Chapter 4 Custody

I looked at Matt, he calmly making himself a sandwich.

“So, where is this girl?” the alpha asked, looking up from the bread.

“In the spare room next to mine” I answered.

“And why didn’t you just kill her?” Matt asked, turning towards me.

“She’s a unique – a human. You know how strong she’s going to be when she finally turns?” I responded.

“Won’t she then go against us when she eventually turns?”

I shook my head, “Not if she values her mate’s life”

“Did you capture her mate?” Matt asked, raising his eyebrow.

I shook my head, “No sir, but he’ll be easy to get”

Matt nodded, “Well, let’s go meet her, shall we?”

We headed up the stairs, casually talking about the pack and pack lands. I came into the room, walking straight to the bathroom. But when I opened it, it was empty.

“Where the hell…” I muttered, my eyes landing on the open window.

“She escaped didn’t she?” the alpha asked.

I grimaced, feeling guilt flooding me.

“She’s pretty small then… and stupid” Matt says, looking through the window.

“I’m sorry Matthew”

“You didn’t know. But I’ll gather some of the warriors. I want her in my pack” Matt said, making me slightly smile. We headed outside, we quickly shifting into his wolf. After the bone cracking and fur sprouting, Matt let out a howl, alerting our fellow pack that we needed assistance.

It took only a few seconds before inky black wolves appeared and positioned themselves in a semicircle around our alpha.

There’s a human girl that has escaped in our territory. Catch her before she gets into the Moonlight pack

Howls erupted through the trees, people acknowledging what we had to find.

XXX

Howls echoed through the sky making me flinch. My whole body ached, me actually acknowledging all the bumps I’ve gotten throughout the past day.   I glanced back, wishing that I could be able to actually be on the ground.

I jumped to the next branch and then I heard it, a soft growl.

Looking down I saw them. Three midnight black wolves stood by the tree, looking up at me. I gulped, knowing that I needed to move faster. I jumped to the next branch, hearing a howl beneath me. I looked down, seeing the wolves start the shift.

Aw damn… I looked up, starting to scamper further up the trees. I heard movement beneath me and saw one of the men climbing up. He was fast and a lot taller, meaning he could easier navigate the trees.

Thought he’s untrained in the art of being a squirrel.

I was just about to jump to the next branch when I saw another person climbing onto the tree opposite mine, this one a girl.

Really? Really!? This wasn’t fair. Really wasn’t fair. I started to turn around but another girl was already making her way up that tree. I groaned, realising that I was kind of stuck. I could go to the tree next to me thought then I’d be going to wrong way. But I have no choice actually.

I jumped to the tree on the left of me, feeling my legs ache.

Before I could jump to the next branch I heard a howl that made me stop dead in my tracks. Alpha… the… the alpha.

Alphas were those rare assholes that could make anyone obey their orders. No matter if you’re not in their pack, a non-shifter or well, even an animal.

Looking down I tried not to gulp at the large black wolf below me. Yeah, I’m dead. Definitely dead. Another howl forced my limbs to start moving down the tree. Even though I wasn’t a wolf, my brain knew enough about being commanded by them. Once I made it down, I was surrounded by about six people. A woman with a cut on her lip grasped my left arm while a man with too many tattoos to count grabbed my other arm. I watched as the alpha started to shift, turning my head about halfway. Turning wasn’t pretty. Definitely not pretty.

“Look at me” the alpha ordered. My eyes immediately fell onto the biggest man I’ve ever seen. He looked like he lived at the gym. And if he wasn’t at the gym he was off eating meat and protein shakes. He had brown hair that was cut into an army cut with a clean face.

“My, you are really small aren’t you?” he smirked, walking towards me. His hand lightly grazed my chin before he retracted it, “Bring her to the house”

The alpha turned around, starting to make his way back. I was dragged behind him, the people walking too damn fast for me to get my bearing. At one stage, they just lifted me up so my feet were dangling. I was taken back to the house I had escaped from, being taken to a place that resembled a sitting room. Large comfy looking sofas were scattered in the room, a burning fireplace making the place seem inviting.

The alpha went to sit in the middle of the room, me being dragged to go stand in front of him. The alpha looked at me for a few moment, inspecting me before looking away. I turned my head to what he was looking at, seeing Chase coming into the room.

Ah fudge…

“Chase, I’ll put her in your custody” the Alpha simply said. Chase nodded, smiling at me.

“Make sure she gets punished for running away”

And with that, it seemed like I had met the alpha. He left the room, his pack leaving with him. I stayed standing in the middle of the room, looking at Chase who had folded his arms. The grin was still plastered on his face, he clearly thinking of the most painful punishment he could think of.

He walked towards me, grabbing me around the wrist.

“Don’t resist” he ordered. I just nodded, letting him guide me back up the stairs. We enter the room I had been in before, him locking the door after I had entered. His still holding onto my wrist, my legs becoming jelly out of fear. His gaze fell onto mine, his smile disappearing.

“Don’t ever run away again” he said, his voice hard and bitter.

I only nodded, trying to not cry. He pulled me to the bed, his hands wrapping around my waist as he lifted me up upon it.

“And no more silent treatment” he said, the same expressionless grimace on his face.

“Y-yes” I managed to breathe out, my heart actually hurting from thundering so loud.

“Good” he said, but no smile yet. He leaned away from me, “Stay”

“What – what are, are you going… to…to do to me?” I stuttered, betraying tears starting to leak out of my eyes. His eyes softened and he slowly lifts his one finger, using it to wipe a tear off of my cheek.

“Deep breathe” he said softly.

I did as he asked, sucking in the air in front of me. I picked up the smell of peppermint once again, it helping me to calm down. With three more peppermint-y breaths my heart slowed down enough to stop my hands from shaking.

“Now, ask me again”

“Wha are you going to do to me” I asked, biting my lip.

“Why would I do anything to you?” he asked, frowning.

“Because… because you’re from the Hellwood pack” I said, hoping that I hadn’t insulted him too badly.

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means… it means you guys are… are…”

“Evil, murderers, ruthless?” he smirked, “Is that what you wanted to say?”

I slowly nodded, kind of knowing that I’m going to die now. Chase slowly moves his fingers to my cheek, stroking it.

“Do you really think that of me?” he asks, starring into my eyes.

I opened my mouth, not knowing how to respond. Did I think of him like that?

He hasn’t hurt me on purpose but he did capture me. He did force me to stay here. He had kissed me without permission. But those kisses, they had been amazing… I was torn.

Make sure she gets punished…

Those words made me blink. The alpha seemed to be ruthless, evil, a murderer… and the alpha’s law is the pack’s law. And Chase was part of the pack. I was going to be punished. And Chase had taken me away from my home, the life I’d known. Just for fun.

“What’s my punishment?” I said, looking down at my feet. They were caked with dirt and blood. Stupid trees…

“What punishment?” Chase asked, lifting up my chin. He was frowning, trying to catch my eye once again.

“The alpha said you have to punish me”

Chase blinked, the frown disappearing on his face.

“So you do think that of me” he said absentmindedly.

His hands slipped off my face and he stood up. Without another glance at my direction, he left the room, leaving me alone once again.