Braided Fate - A Werewolf Romance

Found

(Unknown POV)

I shivered in the cold. I didn’t know where I was anymore. My feet were actually just large chunks of ice. I couldn’t lift my eyelids anymore. My back ached from shivering so hard. I knew I was hurt, but I couldn’t feel that pain anymore. I couldn’t believe my pack had actually cast me out. I was so weak and dehydrated I couldn’t shift anymore. I fell to the ground. I couldn’t move anymore. I drifted.

A memory of a man leaping at his Alpha crossed my memory. People screaming, Guards and warriors pulling everyone apart. 

My memory skipped and I was sobbing on the floor of a cell.

Then I was being dragged out of my cell.

I saw three men’s faces. 

Blinding pain on my back. The sickening smell of burnt skin made me want to throw up.

Pain in my abdomen, my legs, my backs, my face even.

The warriors tightened their grip and dragged me forward. The Beta came forward and slapped me.

It’s all a blur. The last I remember is a man screaming and being in pain. So much pain. 

--------------

I woke up in a warm soft bed. I was so sore. Why was I so sore? I didn’t dare to move. I could hear water flowing in the background, I could smell different herbs and the smell of clean linen.

“She’s awake! Luna Kate! She’s awake!” I heard people bustling around me.

“I’ll be back later, my love. We need to know what happened,” a male’s strong voice insisted quietly. A woman’s calming tone twittered at him. I could tell she was pushing him out the door.

“Go deal with your mother, so I don’t have to and I will take care of this.” 

I let my eyes flutter open. Round, almost purple eyes stared at me with worry. Dark brown framed her pale face and fell on her shoulders and presumably down her back. She wore a white coat and had a clipboard.

“Welcome back, little one. How are you? Are you okay? I’m Dr. Garland.” She introduced herself. I cleared my throat.

“Where am I?” I asked, my voice cracking. I was finally awake. Where was I?? What was going on? I sniffed the air rapidly, trying to find a single familiar smell. My heart began to race.

“W-where am I?! What happened?” I demanded. I began to move. I gasped quickly at the sharp pain that came from my side. I clutched my stomach.

“You’re gonna be okay. Stop, honey, please!” The doctor tried to hold me still.

“CALM. DOWN.” A woman’s voice ordered. I felt my body relax.

“You are safe here, young one. I am Kate, Luna of EastEnd. Calm your breathing. What is your name?” She asked. I looked at her, startled. I didn’t know.

“I...I don’t know. I don’t know my name,” panic spread across my chest. “What happened? I’m hurt!” I squeaked. Kate and Dr. Garland pressed me back onto the mattress.

“Calm down or we’re going to have to restrain you,” Kate warned. “We will tell you what we know when we think you can handle it.” Taking in her words, I realized I wasn’t acting like a person who could handle any type of news. So, I tried my hardest to calm down. I met Kate’s eyes as she took my hands.

“You’ve sustained a lot of different injuries, love. It looked like you sustained...you were-” Kate’s voice caught.

“You have 15 stab wounds on your stomach, a bite tear, bruises everywhere. Do you know how old you are, love? Are you sure you don’t know your name?” Dr. Garland asked softly. 

I couldn’t handle it anymore. My mind was racing with all this information. I welcomed the darkness when it called me again.

(THIRD PERSON)

Dr. Garland looked at her Luna, sadness clear on her face. As they felt the girl go limp, they repositioned her on her bed and tucked her in. Something awful had happened to this young one. The girl couldn’t be much more than 16.

“Tell me all the wounds, Sara,” Kate ordered Dr. Garland, while petting the girl’s hair gently and brushing it from her face.

“Kate-” Dr.Garland started to protest.

“I am not asking, Dr. Garland. I am your Luna. If your Alpha and I are to offer protection to this child, we need to know everything we can. If her reaction is any bit of an indication, she went through hell.” Kate was firm. Dr. Garland took a deep breath.

“They did a Pack Cleanse. It's common in packs that have been taken over forcefully. There must have been some unrest or loyalty to the old leadership leftover after a takeover. She must have been connected to that somehow,” Dr. Garland began. Kate paled. 

“Oh. T-the whole Cleanse?? Did they do all of it?” Kate demanded. Her stomach churned; there was a reason the ancient ritual had been banned.

“She was branded with a hot iron as a rogue, she has cuts and bruises all over her body from not having clothes on, she has boot print bruises all over her, she has human and wolf bites all over her. Three bites sizes. Her Alpha, Beta, and Gamma did this together. She was branded, beaten, and r***d by all three men. The stab wounds are newer. Someone stabbed her over twenty times. And of course it’s mid-winter, so frostbite on all her toes and fingers because she was too weak to transition. The brands are healing quite nicely. I wish I had a way to get rid of them. I would kill for a Gifted right now. But by the time we got one here, it’d be too late anyways. But, even as a wolf, she is going to be in ICU for probably three more days,” Dr. Garland walked Kate through all the injuries. 

Kate closed her eyes. This child was lucky to be alive. She was sure whatever hard-hearted Alpha had done this, had definitely made his point to his pack. To attack a child like this was unheard of. But as Luna, Kate knew that such an act of violence would paralyze the pack with fear.

Dr. Garland gently turned the girl over and moved the hospital gown to the side. Kate gasped and looked away, visibly green. On the girl’s shoulder and neck, where her mate’s mark would one day rest, were three different sized bite marks. They had claimed her. Even though she wasn’t theirs. All three of them had not only ruined this child, they had tried to make it so that no one would help her. Kate had learned enough. This child was now pack. Whomever did this would die or experience a war like they had never seen. She immediately mind-linked her mate.

Christopher, I need you and the guys. NOW!  Kate ordered. She felt Chris’ panic and felt him immediately head towards her.

Joah, the Gamma, burst through the door first. He looked around frantically for any threat.

“Joah, hike up the security and sweeps in the surrounding areas. Try and find any blood trails or clues. Anything. But, the most important thing: not a single soul will get into this territory without you knowing. Do you understand me, Gamma?” Kate used his title so he knew she wasn’t playing around. Joah lowered his head.

“Yes, Luna. I understand,” he immediately turned and left. Chris and his Beta, Seth, stepped in next.

“Beta, I want this room guarded at all times. Two warriors at all times for as long as she’s in here,” Kate ordered. Chris moved to his mate, his partner.

“Love, what’s going on?” Something big was happening. He looked at her, concerned.

“Chris, one of the nearby packs Cleansed. She’s-” Kate’s voice cracked as she began to cry. Chris looked to Dr. Garland for an explanation.

Dr. Garland pulled back the girl’s dress again. Chris’ gaze fell to her neck. The marks looked so angry. Chris’ eyes blackened and a low growl slipped out as his wolf fought for control. Dr. Garland’s eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen her Alpha lose it like that. It made sense though. In their world, a violent death would have been preferred to what these men had done to her.

“Chris, baby, she’s okay now. We have her. She’s safe and whomever did this will pay with their own blood. We have many allies and not a single one of them will hesitate to follow us to war, my love. We need to do everything by the book. You need to tell the Council,” Kate put a calming hand on her mate’s chest. Chris’ eyes lightened to bright blue, their usual color.

“Thank you, love. Please take care of her.” Chris kissed his mate and hugged her close. This girl would be protected by them and their pack.