8. Freya

Phillipe has come for me. Howls and sickening sounds of pain soon followed as I hid with Bella.

Lucien and Finn eventually dragged back the tattered bodies of two Beta’s from Rising Star to see if I could identify them. I couldn't. I’d barely been lived at Rising Star. The best I could offer was that their purple shoulder tattoo matched one of Beta Patrick’s.

The pouch of wolfsbane-bane laced syringes strapped to the body of one confirmed their intent.

“So at least two people in Rising Star knew you were here,” Lucien grunted before grabbing two shovels, throwing one towards Finn. Both panted heavily, covered in rough bleeding scratch marks.

“What now then?” I asked, shivering despite the sun. Huge teeth marks surrounded one entire shoulder, almost wrenching it clean off. The other was missing the vast majority of his torso, with fresh red and beige gore glinting in the sun. Their legs bent at angles that made my stomach churn, ruby blood seeping onto the path.

“We bury them. Hopefully they were alone,” Lucien replied solemnly. “That one,” holding his side as he pointed, “was a fucking hybrid. Twice the size of the other wolf!”

“What If they weren’t alone?” feeling a wave of guilt at the two injured men stood before me.

“We keep doing what we are doing. We are guarding you until we are told otherwise. Right Finn?”

Finn just stared down at the bodies. I wondered if despite the size of him, it was the first time he had taken a life. Back in human form, dried blood formed a crust around his mouth and fingers. He just nodded softly before stalking away to the barn. Bella walked after him shaking her head.

Grabbing the other shovel I silently helped Lucien. I don’t know why. It seemed like my mess to clean up as we headed towards a mossy clearing. I dragged the one missing his guts, he was lighter.

Sat in the dark that night, my arms around my knees as sleep refused to claim me I found one calming thought. I even raised a smile. When Zeke returns I’m going to have to tell him he was right. He would never believe I did all that digging.

He said to get to know Bella and he was totally correct on that too. Every day that goes past I am becoming more helpful, talkative. I gather eggs, firewood, and hang washing. It’s not ideal, it’s certainly not how I lived before but it’s better than dwelling. Bella has so much calm, guiding wisdom to offer.

However at night Finn continues to leave me. Once again I settle into bed with a book only to hear Finn rustling around. “Are you going somewhere?

“It's none of your business,” he snapped back, glowering up at me as he paced around the room. Dressed in grey sweats, and a black hooded top I could see the bag of equipment waiting on the side of the chair.

“It absolutely is! That assassin was less than a week ago-”

“Look I’ve got to be somewhere.”

“What if another assassin comes!”

“The world doesn’t revolve around you Princess!” he shouted back up and I scowled furiously. Arms across my chest I snap “Well then you must be an idiot if you think I’m staying here alone!”

His grey eyes narrowed as he pondered. In a deep guttural growl he snapped. “Come with me then. Tie that crazy hair back, put on a big coat and I’ll put you somewhere safe.”

“Finn I can’t.”

“Then stay here. I’ve got to go.”

I look around. The brown oak barn walls now felt cavernous and bleak in the dark. “Fine,” I grumble, grabbing a hair tie and a long black leather trench coat of Zena’s.

“Come on! We’ve got to be quick.”

Twenty minutes of tearing through the pitch-black countryside on a motorcycle later and we arrive. A few dozen cars and trucks are parked up, illuminating a dusty boxing ring. A black haired guy with a misshapen nose and a man covered up to his neck in tattoos jogged over.

"Finn! Good to see you!"

"Hey you're late!"

The instant he pulled up we were surrounded. /So much for low profile/ Livi growled. I hate this. Every second of it. Why didn't I speak up? I'm meant to be a Luna and I've been pushed around again. I’ve not learned a damn thing.

"Hey. Ready for battle?" Finn exclaimed with a wide smile, shaking hands and grinning before I cleared my throat. "Hang on, give me a minute," he growled. "Tucker, can I have your keys?"

Taking my arm, a man with thick black braids down past his shoulders throws him a set of keys. Taking me to a battered, rusted Jeep that smells of hay and old meat he opens the door and gestures. “In here. You can see the fight, I’ll come straight here after, then we go home.”

I felt exposed, so visible with the bright lights of the jeep blazing outwards. People would easily see me.

“Finn…Finn I don’t like this,” I whispered, turning around to get out only to see the slam of the door in my face. So I clambered behind and lay on the rear seats feeling like an abandoned dog. Anger simmered away.

How could he do this to me? Why didn’t I just get Lucien? Am I subconsciously trying to make him like me by going along with this ludicrous plan? Because of that drunken seduction that swiftly rolled into regret?

