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 breath I focus on scenting the air to figure out who else fought against going to The Run until the scent of strawberries and pine -the familiar scent of Amelia, daughter to the Alpha of my pack – hits my nose. Guess she didn't want to participate either. I think as I stretch my limbs, happy to be drug free. I hate that I can not move freely in this cage to properly move my stiff limbs. It is pathetic really. The fact that they would cage a grown woman just to prove a point in the era we call the twenty-first century where women have rights disgusts me. But due to the way the packs are ruled by the Alpha King, I have no choice but to comply with the patriotic ways of werewolf society. What I would give just to be human. To be able to live a more normal and free life. Even being a rogue would be a better option than being part of a pack as rogues only show up to the event if they want to. Taking a deep breath to calm my anger many scents rush into my nose and a smirk spreads on my muzzle with the realization of us being in the outskirts of my pack near the edge of the border; outside of it to be exact. If I can knock this cage onto the ground, I will be set free and given a chance to run away and hide from the event that would take place soon for mateless wolves. With that thought in mind I crouch, focusing on the center of the bars and leap forward, feeling triumphant until I touched the metal that greet me and howl with pain. Silver. Of course the bars would be silver; it sadly is the Kryptonite to us werewolves. Silver is the only way to keep us locked inside the stupid cages or to harm us in any way, even kill us sadly. Many Hunters who know of the supernatural races use silver to harm us and even kill us for rewards. It is something we feared – vampires, witch, fae and werewolves alike. With a whimper I stand, shaking my fur out as the scent of burnt skin fills my sense. Quietly I pad towards the spot I awoke in and sit in the center, waiting for when my cage will be opened, most likely at the start of The Run. Judging by the moon, tomorrow night will be when it takes place, sooner then I hoped but sadly, it will happen no matter what. I let out a small huff of breath and curl up into a ball, watching the scene change through those damned silver bars. The night quickly give way to morning as time passes; the indigo sky coming alive with the hues of gold, orange, red, pink and violet as the sun claimed its glory. The Run waited for me silently to join in a few hours now and if I want to win that bet with the Alpha, then I would have to rest and save my strength. So I let the safety of sleep surround my mind as whoever drove the truck carted me to the worst event ever. One that may even change my life and fate if I allow it to.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
Chapter 11 – Grace The feeling of being watched settles on my body, my steps slowing as I slowly move away from the water and off the gravel lining the river shores. I have a feeling someone is stalking me like prey and if I need to protect myself, I would rather do it on solid ground and not on gravel slick from the river water. Something inside me screams that this person is not wolf, leaving only two options – Fae or Vampire. I prefer the Fae. Although I continue forward, I keep my senses alert for any movements that will come my way. If its Fae, I will have to stop moving and talk to them, reassure them I am not a threat and show them the token on my ear. If it is a vampire, I will have to be ready to fight to the death. The forest slowly quiets, the sounds of night life fading away until an earie silence is left. Taking a deep breath, I try to pinpoint where the threat is coming from, dodging backwards just in time for a black figure to come crashi