The swishing of the whip made her flinch before it made contact.
It soon did, the silver cutting deep into her flesh.
She bit her tongue; it’s only worse if she made a noise.
*
The husky wolf pounded the ground as hard as she could. Her limbs hurt but she couldn’t stop, not yet. She panted as her chest burnt with the speed, she was pushing herself to her limit; she knew her tracks would be followed. She’d tried to avoid other’s territories, there was one that was going to be unavoidable, and she’d be there soon. It would be a miracle if she got through it alive, but she had to try.
She was running so fast her eyes barely registered the royal crest carved into the trees; the border. She realised too late. Growls soon ripped through the trees. The husky wolf tried to think as she ran. She could submit, which could mean death, or run, which also could mean death. But before she could think more she felt teeth on her scruff and she tumbled to the ground. Snarling and snapping of teeth were right next to her ear. The wolf mind retreated to allow her human back. The human that had begged her for hours. She flipped onto her back in submission, her neck bared as four hulking men slipped out from the trees. There’s the one brown wolf that tackled her, baring down, then another darker grey wolf. “Skin form!” a dirty blonde haired man barked. The husky looked down, she knew what men did to females when they were naked. She whined softly, hoping it came across “I said skin form!” the blonde barked again. A black haired man’s eyes glazed “I’ve alerted Gammer Trey,” the black haired man spoke. The blonde’s nose twitched, seemingly annoyed by this information, but didn't say anything.
“Please, I’m a female. I’ll shift with clothing.” She looked to the brown wolf, hoping she could communicate. All wolves that had alliance with the king could communicate in wolf form… she hadn’t got that alliance however. Her pack was one of three that were classed as enemies of the crown… she knew this was dangerous but it was her only hope. The wolf didn’t register any acknowledgement, she swore to herself.
She curled up as much as she could and shifted back to skin form. Hiding herself as much as possible, her matted brown hair obscuring her face “Shit!” The blonde removed his t-shirt as soon as he saw the female form. A form that was marred with dirt and blood, bruises evident amongst the dirt. Her appearance small, looking around fifteen. The blonde handed the t-shirt over while all the others averted their eyes out of respect. She took the shirt and quickly pulled it over her head, gingerly getting to her feet, but the blonde had to reach out to catch her as she stumbled. She cowered as his hands gripped her elbows. “Sorry,” she squeaked
“Your trespassing,” the blonde’s tone less harsh but still serious
“I’m sorry, I know… I had to,” her voice didn’t match her appearance. It was older, a wisdom lay in her voice. “Gammer Jesse, we need to take her in,” the black haired man spoke
“Yes, infirmary,” the blonde; Jesse ordered.
“Sir?” Jesse ignored the question
“Can you walk? It’s a few miles,” Jesse asked the brown haired girl, still that note of authority in his voice. She began to think this was a bad idea. What if she was jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Her body shook and she backed away from the royal Gammer, terrified of what he’d do. She shook her head as she backed off slowly.
Jesse’s face turned into a scowl as she backed away from him. As a rogue she didn’t have any say in what happened now, she’d trespassed onto royal packland. She’s lucky he was showing her mercy taking her to the infirmary, if she was an adult or a male her heading would be very different. He stepped forward and grabbed her roughly “Infirmary… or cells,” he growled down to her. She squeaked trying to wrench her arm from his grasp but failing. She was no match for these males who probably trained for hours a day… while she’d been locked in a room for more than half her life. The sounds of crunching twigs turned everyone's attention.
A light brown haired man with shining hazel eyes stepped into their view, pulling on jeans. He quickly took in the scene before strolling towards Jesse “Dude let her go,” he said almost tiredly
“Trey, she’s a rogue.” Jesse challenged
“She doesn’t smell like a rogue,” Trey responded simply as he pried Jesse’s grip from the girl. “Hey Darling, what are you doing here?” he asked gently, leaning down slightly to be at her height so he looked less intimidating. Her blue eyes flitted around to all the males, this one seemed different, his hazel eyes appeared kind. “I-I couldn’t cope anymore. He beat me,” she whispered to her toes, Trey’s eyes softened further “No ones going to hurt you now. You’re safe,” he said gently. She looked up and nodded a fraction, fear still evident in her blue orbs. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up. I can see the bruises darling, do you have any other injuries?” The girl shook her head, hoping no-one saw anything different, she definitely had more injuries.
She knew in skin form she’d struggle to walk far; she'd been running all night. Her wolf was much stronger than her skin, her wolf could cope. Trey gently guided her, his arm hovering over her shoulder. The black haired man followed while the others continued their patrol.
She stumbled after five minutes of walking, making Trey reach out to catch her. “You OK?” he asked as he set her back on her feet, her knees shaking with the effort of holding herself up. She nodded, not very convincingly trying to take another step, but her knees buckled. Trey quickly scooped her up, carefully placing his hands so as to not touch anything inappropriate. Her wide fearful blue eyes looked up to him, he felt the shivers racking through her body. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He smiled kindly as he strode at a much quicker pace than they’d been going. “Everyone does,” she whispered, barely audibly
“Not here, The King protects everyone.” The girl shook her head “He’ll protect you,” Trey comforted “What’s your name?”
