Chapter 2- Caden
I groan as I stared out the window in my father’s office. I watched pack members run back and forth as they ready themselves for The Run. I hate the idea of The Run. It’s barbaric ways of claiming a mate one I regret my ancestors to agreeing to. I want to find love like many my age, but as the next Alpha to my pack I have to take a mate this time or face losing my title and watch my power hungry cousin take it. “Remember Caden, you are the Heir to this Pack. Every wolf counts on you to claim a mate and produce the next round of heirs and pups. Do you understand?” My father’s voice commands my attention and respect. The man screams Alpha with the way he walks as if everything and everyone are beneath him, including his own son. His question is rhetorical since answering him will lead to a challenge like the last wolf that was forced to listen to his speech about claiming a mate and increasing the pack numbers. His eyes look in my direction while I give a slight nod as a response, eyes down casted. It is pathetic to think I have to be this submissive to my father. But anything I say will be viewed as challenging his authority and I know I need to play possum in order to take the pack from him forcefully when he least expects it. “Good. You may leave.” With a final nod of respect to my father, I leave the room and make my way down the corridors to the garage where my truck waits praying I could leave before I run into anyone. “Hey Caden, going to get a mate this time around or am I finally going take the spot of Alpha from you.” I bristle at the voice of a weasel as I look to my cousin Felix. The lanky man with greasy black hair had a thin arm wrapped around a terrified girl. Linda’s face is hidden behind her long blond hair but the shadows created by her locks could not hide the fact her face was thin and bruised from years of abuse and how she covers it with a layer of makeup to try and hide the black and blue spots left from fists. Her efforts in trying to hide the dark circles under her eyes, bruises on her cheeks and the split lip that looked painful even from where I stood is in vain as I can see them clear as day. "Unfortunately I have to take a mate the old fashion way, but I will treat her with respect, unlike how you treat her." I growl out, glaring at Felix as I throw my last bag into my truck. Linda flinches at the loud sound, shrinking farther into herself. I can’t help the guilt at scaring the poor girl accidentally as I give her an apologetic look before turning a glare at the man who shares the same blood as myself. "What do you mean, I treat Linda fine, don't I baby?" I watch as Linda's eyes gloss over with more fear then I have ever seen on a she-wolf while she nods her head slightly, pressing herself to her forced mate to appease him. She is malnourished with bones poking through the thin transparent material that should have been her skin. Skin that barely had any clothing covering her with bruises, scars and healing cuts on once what was full supple tanned skin. I remember meeting her years ago in her original pack. How full of life and dreams that a young girl at six-teen usually has. Now she is just a shell of fear and anxiety. When I become Alpha, the first thing I would do is send Felix on a mission to supply the food storages for winter. I can already see the trap laid out as he aims for the biggest buck he finds, his eyes glazing over with the bragging he would do when he returns to the pack, the antler rack he would mount on his walls with pride and then the shock when his eyes sees the red blossom from his chest and the realization he would bleed out and die in seconds. I will enjoy knowing this scum died in an “accident”. Enjoy knowing his mate will be free and happy to do as she pleases. I would even send her back to her original pack and back to her family with enough money to live comfortably alone if she chooses. "See, I treat her right." Felix gloats, digging his nails into her shoulder and snapping me from my day dream that I pray will be the future. I watch as Linda forces her spine to straighten, disgust flashing briefly on her face before her eyes meet mine with a question.[Will you really force a Mate?] She asks through a link as Felix is distracted by an omega with a thin waist and ample chest.[No I would rather not and the truth is I have a plan. Can you hold out for another week?] My response brings a sparkle to her eyes and she nods quickly. With a small smile I turn to my cousin and growl at his obvious disrespect to me. I hate that this weasel ignores my presence most of the time and acts as if he is the next in line for the Alpha position. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone Felix, I don't want to deal with the after math in the end." I warn, giving Linda a hug that I hope shows her everything will turn out for the better, frowning at the whimper of pain the light pressure brings, before I turn and walk to the driver side of my truck and climb into the cabin. I catch Linda’s hopeful gaze in the mirror before giving her a small nod and driving away. I have to help her. I remember the year Felix claimed her. We are the same age and it was our first time entering The Run. At the time I was naïve. Felix and I were like brothers since childhood, always playing and training together. He was my best friend and we swore that we would not force a mate together just before leaving for the event. Then we entered the forest and everything went to shit. Felix caught the scent of Linda. The youngest daughter of the beta and his instincts to mate someone stronger or of similar strength took over. By the time I managed to get to him it was too late. Linda had a bloody mate mark on the crook of her neck and Felix was grinning. It wasn’t until we were at the lodge that I learned that my so called father put the idea of Felix being Alpha into his head if Felix took a mate. That was the day I lost a brother, a cousin and a best friend. That was the day Linda started being abused and my hate for The Run began. With a sigh I put my truck into drive and begin the journey to the Goddess’ Forest where the event will be held. I just hope that maybe this year I could find someone who would date me before we mate. It was wistful thinking but it is the only hope I have right now.Chapter 3- Grace The steady hum of an engine wakes me up from the solid darkness. The drugs that had my limbs numbed and weakened slowly fade from my system and with each passing minute I am able to move just a little more until I am able to fully move again. With full control over my body once more, I let out a long growl filled with anger. I know just by looking out towards the night sky with an almost full moon I had slept for a day, maybe two, it is easy to tell with the fresh scent of rain that still lingered in the air. Rain that was forecasted on the news to happen on Tuesday. The meeting was Sunday night. The humming under my paws alerted me to the situation. I lay in a small cage barely big enough to for me to move around in wolf form, let alone my human form. Another cage is situated right against my own but due to the tarp that covers mine and kept me safe from most of the harsh elements, I can not make out the occupant beside me. With a deep
