon.” Reid nudged my back with the toe of his boot and I ignored him. Even if I looked like a little frail doll, I was seriously considering ripping his foot off.
“Let me sleep.” I buried my face in my leather jacket sleeve, feigning exhaustion. I heard Reid scoff from above and nudge me again, a little more harshly this time.
“We both know you don’t. Now get up before I flip the mattress,” He growled threateningly. I pushed myself up into a sitting position and tossed a poisonous glare over my shoulder.
“Can I help you, jerk?” I spat and ran my hands through my tussled hair.
Reid only growled and grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet. “C’mon I just want to talk to you for a second; don’t start acting like a little brat.” I frowned at the comment and bit my tongue. Mouthing back to Reid would only lengthen the time of his unwelcomed presence.
“Don’t talk to me like I’m still a little kid, Reid.” I’m seventeen now and I no longer put up with the whole ‘kid’ and ‘brat’ knocks. Reid gave me an approving look and smirked, causing my insides to twist uneasily.
“I know your not, Doll.” He turned, pulling me along with him towards his isolated room. He’d pretty much claimed a closed-off room ridden with burnt out candles and filthy stained glass windows. Fortunately for us, this church used to house the homeless, which left us with a range of cots and blankets to use at our disposal. I shoved away from him as we entered the room.
I crossed the room, finding myself staring curiously at the colourful windows. It was late at night, so I couldn’t make out all of the art. Though, I stopped to appreciate the subtle beauty for a short moment. A small sound brought me back to the moment and I turned, watching as Reid softly shut and flipped the lock on his door.
What the hell…?
“You know Doll, you can tell me your real name if you want…I’ve pretty much known you long enough.” Reid smiled lazily and sauntered over to me. I vowed never to tell anyone my Christian name.
“Fat chance Reid. Look, I’m not in the mood for chatting right now, so can you hurry this whole powwow up?” I rolled my eyes and tapped my foot impatiently to hide my sudden discomfort. I didn’t like feeling trapped in here with him. Reid laughed and his eyes darkened considerably, indicating that his inner wolf had a strong hold over him at the moment.
“You asked for it, Doll.” Before I could even process what was happening, Reid tackled me against the wall and gripped my head in his giant hands. “Your such a tease when you look all doe-eyed and stunned.” He snickered once before crushing his slobbery wet mouth against mine.
I might’ve thrown up in that second, if I hadn’t succeeded in pushing him away. Stepping back shakily, I then furiously wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. When the shock finally wore off, I found myself boiling with an impending rage.
“WHAT THE HELL, DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING REID?” I really hated to be so bluntly foul, but seriously, WTF? I shoved him again angrily and screamed, letting out my frustration. “DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH?” Reid licked his lips hungrily and glowered.
“Don’t you dare threaten me, you’re mine and you know it,” Reid calmly replied – or more so, threatened.
With his impeccable strength, Reid grabbed my wrists and pinned me back against the wall. Without caring about my screams, he lowered his disgusting lips to my neck and kissed the skin there roughly.
There was absolutely no way that I would go down without a fight! I shot my knee up, bashing it into his jewels painfully. Reid doubled over immediately and let out a strangled growl, as he attempted to regain his composure. Flipping out of his grasp quickly, I raced towards the door and griped it tightly yanking it once; hearing the lock crack.
One more twist and it’d break; I’d be free.
Just as I was about to twist my wrist, two huge hands wrapped around my waist and tore my body away. I shrieked for help and twisted in Reid’s arms as he walked backwards towards his cot.
NO! NO! NO! My mind and mouth screeched in a panicked unison. As I struggled, Reid flipped me backwards onto the bed and locked my arms above my head. “REID STOP! GET OFF ME! REID!” I continued to scream severely at him, but he acted as if he couldn’t even hear me. For a moment, I wondered if he even could in his animalistic state.
“I’ve wanted you for a very long time… and I’m through waiting.” Reid smiled darkly down at me and slid his heavy body onto mine; the sheer weight of his limbs on mine knocked the breath from my lungs. I cried out in desperate frustration as he ran his free hand down the side of my body.
This was it; it was either he’d force me, or kill me.
I knew I would never let the first outcome happen, so I decided to fight him off with everything I had. If doing so killed me in the end? Then so be it.
I stopped thrashing under him and calmed myself down long enough to sort out a plan of attack. Reid misinterpreted my movement and he smiled; I felt the movement of his stretching warm lips against my collarbone.
“I knew you felt the same way. I’m all you’ve ever known, Doll. Now just relax.” His hand gripped the edge of my tank top and I gritted my teeth.
“Reid, you’re hurting my arms…I just want to hold you…” I was so close to spitting in his face, but I needed to control myself.
Reid snickered before letting my arms go. He was quick to then grip the edge of my jeans with his newly freed hand.
Stupid fool.
Before he could expose any skin, I rapidly balled my fist, and with every bit of wolf strength, snapped my arm forward. My fist cracked sickeningly against his jaw and his head whipped to the side on impact. Again, just before he could move, I sent another deadly punch into his ribs once, twice and then kicked him off of me and onto the floor.
Reid landed with a heavy thud and then hollered in fury. Jumping up, I threw my weight behind a gruesome kick to the side his head, just before throwing myself into a wild run.
The second my hand made contact with the door, I literally tore the lock and knob cleanly off in order to rid myself of being alone with Reid.
Dashing through the door in a millisecond, I sailed toward the exit of the church while grabbing Reid’s backpack off one of the front pews.
It took me a total of three seconds to be out on the street and tearing through the shadowy city. Unless I slowed down, I knew the rogues would never be able to follow me.
And unlike the first time Reid caught me, this time, I wouldn’t give up.