“Klara,” she whispered, now her adrenaline was leaving her body, exhaustion was gripping her. She knew she couldn’t fall asleep though, she needed to stay alert.
The whip sailed down for the fifth time.She let out a whimper, she tried not to, she really did. “Shut up bitch!” he roared. His steel toe capped boot crashed into her thigh. *Klara peered up to the white palace, walls appeared to go on forever into the sky, the sun glinting off the many arched windows. There were so many it would probably take an hour to count them all. Trey stepped through the large wooden door, Klara’s eyes wide at the entrance hall, gold glinted everywhere where the walls had been expertly painted. They snaked through the many corridors until the black haired man that had been following them stepped in front and pushed a set of double doors open. “Thanks Terry.” Trey nodded as he stepped into the bright white infirmary, placing her onto the nearest bed. Terry stood at the foot of the bed and almost immediately another male stood next to him.She looked up fearfully to the two large men at the foot of the bed before Trey got her attention “The doctor will come
A tear rolled down her cheek, she’d counted ten.Ten cracks of the whip, he’d never gone above ten. The terrifying swish told her it’s not over. She let out a sob.*Klara was pulled into Marc’s side, she felt tiny against him, she wanted to relax into him but she was very aware who he was. He was leading her through multiple corridors, she was slightly glad of The King half holding her up, despite the wish to whimper with the burning pain at every movement of his arm. He pushed open a set of double doors gilded in gold. “This is my Wing,” He gestured around the grand entrance way, a desk sat in the middle. “That’s Rose, she helps manage the Wing, if you need anything just ask her,” he said as he half dragged her into the room, his arm locked around her waist tighter. Unknown to Marc she winced and had to grit her teeth to not make a sound. “Good morning King Marc.” “Morning Rose. this is Klara, she’ll be your Queen.” Klara looked around, her cheeks burning at Marc’s blatant decla
“Please daddy,” she sobbed as she counts twelve“This is your fault!” He yanked her hair so she’s looking into his red face.“If you were a good girl you wouldn’t make me,” he sneered before punching her arm.*Klara stretched feeling sore, her back was still burning from the last whipping although she knew the welts were healing. She jumped when she felt the tank top being moved from her back, she scrambled away from the finger. She didn’t want anyone to see them, then they’ll know what she was. She turned to see Marc, a horrified expression on his face. Klara took it as anger and started shuffling away from him “You said you had no othe
Tears streamed down her face. The whip cracked over her back.Number fourteen.She slumped against the bedpost her hands are tied to.*Marc had seen blood on the dressing gown Klara had been wearing, and had frowned. He saw Klara’s back to him, the tank top covered her whole back, he had hooked his finger under the hem gently pulling up, he saw the end of a whip mark before she had scrambled away from his touch. He had never expected it to be as bad as he was seeing. Klara’s back was ripped open, distinctively from a tipped whip. There were so many he was surprised she was alive.Adelaide stormed over to her brother “I
“No more, daddy, no more, please,” she whimpered desperately trying to keep the tears from her voice. “Weak, pathetic, pup. No one is ever going to want you.” * “WHAT!” both Wade and Marc cried in unison “But… father… he whipped her…. He beat her,” Marc tried to reason with his father, he had never expected him to suggest sending an abused female back to the abuser. “She is not under our protection, we protect our Kingdom son.” Marc’s lips twitched in irritation “She’s my mate,” Marc growled lowly “You will find another mate.” Marc’s mouth dropped
She heard the door close with the grind of the key.She curled up on the floor trying to pull the scraps of t-shirt from her wounds.She whimpered, that was her worst beating so far.She was confused… he’d watched.*Klara stretched, birdsong reaching her ears as the sun streamed into the bedroom through the curtains she didn’t close. She was surprised her back only felt tight, it didn’t feel painful. She wasn’t used to being able to have a shower whenever she wanted - if ever. So she wanted to take advantage of it.Just as she stepped into the bedroom with a towel wr
“Hey sweetie, how you feeling?” she looked down from his kind blue eyes“It hurts, Derrek,”“I’ve got something that’ll help.” He sloshed a bottle at the fourteen year old.*She looked at the TV, it was blank. She hadn’t watched how he made it work, and she couldn’t remember. She looked around the sides of the TV and found some buttons, she pressed each one… nothing happened. She stuck her bottom lip out on a pout. She sighed and turned to the books, she looked at the spines, unsure what she would like. There were so many books her head was spinning with the choice.“Klara?
“That’s it sweetie,” he pushed the glass to tip into her mouth.“I don’t feel good,” she slurred.“But it won’t hurt the more you have,” he said, removing his shirt.*Over the next few days, Klara was trying to trust Marc wouldn’t hurt her, there was a niggle in the back of her mind but she was battling to ignore it. She still wouldn’t let him touch her apart from holding her hand, and even that was slightly hesitantly. She enjoyed his forehead kisses the most, he gave her one every morning after asking. She was beginning to want to ask for them but didn’t dare just in case he stopped.