The Protector

Chapter 13

I started to wake up slowly, my senses gradually coming back to me as I tried to play back what had happened and where I was. Minutes flew by, maybe even hours, as I tried to make coherent thoughts. I recalled going to bed after a party, but my mind was blank after that. I knew I definitely wasn’t at home and my first thought was that I was drunk. 

As soon as my senses started catching up with my racing mind, I realized that things were more complicated than that. I opened my eyes to find a strange pattern in front of my face that showed dots of light in my vision. I didn’t have to guess what it was, I knew I had a sack over my head and the smell of it was rancid. I took notice of the left side of my body pressed against a cold and stonelike surface and just like that the memories of what had happened came back to me. I breathed in and out to keep calm as I tried to think of what to do.                                                                                    

I tried to move my arms, but something rough started to cut into my wrists and I couldn’t help the hiss that escaped my mouth from the burning sensation from my raw skin. I wasn’t sure what they had on me, but it caused me a pain like I had never felt before. I tried to move my feet apart but found them to be in the same situation. I took another deep breath to calm myself, breathing in the stale and moldy scent of the bag on my head. I realized that either they had tied the bag tightly around my neck or there was actually something around my neck. My money was on the latter because of how cold my skin felt. I struggled to move my legs while keeping my ankles together so I wouldn’t feel the pain of the restraints rubbing against the bare skin of my ankles. I wiggled and moved until I was sitting upright with my back pressed against a stone cold wall, leaving my wrists and ankles with a burning sensation along my skin. My breaths were coming out faster now as I found myself lacking sufficient energy which was really unusual for me. I needed to get out of here before I became any weaker.

Before I could fully gather myself, the sound of a door opening and closing grabbed my attention. I heard the sound of heavy footsteps, but I couldn’t tell exactly how many people there were. Suddenly the bag was ripped off of my head along with a few of my head hairs, causing me to hiss. I was immediately blinded with the sun coming from a door in the tiny room. The scent of urine and mold filled my nose and I had to do everything I could to not gag right then and there. I looked up at the feen who had santched the bag from my head and found myself staring at a handsome man who was a total contrast to the man I remembered kidnapping me.

His black hair was long enough that it would cover his eyes if it laid straight instead of sticking up in every direction. His eyes were darker than his hair and I wondered for a second if his eyes were naturally like that, or if his inner wolf was attempting to break through as the moment. He wore a blue shirt and blue jeans that both seemed to be ripped and frayed in different places and his dirty hands suggested he was low on the food chain like a rogue would be, but I didn’t miss the power that seemed to radiate off from him. I felt his aura challenge my own, but I would not back down and cower.

“It’s about time you woke up,” he grinned, his smile appearing charming even in this situation. My body gave an involuntary shiver from his voice. I expected something raspy or something that was light and shaky. Something that suggested he was off his rockers and that I could easily overpower. But his voice was nothing like that. It was steady and deep, his power showing through his tone as he spoke with well spoken and articulated words.

I looked down and found my hands and ankles to be tied with a rope that looked to be made out of metal; I knew my neck was probably in the same situation from the dull burning sensation. I knew that I was weaker in this form so I tried to let my emotions course through my body to allow me to change into my wolf form. After a few moments of nothing happening, I growled in frustration, my energy waning the harder I tried.

“What did you do to me?” I growled out, finally giving up on trying to change into my wolf.

“You mean not being able to shift?” He asked though I knew it wasn’t a question. “That beautiful necklace around your neck is pure silver to prevent you from shifting into your stronger form. I cost a pretty penny so you should appreciate such a fashion choice” I felt a sense of panic rise in me but I chose to ignore it. I was trained well enough to fight this man without being in my other form. “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here…” he started as if waiting for me to confirm this. I bit my tongue, holding back a snarky comment that would only make the situation worse. “You’re going to be my little gift to this pack here. I think they’ll find a very good use for you.” I didn’t have to ask him what he meant because his sickening voice gave away the hidden meaning well enough. I couldn’t help but speak my mind after feeling a wave of nausea at the thought of what he was suggesting. 

“Let me go,” I growled. “You have no right to give me to someone!” I growled, my blue eyes, undoubtedly turning darker as a newfound anger surged through my body.

“I have every right,” he laughed in that insanic way that most insane people laughed. A deep and maddening sound that made it seem like they were never going to stop laughing. “I found you, so it’s only fair-”

“You kidnapped me!” I screamed. Suddenly a tingling pain erupted across my left cheek as my head snapped to the side. 

