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I wake up feeling woozy, laying on my stomach in my bed. What the Hell? Was last night some sort of weird dream? I think the Alpha from Blood River attacked me. No. That doesn't seem right. As hard as I try, I can’t remember the details.
I hear unfamiliar voices in the hallway but I also hear the doctor and nurse Diane. There is a large man, wearing all black, standing in the doorway with his back facing me. I realize I'm not wearing a shirt. I'm only covered by a sheet and my back is covered in bandages.
"Lex, are you there?" I ask, suddenly feeling scared.
"I'm here, Kas," Her voice is soft and far away.
"Are you okay, Lex? I'm so sorry," I can feel her weakness and pain. Tears sting my eyes.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Kas. I'll be alright. You were strong. You held out as long as you could. I tried to slow down time to give you more time to get help but it made me weaker."
"Wait, that was you?"
"Well, yeah, but it didn't work the way it was supposed to. I can explain more later. I’ve been on guard while you were resting, listening to what is happening around us and I think you are safe. Now that you’re awake, I need to rest so I can finish healing you. Don’t worry, we will be back to our old selves in another couple days."
"Okay. Thank you, Lex. You're the best wolf a girl could ask for," I breathe a small sigh of relief knowing that Lex is okay and that she thinks we might be safe.
"Thanks, Kas. You're the strongest person a wolf could ask for," I feel her curl up in the back of my mind for a nap.
"It's been two days!" A man’s voice snarls in an angry, loud whisper, "How long do you expect me to leave her in this disgusting dungeon? I need to get her out of here as soon as possible."
Two days?! I have been knocked out for two days?!
"I understand Alpha, but trust me, the best thing for Kas is to wake up in her own bed," the doctor explains, "The last time this happened, waking up in the hospital wing was traumatizing for her. I know it may not be comfortable for you to be down here, but this is what she has known for thirteen years. It's what's best for her."
"The LAST time?! This is bullshit! How could you know a pup is being abused, being forced to live in a fucking dungeon for Goddess sake and not do something about it?" A woman says angrily. I think it's Beta Lenora.
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The doctor pauses, then continues, "I understand your position, but rest assured, I didn't know how bad things were for her until the past few months, or I would have done something about it a long time ago."
I turn my head toward the wall and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to ignore the voices. After the trouble I caused the other night, it's only a matter of time before Alpha Graham comes to the dungeon and executes me.
"It's time for me to change her dressings," I hear Nurse Diane say. She quietly walks into the room and pulls a makeshift curtain across the doorway.
I turn my head toward her, putting my finger to my mouth, and whisper, "Shhhhh. What's happening, Diane?"
"Kas! I'm so glad you're awake," she looks at the doorway as she whispers back, "Let me change the dressings on your back, then I will explain."
Diane tries to be careful while she changes the bandages but the pain is excruciating. I bite my lip so I won't whimper out loud. When she’s done, she tells me I should be healed in the next day or two, then hands me a pill to take for pain. She covers me with the sheet again and tells me everything that happened after I passed out.
Alpha Bronx called on the Elder Council, who came and punished dozens of pack members for my mistreatment. When they found out Alpha Graham was the one responsible for my injuries, Alpha Bronx shifted into his wolf and almost murdered him. Members of the Council were barely able to stop him. They stripped the titles from everyone in the Silver Moon pack and banished Alpha Graham. In support of his father, Ryan chose to leave too. I remember that no one knows what he had done to me, but I'm scared to say anything. I have no proof and he's gone now anyways.
The Council declared Silver Moon would be under their leadership until a suitable Alpha could be found. Pack members were given the option to stay or leave peacefully. They could either willingly become rogues or request asylum with other packs. About half the Silver Moon pack chose to leave.
I'm shocked to hear all those changes are because of what happened to me.
"What's taking so long in there?" The guard growls from the other side of the curtain.
"Just writing up my notes. I'll be done soon," Diane calls out.
"Diane, what's going to happen to me?"
"Well, since Alpha Bronx Mason is your mate, I assume you're going to go to Blood River to be their Luna," she smiles hesitantly, “I think the better question would be, what happens to Silver Moon.”
My mind starts to churn with worry. What she said doesn’t make sense. How can Alpha Bronx be my mate? He saw me pass out, he knows I'm a weak wolf. He's going to take me back to his pack and kill me. He doesn't want a weak wolf as his Luna. I have to figure out how to escape.
I quickly feel the pill taking effect and close my eyes. I can worry about my future when I wake up.
