The Protector

Chapter 15

It was early morning, probably around two a.m., when I finally stirred in the small cabin. I hadn’t slept-there was no time to sleep because I needed to make this timing perfect.

I silently woke the small and fragile figure next to me who then looked at me with his bright blue eyes. 

After motioning for him to stay quiet, I stood up and moved around the makeshift one room cabin we slept in. If I wasn’t a werewolf, the weather would have frozen me by now but luckily my body produced enough heat for the both of us to survive the quickly approaching winter. I picked Gabriel up and hoisted him on my back before tiptoeing around the pack grounds, knowing that there were likely only two other wolves awake at the moment. We finally made it into the woods without being noticed, which was a feat in itself. Today was the day I would escape with Gabriel. I just knew it. I wouldn’t fail him this time. 

I had been building the pack’s trust since our last escape attempt and now we didn’t need a guard with us 24/7. Maybe they thought that I wouldn’t try to escape anymore since I 

learned to behave for Gabriel’s sake. Though I thought of the Hollow pack as a handful of stupid werewolves, I couldn’t deny that they knew just how to use Gabriel to get me to comply. Once Gabriel had appeared in the picture, I practically begged for them to beat me instead of him, knowing I could take much more than he could. 

I held onto Gabriel’s legs as I began running into the woods, hoping that it would snow soon to cover my tracks and scent. There was usually one wolf awake at all times to make sure I didn’t escape but I knew that right now that Derek was that wolf and I could take him down if it came to it. I smelt the a weak scent of Derek’s wolf as I ran and felt my skin prickle at the thought that he had been around this part of the woods not too long ago. I kept running, thankful that the snow kept my footfalls quiet even though my toes were freezing. 

I ran faster, my body still fueled by the adrenaline from the moment. The sound of a howl a little ways to my left told me that a wolf had alerted the others of my escape and that Derek would soon be onto me. 

Suddenly a massive object slammed into me, throwing me to the ground and sending Gabriel tumbling. In a second, I was standing back up and waiting for Derek to make his usual reckless moves. I wondered how he had gotten to me so quickly but pushed the thought away as I focused all of my attention on the wolf in front of me. It was considered cowardly to fight someone in your wolf form if they were in their human form, but this pack was full of nothing but cowards.

I tried to focus, knowing I would need to take him out quickly before the other members caught up to us. As he stalked towards my right side, I followed until we completed a complete circle. With a sudden jerk of his body he flew threw the air towards me. I jumped forward, catching his neck with my arm and pulling back until I was dragging him backwards by the neck. At one point in time I would have been able to snap his neck easily, but I could barely choke him at that point with my weakened muscles. As soon as I felt him going unconscious, something else rammed into my side, causing me to lose hold of Derek. I refused to cry out in pain, learning from early on that it only fueled these bastards. A wolf grabbed me around the neck just above the collar, tightening until I could feel the warmth of my blood soaking my shirt. I began to kick the wolf that was biting me, but Derek appeared and snatched one of his legs in my mouth. I saw Gabriel crying in the distance but a man held one of his arms tightly, keeping him from running to me.

I had no choice but to let go.

No choice but to give up.

For now.

They dragged us back towards the rundown packhouse and threw Gabriel into the small cabin we stayed in, where he would be held until my punishment was over. The Alpha threw me roughly into the all too familiar run down cell. 

“After all we’ve done for you!” The Alpha yelled, his yelling making me internally growl. He was a pathetic excuse for an Alpha and even with this collar on I knew I could take him out. But if I hurt him, I knew Gabriel would be dead in an instant and so I remained obedient.

“We took you in! We fed you and clothed you!” I looked down at the oversized brown shirt I was wearing and the pair of jeans that had to be rolled up at the ends. I bit my tongue to keep quiet causing an iron like taste to fill my mouth. I’m not too sure about the exact time I’ve been here but I think it’s been a little over a year since I was taken. The first six months were complete torture and isolation but I didn’t remember much from then. Ever since I met Gabriel, things had gotten easier for me. He was a reminder that I needed to keep my sanity in order to get out of this alive. 

The Alpha moved closer to me which gave me a front row view to his disgusting morning breath. I knew he was trying to get me to say something so he would have a better reason to hit me. I knew how his logic worked but the next thing he said riled me too much for me to keep quiet.

“Maybe we need to that runt a lesson too this time.”

“Don’t you dare touch him,” I growled, my eyes undoubtedly turning a shade darker as anger surged through me. The Alpha quickly stepped forward and slapped me, leaving my jaw throbbing in pain. I had tried to not move my head, but the impact was so hard that my head snapped to the side. I looked back up at the Alpha, hoping he saw the burning hate in my eyes.

“The only reason I’m not ripping your throat out right now, is because of Gabriel,” I seethed, reminding him again just how much that little boy was keeping him safe. It was ironic that Gabriel was also the reason why I didn’t strike out either. I didn’t want to gamble with his life.

“You need a lesson, Helena,” he growled. “I was hoping you’d come around sooner or later but…” he sighed before giving me a wicked smile, “I guess we’re going to have to do it the hard way.” He stood up and gave me one last hard stare. “And just know, like always, the more you fight the less food he’ll get.” He left me in the empty cell with my body aching as it slowly healed itself. I knew whatever he had planned, I wouldn’t be able to fight off. What little strength I had left was being used to heal my body. But most importantly, I didn’t want them to hold out on any portions of food when it came to Gabriel. He had grown a lot in the past six months and I didn’t want starving to death to be another worry for him. 

I knew that the was planning on sending someone in to beat me while I was still weak so I just laid down and gathered my strength for what was so come. Hopefully I would pass out so I wouldn’t have to endure much of the beating. 

