4.WAITING FOR MY DEATH

The king and his party was nowhere to be seen. My body was placed down at the very edge of the boarder as the man walked away. The thought of running away did not even cross my mind, having received the deadliest stare and I knew to behave.

He went off behind a tree knowing he was about to change. My body went paralyzed with nothing but fear as I shivered where I was. So many things ran through my mind yet none making sense with my eyes wide.

Any sound had me jumping, my red eyes looking all around hearing the crack of bones knowing he was shifting. What do they want with me? So many questions went through my head yet no one to ask.

The man walked out yet he was no longer a man. The largest wolf I have ever seen stood before me. He was not a wolf but looked more like a hound. Not even Alpha Greyhemm was that large, not even by chance. The wolf was dark grey in color with grey eyes which stared at me with no kindness at all. I turned so cold and pale I thought I might faint. Saliva dripped with his mouth open, sharp large teeth ready to chew on me. My legs were fast to slip up, turning not even thinking over it as I ran for my life.

I flew through the air letting it carry me. I was not going to die like that, I was not going to lose everything just like that. The tears streamed with me running but I had been running all through the morning and the tiredness came back at some point. I pushed on none the less, the adrenaline keeping me going, keeping me moving even faster.

I felt like I had run miles, looking back now and again with the large wolf running behind me but he was not running as if to catch me. I knew he could run faster than that, I knew he was slow but why? Did he not want to catch me or he wanted me to wear out before tearing into me?

It was the worst torture anyone could do to another. I pushed on, the adrenaline washed away quickly. Everything in my body hurt, my bag bouncing back and forth on my back adding to my weight.

My jumps became slaggy, slipping and falling to roll down a hill, my eyes closed, seeing my death just then as a scream pulled from me. The world went up and down before me, my hands trying to grip something but failing as I slipped further down until I hit a tree hard, groaning and crying out loud in pain. I thought I would die, everything hurting so much. I had never felt such pain, the world shaking all around me. I thought I felt my soul slipping but that was just the pain speaking.

There was no getting up from that, tucked in the mountain tree real good. My watery eyes trailed, seeing the wolf stand at the very top of the hill staring down at me. He stared for a while before trickling away leaving me there alone.

The tears ran down my face. He knew I would not survive; he knew getting up from there would be hard so he just left me for death. My heart felt as if someone just grating it to bits. I wept so hard until I choked on my own sob and just in that dilemma I heard a snort, as if the wolf laughing at me. He got closer, my body naturally shriling from him, having him growl at me in anger. He had a very short fuse and I was sure he was beyond pissed, his eyes a shade darker. I shook my head, his teeth sinking in my leg with more tears pulling from me, the pain too much I thought I would faint. He pulled my body out, my skin scrapping on the tree bark before he sank the teeth even deeper then swung my body over him with it hitting with an oomph. The pain struck like lightning; the air sucked away from me with my eyes closing.

I was sure I was dying, my head heavy with the pain throbbing in a way I never felt before. My body lay hopeless on him, straddled with my legs and arms hanging on the sides. My head lay on his fur, eyes opening to close with consciousness fighting to depart from me. I tried to hold on to it but failed.

The wolf took off, running faster than it had before, tearing through the miles with my body bouncing up and down on his back. Nothing but darkness surrounded me, calling me with my eyes opening now and again, seeing the grass, seeing the trees slip away.

He was deep in tall grass, it burying us in it with water under us, mud pulling on us, daring us to sink in it to our deaths. The sharp grass cut on my skin, leaving it burning and itching. My body slipped now and again, trying to hold on but I was barely conscious.

I felt myself sway, slipping with my body flying to fall in the mud with a thud.

My eyes flashed open, my head heavy trying to stay up but I was failing. The mud was swallowing me whole, realizing it was quick sand. The wolf stood a bit further away realizing that he had intentionally threw me in there.

I fought with all I had but the more I fought, the more the quick sand swallowed me whole leaving me crying out loud, crying to the wolf that just stared, watching sure he was enjoying the show. My tears cleaned my face, the mud getting up to my shoulder and that was when he finally stepped a bit closer, biting a large wood stick then moving it my way. It was a bit further but I tried gripping it. My hand touched it, trying again to grip it. When the wolf saw this, he began pulling back. I pushed up with everything in me, my shoulders set free but it was time before even half of my body was free. He pulled one last time, pulling me out as I fell confront of his paws.

I did not know what his problem was.

I stood up, every part of me aching, staring right into the eyes of the wolf.

I picked up the wood he had dropped, holding it in hand and pointing it to him. I had never felt such anger in me, heaving and sure I would kill this wolf if it was the last thing I did in my wicked life.

“What is wrong with you!” I shot out, sure to whack his stupid ass even if it led to my death.

“If you want to kill me then do it and stop this torture. I have had a long hard life and I don’t have the patience for your stupid theatrics. Kill me or let me go so I can make my way to wherever!” I screamed, staring dead at him in the eye with such anger. The wolf just stared back at me as if bored, not saying anything.

