Ashina ran through the woods, as fast as her wobbly feet could carry her, panting heavily as she did.
Under her feet hurt so badly as she had earlier stepped on a large inch nail that pierced through her right foot.
It hurt terribly but she could not stop for a while to sip in the pain or soothe herself.
She could hear the heavy footsteps getting closer to her.
“I see her footprints,” the chief guard growled. “I also smell her presence. She is definitely within reach,” he bragged to his men, laughing out loudly.
“How could you think you would get away from the Wind Winder pack Alpha?” Myra her Wolf whispered within her and she felt a pang of realisation dawn on her.
She simply crashed down to the floor, sobbing loudly.
“Why must I suffer this way, Moon goddess?” Ashina wailed through her cracked voice.
“There she is!” The guard exclaimed, pointing at her. The moon shone directly on her, illuminating her body and face even more.
“Did you really think you could outrun us?” Kent, the chief guard asked with a tone of sarcasm. “I see you need to do some learning about the Wind Winder. We aren't your weak clan, our feet are faster than the speed of light!” He bragged generously as he ordered the men to pick her up.
Ashina kicked at them, trying to revolt.
“Let me go! I don't want your Alpha anymore. He rejected me, why does he still want me?”
She cried out in frustration, too weak to restrain them from lifting her off the ground and throwing her across their shoulders.
“You would have to ask him that yourself,” Kent groaned, “I have no answer. My job is to make sure you never run away from the Wind Winder pack.
Once they got back, she was taken straight to Alpha George's throne room and was thrown down before his feet.
Georgia looked down at her with fury eminent in his gaze.
“What the hell was that stunt that you tried to pull?”
Ashina was silent. She simply let the tears fall down her cheeks and said no word to him.
“Raise your head now and respond to my question. Why the hell did you try to run away from me?”
Ashina lifted her head and gave him a look of disdain.
“Why do you want me here since you rejected me?”
Georgia rose to his feet and walked up to her. He pulled her up by her hair and smacked her face so hard that she fell back down to the ground. A mould instantly appears on her cheek.
“You will never speak to me in such a defiant tone, ever again. Yes, I rejected you because I have no idea why the Moon goddess would present a peasant to me as my mate. There are better choices for me. However, I can use you as I please and when I please.”
Ashina sat like a rejected sacrifice, sobbing and jerking.
“Undress!” He commanded and she looked around to catch the gaze of the men around her as they struggled to look away from her.
“You cannot ask me to do that here. That is a violation of my personality!” She yelled, gathering herself and rising to her feet.
“Except you want another smack, Ashina pull down your dresses just as I have ordered.”
She began to undress, her tears rushing down uncontrollably.
Her pale skin seemed to glow under the throne room lights and the men present could not take their eyes off her body.
George smiled wryly at the sight of her nude body and took a large chunk of her hair in his palm, sniffing it lasciviously.
“You aren't my mate and you would never be. But, for some mysterious reason, I seem to find you attractive. Get your darn self to my chambers now.”
“I am unwell…” Ashina replied, clutching her body protectively whilst a gust of shame enveloped her.
“What has that got to do with anything?” He asked, his voice as deep as the cello.
“I may infect you if you don't stay away. It is my time of the month. You need to stay away.”
“Oh and you dare stand before me? Get your unclean self away from me now!”
Ashina heaved a sigh of relief as she gathered her dress and ran out of the throne room through the small exit. Her hips were swaying, attractively as she ran out of the room.
“Disgraceful mate!” George groaned and sat back on his throne. “Get me another Dane maiden,” he commanded Kent before he sat back down on his throne.
Ashina was mortified as she rushed back to her room. She shut the door and locked it up, scared that he may still wander towards her room.
“I hate him so much!” She cried out as she went to have a shower and tend to her injured wound.
She winced from the pain she felt and cursed out at the guards and the cruel Alpha George who had turned her life to a living hell.
“If only I had known that following him as my supposed Alpha would mean me enduring this level of humiliation. I sold my freedom for this crappy life!” She groaned.
***
The night air was relieving to Ashina as she took a walk through the garden and out of the palace.It felt good being away from the palace and out on the streets.
She thought of the happy life she once had till her family opened the doors to let that cruel human through who came to destroy them all.
The air was chilling because she was seated by the town lake, on the benches there and she was the only one there.
Her mind raced with possible ideas of how to get away from George's pack without being noticed. She was tired of being treated like trash.
Suddenly, Ashina felt another presence right behind her. It was strong and it caused the hairs behind her hair to stand.
“Why are you alone at this hour?” The voice was deep and commanding, causing Ashina to turn around, her heart racing with panic.