Chapter 2: Madelyn

How did I ever get myself into his mess? Oh right, I fell for the wrong man. He was so attractive, so charming, until he wasn’t. He was a prince, until he became a nightmare. All those things you worry about as a kid, all the things that go bump in the night, they’re real. Werewolves are real. I know because I’ve been forced to live with them now for several months.

Alec was everything a young woman dreams of when she finds ‘the one’. He’s smart, charismatic, and he seemed to really be into me. We dated for a short time, but it was intense. He wanted to be around me all the time and I loved the attention. After a life in foster care, never having anyone who truly cared about me, I fell for it; hook, line, and sinker. In hindsight, he didn’t even have to give me that much attention. I thought he was being gentlemanly not wanting to sleep with me, but it turns out, he never wanted me for sex. He wanted a slave.

When he’d ‘confessed’ to being a werewolf, he said he wanted me to know everything about him before I decided to bind myself to him. He said he wanted to always be honest with me. So, I’d gone with him to the forest, and I’d watched him shift. I’d been shocked and terrified, but his wolf had come up and licked my cheek and it had been so much like the German Shepard I’d had in one of my foster homes, only much larger, that I hadn’t been afraid.

When he said he wanted to show me what his life was like, to see if I could be happy living with him, I’d agreed. He’d taken me to this pack and that’s where everything had changed. Rather than protecting me, he’s made me a slave, what he called an omega. I was told I couldn’t leave, ever, and I was forced to cook and clean for sixteen hours a day.

I was given no time to continue my studies, no time for anything but to serve the pack. The first time I tried to escape, he’d caught me, ran me down in his wolf form and literally dragged me back kicking and screaming. His father, the ‘Alpha’, had slapped me so hard across the face that I thought he broken my cheekbone.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” he’d snarled.

“I…I…I want to go home.”

“You are home,” he’d growled, and I’d been put in a room by myself without food or water for three days.

When they came for me, I felt like I was on the verge of death.

“Fuck! She’s human. We can’t leave her as long as the other omegas. Get her out, get her cleaned up and get some water in her,” I’d heard Alec saying.

I’d been dragged into my room, not much larger than a closet, and given food and water with the command to bathe and sleep before my shift the next morning.

And my horror had stared all over again. I learned quickly that humans are despised by the werewolves. We’re weak compared to the wolves and so they think less of us. I’m not sure why Alec chose me, maybe I was an easy target, maybe because I had no one to come looking for me, no one who cared if died. But either way, I knew if I didn’t find a way out of here, I’d remain a slave to this pack for the rest of my life.

It took a couple of months for me to finally get an opening. The pack was planning a party, inviting other packs to the come and celebrate. I think Alec was becoming Alpha and this is a big deal. I heard them talking about two of the last three Guardians accepting their mates and becoming Lunas, but since I had no idea what they were talking about, I didn’t really listen.

Instead, I began planning how I could get away. I know their senses are heightened, but I also know that Alec likes to have sex with pretty girls. He flirts with them then takes them to bed. His father is no different and since there will be a lot of she-wolves here tonight, all of the unmated males will be trying to get laid. It’s the best chance that I have to get away.

I’d been waiting for the right moment, when fate shined down on me. One of our pack’s she-wolves was making out with a wolf from another pack. He had her pressed against the wall in a hallway and he was so distracted that he didn’t notice that his keys fell out of his pocket. When they moved on, I grabbed the keys and put them into my pocket. I went to the side door, holding the keys and pressed the unlock button so I could find the car. There were patrols watching the cars, so I stayed out of sight, seeing which one flashed.

When it did, the patrols looked over, then snickered, talking about how the guy must be having a good time. I quickly rushed back to show my face a couple more times, pour more drinks for the wolves, and then excuse myself to go to the bathroom.

My window of opportunity is small, and I know I have to hurry. I rush out to the car, thankful that I’d pushed the unlock button earlier. I crawl in, not closing the door all the way. The patrols have moved away, flirting with some she-wolves from another pack. I decide to act as though I’m the owner of the vehicle and not race away. So, I get the seat set and turn the car on, quickly moving it out of the parking spot.

I see the patrols look over, but since I’m going at a normal pace, they don’t react, going back to talking to the she-wolves. I begin driving down the road, hopefully heading out of the pack lands. It’s been months and I was only on the road once, so I’m hoping this is the right way. The only thing I remember is turning right into the pack lands. So, I plan to turn left when I leave here.

When I get to the gate, I smile, but the patrol frowns. “Who are you?”

I don’t wait to try and answer, I hit the gas and take off. Almost immediately, I hear howls as wolves alert the others that I’ve escaped. I don’t stop, I keep driving as fast as I can, knowing that if I don’t get away this time, they’ll most likely kill me.

I drive until I come to a city. I need to get lost in the crowd and find somewhere to sleep. I have no idea where that might be and I realize that I have no money, no ID, nothing except the clothes on my back.

I get out and I begin to run, trying to find someplace to hide. I know they have a good sense of smell, but I’m hoping that the scents in the city will override my scent. I’ve barely made it a block when I hear tires screeching to a stop behind me. I begin running faster, terrified that I’ll get caught, that this time, they’ll kill me.

I turn, seeing Alec coming after me, fury on his face. I turn and run into a brick wall.

“Hello beautiful,” the wall, who is actually a man, says before strong arms come around me. He smells like buttery maple syrup.

The man pulls back, frowning down at me. I have a moment to wonder if this gorgeous man just walked off of the cover of a surfing magazine before my fear takes over.

“Please. Please help me!”

He looks past me and must see Alec and his goons coming for me. I’m almost positive that he growls, and he pushes me behind him.

There’s no reason for me to feel safe. I’m not at all safe. But, there’s something about this surfer-looking guy, something about the way that he just put himself in between me and Alec that has me feeling protected and safe if a way that I’m not used to.

“Who are you?” I hear Alec snarl.

“My name is Cayden Holstin. If you don’t want the wrath of the Guardians raining down on you like wildfire, I suggest you turn and walk away. NOW!” he snarls and crouches into what I know is a fighting stance.