Alpha Jace’s Salvation

Dark Tunnel

ARIANA VAUGHN

I was frightened as I ran through a dark tunnel that appeared unending, suffocating, and scary.

I furrowed my eyes to take in the vicinity, but all I saw was darkness. There was no form, no trees, or evidence of life. I didn't know what I was scared of, nor could I see it, yet I ran instinctively.

The urge and need to escape from something or someone was extreme, and it pushed my weak legs further into the dark tunnel. I was practically shaking as fear consumed my whole being. I had never been a sprinter as far as my current memories captured, so it was surprising that I could barely feel my feet touching the solid ground as I ran for my dear life.

I was alone, yet I could feel another’s presence. It was sudden, and I didn't have time to dwell on having a companion in the dark tunnel. Instead, I ran faster with a newfound determination to save myself.

My life was in danger, but from what?

The possibility of increasing my pitch was highly impossible, but I felt something pushing me to go faster, yet I questioned myself repeatedly.

“Why am I running? Who am I running from? Where am I?”

These questions flashed through my mind repeatedly, seeking answers, but I got none. I couldn't provide the solutions needed, maybe because I was hell-bent on escaping everything.

Suddenly I saw a bright light shining at the tunnel's far end. I was being pulled towards the morning by a force I couldn't explain but was nowhere close to the light. The more I ran, the light drew away from me. The dark tunnel was elongating, and I couldn't escape it no matter how fast I ran.

I began to plead with the light to please save me from the darkness about swallowing me. The tunnel became windy, and everything around me became a barrier between me and the light. I couldn't reach it, but I needed to.

Why? I was in danger. I could feel it even though I couldn't see what I was running from. My questions were soon answered, to my dismay.

A growling sound behind me made me remember what I was running from. A beast. A big black ugly beast! Memories I didn't recall initially flooded my mind as greater fear sank into my heart.

It was the stranger. He had suddenly changed into a beast right in front of me when he was introducing himself. He was behind me, and no matter how I tried to outrun him, he was still hot on my heels.

“Please let me go. I won't tell anyone what I saw.”

I pleaded, screaming my lungs out, but I got angry snarls in response. He was going to kill me. There was no doubt. And right now, he was toying with me before he finally ended my life. I wasn't ready to die. What have I gotten myself into?

My feet tangled together, and I fell face flat to the ground. I didn't have to be told it was too late to save myself from being devoured by the big black ugly beast.

I quit fighting. I accepted my fate even though I wanted more out of life. I wanted to become tangible, but I was about to be killed by a creature I knew nothing about.

My breath became shallow, but instead of the sharp pains of being bitten by the beast, I felt my eyes closing peacefully, and I was forced to embrace the darkness.

The bright light wasn't saving me. I fell deep into an endless loop of darkness.

“Ari!” The all too familiar voice of my mother called for me unexpectedly. The sound of her voice made me fight the darkness that was engulfing my senses. I struggled to open my eyes to see her face, even though I was scared that the beast might be standing over me.

“Ari, don’t be scared. It's mom, Ariana. Please open your eyes.” My mom assured me with her ever-gentle voice, shaking the darkness away as I parted my closed eyelids forcefully.

“M...om.” I cried out, clutching her hands in mine tightly. I was holding onto her for my dear life. My eyes searched for the beast, and my ears listened for its growling voice.

I noticed that I wasn't in the tunnel anymore, nor could I see the bright light at the end of it. My face slowly turned to the woman I was holding, taking in every detail of the face that I had missed.

My mom has always been a protector, so it made sense that she miraculously showed up to rescue me from the danger I willingly followed. Although I wouldn't have gone with the stranger if Kara wasn't in trouble, no one forced me either. I could have rejected his offer, but I took it.

“Mom...Mom, where have you been?” I stuttered.

“Hush, Ariana. You are safe now.” My mom stopped my pathetic attempt to voice out questions. I was stuttering and breathing harshly. Mom wrapped her arms around me, comforting me and whispering loving words into my ear.

“I was worried, Mom. I thought Dad sold you off like he was planning to do with me and Kara.”

“I know everything, Ariana. It might be hard to understand now, but you must open your mind, sweetie.”

My mom cut me off again, and I hugged her back, sobbing quietly into her shoulder. Her motherly love was all I needed. I didn't question how she found me.

