Two.

Willow

He cocks an eyebrow at me, “Oh I will, but on my terms. Get dressed!”

The Alpha turns, striding out of the door and slamming it shut behind him. What the hell did he mean on his terms? He bought me. There could only be one reason why. Especially for the price he paid.

Hastily pulling on the hoodie and sweatpants, I groan and pull the door open. The Alpha and the guy I assume is his Beta, are both waiting for me.

“Better?” Alpha Zane asks

I glare at him. How did he think this could be better? The last thing I needed was an Alpha getting involved in this shit. I had it all handled. I keep my mouth shut. Sticking my tongue in my cheek and look the other way. 

I didn’t care that he thought he was someone special. I didn’t care if he thought he owned me.

“Do you ever listen to your superiors?”

“You are not my Alpha.” The words are sour as they roll from my tongue.

“You are right, I’m not, but I own you.” His words are just as spiteful as mine and his face is expressionless. He is really good at doing that.

Learning to read humans was easy. They wore their emotions on their sleeves like a beacon. Wolves, especially Alpha’s, could hide everything they were feeling. 

The muscle above my lip twitches. I could shift and attack him, but then I would be on the run for the rest of my life. And that’s if I make it out alive.

“What do you want from me?”

He pushes me up against the wall, his hips pressed against mine as his hands rest on my waist. He leans in close. I feel his warm breath on my face. It stirs something inside me. Something that I hadn’t felt in a long time. A hunger. A need. A want. I force the feelings down, burying them deep inside.

“Time will tell. Now, it’s time to go.” He snaps

He steps away and holds out his elbow to me again.

This time when I take it, I make sure to dig my nails in. To make him understand that I wouldn’t take any shit.

He pats my hand. “You carry on, little wolf. Your nails are nothing in comparison to what I will do to you.”

Alpha Zane makes me get into the car first. He watches me closely and as I try the handle on the other door, he laughs. “Do you really think I‘m stupid enough to leave it unlocked?”

He was going to be impossible to escape.

The street is lit up with the glow of the lights. It’s quiet too. We pass one or two other cars heading in the opposite direction and my mind drifts back to the other girls. How many would be leaving tonight with old man hands grabbing at them? How many girls are still alive? How many are being kept until the next lot of sales?

From the corner of my eye, I see his hand come toward me. Lashing out was instinct. My fingers lock around his wrist, holding him back, inches from my face. “What the fuck do you think you are doing?!” I snap, almost surprised by myself.

His eyes narrow at me and my fingers slowly retreat. 

Alpha Zane holds his hands up. “You said you were not hurt, but I see a bruise, hidden by makeup.”

“And?” I frown at him

“Who?”

“Does it matter?!”

“It should have healed by now.”

“And?” I spit

“Names!” He demands

“Just fuck off!”

I hear the man in front suck in a big breath. Alpha Zane’s fingers grab my face, squeezing my cheeks until they are rubbing against my teeth. I barely knew him and already I hated him.

“I suggest you start answering my questions.” 

I manage to spit at him and he squeezes my jaw tighter until it aches. A growl rumbles from his chest. “Pull the car over!”

As the car comes to a stop, Alpha Zane pulls me from the vehicle, his hand still locked around my face. 

Rain had started to fall, bringing a pleasant coolness to my bare feet. Trees lined the edge of the road and street lights stood further apart. It was quiet. If he killed me here, it would be hours before someone finds my body.

“You have two minutes, little wolf.” He smiles

I didn’t understand

“You have a two minute head start. You run. If you get away, you are free. If I find you, you are mine and you will answer my questions.”

I hide my own smile. He had no idea how fast I could run and now, I was even more grateful for the bare feet.

The moment he lets go of my face, I charge into the trees. I had to be quick, looping back over myself, spreading my scent in all directions. One minute is all I needed and then one minute to run as fast as I can.

The rain steadily grows heavy, bringing all the scents of the forest to life. They swirl around me, reminding me how much I loved the forest. A place where I hadn’t spent much time in the last few years.

I work quickly in multiple figures of eight. When I was certain my scent was spread thin, I move deeper into the forest, letting my feet carry me. As I move I’m careful not to leave footprints in the mud.

He probably thought I would shift, but that would just make it easier for him to scent me.

A twig snaps from somewhere close by. That can’t be him, not that quickly. I move faster, zipping in and out of the trees, never following one direct line. A dark shadow appears on my left and I feel my stomach flip. It can’t be him. Not yet.

I had always been able to outrun every wolf I had met.

My lungs burn as I push on and when I look again, I don’t see him. I also don’t see the fallen branch.

My foot slams into the hard trunk and sends me flying forward. As my body crashes to the ground, the back of my head hits something hard and sharp. The faint aroma of blood fills the air around me.

Reaching up, I touch the back of my head. Letting out a hiss as my fingers touch the open wound. Bright red blood coated my fingers and I laugh. This was not the way I thought I would leave this planet, running from the guy who had paid a lot of money for me.

Onyx eyes appear in front of me. A deep frown etched into his brow. His eyes become almost grey as he mind links someone. I’m guessing the man in the car.

My eyes flicker up to the star filled sky. It had been months since I had seen it and tonight, it was just as beautiful as the last time.

“Why are you not healing?” His voice echoes around me as he pulls me onto his lap.

A laugh escapes my throat as black dots begin to form in front of my eyes, blurring my vision

“The deal was if I found you, you would answer my questions!”

“Half human.” I mutter lazily before everything goes dark.