“Do not interrupt me,” he whispered with a sickly calm tone. But I wasn’t going down that easy. I wasn’t a little girl that this man could slap around. I wouldn’t forget this and as soon as I got the chance I would end his life.

“My pack will be looking for me,” I growled at him. He laughed as though I had just told him a joke which of course, only made me even angrier.

“Of course they will. Helena Wilson, daughter of John Wilson and Marrian Wilson.” I looked back up at him through a curtain of my blonde hair. “Daughter of the Alpha and the Luna of the pack, Chevalier. French for knightly if I’m correct.” My jaw involuntarily dropped at how much he knew about me and my family, but he didn’t stop there. “Volunteers every Wednesday to help train some of the younger pack wolves. Sundays you spend your time helping the elderly members of your pack. Every other day you have grueling training that has lead you to be one of the best fighters of your pack. One sister named Claire. You’ve just turned eighteen and are the next in line to become Luna. You’re involved with a Hunter Kings, though I’m not sure why. You two are obviously not mates.” I growled partly in frustration and partly to hide my shock. 

“So what? You’ve been stalking me?” I held back a shiver from the thought that this guy had followed me around and learned everything about me.

“For a few days, yes” he deadpanned. I hated it all. Not just him, but how easy it was to read me. How easily he just spread out my life as though it was a bland and boring article in some magazine he picked up. “Long enough to find out the details of your eighteenth party and slip something into your boyfriend’s and your own drink to tire you two out faster. And to make it a little… uncomplicated to take you.” As he spoke, the pieces started to make sense. Hunter and I were suddenly more tired than normal, though we blamed it on all of the dancing we had done.

“I’m sorry, you seem to know me but I know nothing about you,” I frowned with a bitter tone, trying to not let him see he had gotten to me so easily.

“And that is how it shall remain.”

“You’re sick!” I screamed at him, losing control of my temper. He laughed as though he found me even more amusing when I was angry. The sick son of a-

“I’m not the sick one here, Helena,” he said, curling my name in a way that made me believe he had been reading my mind just then. “I’m just the delivery guy here. The sick people belong to this pack here.” 

“What pack?” I demanded, the disgust evident in my voice.

“Hollow,” he answered. I racked my brain to try and remember if I had ever heard of the pack before. Being a future Alpha female, I was supposed to know all of the packs we knew of. There weren’t that many packs to remember and I knew each of their names and where they were at by heart which led me to believe that he was lying.

“Where are we?” I demanded.

“Washington.” The air was so thick that it was hard for me to breath it into my lungs. I closed my eyes and forced myself to take long and slow breaths to calm the pounding in my head. I had been born and raised in Colorado and now I’m finding out that this sicko had taken me from my home and dragged me all the way to Washington? To an empty state of snow and trees? A sudden panic arose in me as I thought about my situation. Even if I was to get away from whoever was holding me, I would have to find my way back home. I wasn’t scared of the small animals or humans between me and my home. No, I was fearful of the rogues. I had never killed a rogue before and they were attracted to the scent of lone wolves. 

“I’m going to get away,” I promised the man standing before me. He kneeled down so his face was level with my own with such close proximity that I could smell his stale and cold breath.

“Frankly, I don’t think you’ll get very far. Just let me warn you,” he reached out and dragged one of his fingers along my jaw before I jerked away from his cold touch, “there will be punishment if you are caught.”

“That’s if I’m caught,” I all but growled at him which only caused him to laugh. “And why am I here?” I asked, remembering how he had started to explain this earlier.

“It’s… a long story,” the man said as he seemed to appear in deep thought before glancing at the watch on his wrist. “For times sake let's just say it’s nothing personal.” He turned and began to leave the room, only stopping when I shouted to him. 

“When I get out of here and I find you, I’m going to rip your head off your goddamn shoulders,” I yelled as I felt my wolf stir inside of me. 

“What did he ever do to deserve such a spit fire mate like you?” He asked while looking back at me curiously. At first I thought he was talking about Hunter but his next words contradicted my original though. “I guess he’ll never get to meet you to even find out,” he smirked. I didn't know if he was just trying to confuse me or drive me crazy but I did know one thing. Even though I was determined to face whatever was ahead of me, I couldn’t help but start to doubt my chances of survival.