CHAPTER FOUR

I run through the camp and to the alpha's den.

I walk up to him.

"What do you want?" he asks.

"My match is not what I wanted," I say. "I want out."

"It's too late for that," he says.

"What?"

"Your match is final."

"No!"

"It's final," he says. "You will be with Impala. Go back to your mate."

I turn away from him.

But he grabs me by the scruff of my neck and turns me back towards him.

"What are you doing?" I say, fearfully.

"When you go back to your mate, you will be submissive."

"But-"

"Go back to your mate."

He pushes me away.

I return to the den.

Cloud is waiting for me.

"Go away," I say.

"I can't let you leave," he says. “It’s not that simple."

"I'm leaving," I say.

"I will hurt you if you leave."

I look at him.

He looks so scary. I feel terrified.

It's not just him that I'm scared of.

I'm scared of being alone.

I'm scared of being in this new place with the foreign pack.

I'm scared of my small, pathetic match.

I study Cloud. His eyes are narrowed, and his mouth is pulled back in a snarl. I'm afraid that he might attack.

Impala comes outside.

"What is going on?" he asks, neutrally.

"He's trying to stop me from leaving," I say.

"I thought you were supposed to be watching her," Impala says. "Not pushing her around."

"I was watching her," Cloud says. "She was trying to leave. I was telling her it wasn't safe."

"You're an omega," Impala says. "It's not your place to make these decisions."

"I was watching her," Cloud says. "She was seducing me."

"I was trying to leave," I say, weakly.

"I was not your match," I say, to Impala. "You should have picked a different one."

"It's too late," Impala says. "You are mine now."

I stare at the floor.

"You need to leave," Impala says.

Cloud doesn't move.

"Cloud, get out of my den," Impala says.

"You're not alpha," Cloud says. "I don't have to listen to you."

I glance at Impala.

He's growling.

He's furious.

And it's scary.

Cloud is big and angry.

Impala is big and ready to fight.

His hackles are up.

Cloud takes a step towards Impala.

And Impala leaps.

He is on Cloud before I can blink.

Cloud is on the floor.

Impala is on his back, biting his neck.

Cloud shrieks.

I have never heard such a horrible sound in my life.

He thrashes on the floor.

Impala holds him still. He bites harder. Blood starts to flow.

Cloud is screaming.

Impala bites harder.

Cloud stops screaming.

He lies on the floor, breathing hard.

Impala flings Cloud aside.

Cloud winces.

He rolls over, onto his belly.

He looks at me.

"Impala," I whisper.  I move towards him.

Impala snarls. "Stay away from him."

"Is he dead?" I ask.

"No," Impala says. "But he should be."

I glance at Impala.

He is sitting on his haunches, watching Cloud.

"I am done with you," he says to Cloud.

"I am not afraid of you," Cloud says.

But he is lying.

His neck is bleeding.

He is afraid of Impala.

He's afraid of what Impala might do. We both are.

I thought he wasn't a hunter.

I was wrong.

He is a hunter.

And he isn't afraid to kill.

"Get out of my den," Impala says.

Cloud jumps to his paws.

I follow him as he leaves the den.

"Never come near her again," Impala says.

"I don't have to listen to you."

Impala growls.

Cloud backs away.

Then he turns and runs.

I find a private corner of the den and lie down on the floor.

I don't know what to do.

Everything is so confusing.

I stare up at the ceiling.

"What am I supposed to do now?" I say aloud.

"You are supposed to stay here," Impala says.

I look up at him.

He is sitting on his haunches, staring at me.

"Stay?" I say.

"Yes."

"I don't want to stay here."

"Don't be difficult."

"I am not being difficult," I say.

"You are being difficult," Impala says.

Impala pads forward and sniffs me. Then he starts to lick me. He cleans off my face and my neck.

"I don't like it here," I say.

"You have no choice."

"I could run away."

"You couldn't survive alone," he says. "The whole pack would hunt you down and kill you."

I feel nervous.

I keep expecting him to take his teeth to me.

I move away from him, towards the corner of the den.

"I don't want to fight you," Impala says.

"I don't want to fight you either," I say.

"Stop being so shy," he says.

He comes towards me.

I keep trying to move away.

But the den is small.

As he licks my face, he pushes me towards the wall.

I shove at him, but it is no use.

He is too strong.

Eventually my back is against the wall.

I am freaking out.

I don't know what to do.

I push at his muzzle.

He stops licking me.

Then he puts his head next to mine.

"You need to accept the match," he says. "You belong to me now."

"I won't accept that," I say. "I don't belong to anyone."

"You will," he says. "And you do."

He licks me again.

I feel a sudden sense of panic.

With one quick movement, I open my mouth and bite him.

He rears back, hissing.

I struggle to get away from him.

I have to get away from him.

He is going to hurt me.

He is going to kill me.

I run away from him. I hear him following me.

I don't look back. Instead, I run as fast as I can into the forest. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I can't stay here.

I have to get out of here, away from him, if I'm going to have any chance at a life.