Chapter 6

Slave

Alpha Tate rips the cupboard door off and flings it across the room. He crouches down, staring at me with a stern, angry face.

'And what are you doing hiding in here?' he asks with a devilish smirk.

He reaches in to pull me out. I hit him repetitively with my fists. It’s of no effect. Alpha Tate laughs.

'You’re starting to become feisty, little Slave, I see?' he says as he yanks me onto the floor. My body resonates with the sounds of broken bones. I feel the pain in my body.

Standing up, I try to run past him, but he grabs the back of my dress, pulling me back. My dress rips, and my back is exposed.

'You’re quite fun to play with,’ he chuckles with evilness. 'Now, I have things I want to discuss with you,’ he says, scooping me up.

He carries me to his office, kicking the door shut behind us, and sits in his chair, holding me firmly onto his lap. The hair on my body rises with goosebumps from this unpleasing situation. Alpha Tate grabs my face forcing me to stare at him. We both remain silent as we stare at each other.

Alpha Tate leans into me, his nose pressing against my neck as he inhales my scent. I can feel his breath. Electricity runs through my body from his touch. His prickly stubble tickles my neck. I become lost in the moment. Alpha Tate places his hand on my lap and caresses my skin. His hands are warm and rough. They travel from my leg to my stomach and then my breasts.

Stiffening, I let out a whimper. 'It's okay, Slave. You relax. This will only hurt for a moment,' he whispers.

I gaze up at Alpha Tate. His teeth have elongated. He is about to mark me. I punch and kick as fear and panic envelopes me. I try to wriggle my body away from him.

He lets out a vicious growl. 'Keep still, Slave!' he yells.

'No!' I yell, pushing myself from his lap and falling to the floor.

'You are about to become the Luna and officially be my mate! Get back here now so we can get this over with!' he orders.

'No!' I say courageously.

 'No?' he says, confused and angry.

'I-I don't want to be your mate or your Luna!' I say to him.

I’m scared of what he might do because of my rejection.

Alpha Tate bursts into laughter. 'Any she-wolf would do anything to be in your shoes right now! To have me as their mate and be the Luna of this pack!' he laughs.

'You rejected me,' I remind him.

'Yes, I did, but I am taking that rejection back now. You should be happy I’m making this right,' Alpha Tate smiles.

'This doesn't feel right, though,' I tell him.

'Let me mark you, and I will make it feel right. I will even mate you immediately, and you will feel right then. Of course, it will hurt a bit, but you will like it. Once you have a piece of me, you’ll be begging me for more,' Alpha Tate grins.

Disgusted and repulsed by his words, I take a few steps back.

‘I said, no! I don't want to be your mate!'

Furious, Alpha Tate stands and walks toward me.

'I reject you, Alpha Tate of the Blackwood pack, as my mate.’

I watch as Alpha Tate falls to the ground in agony clutching his chest.

That's strange. Why am I not feeling the pain as well?

He crawls toward me in pain, 'Get back here now, Slave!' He yells.

I run from his office down the hallway. Sam and other pack members come racing toward me.

'Why is the Alpha screaming?!' Sam asks angrily.

Not wanting to stop, I ignore them and continue to run as they race to Alpha Tate. Finally, I make it to the lake feeling liberated and shocked. But deep inside, I feel empowered.

I just rejected Alpha Tate! I actually did it. I didn't know I had it in me, but what will happen to me now when he has recovered?

Pack members call out for me, 'Slave! Get back here now!' they yell.

Storm, we have to leave tonight! I mind-link.

But she doesn’t reply.

I sneak around the back, climb up the lattice, and climb through a window. Then, quietly, tiptoe through the corridor. I open Ava's door and grab a coat and shoes. I put them on, creep back up to the attic, and climb out the window again.

Waiting until it’s clear, I climb down the lattice and run through the trees. Branches and twigs scrape my skin as they whip past me. My heart is beating fast, and tears fall.

The pack members shift into wolves and howl to let me know they are after me. I’m scared.

