Banished

‘Thank your lucky stars today. Get away from our pack and never come back. If you try it, you will die!’ 

The enforcers told Ava as they dragged her outside the border of their pack. It was a cold morning, the sky was thick with dark clouds, as if threatening rain could fall at any time. This replicated Ava’s exact mood, her hands and feet were chilled with cold, dark clouds of fear and confusion hung around her and her threatening tears fell without any restriction. Why should she restrict them? Who should she hide them from? She was already alone in the world, she had no one. It was true what the strange note said: no one could help her now. 

Ava hobbled to a nearby tree, to sit on the roots. She rested her feet and massaged her swollen ankle.  The words of the note did not leave her. Prepare for the worst.

In just four hours, her life had indeed changed for the worse. No cake to celebrate her birthday but rejection, slap, beatings and… banishment. She wiped her tears and wondered aloud.

‘I have nobody and nowhere to go now. Can things still get any worse?’

A distant thunder answered her and the sky opened up as rain fell heavily. 

Shocked to the bones with the cold water, Ava tore at her clinging hair and screamed in frustration. 

‘Moon Goddess!’

‘Are you really up there?’

‘Why is my life this? Why?’

Hot tears fell on her cheeks as she cried. Ava wanted to die. That Alpha Sebastian shouldn’t have saved her. All her miseries would have ended by now. Maybe she would have met her dead parents. She put her head between her legs and cried.

‘Moon Goddess,’ she whispered later, ‘why am I still alive? Why am I wolfless? Why am I helpless? Why don’t you just kill me?’

If only she could manage to walk, she would have hid from the rain. She was hungry, cold and tired. She lifted up her face to the sky again and murmured under her breath. ‘Please, send me help. Anyone.’

Ava heard a sound, tap, tap. Like a horse’s hoof. A horse came by and the rider stopped in front of her. He got down and picked her up.

‘Are you a criminal? Did you steal from your master? You need to come with me.’

‘Thank you Moon Goddess’. Ava murmured before succumbing to exhaustion. The gentle movement of the horse rocked her to sleep.

Ava felt warm as she slowly opened her eyes. She was now on the floor, stable and no moving in progress. Hot hair blew towards her again and she saw the fire nearby. Though not feeling cold anymore, she wanted to move closer to the fire and tried to sit up. Her legs did not move. Wasn’t it only one ankle that was broken? Why were her two legs not working? Ava checked her body and saw that her broken leg was already treated and bound with sticks while her other leg was curled up under her and had become stiff. She gently extracted it and massaged the leg to restore blood circulation. Used to the different pains by now, she did not even wince as she worked on it. Sweet aroma wafted to her nose and she saw her rescuer clearly. An average looking man, he turned his back to her as he busied himself with cooking.

Gratitude rose in her heart and she just could not imagine what could have happened to her in that open forest if this man had not helped her.

‘Thank you sir. I’m very grateful.’

The man did not answer.

She increased the volume of her voice.

‘Thank you for your help sir!’

He abruptly turned to her, scaring Ava with his sudden movement.

‘Why were you alone in that forest? Are you a criminal?’

‘No, no.’

The man smiled in a devilish way.

‘Whether you are a criminal or not, you are coming with me!’

 Were things still getting worse?

Ava thought her misery was ending but she had definitely rejoiced too early.

‘Who are you?’ She asked the man.

‘I am the one asking the questions here!’ He shouted at her. ‘Be a good girl and eat first, then we’ll talk. Finish your food, you need to fatten up before I eat you.’ He said and winked at her.

Ava decided to eat first as advised by the man, whatever could happen later, at least she would have a warm meal in her stomach to give strength and fortitude to bear it. She ate hot soup and dried bread in plenty supply, the man kept refilling her plate until she signaled to him that she couldn’t eat anymore. The food filled her with energy and hope.

‘Are you Avery’s daughter?’ He asked Ava as he offered her a bottle of water.

Ava shook her head vigorously from side to side.

‘I don’t know anyone by that name. My parents died when I was very young, I really don’t know them.’

‘You will do. You look like her so you will replace her.’ Ava looked at the man for more information but when he kept quiet, she asked, ‘who is Avery?’

The man glanced at her and studied her from head to toe.

‘A criminal. She betrayed her village and caused many people’s deaths. See,’ he brought out a faded drawn photograph of a woman, ‘I am a bounty hunter. I’ve been on her trail for years.’

‘Why have you not given up?’ Ava asked him curiously.

‘Three different groups of people put a price on her head, her village, the mayor and a private client. When I arrest Avery, I can retire.’ The man smiled in contentment.

 ‘Don’t worry. I will take care of you. Tomorrow morning, we will go to my village and get your leg properly treated. Then you can pretend to be Avery, when I get the money on your head, I will rescue you before they hang you. Don’t worry, I have my ways.’

Ava knew her troubles were not yet over. She was about to be presented as a criminal, after escaping from false accusation and death. Prepare for the worst.

‘Come here my love.’ She saw the bounty hunter approach her with a grin on his face. He moved her plates to one side and pushed her down, till she was lying on her back. He started removing his belt. 

‘It’s time to eat you.’ He announced with a sheepish grin on his face.

Ava shivered as the understanding of the man’s words dawned on her. She tried to get up but could not because of her broken leg. The evil man moved closer.  Ava burst into tears.

‘Please sir, don’t do this. Don’t force yourself on me. I will be your servant. I will work hard for my upkeep. Don’t take away my precious…’

Suddenly she heard a crash, then a gunshot.