I dream about running through a forest at night. It feels so real. The cold air bites at my skin. There is snow on the ground leaving a powdery path under my feet as I scurry through the brush.
A large gray wolf is chasing me, nipping at my heels but it's not able to catch me. I run until I get to the edge of a cliff. I look down and see the river below, full of blood and overflowing with the melting snow making it rage out of control.
I turn to find the wolf cornering me on the cliff. He has a whip in his mouth. He drops it to the ground and growls at me.
"Please! Please don't do this!" I cry for mercy. The wind swirls around us, chilling me to the bone, as the wolf lowers his head in preparation to attack.
I scream as he lunges at me. I’m still screaming as I sit up in bed. I can't stop as I clutch the quilt to my chest. I can feel tears already streaming down my face. I'm shaking all over. The sounds of my screams are blood-curdling as they reverberate on the walls of my room but I still can't stop.
Alpha Bronx comes rushing into the room and places his large hands on my shoulders. Sparks of electricity overwhelm me where he touches my bare skin. He is breathing heavily and I can feel his hands trembling.
As I look into the solid black eye of his wolf, an unfamiliar sensation washes over me: he’s different from Alphas I've had run-ins with before. I can sense his worry, anger, sorrow and even fear as he looks back at me.
But why? Why would he feel those things when he looks at me? Could he actually care?
No. No way. It must be my hysterical imagination. I'm just a slave, a weak wolf. Alpha Bronx kills wolves like me, everyone says so. Nobody loves me. Nobody ever will.
“Kas, what’s wrong? What happened?” His voice is deep and gruff. He looks at me with a furrowed brow.
My nightmare is still fresh in my mind. It felt so real, like it was an actual memory, not just a dream. Thinking about the wolf that was chasing me, there is only one thought that comes to mind. Between sobs, I blurt out, “I want to live! Please! Don’t hurt me!”
Alpha Bronx lets go of my shoulders and backs up a step looking confused. He is shaking his head no. Beta Lenora pulls on his arm, making him back up, while Nurse Diane steps forward to check on me.
"Kas, you're okay. It's Nurse Diane. Talk to me. What happened?" she asks soothingly while she checks my pulse.
I don’t know how to tell her about my nightmare. I just know I don’t want the wolf from my dream to hurt me. I grab her arms and beg, “Help me, Diane! I need you! Please, please don’t let him hurt me!”
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Diane soothes me but looks startled. She looks at the doctor, then at Alpha Bronx.
Alpha Bronx rubs his hands on his face and starts pacing. Beta Lenora is whispering quietly to him.
The doctor tentatively steps forward now, watching Alpha Bronx from the corner of his eyes, "Kas, it's alright. No one is going to hurt you. You are safe."
He rubs my shoulder soothingly with one hand and shines a little light in my eyes with the other.
A fresh round of images from my dream flash in my mind, making me shake violently all over and I can't stop. I can’t speak and it feels like my brain is being scrambled. I try to suck in a breath of air but my body won’t let it fill my lungs. What is happening to me? I see Alpha Bronx looking at me. He looks so angry. I pull my blanket to my face and try to muffle my cries.
"Enough of this bullshit. Lenora, get the cars ready. We’re leaving. NOW," Alpha Bronx says with a disgusted look.
Beta Lenora rushes out of the room.
"Alpha, please, give us more time to stabilize her," the doctor tries to put himself between Alpha Bronx and me. That is apparently a big mistake.
The Alpha pushes him out of the way with a dangerous growl and scoops me up like a baby, wrapping the quilt tightly around my body. He carries me as if I weigh nothing. I can't stop shaking, no matter how hard I try. I feel hot tears running down my face. I start whimpering. I want to try to plead for my life but I
suddenly can't form a coherent thought. My mind feels like a radio only getting pieces of the signal. Everything starts to fade into static until I have no concept of reality.
"Lex, I need you!" I call out to her in my mind.
"I'm here, Kas. I'm trying but this is all coming from your mind. I can't heal your mind. Stay with me! Focus on my voice, okay? We can get through this together," she whimpers.
In the distance, I can hear voices around me. I try to listen. Anything to ground me so my mind doesn’t float away but it feels like I’m underwater.
Beta Lenora’s face comes into view now. The bright sun is behind her, making it difficult to see her features. She climbs in the back in the car, holding me like a baby across her lap, "It's going to be okay, Kas. We just need to get you back to Blood River. Alpha Bronx knows what to do."
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