Chapter six.

I am caught. And trapped.

I am held in a place where I have no hope of escaping. At least not with my own strength.

I glance around the room I am kept in. Memorizing each detail and craving them in my head in preparation for my escape.

I have done it once and can do it again.

"So you said you found her outside the hut?" A huge girl with short brown hair says to my capturer.

She is so tall. I have never seen a lady this tall. standing from height to height with the other man.

The little tiger, who was dragged along with me, lies on my lap. Fast asleep and without a care.

"I told you. She was standing right outside when I saw her." Dressed in light clothing, his gaze moves to me, and I tense up.

Werewolves. The recognition was instinctual.

What are they going to do with me?

"Enough. You are scaring her." A man with white, no. Silver-long locks says. With a fair face and slightly curved eyes. He looks almost like a fairy.

"What do you mean? I didn't even do anything." My capturer complains.

"She is shaking." The huge girl frowns.

I am shaking.

Right. I really am shaking.

"Okay. Enough of all this." The door opens, and a girl with a more reasonable height walks in. "Royce, Leona. Out. I will speak with the human."

"I will go help Darius with the meat."

"I will go, too."

The two exit the room, and her sharp eyes lock on me.

She looks just my age, but why is she so scary?

"What is your mission in no man's land?"

Mission.

"I—i am." What do I say?

"Thinking of lying?" The corner of her lips curls up, and my palms start to sweat.

How does she know?

"Let's do it like this." She drags a chair to my front. The sharp noise startled the little tiger awake. It growls at her, only to be shut down by a more terrifying growl. 

The poor thing burrows into my arms, whimpering.

Just now, the pressure she gave me was not one bit inferior to that of Alpha Luke.

Who exactly are these people?

I stare at the ground, not daring to move or breathe too much.

"Good." I hear her soft voice, filled with satisfaction. "Now human. Tell this honorable your name."

"Ivy," I say. Fearing it came out too low, I repeat. "My name is Ivy."

"Where were you coming from?" She follows with another question, and I hesitate.

"Home." My heart pounds against my ribcage, and the blood rush speeds up my need for oxygen.

Are they going to take me back if I tell them? Or will they kill me?

"Make it more detailed. This great one doesn't have the time to play around." She states it calmly.

"I—i—" 

"Which pack are you from?" The fairy guy's words were like a steel sword, cutting through my thoughts.

How did he know?

"She is from a pack?" The girl glanced at him and asked.

"Hmm." He says it curtly. "I can pick up a light scent from her."

He can?

"If you are from a pack, then why are you here? In no man's land." She stares at me freezingly.

"I ran away." I breathe out softly.

"Human slavery?" She asks.

"No. I had a home there." I bite on my bottom lip, refusing to say more.

"Oh......" She pushed back her chair, stretching lightly. "Just when I thought we caught a rat, What a waste of time."

Is she looking for a rat? I mean, why?

I stare down at my feet, unmoving. What now?

"Are you cold?" The silver-haired guy asks, and I shake my head. "No."

I am freezing.

"Get up from the ground," he says.

"Yes. Take sit." The girl pulls me up with one hand like I weigh nothing. "I almost forgot you were human. such fragile creatures."

I chew on my inner jaw, unable to resist the urge to ask. "Does this mean you won't kill me any more?"

"Who said anything about killing you?" The long-haired guy pops a brow.

"Of course we aren't going to kill you." The girl adds looking surprised.

"Then will you let me go?" I ask again.

"Why not? Who do you think we are? A group of bandits?" She scowls.

"I don't know." I answer truthfully.

Still, I can't help but feel relieved. I am not going to die.

At least not now.

"Why does she make me feel like a bad person?" She mutters. 

"Ivy." I glance up in reflex. surprised that he knows my name.

Oh, I did tell them earlier.

His silver eyes are staring down at me, he says. "I am Kane, and she is Ruby. Sorry for the inconveniences we have caused you."

"Ah...." 

"Hey." Ruby smiles at me. Dimples appeared on both sides of her cheeks.

I have dimples too.

She leans in, placing her face right in front of mine. "How old are you, Ivy?"

I pursed my lips, saying a small reply. "Seventeen."

"Wow....Kane." Her eyes go wide. "She is still a baby."

"I am not a baby." I immediately protested. "I am seventeen!!"

"You are a baby."

Calm down, Ivy. Don't argue; she is a werewolf. You know you are not a baby.

"Tell me where you are going. This big sister will take care of you."

I don't want to talk to you. I bury my head in my arms. Squashing the little tiger into crying out.

Oh my. "Sorry." I patted its back, luring it back to sleep.

Almost immediately, the door slams open, and we both jump up in shock.

"Jesus Christ Royce!! Don't break the door." Ruby growls at the intruder, who doesn't seem to care.

"Darius fucked our food up." He announces.

"What did you mean, me? I was doing just fine before the two of you came." A calm voice comes from behind him, and an extremely handsome man with blond hair walks in.

"I won't say that." The huge girl, Leona, frowns. "It just tastes wrong. Maybe it's the spices."

Suddenly, the room is filled with people.

No. Not people.

Werewolves.

********

"This?" 

"Is this a sacrifice or what?" Ruby speaks out my thoughts.

Looking at the thoroughly burned, whole deer. I can't help but grimace.

The poor thing is already dead. Why do you have to do this to it?

"This—" Kane frowns. "I don't think this is edible."

"How is it supposed to be edible?" Ruby yells in frustration. "It is burnt. Fully burnt."

"Right." Darius nods thoughtfully. "I see. That must be the problem."

"It's not." I mutter my breath.

"It's not." They all turn to me in unison.

Hah, those werewolves hearing.

Why does it feel like they all have looks and no brains?

"You are supposed to remove the internal organs and wash thoroughly before cooking." I try to explain. Then states. "If you can catch another one, I can help you cook it. I am really good at cooking."

"That's good. Honorable me won't eat that shit even if I have to die." Ruby wrinkled her brows in disgust. Glaring at both Darius and Royce. "You heard her, right? Go hunt a new deer."

"There aren't many animals remaining in this area. It took me more than an hour before I could find that deer." Royce points out.

"Why don't we just cook that little tiger?" Darius says it as if it were the smartest idea he had ever had.

"What!! No." 

"You can't. Can't you see that it's Ivy's pet?"

"Why would a human keep a tiger as a pet?" He sulks, sending a pout to Royce, who shrugs.

"How am I supposed to know? Those humans do very weird stuff. Only Hades knows what is going through their head."

"Enough. I have spoken. If you don't catch a deer, Don't even think of coming back." Ruby dictated. baring her teeth. "Ever."

"I knew I shouldn't have come along with you. I must have been sick in the head. This is child abuse!! You hear that...child abuse!!." I watch as the handsome blonde is dragged away by Royce. His voice resounds even after they have gotten out of sight.

He kind of looks pitiful.

"You are cold?" Someone mumbles from behind me.

I turn back to see Kane taking off his light blue fury coat, and without a word, he drapes it over me.

"Haa..." He points at my jaw, and I realize that my mouth is wide open.

"I—sorry. I mean." I cleared the blockage in my throat. "Thank you."

He is very nice.

He is the second-nicest werewolf I have met.

The first is Nana Emma, who works in the kitchen. I will miss her a lot. And Rowan.....

I shake the thoughts out of my head, and my gaze meets Leona's dark one.

Did I do something wrong?

"Come on. Come in." Ruby pulls my collar.