Chapter 5

DECISIONS TO MAKE

Leila" one of the girls sing as she enters our bunker.

 

I glance up from my pile doing my best to hide my charring anxiety.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"We're you at the announcement today?" Trish asked looking wide eyed and fearful.

 

"Uh, no. Sorry"

 

I wasn't the least interested in what that Alpha had to say, and finding out it was the Gamma that had an announcement only made it worst. I don't know what it is, can't figure out what it is. Somehow always, since of late it seems no matter where I am, it's as if I'm being watched. The action is too surreal to speak out aloud. To voice my worst fears.

 

But those silver eyes. I shake my head as the girl's voices penetrate my thoughts.

 

"How could you miss your funeral!" Zara exclaimed.

 

"Um, if it's my funeral I don't see why I should be there though"

 

"The Gamma announced you as his mate" Trish says cutting to the chase. She folds her hand across her chest shaking her head. "This doesn't look good. Everyone's talking. I think even the Alpha is trying to figure out if he's serious or not. And those who don't know you, eventually will " 

 

I groan internally. This is exactly what I didn't want.

 

Attention.

 

There is no way a human in the spotlight will survive here. Even humans themselves would help to kill them. What was that ridiculous man thinking?! I don't even know him for mother's sake.

 

"Ooo so many she wolves wanna kill you" Zara says clapping her hands. "Just think about it. It's gonna be so exciting being his mate. Will you accept?"

 

Was she crazy?! I'm human. It will NEVER work.

 

"No. I've barely said two words to him. It must be a mistake"

 

"No mistake. Leila with an L not Daina with a D" Trish explains. "His words not mine"

 

Yes I remember specifically when he said that.

 

"Yup" Zara falls over on my worn blanket cover day dreaming. "Diana will kill you in your sleep tonight. But who can blame her? He's literally Mr. Macdreamy. With that air of mystery" she inhaled.

 

"Why does this sound like you're jealous Zara?" I asked appalled.

 

Because who could ever be ecstatic under these circumstances? Gamma Grayson just handed me a death sentence on a silver platter. I could be shot, mauled, poisoned, hung- anything could go, over the next twenty four hours.

 

Zara sits up quickly, nodding her head like a bobble doll, not at all affected by the impossible circumstance before me. And why would she? she's not the one everyones looking to assassinate. 

 

"Oh I am. Not of being murdered per say. But as a Gamma's mate, you won't have to do any of this. It's a golden opportunity"

 

Another reason to get out of here, that's all it was to me. I couldn't think of a single reason why he'd ever want me as a mate. All the idiot did was make me an easier target for them to kill me.

 

***

I take the nearest exit heading outside doing my best to remain hidden or at the very least go unnoticed by every and anyone. After Grayson did the most ridiculous thing a man could ever do, I was left not very promising options. 

 

Omegas give me the stink eye as I hurry up the steps into the medical wing looking for the Head of the kitchen. Lately I've been getting mostly inhouse jobs and was getting sick of it. I don't mind being able to sleep comfortably but after my run in with that wolf, I resend all need for comfort. In addition, I was dying for a little breather and the forest was just where I need to be. There was no need to hurry or hide when I'm there and the best of all no one to be over your back with a strap.

 

I find her immersed with the doctor in hostile conversation and I wait my turn to make my plea. Both wolves evade me heading into a different room, still disagreeing over the most ridiculous thing.

 

Both were fighting over what could be paired with Spagetti.

 

Spagetti!

 

"Um Chef!" I call

 

Both women eye me over their shoulders, an annoyed look across their faces that refused to be hid.

 

"I wanted to talk to you about my assignment this week"

 

"What suddenly cleaning rooms is above the Gamma's little wrench?!"  she asks snorting.

 

"Wait, she's the mate Grayson chose?" The doctor asks eyeing me up and down. "I don't get it"

 

The head Chef laughs throwing back her head. "Pathetic isn't it? He decides to choose the scum of the lot. I don't know what is going through his head, but it's not like anyone knows his preferences"

 

I'm not sure how much more of their ridicule I can take, but still I bite my lips and remain silent. I didn't ask for their prize possession to choose me, a matter of fact I didn't like him in the least. He thought I was a whore before even having the common decency of asking me first. But I wanted to get out of the house so I stood there and bore it. Even if it was chipping away at my dignity.

 

"Actually, I was wondering if I could go back to the field or Kitchen? There's alot of work to do there"

 

"No" she answers gruffly, her bitterness taking me by surprise. Normally she didn't care what we did as long as we got the work done. "You're cleaning the dirty floors, now get at it"

 

She shooes me out the door slamming it in my face and I do my best not to blow up. Assholes.