Chapter 4- Caden [Make sure you bring a mate, or else.] My father links me with a warning in his voice causing me to clench the steering wheel tighter as I leave the safety of my pack. The magic of the barrier hiding us from view passes over me, reminding me that my secret must be kept hidden when I drive through the human towns. I cannot let anyone know I am a werewolf until I reach The Run. I hate the condensing tone my father uses towards me. Knowing that he sees me as nothing but a useless wolf even if I carry the same Alpha blood as he does, especially considering my mother was also a pure blooded Alpha wolf when she was alive. I stop the truck as soon as I am a safe distance inside neutral territory and away from the pack line, taking a deep breath before allowing my anger to radiate through the mind link. The last thing I need is an argument with my father while still just in reach to be pulled back and beaten. [Yes sir.] I reply once calm enoug
Chapter 5- Grace The truck finally comes to a stop and I lifted my head, the sky slightly darker as the sun begins to set. By the smell of many wolves congregating together that we have finally reached our destination, The Run. The engine is turned off as I watch wolves walk by the truck. Some call out to their friends while others walked over and peer into the back where the cages that held me and Amelia in to see if we are good mate candidates. I can hear the she-wolf beside me growl at those curious to see who were held and couldn’t help but roll my eyes. [Me-me calm the fuck down before some dumb ass decides he likes it rough and feisty.] I growl out in annoyance through our link. She needs to be quiet, pretend to not care if she were to survive this event mateless. [Sorry Ace.] the growls beside me subside and the air around us settles as Amelia stops and calms down. I know that when our cages are removed from the truck and that we
Chapter 6- Caden After a long drive and a detour to the nearest Tim Horton’s, I finally make it to the location of The Run. It looks like I just missed Ancient Eli’s speech about the rogue vampires judging by the time and the way a stage setup is being dismantled but my father thankfully gave me the information earlier in his office. Fledglings were nothing to take lightly, their bloodlust causing the fall of many cities for centuries when not trained in a coven. Their presence will bring a greater challenge this year if anyone were to run into one. With careful driving, I manoeuvre my truck around the parking spaces provided for those who drove as I think about what antics to expect this year other than the fledgling. Last year a group of rogues called Raggers kidnapped many omegas and rogue she-wolves as they were the weakest among those attending, hiding them and raping them to their hearts content. Unfortunately no one was able to find their hiding
Chapter 7 – Grace Trees fly past me every step I take, my breathing even as I take in the scents and sounds of the forest around me. I need to cover as much ground as I can before the men are given a chance to chase after us, to claim us. If I can just find a river or stream, I can swim until I find a hiding spot and wait out the first few hours when many will be busy fucking. The forest is quiet, only the sounds of nigh time creature can be heard. No vampires or faeries either. Then the loud sound of a gun shot rings clear, even if the sound is muffled by the distance. I stop running, realizing that the ten minute head start is up and soon the males will be on us, hunting down their prey. With urgency running through my body, I take a deep breath and focus on scenting for water, instantly bolting left the moment the fresh scent of cold water hits my nose. As I doge more trees, the sounds of wolves crashing through the brush with no regards draw closer and I worry I m
Chapter 8 – Caden “Please! Some one help me!” A voice screams out just to my right, causing my foot to pause mid step. I want to turn, to rush over and help the woman that is begging but before I can move, the sounds of clothes being ripped and the groan of a male follow shortly after her plea. I close my eyes and try to force the rage simmering from within. A woman, an innocent woman, is being raped and I am helpless to save her all because the mating process has begun and his mark will be on her soon. I hate this, hate not being able to save this poor she-wolf from her fate as her heat will soon follow and the man that just raped her will do it again and again until she is pregnant with his pup. With a silent prayer that this new mate of hers will treat her right, I continue walking, heading towards the river and away from the scene behind me. It’s been an hour since the males were released into the forest and all around me the sounds of consensual s
Chapter 9 – Grace I jerk awake, the screams of a she-wolf piercing my dreams and forcing me awake. She is close and I can tell there is a male chasing her by the way she sobs with fear. “Stay away from me!” She pleads, her voice pulling at my heart. But I curl into a ball and pray that my scent is hidden. I feel like a coward, not running out to help the girl, but if I do while exhausted, he will come for me instead. “Come on baby. Don’t you want to feel my hard throbbing cock inside you?” The male taunts. I shut my eyes and wish that I did not hear that, hear a man taunting a woman like she is nothing but a brood mare. “I said stay away from me!” She screams again, but her scream is muffled as a loud thud hitting the ground is heard. Silence follows but then the unmistakable sounds of a man grunting in satisfaction and flesh against flesh breaks it. The she-wolf had been caught and the male has claimed a mate. I do my be
Chapter 10 – Caden I watch with worry as the sky begins to brighten, realizing just how close daylight is. Amelia and I had found the river about an hour ago, walking along the stream up river in hopes of finding Grace. It seems like this petite blonde did not want to give up until we found her friend. But no matter my protest on needing to find shelter, Amelia just keeps going, her resolve stronger than most wolves I have ever met. “Amelia, we need to find somewhere to sleep before we fall from exhaustion.” I state for the umpteenth time, intending to pull the she-wolf to a stop just as she slips, her body falling fast. Luckily, I grab her, pulling her body to mine and see the exhaustion on her face that she kept hidden from my view. “Just a little longer.” She pleads and I sigh, lifting the woman into my arms and moving forward. “If I find a hiding spot before we find Grace, we are going to rest. You say Grace is smart