We spent three days walking and hiking through muddy terrains, grass several feet taller than us, we pushed on through in the stormy rain and winds, sleeping and resting under make-shift shelters we’d quickly thrown together. If that wasn’t bad enough, I don’t think my pack were too keen on how strict I had become with them. I understood that we were all hungry from walking so far every day, but they’d scour through the only food rations we had bought with us as if we had an endless supply in the bottom of our bags! They’d refuse to move when it was too wet or cold or winge about how dirty their shoes and clothes were, and sometimes I nearly lost my patience! I’d try so hard to remind them how vital it was that we kept moving, that we had enough food to last before I went back to the village for more. I’d tell them how we had faced much worse than what we were now. So many times they had shown just how privileged and sheltered they were whilst under my parents rule, and if I had become Luna like I was supposed to, their lives probably would have continued that way. But I’d find myself inwardly groaning that they just couldn’t see things are just not what they were and now it was time we learned to live and adapt elsewhere for the sake of our survival!
It was only yesterday morning that we found an open space in the middle of a forest, and I relented and called it our new home. Of course, most of them looked at me in disbelief and I suppose I could understand their scepticism to live out here in the dirt, it made us feel like a pack of rogues rather than respected members of a werewolf clan. In fact, rogues is exactly what we looked like, our clothes were shabby and dirty, we were all dishevelled and tired. We had barely washed and groomed ourselves since we set off on this new venture. To look at me now, you wouldn’t think I was of high status with a title. I went from being the daughter of an alpha and Luna to a nobody, just a person trying to scrape by as best as she could.
But on the plus side, the guards had been on my side every step of the way and together with Max’s help we roped together the sheeting we had brought as temporary shelter. We made certain sections for to sleep in, we created an all-round curtain, so everyone had privacy to change and wash, we’d even set up campfires under make-shift coves from rocks we had gathered, to stop the smoke rising too high and being detected by any outsiders, including our enemy.
We had a nearby stream to use for our drinking and bathing water, and we had more than enough clear space to build small homes for everyone here. Aunty and Lacey did what they could to sort through the food into daily rationed meals and saw to helping the pack settle in.
Last night, Max and another pack member, Kent patrolled the grounds as the rest of us slept, but I know none of us got the good night’s sleep we hoped for. It was definitely a lot for us all to adjust to, but I saw the potential and knowing we had put even more space between us, and our enemy made me feel a little more at ease.
Today me, three guards, four men and three women began our trip back to the village. I had hoped if the rest of the pack could see us already trying to rebuild, the more optimistic they might become. I had left Max and aunty in charge, they had worked closely with my parents, helping out with duties around the pack land and our palace, so I knew they were more than capable to hold the fort while I was gone.
We had made it back to the village after only two days, we moved a lot quicker this time and stopped even less to rest. We reached the edge of the treeline and couped down on the floor, scoping out the area to make sure it was safe. When we heard no sounds but the scurrying of a few mice and flapping of birds, we all gave each other a confirming nod and we ran into the village. We found enough tools in the storage to start smashing apart planks of wood from the houses, ready to take with us. Two of the women gathered more food, clothes and they had the sense to pile up rolls of barbed wire they had found.
We kept going, tirelessly, aiming to be out of here before it got dark. Even when I was busy pulling planks down I still kept looking over my shoulder in dread that we’d be found.
As soon as the sun started to dim we washed down all our muddy footprints from the stone paths, then heaved everything on our backs and shoulders, carrying double our weight as we trodded back the way we came. There was barely enough wood with us to even build one little house, but it was a start and hopefully more food would enliven the pack.
The way back was even harder as our shoulders were bruised and our backs were strained. We were running out of stamina every hour we walked, and our legs were close to buckling beneath us. It took us nearly four days to return, but to our surprise we were welcomed with clapping hands and cheers that we made it back safely and with more provisions.
