Moonbound: Rebirth Of the Alpha

Chapter3:Lost Hope

The grip on my arm was tight, his fingers digging into my skin as if I would escape if he loosened his hold for even a second. My heart hammered as I struggled against him, a surge of panic attacking my mind.

“Let me go!” I shouted, my voice hoarse and desperate. I twisted and turned, kicking out with everything I had, but he didn’t budge.

“Shut up,” the sandy-haired man barked, dragging me forward.

I didn’t realize we’d stopped moving until I saw the symbol on his jacket. A crimson wolf, its head thrown back in a silent howl, stitched into the fabric like a brand. The sight of it hit me like a lightning bolt, stealing the air from my lungs.

The image brought with it a flood of memories, chaotic and disjointed: fire raging in the night, the roar of battle, and a figure behind shadows, their faces hidden but their presence suffocating.

I froze, the terror gripping me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. “No,” I murmured, my voice barely a whisper.

The sandy-haired man noticed my reaction and grinned. “Ah, so you do remember.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, forcing the words out, though my voice shook.

He leaned in closer, his eyes gleaming with something dark. “Oh, I think you do. And so does Alpha Liam. He’s been waiting for this moment for years.”

The mention of Alpha’s name sent my panic into overdrive. I didn’t know who these men were, but everything about them screamed danger–especially his name.

“No,” I said, louder this time. “You’re not taking me anywhere!”

With a surge of determination, I brought my knee up between his thighs, catching the sandy-haired man off guard. He stumbled back with a grunt, and I used the momentary distraction to slam my head into the slim man’s chin.

He cursed, his grip faltering just enough for me to twist free. My body screamed in protest as I stumbled forward, but before I could take another step, one of them grabbed my arm.

“Not so fast,” the third man growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Before I could react, they were on me again. Fists collided with my ribs, my stomach, my face. The world tilted as pain exploded through me, each blow driving me closer to losing my mind.

I tried to fight back, but my arms felt heavy, my vision blurring as the strength drained from my body.

My knees buckled, and I crumpled to the ground.

The pain was unbearable, every breath feeling like knives slicing through my ribs. My limbs felt like dead weight, and the pavement beneath me was cold. I could hear their voices—angry, mocking, and distant—but they blended together, all sounding jumbled up.

I was losing consciousness.

Black spots danced in my vision, and my ears rang with a high-pitched whine that drowned out the sounds around me. My body screamed at me to give up, to let the darkness take me, but somewhere deep down, a little fit of defiance remained. I couldn’t let it end like this.

And then I heard something—a loud rumble, distant at first but growing louder. Tires screeched to a halt nearby, the sound slicing through the noise.

“What the hell is this?” a deep voice called out, casual but tinged with authority.

I forced my eyes open, the effort almost too much to bear. Through the haze of pain, I saw a man step out of the truck, his figure sharp against the dim streetlights. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with an easy confidence in the way he moved.

“Why are you roughing up a woman like this?” he asked, his tone mild but with an undercurrent that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “In the twenty-first century, no less. Don’t you guys have better things to do?”

The sandy-haired man, the one who’d been leading this nightmare, turned toward him with a snarl. “This doesn’t concern you. Leave. Now.”

The newcomer raised his hands in mock surrender, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Relax. I’m not here to start anything. Just looked like someone needed help, that’s all.”

I could barely make out his face, but his scent hit me immediately—wild, sharp, and distinctly werewolf. My instincts, dulled as they were, told me he was strong. Stronger than the three men who’d attacked me.

But he didn’t act like it.

“Mind your business,” the slim man growled, stepping forward. “Unless you want trouble.”

The stranger turned his head, his smile never faltering. “Trouble? Nah. I’ve got enough of that in my life already. Just making sure she’s not...you know, dying or anything.” He gestured vaguely toward me, his tone infuriatingly nonchalant.

The third man, the one who’d grabbed my leg earlier, let out a low growl. “Leave. Now. Before we make you regret stopping.”

The stranger chuckled softly, his hands still raised. “Alright, alright. Message received. You guys are clearly very busy. I’ll just be on my way.”

I wanted to scream, to beg him not to leave, but my voice refused to cooperate. The words lodged in my throat, trapped by a mix of fear and exhaustion.

He turned back toward his truck, moving with an infuriating calmness, as if he hadn’t just walked into a scene straight out of a nightmare.

“Wait,” I croaked, though the sound barely left my lips.

The sandy-haired man noticed my weak attempt at speech and turned back to me, his lip curling. “Stay quiet, or I’ll make sure you never speak again.”

The stranger paused, his hand on the truck door. For a brief, fleeting moment, I thought he’d heard me. That he’d turn around, throw caution to the wind, and do something—anything—to stop them.

But he didn’t.

He glanced back over his shoulder, his expression unreadable, before climbing into the truck. The engine roared to life, the headlights slicing through the darkness as the vehicle reversed.

And then he was gone.

Despair crashed into me like a tidal wave, heavier than the pain coursing through my body. My last shred of hope disappeared with the taillights, swallowed by the darkness.

“What a coward,” the slim man spat, kicking a piece of debris toward the road. “Big talk, but no guts.”

“Forget him,” the sandy-haired man said. His voice was cold, focused. “We’ve wasted enough time.”

They turned their attention back to me, their eyes gleaming with malice.

“See what happens when you don’t cooperate?” the sandy-haired man said, crouching in front of me. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “It didn’t have to be this hard, Aurora.”

I tried to pull away, but my body refused to obey. Every inch of me ached, my head spinning with the effort of staying conscious.

“Let’s finish this,” the third man said. “She’s too much trouble to carry like this.”

“No,” the sandy-haired man snapped. “The Alpha wants her alive.”

“Barely alive is still alive,” the slim man muttered, but he didn’t press the issue.

My thoughts drifted back to the stranger, to the easy confidence in his voice, the way he’d stepped in without hesitation. Why had he left? He wasn’t weak—I could feel the power rolling off him, even in my weakened state. He could have helped me.

So why didn’t he?

The sandy-haired man leaned closer, his breath hot against my face. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice dripping with mock reassurance. “This will all make sense soon enough.”

Then he moved back to talk with his two other partners.

As the darkness closed in, the only thing I could think of was the stranger’s truck disappearing into the night.

And I was alone.