Chapter 4 ~ Captured But Free

{Isla’s POV}

“Be cautious. They say she’s almost as strong as him.” I heard one of the cronies still trailing behind me chatter and I couldn’t stop the smirk that threatened to grow on my lips even though it was very insignificant in that instance. 

I wasn’t going to fight them and I wished I could just tell them— maybe turn around, throw my hands in the air, and plead for them to capture me. But that would be too dramatic, even for me.

In any case, I knew it was only a matter of seconds before they attacked and seized me, and for all I knew, I was already a prisoner. But who knows, it might serve as a very good distraction from my harrowing misery.

I suddenly stopped cold in my tracks to make things easier for them and almost immediately, I felt the aggressive weight of three hefty bodies collapse on me, sending me forcefully to the icky dirt of the forest floor. My face dug into the dust as my body jounced vigorously from their wrestle. 

One of the trio’s claws dug into my sides and I felt Cora urging me to let her out as I whimpered in pain. But I suppressed her instead since I wasn’t planning on fighting them back. 

There was a brief struggle but this died once they realized I wasn’t retaliating.

“Quick! Cuff her wrist and rope her up!” I heard one of them yelp. “Kunuki bring the wolfbane!”

“Why isn’t she attacking us?” Another asked as they cuffed me up. “Are you sure she’s the one?” His confusion was readily obvious.

There was sudden silence for some scrutinizing seconds and my face was forcefully tilted to an odd angle for their sampling. I felt Cora growling within, still prompting us to attack, but I restrained her nevertheless. She was really more hurt than I was that our mate had rejected us but she couldn’t just allow me to get hurt. Still, I wasn’t planning on being saved or saving myself.

“We have the right person. This is Luna Isla.” A shrill voice finally broke the quiet.

“But why are there no guards with her? And why isn’t she defending herself?” Another Rogue rejoined in audible frustration and I found amusement in how my inaction was still deranging them.

“We had better seize her and get going before her guards get here!” One said again while another retorted.

“No! This seems too dangerous. I think we should just leave here.”

Once again, I wished I could tell them to take their time since no one was coming for me. But I was starting to enjoy the show they were putting up.

“Kunuki, I think Grus is right. We should take her along. I mean, this is literally a goldmine for us. Do you know the money ransom we can get from her head? Inject her the Wolfsbane and let's get going.” The shrill-voiced one said and after some brief seconds, I felt a weight rest at my side. I suspected him to be the Kunuki guy who was to inject me with the Wolfsbane. 

I immediately started to panic as I had never been injected with Wolfsbane before, and in that instance, my impulse was pushing me to fight them. But I strenuously ignored it and squeezed shut my eyes instead.

Just then, I felt my veins squeeze and my blood seethe as they dug the bane needle through my skin. I could hear Cora whimper to the sting of poison and it hurt me that my bad luck was making her go through such an ordeal. 

After some queer seconds, I felt the strain reduce but then my eyes grew heavy and just then, everything went pitch dark. 

I woke up moments later to find my weary self wrapped, head to heel, in copper chains and crammed inside a shady car’s booth. I didn’t bother struggling as I was well aware of the weakening effect of the Wolfsbane. 

There was a sudden blare and I shuddered from its loudness, but then I realized it was just the ignition of the car engine beneath me. The rogues were already taking me to God-knows-where and suddenly didn’t know how to feel about it. 

I tried linking with Cora but her consciousness was still very much subdued by the Wolfsbane, so I settled to wait it out. 

The following minutes weren’t very eventful as the drive was filled with wind whooshes, occasional car bumps, bird chirpings, periodical memory stings, and more engine rattles until the whole movement came to a sudden pause. I struggled my gaze around and realized the car had been stopped by some Sentry Werewolves at a checkpoint. I chuckled slightly, knowing it was time for more drama because the Sentries would surely want to know what they were carrying in the back.

 But after some seconds, I noticed the Rogue were pals? … with the Sentries as they all had started nattering cheerfully. 

“Tut.” I mouthed in my displeasure as I was really hoping for another distraction from my memory stings.

I couldn’t clearly hear them due to their muffled volume but it was obvious that they had known one another for a long while.

I guess it’s their lucky day then. They can capture me without the slightest stress and now, they are even friends with the Watch Force.

Almost immediately, the car boot flew open and the rays of the rising sun shot into my hazy glare. Three figures soon stood at the entrance but I couldn’t see their faces as the sun’s dazzle entertained my vision. 

Shortly after, the silhouette of the last guy on the right seemed to panic as he stumbled away a bit and urged them to close the boot, and with that, I was back to the warm, cozy gloom. 

I busted a gut as I tried to listen to their ensuing conversation but it was really of no use. For some reason, they now talked in a more hushed tone so that my ears couldn’t even pick up a word.

Almost immediately, the engine was fired up and the car minivan, or whatever I was in, was pushed into a sudden fleet so that my body jolted against the trunk lid. 

I swiveled my glare around as much as the Wolfsbane permitted and noticed they were driving away from the checkpoint with no one chasing us. 

“Why the rush?” I wondered.

Their ‘need for speed’ continued for a while I grew drowsy and everything went dark again.