I shook my head, what was the point.

The wood was dropped on the ground before turning around in nothing but anger and walked away.

I was fed up to the point of no return. I did not care what he did to me. I was walking away, if he wanted to kill me then so be it but I was walking away to my own freedom.

I turned, storming away with my body heavy with mud yet no where to clean it. I shook my head, cursing over and over again as I walked away. It was about five minutes later when I stopped, turning around to find the wolf just behind me, bored to no end. I frowned, what was up with him.

“Shuu… go. Where is your king? leave.” I told him with him not saying anything. He just growled at me, his eyes sure warning me. I sighed, turning around and on with my journey. The sun was hot, the mud drying on my skin having it sore. The pains I felt were too much for me but I swallowed them, telling myself they would make me stronger.

The sun would set soon and we were still in the middle of nowhere.

I picked up my pace, seeing that if we spent the night where we were who knew what would come out and eat us. I walked on and on until I could not walk anymore. My legs were shaking, sure I would fall and I was so exhausted. It was decided, I needed some rest. I looked around, if anything wanted to kill me then it could go ahead but I was done for the day.

A sigh pulled out from me, my hand going to my back realizing I had lost my back pack. I froze where I was, everything to my name lost just like that.

My body staggered, just deciding to sit down right there and then. Too much had happened in that day and I needed to process. My butt hit the ground, the wolf immediately pushing me with his nozzle. I sighed, turning to look back at him in frustration.

“You can pass, there is so much space for you to pass.” I said to him, too tired to even fight with him. He growled loudly scaring me as I jumped up in fright. Just when I thought we were understanding each other he went all scary on me. My blood ran cold. He bit into my t-shirt, it tearing with his teeth sinking in my arm as I cried out and tried to fight him off but who was I talking about here. My body was thrown on his back so swiftly with him running off. I sighed, my black blood melting into my t-shirt as I felt my wound close up but the pain still there. My head lay on his fur, holding on with him running.

He ran all through the day, the night breaking as we went through a dark forest. Goose bumps covered my body, my eyes looking all around not seeing anything scary. My ears were wide open as he ran for his life. It was the highest speed I had seen him run as he tore through the forest like there was no tomorrow. I held onto him and as we made our way through it I felt a certain warmth spread all through me. I could hear his heart drum, his heat sipping into my skin. I got cold easily so him being there was a blessing to me. Somehow through that night I felt nothing but trust for him in a way I could not explain. My hand was brushing through his fur, calming him down in a way I did not know where I learned. I felt his joints move right under my touch, my eyes closing. It felt like I was connecting to him in a way I had never connected to someone and it shocked me to no end for the same feeling I suddenly felt for him was the same one I felt with Alpha Greyhemm. I was connecting to him in a way I could not understand.

My eyes opened wide, sharp and red feeling all my pain wash away. I sat up, an extra pair of eyes and ears, and I was sure my vision was clearer than his.

I could hear a few animals but they were far ahead, none that were near to threaten us. You could see that he was not used to the forests, he was full on concentrating and as if laughing on our faces the trail got thinner and rugged. His speed slowed down, carefully threading while trying to be as fast as he could.

The night went on, thinking we would never get out of the forest but we did.

We broke through and just at the end of the forest my eyes took in the small stream making its way down. The goddess worked in mysterious ways.

My hand brushed on his fur with him quickly slowing down, understanding me. I slipped from the wolf, my sneakers touching the ground heavy with nothing but mud. I took them off along with my socks, walking to the stream. I washed them first them set them aside. My feet got in the stream only to hold the scream in, jumping around in nothing but pain; as if the water had swords piercing through my skin. Whuu, they were so cold. A snicker pulled from the wolf having me groan as I stared at him. I bent over, scooping some water and sending them his way not that my hands could carry much, my hands were so tiny along with my feet unlike all the werewolves I knew, they had large feet that left my mouth agape each time when I was young. The wolf shook its head as I sighed.

I tried washing my leggings while wearing them but it was no help at all so I took them off. I washed my leggings then pulled out my top and also washed it. My hair was also dirty so I let it out, washing it and by then I was blue. I jumped out of the water with my wet clothes, no idea what I was going to do since the morning was on us and it was so cold. I jumped all around with the wolf crossing the stream. I followed after, shaking and jumping behind him. I guess I would just walk around half naked not that it was an issue, wolves shifted in front of others, basically seeing everything on a woman and man’s body from such a young age.

We walked for a while only to stop. I looked forward then back sensing that we were in pack land. The wolf walked around, surely looking for a pair of clothes stashed somewhere. He went around the trees for some time as I jumped around over and over to get myself warm. I hoped we would not be attacked but him being a royal wolf sure got him access I hoped. It was time before a man walked out of the forest.

I took him up from his massive feet; I mean, I had seen feet before but those were surely too large. I bit my lip, looking away. He wore shorts that were squeezing the hell out of him. It was hard not to laugh, deciding to just look away before I got killed by laughing hard.

