Chapter 6

Thea

I am a curse.

White wolf or not, there is no way I could be blessed and be the cause of so many deaths—my mother, Calliope, and now Apollo.

I was robbed of time to love him, and now, I don’t even have time to mourn him.

A harsh growl pulls my eyes away from the hole in Apollo’s chest to the feral man that is towering above me, discarding Apollo’s heart into the river. I feel like my own heart is sinking along with it.

Tears fall freely from my eyes as I scoot myself backward. I turn over, my body shaking as I attempt to get to my feet.

A rough hand grabs my braid, yanking me up and back. Even if I knew the slightest bit of self-defense, I have no false hope that my attempts would do anything to this beast twice my size.

He has a tight hold on me as his cold eyes rake across my body. “Mmm, no mark, perfect for breeding,” his voice is gravelly, like it hasn’t been used much.

Breeding?

Oh no, no, to breed me, he has to mark me. With the full moon, he can do that.

Sheer panic washes over me, and my body vibrates with fear. I open my mouth, but words won’t come out. I shake my head violently back and forth as I try to think of something, anything to do. His thin lips reveal a yellowed smile, his tongue traces his lips like I am his favorite meal.

I feel my wolf press forward. The moonlight that is high in the night sky somehow must be feeding into her as I feel my claws slip out of my hand.

Without another thought, I dig into his hip and feel warm liquid run down the front of both our bodies.

His hold on me breaks as he grunts in pain. I waste no time and force myself to run. Clearly, this is a bad idea as my endurance is as strong as my self-defense skills.

I hear him mutter, “bitch!”

I look over my shoulder to see he is gaining on me, his rage clear in his eyes. Not a moment later, he tackles me to the ground.

Fuck father's rules! I scream out at the top of my lungs, fearing for my life now more than ever.

I swing my arms wildly and my knuckles somehow manage to connect with his nose. He roughly grabs my wrists, pinning my arms to the ground with his knees to hold them in place. I struggle to squirm out from beneath him, but that only makes him angrier.

As I lay there, his dark eyes bore into mine. A tiny dribble of blood snakes out of his nose as I feel a growing hardness press against my thighs. A sinister smirk appears on his face as one of his large rough hand circles my throat, cutting off the flow of oxygen. My mouth opens, but no sound or air is able to come in or out. My eyes are wide as his other fist lands on my cheek.

I barely register the pain before he strikes me again and again. My vision grows hazy, my body feels light. I scarcely feel his claws as they shred my tank top, exposing me to the night air.

This is it. I won’t lose my virginity to Apollo or even to an Alpha in a trade deal. I’ll lose it to a murderous monster by force.

I give into the sleep that is calling me. If I have to endure this, at least I won’t remember it…

Gentle taps on my throbbing cheeks have my eyes fluttering open. Bright, green eyes filled with concern hover above me. I get a few glimpses of his tanned skin and wavy dark hair as I fight through the pain to keep my eyes open.

I’d never seen him before.

“Hey, hey, stay with me! I’m going to get you to a doctor,” his voice is deep but sweet.

I try to respond, but my throat burns at the attempt, and I only manage to get out a strangled whimper.

My body is being lifted. Strong arms pull me close against a hard chest as he starts to run. The movement aggravates my body. There’s so much pain I’m not even sure where it is all coming from. My swollen eyes burn with tears. I try to mutter an apology to this kind stranger for crying on him, but my voice is so strained it hardly comes out.

“Shh, don’t try to talk; your throat is pretty badly bruised. There could be damage to your windpipe. We’re right outside Golden Claw, the Alpha’s an asshole, but they have a hospital,” he says, his voice oddly soothing.

If only he knew how true his words are.

Father and Kenrik have probably drank enough now to be holding a buzz. Shifters metabolize alcohol faster than humans. Just like we heal faster. But even still, if you drink a lot and do so steadily you could lose your inhibitions. I’ve never had more than a glass of wine, but I’ve seen their crassness firsthand.

The way he speaks of Golden Claw, it doesn’t seem like he's a pack member. His smell is different too. He doesn’t smell revolting like the rogue but his smell is familiar somehow. I inhale., He smells of the forest. Not like he has just been outside, but more like it is a part of him. It is a rich, serene smell that I’m sure no one could ever mimic.

I relax into his hold and focus on his scent. It makes the pain seem slightly more bearable. It is like the first time I ever left the pack house; the night of my first shift, close to the tree line. The wind is crisp, with hints of pine trees, cedar, damp soil, and freshwater. Unlike the forest, he has a warm spice, like the spiced tea I enjoy before bed.

My eyelids grow heavier with each breath. I let the sleep take me again, feeling safe in the arms of my savior.