Chapter Four
1089 Words
“Hold her down.”
A fist slammed into my ribs
I gasped, blood gushing from my mouth
My bones rattled with each blow
But they didn’t stop
“Pathetic little Luna” one of the men sneered.
My vision blurred as I was landed another kick
“Please…stop…” my voice sounding like a broken glass,
Only laughter answered me
And then I heard it.
His voice
Deep and cold
His was the one name every wolf in Tamaris did not mess with
“Enough!”
The soldiers froze.
Boots crunched on dry leaves.
Slowly, I lifted my head
Through the haze of the pain, I managed to see him step right into the moonlight
He was tall with broad shoulders, his eyes as sharp as knives.
Alpha Zed of the SilverTail Pack
My heart began to race instantly
“Aria.” His voice curling with anger
“You really thought I would just sit back and let a clueless wolf like you ruin what I spent the better years of my life building?”
My lips trembled as I tried to speak beyond the sting of my torn lips.
“What…I do not understand, Alpha?”
“Of course you don’t.” He chuckled dryly
“You are way too weak to understand the concept of power”
He bent down, gripping my chin in his hands. “You were born a mistake and tonight? I would correct that.”
My breath caught in my throat. “Please…”
I watched in terror as he lifted his dagger, silver shining under the moonlight. “This is for you. Trust me little Luna, goodbye.”
A growl ripped through the night
“Get away from her!!”
A figure appeared from the darkness, blade in hands and blood stained on his shirt
It was the warrior
Relief washed over me so much so that I didn’t realize when a sob escaped my lips
“Oh it’s you” Zed sneered at him dismissively. “The hero stray dog right?”
“Touch her again and you’ll pay for it with your blood.” With his blade still glimmmering, the warrior stepped between us, his voice low and fierce.
For a while there was silence
Then Zed lunged at him
Sparks exploded in the air as steel clashed, the sound of rage and metal filling the air
I crawled backwards, clutching my sides, every strike still rang in my head.
Zed was like the storm, so wild and ruthless yet the warrior matched anyways, his every move was deadly and precise
“Why waste this energy on her?” Zed snarled, his blade clashing with that of the warrior. “She’s a nodody…she's nothing...she”
“Well, she's under my protection now.” the warrior interrupted him, pushinghim back as his sword sliced through the air.
“That's everything she needs to be as long as you remain alive.”
Zed’s eyes narrowed. “You’d regret this and that's a promise.”
My pulse raced inside of me, my eyes moving between them
Then almost as suddenly as it started,
Zed pushed himself backwards, his lips curled into the scariest grin
“Thia isnt over stray dog!” he hissed at the warrior before shifting his gaze to me, his eyes burning with contempt.
“Enjoy your saviour to the fullest, in a really short while he’ll no longer be able to save you from what’s coming.”
With that he disappeared into the forest with his rogues
Silence
The warrior finally lowered his blade, I watched the rise and fall of his chest as he took heavy breaths.
The tears began to pour uncontrollably, my whole body shook with emotions
Fear and relief mostly.
“I…I thought he…was going to kill…me”
“It’s okay, you’re safe now.” His voice softened as he spoke. This was the first time I was being comforted instead of commanded
He knelt beside me, helping me sit upright. “You’re hurt.”
“ I’m fine” I laughed dryly, my ribs burning with every breathe I took. “But…why did you save me…again?”
His gaze didn’t falter. “Because you deserve a chance at a good life.”
Another dry laugh escaped my lips.
“Somehow, this is all I ever do…need saving.” I looked away from him
“First it was my hope of a new beginning that saved me but when that wasn’t enough, you came into the picture.”
He shook his head firmly.
“You’re not weak Aria. You’re fighting, everyday you just survive, you still breath everyday regardless of how hard it gets and that is strength beyond blades.”
I blinked at him as tears welled up in my eyes
He hesitated before finally letting himself speak further
“I’m Mark.”
“Mark” I slowly whispered.
“Thank you for everything. Thank you for risking your own life for me, thank you for actually…seeing me”
He held my gaze in his for a while. “No you don’t owe me an apology. You owe yourself a chance to live”
Silence stretched between us for a while. My pulse still hammered but his presence was comfort enough for me
“If truly there is something in…me” my brows furrowed, I swallowed hard. “Something in my blood that has caused everything I've had to face all my life…all this, then I can't continue to run away from it. I have to find out the truth.”
He raked a hand through his hair. “Going back to Tamaris isn't safe and you know it.”
“I know.” my voice steady as I pushed myself upright even more. “But hiding has never actually helped me before. If I don't face this, I'll never move past being the weak Luna.”
He studied my face a while, his eyes searching mine. Then he nodded swiftly. “If that’s what you want then, I strongly believe in you.”
This was a first
He stood offering me a hand. “You’ll be fine.”
“You’re stronger than you think.”
He raised my chin. “But be careful, whatever you discover might either make or break you.”
I nodded with a faint smile
I turned towards the path leading to my home. For the first time, my steps didn't falter
I was going back and this time? I was ready to face whatever was coming for me.
- Writer