I run with all my might until I have to slow down from exhaustion.

Storm! You have to shift. I can't outrun them. I mind-link her.

I-I can't. I'm too scared to, she whimpers.

Storm, if you don't shift, we will be captured and taken back to Alpha Tate. 

I can hear the pounding of paws against the ground, coming closer. I fall back as a large brown wolf lunges at me and growls. His drool drips all over my face.

The wolf steps off me and shifts into his human form. It’s Sam. He grabs me by my hair and drags me back towards the pack house.

My shoes fall off as I’m dragged along. My legs and ankles scrape along the ground against sharp pebbles and stones. I try to free my hair from Sam’s grip but with no luck. We are back at the pack house. Fear and anxiety take over me. I tremble. Sam continues to drag me by my hair until he throws me on the floor in front of Alpha Tate's feet.

Alpha Tate glares at me. Then, furious, he hits me across the face—the sound echoes across the room.

'If you ever try to escape again, I will kill you!'

He grabs my arm and stands up, pulling me behind him as he walks back outside. I have no idea where he is taking me.

Alpha Tate takes me down the dirt road from the pack house, where a small grey brick building stands. The entrance is an iron-barred gated door. He unlocks it with a key and pushes the gate open to reveal a staircase that leads into complete darkness.

Sam follows with a lit torch and walks down the stairs. It’s wet and cold down here. Are they planning on leaving me down here to die?

Sam opens one of the iron-barred doors. Alpha Tate throws me inside the dinghy, dark cell. I roll across the cold ground and force myself to sit up.

'I think a couple of days down here will do you some good,' Alpha Tate smiles and walks away. Sam follows, leaving me in complete darkness. I burst into tears and hug my knees. I thought I could have escaped from the pack. Yet now, everything has become worse. I’ll never be able to escape from down here. I always dreamt that my life would change for the better when I reached eighteen. I hoped I would find my mate, and he would save me from this place. But Alpha Tate is my mate. He won’t bring me happiness, only fear and pain. I lie on the ground, sobbing until I fall asleep.

The next day Sam enters and places a plate of stale bread into my cell for me to eat. He doesn't say anything. He didn't even look at me. I feel as if I’m a dog in a cage being fed. As soon as he leaves, I grab the bread and take a bite. It’s partly mouldy in some places. Squeaking rats gain my attention. I break parts of the bread and throw it to the hungry rats, hoping they won't try and bite me while I sleep again like last night. I pray to the Moon Goddess and ask her to help save me from here, but all I hear is silence. My prayers go unheard.

The next day Sam takes me inside the pack house. Other pack members stare at me. I’m dirtier than ever. We enter Alphas Tate's office, where he sits waiting for me.

Sam pushes me back into a chair and stands next to me, making sure I don't try and run.

I look up at Alpha Tate. He sits with his arms crossed.

'If you decline my offer of being my mate, you will then remain a slave here at the pack forever! You will also be put to use and heal whomever I say to on queue when asked. I will need your healing ability in a few weeks,’ he says

'What’s happening in a few weeks?' I quietly ask.

'We have an unwanted guest, a Lycan. He is a pest and a threat to the werewolf community. I intend on killing him, making myself a hero amongst our community, and you will be healing me and any pack members involved as we attack him,’

'You mean Alpha Maximus?' I ask.

Alpha Tate glares at me. 'How do you know his name?'

'I-I um had heard pack members talk about him when I was cleaning,' I say.

'Oh, okay, that makes sense,’ he says.

'There is one problem, though,' I reply.

'Oh, and what problem would that be?'

'I'm not going to help you kill another man,' I tell him

He nods, 'Don’t worry. You won't be killing him. You will just be healing me or anyone else that needs healing,' he says.

'Healing you is still killing him! I-I won't do it,' I say and look away.

Alpha Tate slams his fist on his desk. 'You will do as you are told!' he yells.

'No! I'm not going to let you use me like that!'