After a hour or so I assumed that my torture would come later. I ran a hand through my hair which was usually always an oily mess. A few months ago the Alpha himself cut my long and beautiful blonde hair until it only reached my ears. I had cried myself to sleep that night even as Gabriel tried to convince me that I was still beautiful. My hair was just now starting to reach my shoulders but I had to admit, I didn’t mind it being short anymore simply because it was much easier to take care of.

I thought of my sister and mother again, wondering if their hair was still long. I wondered for the millionth time what they were doing right then and if they were still looking at me. I closed my eyes and breathed slowly to hold back the tears, trying to convince myself that they were still thinking about me. 

A few minutes later when the door opened again causing me to wipe a few stray tears away and mentally prepare for what was to come. My neck and leg were still healing but at least they weren’t bleeding anymore. I looked up to see who was assigned to torture me, but the light from outside of the building blinded me and hid the person’s identity. I felt a small breeze blow threw the room and knew then who it was by their indistinct musty scent. He started towards me, leaving the door cracked enough so the light could get into the dark room.

“The Alpha has requested that I punish you, Helena,” Derek smirked as he opened the cage door and walked in. I glanced at the red finger marks around his neck and smiled even though they would likely heal soon. “He gave me specific instructions on what to do.” I waited for him to move, wondering what he had planned. I knew the Alpha didn’t like it when anyone left scars on me, but I still had acquired a few nonetheless. My favorite was four claw marks that ran from the base of my neck to the small of my back, leaving white lines that were very noticeable against my tanned skin. 

“You’re going to enjoy this,” Derek smirked before reaching for his belt. At first I was confused. I mean, what could a belt do to me that would actually hurt. Maybe he planned to wrap it around my neck and choke me with it. It wasn’t until he pulled his pants down that I realized what he had planned and for the first time in a long time I was overcome with such a raw fear that my body began to shake. 

“Get away for me,” I attempted to growl, but my voice betrayed my emotions. I had heard crude jokes from the unmated males of this pack before about what they wanted from me, but it was all something I thought would never happen, until now. The thought of him near me, breathing on me, inside me sent me into a panic. 

“Shh,” he whispered as he came closer to me. I tried to kick him, but he expected it and caught my leg, yanking me forward until my back hit the cold ground, making a pain erupt through my head as it hit the concrete.

“s**t!” I cursed as I grabbed the back of my head.

“Just wait until you’re screaming my name,” he laughed as he lowered himself into a cradle above me. Derek was larger than me in his human form and much more powerful at the moment. I knew I needed to act fast as heart began to race with adrenalin.

I tried to knee him, but his body was pressed so tightly against my own that I couldn’t move my legs. My hand raised to slap him, but his hands grabbed my wrists tightly and held them above my head as his body crushed mine, causing me to lose my breath as my chest throbbed with pain. He lowered his lips to mine, his kiss desperate and needy. A fleeting memory of Hunter kissing me passed through my mind but I shoved it away, knowing now was not the time to break down. 

I didn’t respond to the kiss, causing Derek to bit my lip. I yelped from the sudden pain, but he only took advantage of that and tried to force his tongue into my mouth. I turned my head away and spit, trying to get the stale taste of Derek out of my mouth, causing him to grunt.

“Well if you want to get on with the fun part, you could have just said so,” he smirked. Suddenly my pants were ripped off of me and thrown across the room likely in shreds. A second later, I could feel that Derek was fully naked against me. This can’t be happening. This isn’t happening. His lips then moved to my neck, seeming unfazed by my repeated rejection. His mouth began to suck on my collarbone so hard that it hurt. This isn’t real, none of it is. 

Sweaty skin against my bare legs. 

I’m strong and I’m going to fight. 

Warm breath that made it hard to breathe.

I’m strong and I’m… I’m going to fight.

“Stop,” I tried to demand, though my fear made it sound like I was begging. Instead of stopping, his right hand moved up my side and under my shirt as his other hand held my wrists.

“I’m sorry if it hurts,” he said, sounding unapologetic despite his words. “You know wolves can be a little, rough with new meat,” he chuckled against my neck. I growled with enough power that his hand hesitated against my bare skin. He moved to position himself closer to me, his member rubbing against my inner thigh. No, no, this isn’t happening. I can’t let this happen. This won’t happen.This was my last chance. It was now or never.

As Derek leaned back slightly and grasped my underwear I did the last thing I could think of and brought my head forward as hard and fast as I could. 

“f**k!” He shouted in pain as he leaned to the side. Derek held his nose in pain as the rusty smell of blood filled the air. I took the opportunity to push him off of me before scurrying out of the cell and locking it behind me. Derek was up and running at the door in a matter up seconds but I was already running out of the small building. I shut the door behind me, quickly locking that door too.

“Hele-” his angry voice was cut off when I closed the wooden door. I didn’t wait to see if anyone was around to hear me escape. I quickly ran to the small cabin near the cell, barging in and setting my eyes on first the man sitting at a table and then to Gabriel sitting in the corner. Before the man could stand up, I was in front of him with enough adrenaline running through me that when the punch I sent him was enough to send him to an unconscious heap on the ground. I grabbed Gabriel and ran outside of the cabin, practically throwing him on my back before taking off towards the woods closest to the cabin. I knew that I was going in the opposite direction of Colorado but I would worry about that later. 

I ran as fast as I could on two legs, knowing that it would be only a matter of time before the wolves would be on our tail. Even so, it wasn’t until I was farther away from the pack than I had ever gotten, that I heard the howling of angry wolves. I didn’t slow down, but instead I pushed myself further. I knew what type of punishment I would get if I stayed any longer. I knew that I would never heal from those scars.