 

Stupid, Idotic Grayson! 

 

What the hell did he even want with a little human like me? 

 

I was a slave remember? Wasn't good enough for anything but making their f**king food and cleaning up after them.

 

Why the hell did he go making a mess of my life?!

 

"Hey" someone chucks a mop into my hand as i make it throught the pack house door. "You've got cleaning duties"

 

"For where?" I ask pushing them back. 

 

"Gamma Grayson wants  you to clean his room"

 

Oh no, absolutely not.

 

I was avoiding that asshole if its the last thing I did.

 

Spinning on my heels I ran after the Omega girl that had given me the mop.

 

"Hey"

 

"What'd want?" she asks annoyed, freckled nose turned up at me as she kept walking.

 

"I'll trade you"

 

"What?" she asks stopping suddenly, folding her arms.

 

"I'll trade you" I repeated.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I'm terrified of him" I reply lying through my teeth. "And whatever you got to do must be harder"

 

She grins her teeth that's yellowing and pointy, her twing like arms swinging at her side as she finally makes a decision.

 

"Fine" she says grinning at me. "You have to clean the toilets"

 

Oh f**k!

 

The little Omega runs away before I could change my mind leaving me with the sponge, bursh and broom. Time to scour asscheeks.

 

My optimism falls flat when I finally make it to the wash house and toilets. It's filty and dirty, smelly and I want to just turn tail and run. 

 

Better grow my big girl balls Leila.

 

"Ick" I mutter scrunching up my nose, lifting soggy tissue from the floor dropping it into the bucket. "I swear, if I ever make it out of this alive-"

 

"You'd what?" 

 

I glanced over my shoulders finding Daina along with her throng of cheerleaders.

 

I attempt to get up when she kicks my feet and I trip and fall, splashing into the wet ground.

 

"You shouldn't be here"

 

"You shouldn't be here" Daina jeers repeating my words. "You little scum! You think I don't know"

 

 She kicks at my feet and dunce as bat friends help to restrain my hands as she continued her assault. 

 

"You little man stealer"

 

"I didn't steal anyone"

 

"You liar!" She screams at me slapping me across the cheek. "You stole Grayson. That's how you humans are. Liars and theives. You just couldn't wait to spread your legs for him couldn't you!"

 

"I didn't" I shout back.

 

"Liar" she stomps at my ankle which makes me cry out. "You know what I should do? I should lock you up in here. Let you die in the dingy dark disgusting place. No one would think to find you. Not even your precious little Grayson"

 

They cackle, slamming the door in my face and locking the windows. I attempt to stand but fall back, clenching my sides and feet. 

 

Christ. Who who knows how badly those grimlins could have knocked me up. The stench rose higher, becoming more poignant and using the little motivation I had left, hauled myself towards the door. 

 

"Help" my fists pounded against the wooden door. "Someone, anyone" another pound. "Please" 

 

Coughs spurted from my lips, my throat scratchy and limps failing. I needed air. Fresh air.

 

Fresh air.

 

My head rolled back against the wooden panel, coughing, eyes watery but too heavy to stay open.

 

When my eyes open again I take the largest inhale I've ever taken in my entire life. I found myself against the same dark sheets with my sleeping chair across from me.

 

"What the f**k?"

 

"That's the first thing that comes from your mouth?"

 

The sound of Grayson's voice causes me to panic, hitting my back against the post of the bed. 

 

"What am I doing here?"

 

"I found you in the toilets, passed out" he emerges from the shadows of the room, nodding towards my arm. "You do realize you could have lost it right? You shouldn't be cleaning sewers with that"

 

"What I do isn't any of your business" I say swinging myself from the bed- his bed.

 

Shit, I've actually been sleeping in his room all along.

 

There's a commotion outside as I pass the window and I spot a large crowd with weapons moving ridiculously slow. Some shouting death, others revenge. I needed to get out of the house now.

 

"Where are you going?" Grayson asks stopping me in my tracks, holding unto my arm.

 

"None of your business" I retort glaring at him.

 

"Sadly it's become my business " he says pulling me closer towards him until we're a breaths blow away. "I've requested so many times for you to come here. You've either refused or sent someone else"

 

"I'm not going to be your whore" I repeat annoyed that he won't listen to me. "I've already told you that"

 

"You won't clean the room?" He asks raising his eyebrow at me.

 

The commotion outside draws my attention once more and I attempt to tug my hand away.