After seeing my own mother killed right in front of my eyes, and watching the Sun pack being torn apart, I never thought I’d be able to smile again. But no matter how devastating and tough things were for us all, we’d managed to find our own way to survive, and bit by bit, we had begun to see brighter days ahead of us.After six months of endless trips back and forth, putting together new homes, adjusting to our new, simple way of living, our new territory was beginning to thrive with laughter and hope.We had several homes built now, and even though they looked more like shacks compared to what we used to live in, it never stopped everyone celebrating with applause each time one was finished and ready for its new owners. So far, all the homes had been given to the older members and the couples with children. But the sleeping area for the rest of us was slightly upgraded with more privacy, each bed sectioned off with curtains we pulled from the windows in the village and more sheeting
I looked on with a smile at the three new houses built and one of them I especially assigned to Lacey and her mother. I could see her old cheery self, coming back as she encouraged her heartbroken mother to be just as delighted as she was. She held her mother’s hand and led her inside to marvel at the furniture we’d managed to bring from the village.There was so much to feel more positive about now. In just two weeks we’d gotten better and quicker at building more homes and our hunting, along with the traps were keeping us all well fed. But there were still times throughout the day or night when it was all quiet that some of us would reflect on what we’d lost. Lacey’s mum, Annie, would cry a lot, missing her mate more than she could really bear, and of course, she wasn’t the only one to have lost someone she loved. There were quite a few of us here that would talk about the ones who didn’t escape, the guards that put their lives on the line with my parents. None of it stopped us thou
The following night everyone was feeling more cheerful and merry than usual as we tucked into the array of fish we had caught from the river. We sat around the fire feasting with a sense of pride in how much we were progressing, and I found my restless nights weren’t occurring as often as they used to. Miles away from our old pack, we were starting to see a future ahead of us, one in which we were safe and no longer grieving from the tragedy that had kicked us all down. There still wasn’t a day that passed where we didn’t think of it, or ask ourselves why it had to happen, but at least now, we didn’t feel as though we were looking over our shoulders every minute of the day and night.I didn’t tell anyone though, not even Lacey that I’d see that man’s yellow sinister eyes glaring right in front of me, whether I was awake or sleeping, they’d just appear right in front of me. I’d be busying myself with hunting, training, assisting with the house builds, gathering whatever we needed for t
The man’s hands suddenly grabbed my waist and yanked me off of his shoulder, causing me to fall to the floor. He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, as his friend just ahead opened the secret doorway… Shit! My heart thumped. I’m back! “Get to your feet now!” The man glowered as he tightened his grip.I gingerly got to my feet as he pushed me forward into the main hall, and I gulped at the foreboding feeling lurching in my stomach. My eyes darted toward the entrance doors at the spot where my mother had been ruthlessly killed. I inhaled a deep breath, pushing away the tears that were springing to my eyes. This room had always felt so bright and elegant, a place to socialise, dance, gather for plays and candlelit dinners my parents always arranged. We’d held so many ceremony’s here for fated and chosen mates, or mixers as a chance for all the singles to get better acquainted. But now, it looked so gloomy and dark, it had lost it’s joy and cheerful memories.They led me through
“Get in there!” The man ordered as he pushed me into one of the cells. I scraped my knee against the rough gritty stone as I stumbled in. “The day your alpha decides to kill you, I’ll be first in line to see it”. He sneered, clearly he was still pissed I had shattered two of his teeth in the tunnel.“He’s not my alpha!” I retorted, imagining all the ways I’d love to kill them right now.“Well, you’re down here, and he’s up there, so, I think you’ll find he is and will always be your alpha”. “And the day I decide to kill you, I’ll make sure it’s slow and excruciating” I seethed as he locked the door, standing on the other side of the bars.“And how are you going to do that, now you’re stuck in here with the rest of the pieces of shit?”. He grinned. “Play nice with your new friends!” He added before walking away, swinging all the prison keys on its chain.As soon as he mentioned the word ‘friends’, I turned around to see I wasn’t in the cell alone, but only one of them I recognised.“B
My first night in the cell was a real awakening to the horror they had all been living through. There were points in the night that you could hear the desperate wails and sobs of women held in the other cells in the building, or the sounds of someone being dragged out by a guard, then thrown back in. Everyone would tense the moment the main door opened, and you’d hear the sounds of footsteps coming for any one of us. I had no idea what they were being dragged out for in the middle of the night, and I chose not to ask any of my new cell mates, as they kept as still and quiet as they could, hoping not to be picked.Our morning breakfast consisted of stale bread, and a cup of tepid water to share between all five of us. The four of them practically flung themselves across the floor the moment it was placed through the bars. They shoved their share of the bread into their mouths, and each took a sip of water like it was a rare delicacy, passing around the cup, then anxiously waiting for i
“What did they want?” Molly asked in a hushed tone as she crawled over to me the moment a guard had pushed me back into my prison.“I was taken to a room….”“Was it all made of metal?” Tyla quizzed, looking like she already knew the answer.“Yes”. I nodded in response. “Even the chair was rock hard steel”. “Well, that would be known as the torture room. The last place you want to be taken to”. “What do they do to you in there?” I pressed, as I looked around at them all. But apart from Tyla, they all remained quiet and sheepish.“Well, what happened to you? Though from what I can see, it doesn’t look like you have a scratch on you”. She observed with a suspicious squint in her eyes, like I had something to hide.“Marco came in. He didn’t hurt me, but he made it tremendously clear what he did want to do to me”. “What do you mean by that?” She shrugged, still holding her wary expression.“He was practically on top of me, breathing all over my face and told me that he’s going to consid
“Wow, who else is still starving?”. Tyra groaned as we finished nibbling at our bread. “I think we could all devour a feast right now”. Molly sighed as she licked her fingers. “If we do ever get out of here, the first thing we do is eat, and we don’t stop until our bellies are full”. Toby said dreamily. “Oi, you, get to your feet!”. A guard ordered as he pointed at Toby. He huffed as he stood up and the man unlocked the door, clasping the cuffs around Toby’s wrists as another guard supervised to make sure the rest of us didn’t attack. He was taken out of the cell and the door locked before they started pulling him away. He glanced back at us, and we all gave him an encouraging smile. He flashed us a wink to let us know that he’d start to put our plan in motion. With only us women left in the confinement, I took the opportunity to shamefully relieve myself in the waste hole that had been dug in the ground for us to use, with only a wooden flap to cover it back up. The girls were p