/Calm down, the first fight is starting/ Livi whispered. /Another hour and we can get out./

So I watched my first ever bare knuckle boxing bout. It was brutal, raw and fascinating. The first match, Huxley and Tucker went to the wire. The huge black braids of Tucker swung wildly as they grappled with each other.

The bright red hair of Huxley was matched by a fiesta of freckles covering every inch of shining muscle. Both were huge, as big as any Beta Warrior we trained back home at White Forest.

Nearing seven feet tall Huxley's long, sprawling reach enabled him to punch frequently. However Tucker’s blows packed venom. Finally, blood pouring from both noses, bruises forming around ribs Huxley dropped for just long enough for the referee to call time.

Thankfully Finn was next. His opponent was a fighter named Easton. Their difference in size was incredible. Finn towered over him having both the height and build. Easton only had the muscle. His brown hair hung in limp strands, forming a floppy curtain around his brows.

As the fight progressed it became clear why the pair had drawn each other. Easton’s chunky density allowed him to absorb Finn’s punches. His arms, thicker than my head, had enough power to make Finn stutter backwards. Without realising I leaned forward, completely absorbed in the bout. Finn won in four rounds, the crowd cheering his name with gusto.

As Easton hit the canvas he quickly looked back at me in the truck and smirked. His glowed with pride. No wonder he was desperate to get here tonight. He’s some kind of celebrity out in the backwaters of the Shadowlands. He wants me to realise that down here, he is the big shot and my Luna rank means nothing.

/You’re overthinking it/ Livi offered but I know what I saw. He wanted me to see him win. He’s all ego.

I notice a bevy of young women in the crowd making a move down the bleacher steps as Finn ducks out through the ropes. He disappeared from view, I hoped to gather his black hooded top so we could leave. Counting to two hundred under my breath he was nowhere to be seen.

“Come the fuck on Finn,” as I climbed into the front seat to try and spot him amongst the crowd. Another fight had already started. A heavily tattooed man named Sawyer laid thick, sickening punches into a man named Hayden. I couldn't concentrate. Not even when Hayden’s white-blonde hair briefly reminded me of Phillipe and gave me a scare.

The clock on the dash showed over eight minutes had passed. “Fuck this,” I growled and flung the door of the jeep open. Wrapping the leather jacket around my waist, my brown curls tied up tight, I strode through the crowd. My first bet was to check behind the bleachers, assuming he had bagged himself a bimbo for a quickie.

I didn’t get far enough to check.

I walked around one huge truck that was blocking my route, hidden from the crowd I felt an arm suddenly grab me and I was slammed against the sliding truck doors.

A hand slammed on my mouth before I could even cry for help.

Blue eyes blazed at me, cold and severe. Flecks of silver merged into his iris, glinting into the gloomy shadows away from the boxing ring. Wearing a dark, peaked cap his face was curled into a snarl.

“Alpha Phillipe sent me to deliver a message. Come home. Now.”

I fought against the van but my captor was merciless, shoving me backwards again. The back of my head smacking the metal and immediately throbbing with pain. My struggles carried no sound against the roar of the increasingly drunk crowd.

I had nobody to mindlink, my bodyguard has abandoned me. I need to buy time, I need Finn to realise I’m missing.

“Why? What else does Phillipe have to say!”

His blue eyes narrowed. “Now you’ve already killed the other two, I guess I get to be the one claiming the glory. Alpha Phillipe's instructions were pretty open. He just said I had to get you home, one way or another. ”

“What does that even mean!” struggling against his arm.

“It means I intend to use this.” and I yelped in fear as he produced a long silver-edged knife. “I will cut you every time you don’t behave. I’ve trained many a bitch this way. Now walk.”

I know I need to reject Phillipe but the idea of heading back to that castle like this wasn’t the plan. If he will have a henchman maim me in the open what the hell will he do to me in private?

I shake my head no, mumbling into his rough hand, “I won’t go, I won’t.”

He slapped me hard across the face. “Last chance,” and wave the blade at my neck. “I’ll just use the other side, that’s not silver so once you pass out your wolf will heal you. You’ll just make a mess of your fine clothes and the back of my truck.”

I shoved him and tried to make a break for it but he barely moved an inch. Instead he grabbed me and muttered “so be it,” and thrust the knife against my neck. I squealed at the sharp sensation of the blade.

Then the man made a sickly slurping noise, the knife dragging across my cheek as his body dropped behind me. I turned around and screamed in terror.

His throat was slit.

The bastard had tried to hurt me but the wound had appeared on him. His face now sported an ugly gash just across his left cheek too. Exactly where his blade had caught me on the way down.

What the fuck is this! My mouth hung open, I could have been screaming I wasn't aware enough to tell over the crowd noise.

Another set of hands grabbed me. I fought with everything I had until the heady scent of red-wine rushed at me and my heart skipped a beat. I am still afraid, just in a very different way.