Captured

    The sound of barking dogs filled the air and Zayn's hair was whipped back by a cold wind that left his teeth clattering. The sense of impending doom rested upon him thickly like a wet blanket, and while he was not usually one to ignore his instincts, he had no choice but to do so.

   It had to stop. In the past month, three had gone missing from his pack, leaving them on the edge and with much angst. He had every reason to believe the witches of Earlham had been behind it. Why else would they have undermined his orders and crossed into his territory when he had so clearly stated that any witch found within his borders would be beheaded?

   It could not be a coincidence that a witch of Earlham had been found in his territory at the same time that the girls had gone missing. They had taken the girls, and he only hoped he got them back before they were harmed. It was all the witches did anyway. Steal and destroy. 

     And he would repay them back in kind. They were only a few miles away from Earlham now, but the closer they drew to the community, the more his subconscious pricked at him. He felt uneasy. His gut told him he was headed into something bad. 

    He spared a glance at the group he had taken with him to attack Earlham and get the girls back. He had chosen only the best. They would seize the community without much hassle and would have the head of the miserable witch who had stolen from his Pack.

     His hatred was a driving force that fueled his anger, propelling him forward with record speed. His men followed closely behind him and once they reached the community, blood sprayed. There were cries, there were pleas for help, and there was so much blood.

    Only, it wasn't the witches who bled. Zayn suffered the dream of watching his men die before his eyes at the hands of skilled witches who fought just as savagely as his wolves did. The witches were prepared and their numbers were great. Far greater than the men he had brought with him.

    But it was no dream. Warm blood splayed on his face as a sword went through the throat of his Beta, Ulrich, who had thrown himself in front of Zayn to protect him. Zayn bellowed, swiping for the head of the witch who had stabbed Ulrich. Her head came clean off, but Zayn hardly noticed as pain ripped through him when he caught the body of his fallen Beta. His best friend. 

     And for the first time, tears filled his eyes as he watched Ulrich cough up more blood. His throat was ripped and he could hardly speak a word. Soon, his brown eyes turned unseeing and vacant and Zayn roared in outrage. 

    He finally looked up from his friend's body, watching his men get hacked into pieces by the vicious magic of his foes.

 The battle was over sooner than he expected, and there were countless swords pointed at him and the rest of his men who had been forced into surrender.

      It didn't make sense. How had they known to expect them? He had been so sure they had the upper hand. He had been so sure they could--would win. But he had been wrong, and he had led his men to their deaths.

      A sword rested against his throat and he looked up to find old grey eyes peering down at him with hate. "To think you can come into my territory and attack my people..." Her voice trailed off and her eyes skimmed the field of dead bodies that were mostly his men. "I have never been graced with the presence of an Alpha as stupid as you are."

     Hate darkened Zayn's eyes as he took in the Head Witch, Celeste, and he bared his sharp canines at her, releasing a vicious growl that was loud enough to shake the earth underneath their feet. "I will not rest until I have killed you for what you have done!"

     The old woman scoffed, regarding him with a gaze that was sharper than an eagle's. "You would need to get out of your cage first to do that, Alpha."

     Her head jerked to the witches that had lined up behind her, all dressed in black tunics and pants. "Bind them and take them to the dungeons!"

      Suddenly, Zayn's arms moved of their own volition, and his eyes widened in horror as they snapped behind him, held back by invisible hands.

     He roared, thrashing and kicking violently, but he was soon subdued when five witches merged their powers to restrain him. And as Zayn was led away to the dungeons with his men in tow, he couldn't help but think the last thing he had seen in Ulrich's eyes before he had died was a betrayal.

               *******

       Aerona Dylan ran her fingers through her hair. It was going to be another hard day. She could tell from the stench of blood and death that coated the air. She had always hated the war with the wolves. She hated always having to clean up the gore and the blood, feeling a sense of kinship with them.

    It was why she scowled the entire way from the kitchens to the dungeons as she carried the food for their new prisoners. Celeste, her mother, had given her the order to have them fed, believing none of the maids would be able to handle the prisoners--and she had been eager to do it, needing to help in any way she could.

     "I hear there is an Alpha among them," a maid said excitedly behind her and Aerona rolled her eyes. What Alpha would be stupid enough to walk into witch territory, only to get himself captured? Surely, no one was that stupid.

      But it would seem she was wrong, because as she reached the last dungeon, five witches stood by the door, faces etched with fatigue and pain.  

She paused before Iona, who was the strongest witch after her mother. "What is it?"

     Iona frowned, trying not to break her concentration. "The Alpha won't stop resisting. He is wearing us down. I've never met any wolf this strong, Ari."

     Aerona peered into the dungeon and in the middle of the cell sat the most magnificent man she had ever seen.