Chapter Seven

Kayla's POV

I was gripped in a pair of massive arms. My heart pounded hard against my ribs. Trembles shook through my limbs. The harder I shook the tighter he gripped me.

His racing heart echoed in my ears as he pulled me close to his expansive chest. The rogue was real. He tore through the forest taking me far from my pack. Far from everything I knew. Ever giant step he leaped sent waves of agony cascading through my broken body.

It was all too much. The terror of what he would do to me, the pain, all of it. I passed out, falling into a nightmare filled sleep. The rogue was real and I was his prisoner.

                              ***

I sighed. A blissful warmth enveloped me. Small, soft hands stroked my tattered skin. My frail body rested on soft ground. A fire crackled beside. I struggled to make sense of what was happening. Did someone rescue me from the rogue? Did he mean to keep me as his slave?

"Serena, please, enough," a rough voice pleaded. "It's too much for you. Let her own wolf heal her."

"She's trying," a young girl replied. Her voice came from right beside me. "But she's weak. Her wolf has kept her alive for 18 years."

"Serena, you know how much healing another wolf takes out of you, please, let her heal naturally. You've done enough."

"It's different with her," Serena said moving her hands to my stomach, "easier. It's like we're connected somehow."

The older male wolf inhaled. His rough, heavy hand rested on my cheek. "Do you think she's..."

"Yes," Serena interrupted him. "It's her. We're saved, gramps, we can go home."

A warm tear landed on my chest. I tried to protest. Whoever they thought I was they were wrong. I'm not important to anyone. The effort was too much. My broken body drifted back into slumber.

I woke again to the alluring scent of freshly roasted meat. A nearby fire hissed and crackled.

"Gramps, she's waking up," Serena said. I arched my back, stretching out my muscles. For the first time ever nothing ached. I wanted to run, to sing, to swim. I needed to move. I was alive. More alive than I'd ever been. I rolled to my side opened my eyes and took in my surroundings.

I was in a cave deep in the mountains. Roasted lamb rested above a roaring fire. My body was rested on a giant fluffy pillow stuffed with lambs wool and a fleece blanket covered my modesty. A young woman, probably around 18 years old perched in a large wooden log by the fire. The glow of the flames reflected in her flowing silver white hair. Her bright grey eyes were the colour of the moon and they gazed expectantly at me.

The missing Princess. And I was staring right into her eyes.

Fuck.

I dropped my chin to chest and squeezed my eyes tight.

"I-I-I'm sorry Your Highness. I did not mean to challenge you."

My limbs trembled and my stomach heaved. Now I really would die and just when I finally felt well.

"Challenge me?" She giggled. "To what? Oh please say chess. I love chess and gramps always lets me win. I want a challenge, someone who will try, but first eat."

Metal scraped across the floor. Something hit my toe and the scent of roasted meat wafted closer. My mouth watered. I'd never eaten hot roasted meat. I was only ever allowed scraps.

"I looked you in the face, Mistress, a wolf must never look a superior in the face."

A tear dripped off my chin. The growl of my stomach echoed off the painted cave walls.

"Says who?" Serena asked shuffling closer. I squeezed my eyes tighter. A fork of roasted meat hit my lips. "Open."

Desperate not to further upset the Princess I snapped my mouth open so hard my jaw clicked. Warm, melt in the mouth meat landed on my tongue and an explosion of flavour spread through my mouth. Meat tastes better than it smelled. The flavour was indescribable, like what I imagined a hug from a loved one on a warm summer morning would taste like. An involuntary moan escaped my lips. The Princess giggled softly, pushing more meat into my mouth.

"Who told you not to look at me?" She asked resting a soft hand on my knee.

"It's always been the way, Your Highness, a lesser must never look a superior in the face. If they do it is taken as a challenge and they must fight to the death to take the superiors place. A lesser has never won a challenge."

"And you were taught this by your pack Alpha?"

I nodded. Soft, quiet sobs came from beside me. Princess Serena's shoulders trembled at my side.

"What have my people become?" She gulped between cries. "Please," she begged, "tell me its not all horrible. '

"Um, I guess if you're an Omega or higher some of its OK."

"And what's lower than an Omega, dare I ask?" The rogue snarled.

"Me."

"Oh, I can't bear this," Serena cried, placing her hand under my chin. “Please look at me, please, I beg of you."

I shook my head too afraid to take the risk. Alpha Patrick tested me dozens of times a day when I was a pup, always asking me to do things I wasn't allowed and punishing me if I forgot the rules.

"I think we can trust her," a voice in my head whispered.

"My wolf?"

"Izelle, you can call me Izzie. I'm sorry I haven't spoke to until now. It took all my strength just keeping us alive but I think we're safe now. Serena healed us and when she did I felt a connection, not a mate bond, something else, something ancient and powerful. I think we're supposed to be here with her."

I lifted my head slowly, my palms sweating and my stomach in knots, and slowly opened my eyes. Serena was nose to nose with me. Tears stained her delicate ivory cheeks, her lower lip trembled. She managed a small, wet smile.

"What is your name?" She asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks. 

"I-I don't have a name," I dropped my chin, my cheeks flamed, "they call me Runt."

Serena sighed, shaking her head. The rougue clenched his fists, grinding his teeth.

"I will call you Kayla," she said. "I am Princess Serena and this is my Gramps, Casper."

"Casper? Former Alpha and King? King Casper is the rogue?" My jaw dropped. My eyes locked onto his.

"Rogue," he roared. "I am no rogue. My pack was decimated. Slaughtered in front of my face. There was nothing I could do but take Serena and run. This is where we hide. This place is warded from other wolves with powerful, ancient magic. We're safe here."

"But you slaughtered the White Wolf pack," I frowned, "and you've been on a rampage ever since!"

"I did not," he yelled so hard the cave shook. I shrank back, tucking my knees to my chest.

"Kayla, are my people being slain?" Serena asked. 

I nodded, "since the attack on your pack, two more packs have been wiped out and dozens of powerful Alphas. Your people are at war, Your Highness."

We sat in slience. Serena and I in a tearful embrace and Casper slamming his fist into his palm

"So, Kayla, tell me more about how my people live. I need to know everything." Serena broke our embrace and wiped our tears dry.

She listened for hours with tears rolling down her cheeks. The rougue Alpha's nostrils flared as I spoke. His face glowed red and his knuckles were white. He let out a few growls and snarls when I told him about the punishments doled out for disrepecting your superiors or insubordinance. 

"Who is King?" He snarled when I'd finished speaking. "Who took the place of my son and turned my people into slaves."

"We don't have a King anymore, Sir. We have an Alpha Regal, he's kind of like a King, he rules all packs. His father refused to take the title of King until he found Serena."

"And the Alpha Regal, the monster who enslaves and brutalises our people?"

"Alpha Maddox Mason, Sir, but I've met him. He's not..."

"Mason? You're sure?" Casper interupted me. "Son of Nicholas Mason?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You know him, Gramps?"

"I knew his father. Maddox was but a pup when I fled with you but Nicholas was a good man. He'd not put up with a son who did the things Kayla desribes. What happened to him?"

"Dead, Sir, killed by the rogue."

"His son will soon join him."