 

"Let me go"

 

"Stay here"

 

"No" I push his chest, wrestling my arm from him once more. "And stay away from me"

 

I hurry out, chasing the crowd that has stopped at the tree grounds that wolves always use to punish us. Trish is tied to a crucifix, the worst form of punishment there is. They've just finished flogging her, blood seeping from the wounds they've left behind.

 

"What, what's going on here? I ask stepping forward tentatively. "Why is she here?"

 

"You mean the traitor that helped the other slaves get away?" The giant wolf spat at her feet. "What we plan to do to her" he laughs hysterically. "Why hell will welcome her with open arms"

 

Trish? That couldn't be.

 

"Trish why would you....why would you do this?!"

 

She takes a deep breath, one that's difficult as her body trembled under the strain. I want to sob and turn away from her but I can't. There are bloody welts all over her body, torn areas where the whip has severed her clothes. 

 

Everything about this situation was ugly.

 

"They're young. This isn't a life for anyone. No one wants to grow up like this. You-" a bloody cough that wrings my heart. You shouldn't be here. You have an opportunity to escape this hell hole, use it"

 

"Are you telling me to accept his proposal?"

 

"I'm telling you to escape"

 

"Alright, that's it. Step away from the traitor"

 

A guard pushes me away from Trish that's beaten and lonely and I fall to the ground staring back at her. Mouth empty. I've got no words to console her. No last goodbyes to say because I can't. I don't want to say goodbye.

 

"Come on" Zara pleads with me pulling me to my feet but I shake her off.

 

"I'm going with them"

 

"Leila"

 

I could hear the strain in her voice. She didn't - couldn't stand to see our friend like this. Why?

 

It was so inhumane. 

 

She's tossed from her place against the crucifix, tumbling forward as they lead her away. A crowd follows, some jeering, others crying for her death in ways that would make a dead man shiver. But I don't know how to feel.

 

I'm conflicted. But they wouldn't understand the rationale behind her actions. They were atop the food chain. We were beneath shit. We were nothing. Scum of the earth, weak little humans.

 

No one deserves a life like this.

 

Trish's words still ring in my head. Escape she says. 

 

When the crowd stops, my feet pause, eyes lift to find my old friend. She's panting against the ground, crown slick with sweat. Creatures emerges from the other side of the field, stalking forward with low growls. There's gasps around us, other humans that were within the throng.

 

Those were wolves, wild wolves. So what were they doing here? 

 

One stalks forward, the largest of all walking over to one of the guards, they stand, staring at each other for a while before turning to look at Trish.

 

The others join circling her and growling.

 

"Give them some fun. Run, let them enjoy the chase" the guard hissed at her.

 

"You're a sick bastard" Trish retorts standing to her feet.

 

"And you're a thieving bitch, now run!" He yells shoving her off.

 

"Stop!" I yelled unable to take much more of it.

 

"Shut up" A wolf next to me reprimands, glaring at me beneath her lashes. "You want to join her slave?!"

 

"No" I whisper. "But-"

 

I hear the sound of beating paws against the ground indicating that the chase had begin. She ran, she really ran. So I did too.

 

I could hear the howls of wolves before me, the swish of leaves behind. Others maybe chasing me in thought that I was attempting to escape. I wasn't, I just didn't want Trish to die. I stumbled a few times, slidding and slipping, following her screams and drops of blood that's left behind.

 

Tears blur my eyes but I still keep going. Eventually I find where they tackled her to the ground, tearing at her flesh. The others reach us just seconds later, one yanking the end of my hair and I topple backwards.

 

"You little bitch!" A few slaps to my thighs and I scream, kicking at his hands. "You wanna run away too?! Huh, why don't we just feed you to the wolves too then huh, skip the chase"

 

I spat in his face, rolling over and hurried towards Trish, throwing myself against her.. I was covered in blood and torn flesh but I didn't care, I didn't.

 

"You need to stop!" I shouted at the lot of them. "You have to stop this. Call them off. She's dying" my tears overwhelmed me and I sobbed into my bloodied elbow. "She's dying, please stop"

 

"We don't take orders from you"

 

"It's.....it's okay Leila" I return my eyes to her, going into shock seeing the blood that surrounded her neck, an entire side of her face was torn. "It's going to be okay" A small smile.

 

How could she smile?! There was nothing to smile about! And then she was gone. The smile slowly faded.

 

"Trish" my voice came out in a whisper. "Trish" trembling hands took hold of her shoulders shaking her frantically. "Trish, Trish, Trish"

 

That was it. I was leaving this hell hole.

 

Tomorrow.