Chapter 18
Hope
In the van they tie cable ties around our wrists behind our backs.
“Let us go!” Sally screams.
“What are we doing with the human?’ One man asks.
“What are you talking about?’ Sally asks.
“Alpha Maximus is going to kill you for this!" I growl. The men laugh, and Sally gives me a confused look
“Where are you taking us?" I ask.
“The plan was to kill you and Alpha Maximus, but Alpha Tate argued that since you are his property, he should choose what's to become of you,’ the man explains.
“You're taking me to Alpha Tate?’ I ask, worried.
“Yes.
“No. Please. Let me go. I don't want to go back to Alpha Tate. He will hurt me,’ I beg.
“What Alpha Tate does with you is not our business!’ He snaps.
“It's a long drive to Dawnbury, so I suggest you sit tight and stop talking! He snaps.
“Is that where Alpha Tate is?’ I ask.
“Yes.
“Who is Alpha Tate? Why would he hurt you?" Sally asks.
“He was my alpha and first mate. He kept me as a slave and rejected me,’ I explain.
“You were kept as a slave!’ Sally says in horror. I nod.
“What is an alpha? And when you say mate, do you mean like ex-boyfriend or something?’ She asks.
“Will you shut up back there?’ The driver demands.
We fall quiet and fall asleep against each other.
We are abruptly woken when the van door flies open.
“I've missed you,’ Alpha Tate says.
"You look so different. So beautiful. You're scrubbed up nice and fancy,” he says, licking his lips.
“If you think about laying a finger on her, I will cut your frigging balls off!” Sally yells.
“Well, well, well. I've always wanted a pet human,” Alpha Tate chuckles.
“Why does everyone keep referring to me as a human? She asks, annoyed.
“Aren't you in for a big surprise?’ Alpha Tate says.
He grabs my arm and drags me out of the van.
“Are you going to kill me?" I ask.
“That depends on you, slave,’ he says, stroking my face with his hand; I recoil in disgust.
“My name is Hope! I snap.
He is grinning, and dragging me to the pack house.
Sally puts up a fight with the other guy; two more men have to help drag her inside, behind me. We are taken to a room, where Sally and I are thrown onto a lounge seat; our hands still bound behind our backs. The fireplace is lit, and it gives off a nice flickering glow in the room; I welcome the warmth from the flames.
The men leave, bar one, who stands outside the room.
Alpha Tate sits in a chair facing us, puts his feet up on the coffee table, grabs an apple from a bowl, and starts slicing pieces of it with a knife. I cringe every time he puts a slice of apple in his mouth, while he silently watches us.
After an hour of him staring at us in silence, he finally speaks.
“Why hasn't he marked or mated you yet?’ He asks. I blush.
“That's none of your business,’ I say.
Alpha Tate walks over to me, and grabs my arm forcing me to stand.
“When did you get the courage to speak to me, your Alpha, like that?’ He hisses.
“Since I realised what a jerk you are!’ I snap. He drags me from the room and tells the man outside to keep an eye on Sally. He takes me into a large bedroom, pushes me onto the bed, and straddles me. He brushes my white hair from my face and neck.
“I should mark you right now!" He says, frisky.
“You rejected me. Remember?’ I say.
“I know, but I take it back,” he says.
“You can't just take it back!" I say.
“Well, I've changed my mind,’ he replies.
“I'm Alpha Maximus’ mate, now!" I yell.
“Not if I mark you first!’ He growls; I glare at him.
“Don't you dare!’ I threaten.
“Lady luck is on your side Hope, because I don't plan on marking you tonight. I'll wait for Alpha Max to find you. I'll do it in front of him like I planned on the night he was meant to die," he smiles.
“Bastard,’ I yell.
“I love it when you call me names,” he says, and I roll my eyes.
“Are you going to untie my wrists?’ I ask.
“I suppose I could untie you. It's not like you're strong enough to do anything,’ he says, chuckling. He stands, takes out his knife, and cuts the cable ties.
Instantly shifting, I pounce on him, growling, snapping, and snarling
“Holy shit! You can shift?’ He yells, trying to push me off him.
I bite his arm, and he cries out in pain, before shifting into his big grey wolf. We bite each other and snarl at each other. He clamps down on my throat with his teeth, cutting off my oxygen. Struggling to free myself, he clamps down even harder every time I move. I shift back into my human form against my will and black out.
Waking up, I'm naked, in bed. The sun shines in through the window. I blacked out the whole night.
Jumping out of the bed, I run to the door, but it's locked. I quickly put on a dress I find on a chair, and run to the window. I'm on the third floor.
Opening the window, I climb out, and carefully crawl to the next window, to find Sally. I can't see her in any of the rooms. I'll check the second floor.
Sliding down a drainpipe, I grab a balcony rail on the second floor, climb over it, and land on my back. I can't see anyone in the room, but the window is open, so I climb inside.
I poke my head through the door, and quietly creep a few metres down the hall to the next room, and open the door, where Sally is sleeping on the couch, with her hands bound. I wake her, and she looks behind me, alarmed.
I turn around sharply.
“Leaving already?’ Alpha Tate asks, grinning, and standing, with his arms crossed, flanked by three other men.
“Untie the human and bring her downstairs."
“My name is Sally! Not human!” She yells.
Alpha Tate leads us to a sitting room and I freeze, entering.
“Why isn't that witch dead?” Alpha Liam asks. Everyone stares at me. It can't get any more awkward.
Alpha Tate kisses my hand.
“This witch is my mate and Luna,” he says, smiling. It just got a lot more awkward.
I try to pull my hand from Alpha Tate's, but he grips it more tightly, and then sits down facing Alpha Liam, with me in his lap, and I can't move. Alpha Liam glares at me.
“So, if she is here, where's Alpha Max?’ Alpha Liam asks.
“They were in Blissville. He'll come for her. We will wait for him to come to us. Extra warriors are on patrol throughout the territory. We will know when he is here,” Alpha Tate explains.
“How are we going to kill him? I haven't been able to contact any of the alphas who are helping us kill him,” Alpha Liam asks.
“I'll make him choose his life or Hope's," Alpha Tate explains.
“No!" 1 yell, trying to break free from his arms. “I hate you!" I scream.
“Oh, don't be like that, Hope," Alpha Tate says, chuckling holding me tighter. I elbow him in the face and fall onto the floor. I run, grab Sally's hand, and lead her out of the house.
“Get her!" Alpha Tate yells.