I couldn't think about my problems because I felt at peace with my mother’s presence. It was all going to be okay. Mom was back. What could go wrong when my protection secured me in her warm arms?

My eyes closed, and a smile stretched my face. Nothing could go wrong. But everything went terrible within a twinkle of an eye.

The calm feeling I felt in Mom’s arms suddenly changed, and fear overtook me again. Her sweet flowery scent was gone, and her cool skin wasn't there. I was scared to open my eyes because I could feel it already.

I could sense the hot hairy skin underneath my arms. My mom's skin wasn't like that. Her soft fingers have been replaced by paws, holding me in place against the hairy chest of the creature itself.

Where is Mom? Assuming my mind was playing tricks on me, I raised my head cautiously from the hairy shoulders, but my attempt was stopped by one of the paws that were initially positioned on my back.

“Please don't kill me.” My plea came out as a squeal, but tears rolled freely out of my eyes, dropping into the black fur of the creature that had somehow replaced my mother.

“Ariana, Embrace it….”

My mom's voice was faint, but I could hear her even though I didn't know where she was speaking. It wasn't making sense to me. Why would my mom, who had been missing for months, tell me to embrace a creature that was clearly after my life?

The creature tightened his hold around me but slowly pulled its head away from the crook of my neck to look into my soul with its blazing golden eyes.

No words could describe the loudness of my voice when my eyes finally connected with the beast's eyes. I screamed. My lungs burned as I fruitlessly tried to back away from its body.

I thought I had seen hell. Sweat broke loose and dripped from my head down into my dress, but that wasn't the height of it all.

The absolute hell was revealed to me when the beast’s mouth opened, uncovering elongated fangs that tore the skin of my neck before I could scream again.

Yet, I screamed. The beast’s fangs sank into my flesh despite my struggle against its stronghold, and still, all I could do was cry.

“Shouldn't we wake her?” A strange feminine voice spoke, but my brain didn't register her words until cold liquid touched my skin, drenching me.

What if that was my blood? The beast was bleeding me to death. I assumed.

“Please help me. Anyone.” I chanted, but my body gave in to the darkness again. If emptiness were a body of water, then I would be drowning right now. But I was saved, yet again!

“Open your eyes, Ariana!” The feminine voice whispered into my ear, and I felt my system responding to her calm voice. The heavy weight of the beast was lifted off my body, and the pain from its bite reduced drastically.

My throat felt dry, still. I gasped, jerking away and out of the endless darkness I was trapped in.

Where am I now? My vision was blinded by bright light, and I immediately assumed it was the same light I saw at the end of the tunnel. It has to be. Was I back in the tunnel?

Did I escape the beast again? Did my mom rescue me again?

There were numerous questions, but I was too scared to open my eyes this time. I was scared of what or who I would see. Although I couldn't understand what was happening to me, I understood fear more than ever.

“I know you are conscious, Ariana. Open your damn eyes!”

My body reacted to his voice the very moment he barked at me. I knew that voice. It was him. How? Was I going insane?

“Alpha, you've got to be calm. You might make her faint again.” The strange feminine voice wasn't extraordinary after all. It was her, Alison.

“I don't have much time to waste! She has to wake up!”

He barked, and I remembered the scary introduction of himself that he gave me. My body couldn't stay still anymore, not when I remembered seeing a man becoming a beast. I also saw the beast change back into the stranger that had turned my miserable life into something incomprehensible.

Alpha Jace Slavo, that was what he called himself. I had fainted earlier, but now that I was conscious again, I wished I could get swallowed by that darkness again, even though my dreams had been scary. Nightmares were better than my reality.

Without opening my eyes, I wiggled vigorously off what I believed was one of the sofas in his luxurious hotel room, standing with thoughts that I could fool him by pretending to be sleepwalking. I had to escape, and because I didn't hear a sound from Alison and the beast, I believed they had left.

Stupid me. Who knew what Alison was? Maybe they were planning my death. I didn't know, and I didn't want to find out. The only thing I wanted to find right now was my way out of this beauty mess.

Shouldn't I open my eyes to aid my search for a possible escape route? That was logical, but I was scared of what I would see.

“Aren't you dumb? Do you think you can fool me?”

He snarled, and my eyelids disjoined. He was standing in front of me with his arms folded. His stance, expression, and voice were threatening. My eyes didn't reach his face before my shaky legs crumbled under my weight.