'Sam, take Slave back to the cell and rough her up a bit. I'm sure it will help convince her to obey my demands,'

Sam grabs my arm, which is now covered in bruises, yanking me from the chair. The chair falls to the ground from the force. I’m dragged back to the cell. Sam enters the cell and slaps me. He then kicks me many times and throws me into the wall. I plead and beg him to stop, but he doesn’t. I eventually fall unconscious from the beating.

I’ve lost track of how many days and nights I’ve been kept down here, but I’m guessing at least around ten days. Alpha Tate has come to see me a couple of times in hopes I would have changed my mind. He said he would let me out of the cell and back into the pack house once I agreed to heal him and the pack when needed. So, it looks like I’ll be living down here for the rest of my life because I will never heal him again, even if it results in my death.

I’m only given a small bit of bread every few days and half a cup of water.

My stomach rumbles with hunger, and my lips start peeling and flaking from dehydration. I reassure myself I will be okay and free of this place soon.

Sam grabs my arm, which is now covered in bruises, yanking me from the chair. The chair falls to the ground from the force. I’m dragged back to the cell. Sam enters the cell and slaps me. He then kicks me many times and throws me into the wall. I plead and beg him to stop, but he doesn’t. I eventually fall unconscious from the beating.

I’ve lost track of how many days and nights I’ve been kept down here, but I’m guessing at least around ten days. Alpha Tate has come to see me a couple of times in hopes I would have changed my mind. He said he would let me out of the cell and back into the pack house once I agreed to heal him and the pack when needed. So, it looks like I’ll be living down here for the rest of my life because I will never heal him again, even if it results in my death.

I’m only given a small bit of bread every few days and half a cup of water.

My stomach rumbles with hunger, and my lips start peeling and flaking from dehydration. I reassure myself I will be okay and free of this place soon.

rd door off and flings it across the room. He crouches down and stares at me.

‘What are you doing in here?’ He asks, pulling me out. I hit and whack him, and he frowns.

‘Feisty, I see,’ he says, and I land on the floor.

I stand, and try to run past him but he grabs me, and pulls me back.

‘You’re actually fun to play with. I have things I want to discuss with you,’ he says, scooping me up.

He carries me into his office, and kicks the door shut behind us. He sits in his chair, and holds me in his lap. He grabs my face, forcing me to stare at him. We remain silent and stare at each other.

He leans into me, presses his nose into my neck, and inhales my scent. He puts his hand on my lap, caressing my thigh. Stiffening, I recoil.

‘It's okay. Just relax. This will only hurt a moment,’ he whispers; his fangs protrude, as he is about to mark me. I punch and kick him and he lets out a vicious growl.

‘Keep still,’ he says.

‘No!’ I yell, removing myself from his lap, and falling on the floor.

‘You’re about to be Luna and my mate! Get back here, so we can do this!’ He shouts.

‘No!’ I yell, standing up.

‘No?’ He asks, confused and angry.

‘I don't want to be your mate or your Luna!’ I say, quietly.

Alpha Tate frowns.

‘Any woman would do anything to be in your shoes right now. To have me as their mate, and be the Luna of this pack!’ He explains.

‘You rejected me,’ I explain.

‘Yes, I did. But I’m taking that back. You should be happy I’m making this right,’ he explains.

‘This doesn't feel right,’ I explain.

‘Let me mark you and I will make it feel right. I will mate you straight away, and you will feel better,’ he explains, smiling. I take a few steps back.

‘No. I don't want to be with you,’ I retort. He stands and walks towards me, annoyed.

‘I, Hope, reject you, Alpha Tate, of the Blackwood pack as my mate.’ He falls to the ground in agony, clutching at his chest.

That's strange. I’m not feeling the pain. He crawls towards me.

‘Get back here, Hope!’ He yells.

I run out of his office, down the hallway, and Sam and the others run towards me.

‘Why is Alpha screaming?’ Sam asks, angrily.

Not wanting to stop, I run past them, and outside to the lake, feeling liberated and shocked.

I just rejected Alpha Tate! I actually did it. I didn't know I had it in me. What’s going to happen to me now? When he has recovered?

