Chapter Four

Willow

Still Two Years Earlier…

Zeke’s face soured as his grip on me constricted infinitesimally more. I tried not to show my discomfort, but it became impossible as he proceeded to recklessly grope my curves with abandon.

I shoved against him with the little force that I still possessed and successfully managed to continue resisting his advances, at least for the time being.

I prayed that he would not try to take my innocence anyway. I did not know how well I would fare against him, but I knew I sure as hell was not going to just roll over and give up either.

He snarled directly in my face before saying, "You can let me make you feel good and take care of you or you won't like what happens next. The choice is yours."

My mind raced as his words filtered through, but I stammered out, "B... But you are supposed to provide shelter to those fleeing the other provinces. The town elders said I would be safe here! You cannot do this! You are not my mate. I do not want you."

Zeke released his hold on my breast as he reached up, he tugged my head back, pulling my long, thick hair like a rope. My scalp burned where he gripped my hair forcefully.

With his face twisted into an ugly scowl, Zeke leaned down, growling, "Who is going to stop me? You?"

He laughed as he turned towards the door without bothering to wait for a response, dragging me behind him by the hair like he did this every day. Hell, for all I knew maybe he did.

I attempted to pull away from his grasp by lashing out with my arm, but he kept up the same pace, easily dodging my blow and maneuvering me out the doorway and down the stairs.

We passed several males along the way, but every single one of them averted their gaze and made no move to help me. Cowards.

"But I would never dream of taking something that you do not offer," He continued as he stalked down the hallway with me in tow, throwing open the door at the very end.

Following, he carelessly slung me into the room where I collapsed in a heap onto the smelly mattress that I vaguely noted took up most of the space.

I shrunk away from Zeke's hulking form that guarded the doorway, but he wasted no time in retreating, hurling over his shoulder as he went, "You can stay here until you change your mind."

As the door slammed shut, I heard the distinct click of a lock being engaged and a deadbolt being set.

Once I was sure that I would remain alone, I sat up and glanced around at the rest of my new environment, rubbing the hair at the base of my neck as I did so.

The stinging was already fading, but that had hurt like a bitch.

I observed a small, bare shelf alongside the old twin sized mattress on the floor, taking up the majority of the floor space, and that was it.

Well, this was a definite downgrade.

***

Present Day

I was yanked out of my reverie by the sound of several booming voices coming from the direction of the dining room. I heard Zeke welcoming the new alphas of the reclaimed territories, praising them for their victory over the bears as their voices faded the further that they walked down the hall.

I sprawled out on my mattress, trying to catch at least a little rest while I was safe from Zeke's tyranny. However, I again found myself lost in thoughts.

The war lasted a lot longer than anyone had expected. I learned later that the bears had launched a full-scale invasion, starting with the Northern Province, around the same time my family had been slaughtered. I knew the area had taken heavy damage and many brave wolves had lost their lives during the fighting.

I missed my home and the memories attached to it. I missed my family. Really, I just missed having anyone who cared about me or my wellbeing.

It had been a lonely existence these past two years, but I had refused to bow down to Zeke's manipulative tactics. Nevertheless, things only got worse after I was relegated to this small storage room that first day.

Zeke returned every day for weeks. He attempted to repeat that same bizarre ritual of feeding me, but, seeing Zeke's true colors, I was disinclined to take food from his hand, and, therefore, chose to starve. What did I have left to live for anyway?

He refused to allow me sustenance any other way at first, but he began sending the guards with a few scraps every few days so I would not die once he had realized I had no intention of backing down. How magnanimous of him.

I entreated the warriors guarding the door for help escaping several times, but it did not take long to figure out that they were all loyal to their alpha. Besides, where would I go anyway? All the other territories were at war at the time, and I had no family left.

Zeke continued his advances for months, but once he realized my position would not change regardless of his disreputable tactics, he dismissed the guards and ordered me to clean the massive, three-story pack house daily from top to bottom, threatening me to within an inch of my life if I so much as dared to step a foot outside.

He had continued adding tasks until I was rarely able to find time to rest. Weeks passed like this, and I still had been unable to shift into my wolf. Werewolves were not made to go long without changing forms. It was not healthy.

I honestly thought being deprived of my wolf was worse than the starvation during those long months I was locked up. At first, I was hopeful that I would be able to sneak away to shift for a little while at some point, but his warriors were always guarding the woods surrounding the property.

I had never gone that long before without letting my wolf out to stretch her legs. Her agitated state was constantly grating on my nerves. That combined with the starvation, sleep deprivation, and emotional torment, well, let's just say it pushed me past my breaking point.

I tried to run in spite of all the risks piling up and having nowhere to go. Anywhere had to be better than here, I had thought. I did not make it far. Zeke's warriors caught up to me after I gave them the slip, and I was unceremoniously dumped in front of their alpha.

I did not think he would really expend the effort to track me down. I mean, I was just an insignificant girl who wanted nothing to do with him, but I was apparently wrong. Zeke, for some reason, had some sort of sick fascination with me. Yay me.

I shuddered just remembering the consequences of that rash decision.

Let's just say it was not pleasant the first time around, and I had no intention of ever repeating it again. I still bear the scars, despite my werewolf genetics.

I was not sure if the other pack members knew how I was treated, but I did know for certain that most, if not all, of the warriors did. They blindly followed Zeke's every direction, no matter how cruel.

Since then, he had allowed me to shift a precious few times, but it was an embarrassing ordeal each time he had deigned to allow me to shift, seeing as he had no inclination to give me privacy and demanded I strip in front of him before shifting each time.

Further, on top of all of this, Zeke still only allowed me meager rations, though I did sneak any scraps I could manage.

Speaking of food, I was fairly sure the alphas were eating the feast I prepared right now. I hoped they saved me some, I thought as my stomach growled loudly.

I heard the sound of clinking forks against plates before the most glorious voice I had ever heard drowned out every thought of anything else.

The deep voice faded in and out, as my weary eyes began to slowly drift closed, "...returning warriors...mates. We need..."

The voice seemed to resonate around my tiny room, and it gently lulled me into a heavenly dream that I prayed I still remembered when I awoke.

My last thought was that it had been a long time since I had thought of escape in any form, but maybe, just maybe, something better was on the horizon.