I felt something brushing me, having me turn where I was, finding a large t-shirt on the ground. I picked it up, smiling.

“Thank you.”

I pulled the t-shirt on, it being a dress. It smelled of nothing but tree bark, sure he had dug it out from one. He walked away again leaving me there. I decided to lay my clothes down then sat down with my legs crossed while twisting my hair to squeeze all the water out of it.

My head turned, the man back carrying wood which he placed down. He went away and I did not waste time. I wanted to be useful so I brought the wood and stacked it in a way that would have it efficiently burn. He came back with some bark; it was called fire bark. When you put something wet on it for sometime it burned. The man placed the bark on the wood then went to my leggings, picking them up and tearing them leaving my eyes wide open.

The gasp was heard, I loved those leggings.

He put them on the bark and all we had to do from there was wait.

The man sat down, staring at the wood as I stared at him. He was large, humongous. I was not one affected by their power but I knew he was a high-ranking wolf; I just did not know how high. Werewolves just knew if a person was higher ranked than them in their ruling system which was why all wolves bowed in the presence of the king not that they could help it.

I bit my tongue, opening my mouth to close it.

“He chose me, didn’t he?” I finally asked.

I was not stupid; the man was leading me somewhere. He had not killed me yet so the only option left was that the king picked me.

He did not say anything, did not even move. Just sat there.

“I am sorry to bother you but seems we will be travelling together. I don’t know how far the royal pack is, surely far. Can you please just help me understand some things before we get there. Why would the king pick me? I am literally no one, you saw all those girls there. They are wolves first of all, they are beautiful and just have the elegance of a queen.” I said out, my hands on my knees, my legs crossed under me. I had so many questions, it seriously made no sense at all.

Just in the moment the bark sparked and created a fire. The wood slowly picked up the flame and began burning.

The smoke filled the air, watching it dance in the grey eyes of the man. He was not old, he was young but don’t be deceived, werewolf years were complicated. He could be of any age from thirty to two hundred. They reached an age where they stopped growing and lived for hundreds of years with their physical bodies never changing. I wondered how my lifeline went. I could die just the next day. What if I did not live past a certain age; it could be thirty, it could be a hundred? I knew nothing of the creature I was.

The man suddenly stood up. He walked off with me left staring at him walk away. Where was he going?

“Sorry, where are you going?” I asked, looking all around. He could not just leave me. If patrol found me alone, they would kill me right there and then since I was not a wolf. The man did not answer, of course he did not. He just went on his way, the forest swallowing him until I could not see him.

I sighed, shaking my head with the fire bringing such heat it made me groan. I lay back, the fire so nice just bringing nothing but the exhaustion back.

I shifted to lay vertically to the fire, watching it crackle with my eyes daring to close on me but we were out where people could attack, I could not just sleep but I was so tired.

My body pushed up, seeing that the position I was in would have me asleep in a wink.

I sat up, my body rocking back and forth, much time having passed since the man left. I picked up my clothes, holding them to the fire one by one so they could get a fair amount of the heat. When tired I put down the clothing I was carrying just as I heard a pair of feet coming my way. My body froze but telling myself it was the man. I stared into the trees and after a few minutes saw him carrying a large container. I shifted, watching as he broke from the forest. He was wearing new clothes; a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. My eyes went wide, seeing his combed hair. He had taken a shower and just left me there. Ooohh wow, what a traitor. I thought we were in the struggle together and he was getting first class treatment. I internally scoffed and sulked.

He even smelt so good. What I would do for a bath. As much as I had washed my skin it was skill dirty at some point. The man placed the large bowl he was carrying and in it was nothing but food. He placed the bowl in front of him, picking up a whole leg and chewing. He ate away as I stared and after some time his eyes picked up to me suddenly realizing he had to share his meal. It did not sit well with him, groaning where he was. I could have laughed really, his face as if to murder me. He slowly picked up his bowl and held it out to me. I smiled at him, shifting to pick a few vegetables leaving the rest for him.

“I don’t really like a lot of food. I like fruits and vegetables. Thank you for the food” I said to him as he frowned. Food was not food for a werewolf if it did not have meat in it, a large portion of meat.

I chewed on the vegetables, them so good. When done I brushed the bits from my hands and sat up staring at the man who was really attacking the food with no mercy. He ate it fast, leaving nothing behind.

“So, how is the king like?” I asked, still not believing that the king chose me. Maybe he had not which was why the man was not responding to my questions.

“Is he sweet and kind? Is he friendly and likes laughing?” I asked wanting to pull a reaction from the man but he just ate away his food.

“He is probably gently and kind hearted,” I continued, trying to coax something out of the man but nothing.

“We will dance around the ball room and he will sweep me off my feet and dazzle me with …”

“He chose you because you are no one and have nothing.” The man suddenly said, placing his bowl down and turning to stare at me as I stared back at him. I had been looking for answers but his words came out cold striking me so deep.

“The place you are going has nothing but death over it. He picked you because you have nothing to lose and no one who cares as its likely nothing but death is waiting for you there.”