The pack members yell out in the distance.

‘Hope! Come back here now!’ They yell.

We have to leave tonight! Storm agrees.

We sneak around the back, climb up the lattice to the attic, go through the window, and tiptoe down the corridor to Ava’s room. I take a coat and shoes, put them on and exit back through the attic window.

Waiting until it’s clear, I run through the trees.

The pack members shift into their wolves and howl to let me know they’re after me. I run for a while until I have to stop from exhaustion.

Storm! You have to shift. I can't outrun them.

I can't. I'm too scared to come out.

If you don't shift, we will be caught and taken back to Alpha Tate. 

I hear the pounding of paws against the ground coming up behind me. A large brown wolf lunges at me, and I fall backwards. It growls and drools all over me.

Sam shifts into his human form, grabs me by my hair and drags me back to the house.

Being dragged, I lose the shoes, while I try to free my hair from his hands. Inside the house, he throws me on the floor in front of Alpha Tate's feet. Alpha Tate is furious and hits me across the face.

‘If you ever try to escape again, I will kill you,’ he yells.

grabbing my arm, standing up and pulling me behind him as he walks back outside. I have no idea where he is taking me.

We walk down the road to a small, grey, brick building. He unlocks the iron-barred door with a key and pushes the gate open to reveal a staircase that leads into complete darkness.

Sam approaches with a lit torch and walks downstairs, where it is wet and cold. I worry I’ll be left down here alone.

Sam opens one of the iron-barred doors and Alpha Tate throws me in, I land on the ground, and sit up.

‘I think a couple of days down here will do you some good!’ He yells, walking away, leaving me in complete darkness. Sam follows. I burst into tears and huddle in the corner.

The next day Sam puts a plate of stale bread on the cell floor for me to eat. It’s starting to mould in places. He doesn't say anything and doesn't look at me. After he has left, I grab the bread and take a bite.

My eyes adjust to the darkness, and I break bits of bread up and throw them to the rats, and hope they don’t bite me while I sleep. I pray to the Moon Goddess and ask her to save me. All I get is silence.

The next day Sam lets me out of the cell and leads me inside the pack house. We go to Alphas Tate's office where he is waiting for me. Sam pushes me into a chair and stands next to me, making sure I don't run.

Alpha Tate sits in his chair with his arms crossed.

‘If you are declining my offer of being my mate, then you will remain a slave here,’ he explains. ‘You will also be put to use, and heal whoever I say, when asked. I will need your healing ability in a few weeks' time,’ he explains.

‘What is happening in a few weeks?’ I quietly ask.

‘We have an unwanted guest, a lycan, who is a pest and a threat to the werewolf community. I plan on killing him and you will heal me and any pack members.’

‘You mean Alpha Max?’ I ask, and Alpha Tate glares at me.

‘How do you know his name?’ He asks.

‘I heard someone talk about him when I was cleaning,’ I say.

‘That makes sense,’ he adds.

‘There is one problem though,’ I say.

‘What might that be?’ He asks.

‘I'm not going to help you kill another man,’ I say.

‘You won't be killing him. You will be healing me or anyone else who needs healing,’ he explains.

‘Healing you is still killing him. I won't do it,’ I say, looking away, and Alpha Tate slams his fist on his desk.

‘You will do as you’re told!’ He yells.

‘No. I'm not going to let you use me like that!’ I say.

‘Sam, take Hope back to the cell, and rough her up a bit. I'm sure it will convince her to obey me,’ he yells.

Sam grabs my arm, and yanks me from the chair, and leads me back to the cell where he beats me until I’m unconscious.

I lose track of how many days and nights I’ve been kept down here. My guess is nine or ten. Alpha Tate comes to see me a couple of times, but I refuse to help him.

Storm has been quiet for days now. I have been given only a small bit of bread and half a cup of water every few days. My stomach grumbles with hunger, and my lips peel and flake from dehydration. I talk to the rats, and reassure them they will be okay and they will be free of this place soon too.