Chapter 2

Then she grabbed the stick. My heart sank, and I tried to crawl away, but she was too fast. The first hit landed on my back, a sharp, searing pain that made me cry out.

She didn’t stop. The stick came down again and again, hitting my legs, my arms, and my sides. Each blow made my body jerk, and the pain became too much to bear.

“You’re worthless!” she yelled, her words stabbing me as deeply as the stick. “You’ll never be anything more than a stain on this pack!”

Tears streamed down my face, but I didn’t dare scream or beg. I knew it would only make her angrier. I curled up on the floor, trying to protect myself as best as I could. But no matter how tightly I hugged my knees, I couldn’t stop the blows from finding me.

I didn’t know how long it lasted. It felt like forever. Just when I thought she would never stop, she finally did. Breathing heavily, she threw the stick to the side and glared down at me.

“You disgust me,” she spat before turning on her heel and heading to her room.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. Every part of my body throbbed with pain, and I was too weak to stand. I just lay there on the cold floor, my tears mixing with the blood on my skin, wishing for it all to end.

Screams filled the night, loud and terrifying, sending shivers down my spine. I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. Something was wrong—terribly wrong. It sounded like we were under attack.

Forcing myself to move, I stumbled outside, my legs shaky and weak. The sight before me made my blood run cold. Chaos had erupted everywhere. Pack members were running and screaming, their faces twisted in fear.

I gasped when my eyes fell on the ground. Lifeless bodies lay scattered, their blood pooling around them and staining the grass a deep red. My stomach churned, and panic clawed at my throat. I had to run. I had to get away.

I turned and began to move, my breaths coming in short, shaky gasps. But then I saw it. A massive black wolf, larger than any wolf I had ever seen, stood still in the middle of the chaos. Its dark fur seemed to absorb the light around it, and its piercing yellow eyes burned as they locked onto me.

My legs refused to move. I couldn’t look away. It felt like those eyes were holding me in place, as if they could see right through me. My heart pounded louder in my ears, drowning out the screams around me. Fear rooted me to the spot, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t run.

I tried to move, but my body was frozen, like I was trapped in the nightmare unfolding around me. Then, a voice echoed in my mind, a deep, commanding whisper. “Mate.”

The word struck me like a bolt of lightning. My heart skipped a beat, and my breath caught in my throat. I couldn't move. I was rooted to the spot, every instinct screaming for me to flee, but I couldn't. I could only stand there, staring as the massive wolf began to approach me.

It moved so fast, faster than anything I had ever seen. Within seconds, it was on top of me. The wolf's weight knocked me to the ground, and before I could even scream, I felt its teeth sink into my neck. A sharp, agonizing pain shot through me, and I cried out. Blood poured from the wound, warm and thick, drenching my skin. The pain was overwhelming, but it was nothing compared to the terror that gripped me.

Then, just as quickly as it had attacked, the wolf pulled back. The world seemed to go still for a moment. My head spun as I struggled to stay conscious, but everything felt distant, blurry.

Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, the wolf began to shift. The transformation was quick and seamless, the dark fur melting away to reveal a man standing in front of me.

He was tall—taller than any man I’d ever seen. His features were sharp, almost too perfect, his dark hair messy but somehow fitting for his fierce look. His eyes, the same burning yellow as the wolf’s, now stared at me with an intensity that made my skin crawl and my heart race.

He was terrifying... but also beautiful.

I tried to crawl away, my hands slipping on the blood-soaked ground, but he grabbed me easily. Before I could protest, he threw me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.

“Let me go!” I shouted weakly, but he ignored me.

He carried me through the chaos, his strong arms holding me like I weighed nothing. I could hear the screams of my pack fading behind us as he moved quickly toward the edge of the pack lands. My head throbbed, and the pain in my neck was unbearable, but I couldn’t fight him. I was too weak.

We reached a line of cars parked in the shadows. Without saying a word, he opened the door of one of the sleek black cars and threw me into the back seat like I was a rag doll. I landed hard, pain shooting through my body. The bite on my neck throbbed, and tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t dare cry out.

Before I could think about escaping, he climbed into the front seat and slammed the door. The sound made me flinch. The car roared to life, and I gripped the seat as we sped away.

I stared at him, trembling. His sharp features were illuminated by the dim dashboard lights, and his piercing eyes kept darting to the rearview mirror. Then, he turned to look at me. His gaze fell on my neck, and his brow furrowed.

“You’re not healing,” he said in a deep, rough voice.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I-I don’t have my wolf yet,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.

He stopped the car abruptly, the sudden halt making me slide forward. My heart raced as he got out and opened the back door.

I tried to move away, panic filling me. Was he going to bite me again? My body trembled as he climbed into the back seat, his large frame making the space feel suffocating.

“Stay still,” he growled, his voice low and commanding.

I froze, too scared to fight as he leaned closer to my neck. His hot breath brushed against my skin, and I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for more pain.

Instead, I felt his tongue. He licked the wound on my neck, his touch oddly gentle. I gasped as a strange warmth spread through my body. The pain began to fade, and I could feel the wound closing. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

When he pulled back, I touched my neck in disbelief. “What are you?” I whispered, my voice shaky.